Every PokeBonk career starts with one choice: Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. The pick matters less than it looks, because the other two can join you later, but it does shape how your first runs feel. Here is what each starter actually does, with the passive numbers the game uses.
The three starters at a glance
| Bulbasaur | Charmander | Squirtle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Grass / Poison | Fire | Water |
| Role | Healer | Fiery Assault | Defender |
| Starting attack | Vine Whip | Ember | Water Gun |
| Passive | Synthesis | Sea of Flames | Torrent Shell |
| Passive effect | +1.5 regeneration, +25% healing, Grass hits heal you | +10% Fire damage, +40% damage below 40% HP | +15 armor, +20 shield, +40% damage below 40% HP |
| Evolves into | Ivysaur, then Venusaur | Charmeleon, then Charizard | Wartortle, then Blastoise |
| Best for | Learning the game | Fast crowd clearing | Staying alive in big swarms |
All three attack on their own. What changes is how they keep you alive and how hard they hit.
Bulbasaur – the Healer
Passive: Synthesis. Bulbasaur gets +1.5 regeneration and +25% healing from every source. On top of that, each hit from a Grass attack restores a sliver of health: 0.4% of your max HP per hit, up to 5 times per second. In a crowd, that adds up to a steady trickle of healing while you work.
Starting attack: Vine Whip. A physical swipe in an arc toward the nearest enemy, with a chance to root it in place. Rooted enemies can’t chase you, which buys room to move.
Moves it can learn: Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder and Solar Beam are part of its own kit. They show up as level-up cards during a run.
Why pick it: Bulbasaur turns small mistakes into nothing. You clip a group, lose some HP, and it comes back while you keep fighting. That makes it the friendliest partner for learning movement, reading cards and finding your way around Viridian Forest.
Charmander – the Fiery Assault
Passive: Sea of Flames. Charmander deals +10% Fire damage at all times. When your HP drops below 40%, it gains another +40% damage.
Starting attack: Ember. A special projectile fired at the nearest enemy, with a chance to burn it.
Moves it can learn: Fire Spin, Flamethrower and Fire Blast.
Why pick it: Charmander clears crowds quickly and rewards aggressive play. The low-HP bonus can save a run when things go wrong, but it is not a plan. Diving into a horde on purpose to trigger it usually ends badly, because nothing in its kit heals you. Pick Charmander once you are comfortable keeping your distance.
Squirtle – the Defender
Passive: Torrent Shell. Squirtle starts with +15 armor and +20 shield, so incoming hits do less to your HP. Like Charmander, it also gains +40% damage while below 40% HP.
Starting attack: Water Gun. A special projectile at the nearest enemy, with a chance to leave it wet.
Moves it can learn: its own kit is Bubble, Rapid Spin and Hydro Pump. The League profile lists Bubble from level 2, Rapid Spin from level 4 and Hydro Pump from level 7, so you often see Bubble on your very first level-up card.
Why pick it: Squirtle is the one that stands its ground. If you keep getting surrounded and losing chunks of HP, the armor and shield give you more time to slide out. It also has a damage spike for tight spots, so it is not purely defensive.
Moves beyond the starting kit
Each partner has more options than the four moves above. Open Play → The League, pick your partner and choose See all its moves. You will find:
- Its own kit – the moves listed for each starter above.
- Evolution-line moves – attacks tied to its evolution line. For Squirtle that includes moves like Bite, Water Pulse, Aqua Tail and Shell Smash. These need a free move slot.
- Shared moves – attacks taught by other League members of the same type. These only become available once those Pokémon have joined your League.
This is one more reason to unlock all three starters: a bigger League means more moves to draw from. The move learning guide covers the rules in detail, and move fusions show what happens when you combine two max-level moves.
Evolution during a run
Your starter evolves inside a run as it levels up. Bulbasaur becomes Ivysaur and then Venusaur, Charmander becomes Charmeleon and then Charizard, Squirtle becomes Wartortle and then Blastoise. Evolution is part of the run itself, like your level. What carries over between runs is your League, your items and your Lab upgrades.
How to unlock the other two starters
You only pick one starter at the beginning. The other two are not gone:
- Go to Play → The League and select one of the locked starter cards.
- The card shows the challenge you need to complete to unlock it.
- Once the challenge is done, that Pokémon can appear in your runs. Weaken it and catch it to add it to your League.
The same process works for most League members, so it is worth learning on the starters.
Which starter should you pick?
- Your first time playing? Pick Bulbasaur. The constant healing gives you room to learn.
- You like clearing the screen fast? Pick Charmander, and play it from a distance.
- You keep getting swarmed? Pick Squirtle. Armor and shield buy you time to escape.
Still unsure? Bulbasaur, then unlock the other two over your next sessions. Since all three end up in your League, the first choice is just where you start. Ready to go? Read how to start your first run or jump straight into Play PokeBonk.
Quick answers
Which PokeBonk starter is best for beginners?
Bulbasaur. Its Synthesis passive keeps healing you as you fight, so early mistakes cost less.
Can I get the other two starters later?
Yes. Open their locked card in The League to see the challenge. Complete it, then catch that Pokémon when it appears in a run.
Do the starters evolve in PokeBonk?
Yes. Each one evolves during a run into its familiar evolution line, such as Charmander into Charmeleon and Charizard.
Why do Charmander and Squirtle get stronger at low HP?
Both passives add +40% damage while your HP is below 40%. It is a comeback bonus, not a reason to take hits on purpose.
