1st Gen Bulbasaur's vine whip

[rainbowfurreteatingawaffle77]

Is it just me or does the level that Bulbasaur learns its first move at level 13 a little weird?

Like, when I was little (like 9 or something), I was playing Pokémon Green and I got to Pewter city, but I didn't have a grass move, (right about now it was level 8) so I grinded and grinded and grinded until FINALLY got to level 13 so I could fight Brock without getting pummeled into the ground.

This is all my opinion though.

And my opinion is not always valid.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

That is kinda weird seeing as squirtle gets bubble at 8 and charmanders ember at 9. Weird how much longer you gotta wait it out with bulbasaur

 

[Corveone]

Well, it learned it just in time for Brock, since he had a level 12 Geodude and level 14 Onix. It's not like there was much use for Vine Whip before Brock's gym, would have been a bit frustrating to learn a move that early game Pidgeys, Spearows, the Nidorans and all the Bugs in Viridian forest resisted so Tackle and Leech Seed are more useful at that point anyway.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

No doubt but still weird when conpared to the other two kanto starters, who learn a damaging STAB move sooner

 

[Nah]

It's Gen 1, so weirdness and shit is to be expected

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

Absolutely, as many know gen 1 is held together with spit and hope

 

[Corveone]

No doubt but still weird when conpared to the other two kanto starters, who learn a damaging STAB move sooner

Indeed, but Squirtle got Bubble, which in Gen 1 was only 20 BP. Only Charmander learned its 40 BP STAB before level 10.

Gen 1 learnsets were pretty terrible in general anyway.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

Alot in gen 1 was terrible lol

 

[Sheep]

Absolutely weird. I expected it to be around lv. 9 like Charmander's Ember but Bulbasaur got the unfair treatment, poor thing. Always had to do a bit more grinding as a kid when I chose it lol.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

Always suprises me to find someone who picked bulbasaur

 

[Corveone]

Actually, the bullied starter in Gen 1 was Charmander.

Bulbasaur had a pretty friendly early game. It couldn't get poisoned (which is a frequent annoyance in Kanto), had access to a self healing move to save some potions/backtracking, and it also had an advantage against the first three gyms, giving the player more time to assemble the rest of the team.

Charmander was trolled by gym order, late game Charizard being weak to Ice and not being capable of learning a single Flying move in R/B, and also only 85 Special Attack instead of 109. Not to mention the Fire type in Gen 1 wasn't that good since Steel didn't exist, only two Ice types (Jynx and Articuno) were weak to Fire, and Grass and Bug were a joke you could take down with pretty much anything.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

You bring these up and it REALLY makes me wonder how the charmander line blew up so much in popularity(to a sickening degree). Also reminds me just HOW much of gen 1 was completely busted

 

[Corveone]

^ Because the Anime decides what becomes popular, not the games. Pokémon that get a special treatment in the TV series get their popularity skyrocket in the games.

Gameplay-wise, the Charmander line in Kanto was as good as Chikorita in Johto :). It could mostly only shine against early/mid game Bugs and Grass types... something a Fearow could take care of without any problem. And those types nearly stopped being a thing in the late game.

Squirtle was the most favored Kanto Starter all around, with Blastoise being capable of remaining truly helpful even against the Elite Four.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

I approve of squirtle preaching and yea i guess charizard did get alot of mainstream in the anime