Generation 9 gave players a choice of Sprigatito (Grass), Fuecoco (Fire) and Quaxly (Water). On our early-game matchup score Fuecoco comes first, Sprigatito second and Quaxly third.
Each starter below has its full evolution line with the level of every evolution. The score is explained near the end.
Fuecoco starts as a Fire type and ends as a Fire and Ghost type
!Fuecoco official artwork !Crocalor official artwork !Skeledirge official artwork
Fuecoco becomes Crocalor at level 16 and Crocalor becomes Skeledirge at level 36.
Skeledirge has 530 base stats in total. Its best stat is special attack at 110.
Fuecoco's first damaging moves are Ember at level 1 and Tackle at level 1.
Sprigatito starts as a Grass type and ends as a Grass and Dark type
!Sprigatito official artwork !Floragato official artwork !Meowscarada official artwork
Sprigatito becomes Floragato at level 16 and Floragato becomes Meowscarada at level 36.
Meowscarada has 530 base stats in total. Its best stat is speed at 123.
Sprigatito's first damaging moves are Leafage at level 1 and Scratch at level 1.
Quaxly starts as a Water type and ends as a Water and Fighting type
!Quaxly official artwork !Quaxwell official artwork !Quaquaval official artwork
Quaxly becomes Quaxwell at level 16 and Quaxwell becomes Quaquaval at level 36.
Quaquaval has 530 base stats in total. Its best stat is attack at 120.
Quaxly's first damaging moves are Pound at level 1 and Water Gun at level 1.
How we ranked them
We gave each starter points for every Pokemon in the first three Gyms of each game, plus your rival's first battle where the game ties the rival's starter to yours. Games without Gyms use their first early fights instead. A starter gets one point when a damaging move it has learned by then is super effective on that Pokemon, and loses one point when all its moves are not very effective or have no effect. It gets one point when none of the opposing Pokemon's types is super effective on the starter, and loses one when one of them is. The type chart is the current one.
| Starter | Matchup score | Opposing Pokemon | Score per Pokemon | |---|---|---|---| | Fuecoco | 7 | 10 | 0.7 | | Sprigatito | 2 | 10 | 0.2 | | Quaxly | 0 | 10 | 0.0 |
The totals add up the games that use these starters: Scarlet and Violet.
Where to get them
- Scarlet and Violet: which one to pick in Scarlet and Violet
Gen 9 starters FAQ
Which is the best Gen 9 starter?
Fuecoco. It has the highest matchup score of the three.
Which Gen 9 starter has the strongest final form?
Meowscarada has the highest base stat total at 530.
