Which starter fits you?
Answer three quick questions and get a starter recommendation for your next run.
1 / 3
How do you usually die in survivor games?
Quick comparison
| Starter | Type | Passive in short | Strength | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulbasaur | Grass / Poison | Regeneration, stronger healing, Grass hits heal a little | Sustain | Easy |
| Squirtle | Water | Extra armor and a shield, more damage at low HP | Defense | Easy |
| Charmander | Fire | Extra Fire damage, big damage boost below 40% HP | Damage | Hard |
Exact numbers change between patches. The figures below were checked against the current version shown at the top of this page.
Bulbasaur: the safe learner
Bulbasaur’s passive gives steady health regeneration and stronger healing, and its Grass attacks restore a little health on hit. You win fights by outlasting them.
- Pick it if you are new to survivor games or keep dying to chip damage.
- Play it by stacking healing and defense early, then adding damage once your run feels stable.
- Weak spot: slower boss kills than Charmander.
Squirtle: the tank
Squirtle starts with bonus armor and a shield, and also hits harder when its health drops low. Big hits and crowded waves that would end other runs barely dent it.
- Pick it if you die to sudden spikes: bosses, swarms, or getting cornered.
- Play it by taking armor-scaling upgrades and Lab defense levels. Squirtle keeps improving as your account grows.
- Weak spot: less healing, so long fights can still grind you down.
Charmander: the glass cannon
Charmander deals extra Fire damage and gets a large damage boost below 40% HP. It clears bosses fastest, and it is the common pick for fast leaderboard runs.
- Pick it if you already know the game and want speed.
- Play it by moving constantly and using slide to stay alive in the low-HP zone where Charmander is strongest.
- Weak spot: the smallest margin for error of the three.
Our recommendation
- First account: Squirtle or Bulbasaur.
- Pushing the leaderboard: Charmander.
- Not sure? Take the quiz above, or just finish two runs: after that you can unlock the other two starters and try them all.
How to unlock the other starters
You choose one starter when you create your account. After you finish two runs (a loss counts) the other two starters become available to catch in a later run. Catch them to add them to your League. More on the League in the unlocks guide.
What is the best starter in PokeBonk?
For most new players Squirtle or Bulbasaur is the easiest start, because armor, shields and healing forgive mistakes. Charmander has the highest damage ceiling but is the least forgiving. All three can clear the game.
Can I change my starter later?
Yes. The other two starters unlock after you finish two runs, whether you win or lose, and can then be caught in a later run.
Do starters evolve?
Yes. Starters evolve as they level up during a run, for example Bulbasaur into Ivysaur and then Venusaur.