There's no choice to agonise over with the Pokemon Yellow starters, because Pikachu is the one you get and that's that. What you can plan for is how the next few hours go. Pikachu is an Electric type walking into a Rock Gym first, and that matters more than anything else in the opening of Yellow.
So this page is less about picking and more about what Pikachu can and can't do against Brock, Misty and Lt. Surge, and when the other three Kanto starters turn up to help.
What you're up against early
Your first battle is against Blue in Oak's Lab, and he has an Eevee at level 5. It's a Normal type and Pikachu's moves treat it as an even match. Nothing to worry about.
Then the Gyms. Brock in Pewter City uses Rock types, a Geodude at level 10 and an Onix at level 12. Misty in Cerulean City has a Staryu at level 18 and a Starmie at level 21, both Water types. Lt. Surge in Vermilion City has a single Pokemon, a Raichu at level 28.
| Gym | Leader | Type | Their Pokemon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pewter City | Brock | Rock | Geodude (Lv 10), Onix (Lv 12) |
| Cerulean City | Misty | Water | Staryu (Lv 18), Starmie (Lv 21) |
| Vermilion City | Lt. Surge | Electric | Raichu (Lv 28) |
Pikachu, hard first and then easy
Pikachu starts with Growl and Thunder Shock, learns Tail Whip at level 6, Thunder Wave at level 8, Quick Attack at level 11 and Double Team at level 15, and gets Slam at level 20.
Brock is the one to prepare for. Geodude and Onix are part Rock and part Ground, and Ground is immune to Electric. Thunder Shock does nothing to either of them. Pikachu has to win with its weaker moves or let another Pokemon do the work. (Pikachu had never heard of Ground types and it shows.)
Once you're past him, things turn around. Misty's Staryu is a Water type and Starmie is part Water, and Electric does double damage to Water. Thunder Shock takes them down fast.
Lt. Surge is an even fight. His Raichu is Electric too, and Electric moves don't do much to another Electric type, which leaves neither side with an edge. It comes down to levels, and his Raichu is level 28.
Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle turn up later
The other three starters are in Yellow, but you get them as gifts. Charmander is on Route 24, Bulbasaur is in Cerulean City and Squirtle is in Vermilion City, and each comes at level 10. None of them is around for Brock, so Pikachu takes that Gym on its own.
A Bulbasaur or a Squirtle gives you a Pokemon that handles Rock types well later, because Grass and Water both do double damage to Rock and Ground. (A fair trade for taking the cutest starter first.)
So which one should you pick?
| Starter | Blue | Brock | Misty | Lt. Surge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | Even | Hard | Easy | Even |
Pikachu is the only starter, so the only choice is who comes along with it. A Bulbasaur or Squirtle fixes the Brock problem if you're willing to wait for them, and Pikachu handles Misty by itself.
For the same Kanto trio across the whole generation, see the starters of generation 1.
