Top 5 starter Pokemon who can solo run their games

Any Pokemon trainer going through an entire game in the franchise using only the starting Pokemon is a feat to be remembered.

Technically any starter Pokemon would have the potential to solo their respective games given enough time to grind levels. So for the purposes of this list, the top 5 will be starters that have to spend the minimum time grinding in order to successfully defeat the champion (or champion challenger in Generation VII).

In addition, other Pokemon used exclusively for HM moves, such as Bidoof or Sentret, are fine so long as they never enter battle. Just to make things fair, only one starter from the Galar region is allowed on the list.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the writer.

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Top 5 starter Pokemon who can solo run their games

#5 - Popplio

Popplio (Image via Pinterest)

By far the least-loved starter of Generation VII, Popplio comes back with a vengeance as being the candidate from Alola most likely to be able to solo the entire game.

Popplio's two biggest hurdles to overcome are the Lurantis Totem Pokemon on Akala Island and the Vikavolt Totem Pokemon on Hokulani island. By the time a player reaches the Lurantis trial, they are likely to be at least close to level 30 with Brionne, Popplio's evolution. With a bit of grinding, Brionne can evolve into Primarina, giving it a huge stat boost.

Ultra Sun/Moon players will have to muscle their way through the Lurantis with just Icy Wind, but Sun and Moon players can head over to Ten Karat Hill to pick up the Acrobatics TM. While Primarina is certainly not a physical attacker, the power of an itemless Acrobatics in combination with doing 4x damage to Lurantis should be enough to eke out a victory with some good RNG or some extra grinding.

As for Vikavolt, Electric-type Pokemon don't resist Water or Fairy-type attacks, so the best bet is to damage-race. Should the player make it through Vikavolt, it should be smooth sailing all the way to the end of the game.

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#4 - Fennekin

Fennekin (Image via EmberwoodForest on DeviantArt)

Out of the Generation VI starters, Fennekin gets an early lead over Chespin with the first gym being Bug-type. Meanwhile, Fennekin's two biggest hurdles are the second gym, a Rock-type gym, and the first fight with the rival

The Rock-type gym can be easily overcome simply by overpowering the gym leader's two ancient Pokemon with Braixen's Psychic-type moves. However, the rival's water starter will be a major hurdle to overcome in Shalour City, which is before Delphox can learn Grass Knot, Solar Beam, or Dazzling Gleam.

Fortunately, since Delphox will be so over-leveled in every fight, it will almost always go first. The best bet in this fight is to take advantage of the fact that Fragadier is not yet a Dark-type and overpower it with Delphox's Psybeam, or if Delphox has reached level 38, then Psyshock.

After that, the player should be able to manage the remaining gyms and encounters with ease. The only other potential threat would be Siebold of the Elite 4, but his Water-type Pokemon can easily be overwhelmed with a combination of Psychic, Sunny Day, and Solar Beam.

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#3 - Chimchar

Chimchar (Image via Pokemon.com)

Generation IV's addition to the Fire and Fighting-type starters has a fairly decent ability to run through the Sinnoh region. The two most threatening sections of the game are at the first gym and the 4th/5th gym (for Diamond/Pearl and Platinum, respectively).

The first gym is a Rock-type gym. Fortunately enough, Chimchar's evolution Monferno immediately gains an additional Fighting-type, plus the Fighting-type move Mach Punch. While not the strongest move, it should be more than enough to punch through Roark's defenses and allow the player to progress.

Crasher Wake, the Sinnoh region's Water-type gym leader, is another story altogether. Ordinarily, the player could simply Close Combat through all of the horrifying Water-type Pokemon. But Crasher Wake has a Gyarados, which not only resists Close Combat but also lower's Infernape's attack with Intimidate. And unfortunately, all of Infernape's learnable Rock-type moves are later on in the game.

The player's best bet is to use the Toxic TM found next to Pastoria city on route 212, then spam healing items until Gyarados goes down.

With the fall of Gyarados, Infernape's solid variety of learnable moves and excellent attack and speed stats will lead to an easy victory over the Sinnoh region.

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#2 - Mudkip

Mudkip (Image via Pinterest)

Mudkip has the easiest time out of any starter Pokemon based purely on its own merits. A rival battle underneath the bike underpass will be the most challenging fight of the game. However, with a few X-Attacks used while stalling against the rival's Wailmer, Marshtomp will likely be able to stomp Grovyle into the dust with a Mud Shot.

With Marshtomp's Ground and Water-typing, no gyms pose any threat to Marshtomp (then Swameprt) until the 6th gym. Winona uses Flying-type Pokemon, but the real problem is her Altaria (and her Tropius in Pokemon Emerald). But with a quick trip back to Mauville City's game corner to pick up an Ice Beam TM, Swampert will be able to clear it.

Between Swameprt's excellent typing and stats, plus its ability to learn Ice Beam early enough, this beast of a mudfish Pokemon can easily solo the entirety of the Hoenn region.

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#1 - Sobble

Sobble (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Generation VIII is by far the easiest Generation to solo. This is thanks to the EXP candies that are easily obtained from the max raid battles in the Galar region's wild areas. EXP candy allows any Pokemon to easily become over-leveled with minimal farming, resulting in the possibility of showing up to the first gym twenty levels over-leveled within a couple hours of playtime.

Out of the three Galar starters, Sobble is the one that requires the least EXP candies to start to sweep up the Galar region. At level 30, just 10 levels above the first gym's highest-level Pokemon, Sobble (then Drizzile) will learn U-turn. Without another party member to swap out to (since Generation VIII doesn't have HMs, the player doesn't need any HM Pokemon), U-Turn is simply a Bug-type move and completely fine to use in a solo challenge. U-Turn allows for a laughable fight against Milo.

With the extra levels needed for an easy Milo wipe, Drizzile (and then Inteleon) can easily carry its momentum all the way to the end of the game. With a move-set of Ice Beam and Snipe Shot (plus Air Slash, Mud Shot, Dark Pulse, or anything else from TMs and TRs that the trainer desires), Inteleon can waltz through the rest of the game.