Changes

* Squirtle is the only starter Pokemon that can learn Surf, which you need to teach a Pokemon to complete the game. If you used a different starter, it would require a Pokemon to be caught that can learn Surf.

* Squirtle is the only starter Pokemon that can learn Surf, which you need to teach a Pokemon to complete the game. If you used a different starter, it would require a Pokemon to be caught that can learn Surf.

Bulbasaur is the worst starter Pokemon of all three for a speedrun because he has a low attack compared to Squirtle and Charmander. He does have a type advantage against the first two Gym's and is resistant to Sarge's electric Pokemon in the third Gym, but even with those advantages he still falls behind from the get go. Almost all the trainers up to Mt. Moon use Bug Pokemon, putting Bulbasaur at a big disadvantage. Later in the game, Bulbasaur's moveset just can't do the job against the stronger Pokemon.

Bulbasaur is the worst starter Pokemon of all three for a speedrun because he has fewer offense moves compared to Squirtle and Charmander, but Venusaur has the highest Special attacks stats that back both Attack and defense stats (100 comparing to 85 for Charizard and Blastoise) which gives Venusaur more power output and bulk and also benefits from always critical Razor Leaf and Toxic + Leech Seed glitch for very easy battles. Bulbasaur has a type advantage against the first two Gym's and is resistant to Surge's electric Pokemon in the third Gym, walls Erika, resists Koga's Poison status moves and has type advantage against Giovani, Loreli and Bruno and because of the AI Lance's Pokemon will keep using Agility because it's a Psychic move so none of them can hurt Venusaur. If you used Bulbasuar most of the time, it will more than likely to be leveled good enough to breeze through the 4th and 5th gyms. Almost all the trainers up to Mt. Moon use Bug Pokemon, putting Bulbasaur at a big disadvantage if you don't know how to use Normal moves, but it's not a problem because this is a speed run and you will skip most of them. Later in the game, Bulbasaur can breeze through more places than the other two starters like: Diglett Cave, Rock Tunnel, SS. Anne, Seaform Islands, Victory Road, etc.. where Water, Ground and Rock Pokemon are very common.

 

By the time Bulbasaur gets to the hard part which is the Psychic and Fire gyms, you can catch a high level Pokemon around them and save yourself from heavy training in contrast to the level 3~5 Rattata/Pidgey/Caterpie in Charmander run, and you can even get a Free Lapras which is a great water Pokemon before getting HM Surf and reaching Blaine's Fire gym.

Charmander is almost as fast to use in a speedrun, and might be faster than Squirtle if it weren't for some problems.

Charmander is almost as fast to use in a speedrun, and might be faster than Squirtle if it weren't for some problems.