I came to Pokemon quite late, getting Crystal version for Christmas in 2001 with a brand new Gameboy Colour, so regrettably I didn't have much to do with these generation one starters until a fair while later. However, for the vast majority of players of my age/generation, Bulbasaur may well have been their starter (such as my girlfriend over at http://lizziedailyblog.blogspot.com), or their rival's starter if they picked Squirtle, and I guess many people will be familiar with many Pokemon from the anime, which regrettably I never really saw until the release of X and Y when we watched a few episodes online when we started those games together.
Bulbasaur and it's evolutionary line will always hold a special place in the heart of those who chose it as a starter, I'm sure, but I myself have put it on a different pedestal (fire-type all the way for me): I see it as being a very rare case of a good grass-type Pokemon, and with recent developments like mega-evolution and the introduction of fairy-type, along with the allowance for dual-typing (not so recent), this 'mon has just got better with age. Bulbasaur itself has a rare base stat total only share by Turtwig and Chikorita, two other grass-type starters, which I thought was fairly interesting.
Being a first evolution, Bulbasaur will mainly only be used in progress through the game or in niche multiplayer battle tiers such as little cup, taking advantage of decent special stats, both special attack and special defence leading the way in terms of the Pokemon's stat levels at base 65, yet level-based learnset for Bulbasaur doesn't take advantage of the greater special than regular attack giving a movepool entirely devoted to status and physical moves.
Admittedly, some of the status moves could prove very useful, such as the powder moves (poison and sleep) and leech seed for draining your enemies' health and restoring your own, but if you plan on taking full advantage of this 'mon, either evolve it up and up, or use it's fairly impressive TM list, including one of my favourite moves: venoshock. Couple venoshock with the poison powder (if you can take a hit after powder or two hits if you're (quite probably) outsped), as when the target is poisoned, venoshock doubles in power from a strong STAB (same type attack bonus) move to something utterly devastating (which I have spammed to oblivion on the online from Pokemon Y).
You can also pick up the moderately risky solar beam (more on that later) and a few other powerful STAB moves like sludge bomb (a good poison attack that deals damage and has the potential to poison, so maybe drop powder for this unless you need to inflict the status, but then you could just take the TM for toxic which can multilayer) and energy ball as a grass-type move. You can also stick on the situational grass knot, which hits heavier opponents harder, you also get round, which is a move I kinda like for some reason, as a coverage option (though it cannot hit ghosts or Pokemon with the ability soundproof, and will be non-STAB neutral at best on most other things other than rock-type which resists it). There's also a few moves that can allow you to go tanky or setup role, as well as some decent moves via breeding, such as giga drain, leaf storm and petal dance for example.
Moving on to the less cute, more deadly Ivysaur, which was likely the first time you saw an evolution in the games unless you power levelled bug-types. Ivysaur comes with a significant boost to all stats, especially those already decent special stats, now boosted to 80, yet still not learning any decent special moves until level 44 by level up (solar beam, if you count that as decent), so again you'd be looking at the TM lists or breeding, which I believe are unchanged. Also, in both cases, it is possible in some versions to get move tutor moves, such as grass pledge.
As far as battling goes, Ivysaur falls into some reasonable tier levels and can be equipped with eviolite to boost defences (this item only works on Pokemon which aren't fully evolved, and so makes Scyther ludicrous, though more on that in a later blog).
Now onto Venusaur, which now has a barely workable physical stat (82) yet still a much more preferable 100 in each special categories. If you let it evolve at level 32, the first opportunity, you're just in time for a decent special move in petal dance (not to be confused with the physical move petal blizzard learned a little while later). If petal dance and solar beam don't do it for you, you can still scavenge a decent TM list (which has several decent poison moves and a few coverage moves scattered through) and a smattering of tutor moves such as grass pledge, giga drain and the heavy damage dealing frenzy plant (heavy hitting but with a fair few drawbacks, such as low PP, 90% accuracy and a recharge turn).
I you're building a Venusaur, you'll probably consider breeding, in which case you may want to breed in something like giga drain as it has a decent attack level, a good accuracy and also heals you, though there are some very high damage moves available through level up such as petal dance. You'll also probably want to pick up the TM for earthquake as a coverage option to hit fire-types which can wreck your day, especially if you're running a solar-beam set with sunny day to remove charging turns, or even just sunny day to take advantage of the speed boost chlorophyll bestows (doubles speed of your pokemon, so for Venusaur it would go from a fairly mediocre 80 to a monstrous 160). Remember, however, that sunny day boosts fire-type attacks, and can leave you very vulnerable, since it will also come with the double damage of type effectiveness and probably STAB boost from something like a Charizard.
Chlorophyll as a hidden ability works well if you are running the solar beam set as a single battle, or if popped in safety in a multi-battle from an assistant. Running a chlorophyll Venusaur, you could stick on a life orb, which boosts damage output by a delightful 30%, yet hits the holder for 10% of its maximum HP.
If you choose to run Mega Venusaur with it's nice boost to stats once again, giving boosts to all bar speed and HP, then you also get the rather nice thick fat ability, covering the weaknesses to fire and ice and rendering them neutral damage (but not to flying or psychic). The leap to base 100 attack means that earthquake is a viable option without EV investment into attack, still focusing a special set, or even a fairly tanky set, as physical defence leaps 40 points to 123, overtaking special stats at 120. Mega Venusaur packs decent power with reasonable bulk (HP is not so amazing at 80, meaning a true tank set is not necessarily the best option).
Personally, I don't really use Venusaur, let alone Mega Venusaur, yet this is for no particular reason. If I were to do so, I would be hoping to run a special attack set chlorophyll Venusaur of a sunny day team, whether that is switching in in a singles game or pairing up in a multi-battle. I'm not knocking Mega Venusaur, it is very usable as a wall or tank or whatever, but I personally prefer other options for my Mega Evolution.
(All artwork presented by Ken Sugimori, taken from the Bulbapedia image archives)
Bulbasaur will always have fond memories - ah - my first starter.
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