Best Pokémon Starter families

9187 duels later, Treecko Grovyle Sceptile (Generation 3) is still #1 in the Pokémon ranking, with Turtwig Grotle Torterra (Generation 4) close behind.

The top two contenders share an identical 1318 ELO rating, though Treecko Grovyle Sceptile edges ahead with a 59% win rate across 642 duels against Turtwig Grotle Torterra's 54% over 702 duels. Froakie Frogadier Greninja (Generation 6) claims third place at 1300 ELO, winning 60% of its 631 matchups. The sharpest division appears between ranks 4 and 5, where 22 ELO points separate Fennekin Braixen Delphox (Generation 6) from Squirtle Wartortle Blastoise (Generation 1), pushing the iconic Generation 1 water starter out of the top 4. At the bottom, Generation 9's Quaxly Quaxwell Quaquaval sits at rank 27 with 987 ELO and a 32% win rate, while Generation 8's Sobble Drizzile Inteleon holds rank 26 at 1063 ELO.

This ranking draws from 9187 duels submitted by 92 players across 27 starter families. The data was last updated on 11 October 2026. Whether you favor the grass types dominating the podium or have a soft spot for the underrated water starters languishing near the bottom, your vote shapes the outcome. Head to VAINKEURZ to cast your duels and see how your preferences stack up against the community.

Updated on October 11, 2026

How this ranking is computed

Every duel won lifts a contender and every loss drops them, by an amount that depends on the opponent's strength: beating the leader is worth more than beating the last. It is an ELO, the same principle as in chess. Duels are not drawn at random — an adaptive entropy sort puts the least predictable match-ups first, which settles the ranking far faster than a full round robin. A worldwide ranking is only published past 30 completed plays. Known limit: a contender who has faced few opponents keeps an approximate score, and the bottom of the table moves more than the podium.

How our rankings are made →