Choosing the right starter Pokémon in Emerald can greatly influence your journey through the Hoenn region. Each of the three options – Mudkip, Treecko, and Torchic – offers different strengths and weaknesses that will affect how you tackle gym leaders and the Elite Four. Your choice may depend on your play style, the types of Pokémon you plan to catch later, or simply which cute creature appeals to you most.
The Water-type Mudkip is widely considered the strongest starter for Pokémon Emerald, evolving into Swampert with only one weakness (Grass) and excellent stats for both battling and in-game progression. This starter gives you advantages against many gym leaders and can learn a variety of powerful moves like Earthquake and Ice Beam. However, there’s more to consider than just raw power when selecting your first partner for this classic Game Boy Advance adventure.
Best Pokémon Emerald Starter (2026 Guide)
Choosing your starter Pokémon in Pokémon Emerald is one of the most important decisions in the game. Your starter affects early‑game difficulty, gym matchups, and overall team balance. Even in 2026, Emerald remains a fan favorite—whether you’re playing on original hardware, Virtual Console‑style releases, or emulation.
So… who is the best starter in Pokémon Emerald?
Let’s break it down.
The Three Starters in Pokémon Emerald
You can choose one of the following:
- Treecko (Grass)
- Torchic (Fire)
- Mudkip (Water)
Each evolves twice and offers very different strengths throughout the game.
Best Overall Starter: Mudkip
✅ Why Mudkip Is the Best Choice
Mudkip—and its final evolution, Swampert—is widely considered the best starter in Pokémon Emerald.
Key Advantages:
- Only one weakness (Grass)
- Excellent Water/Ground typing
- Strong physical stats and solid bulk
- Learns powerful moves early and late game
Once Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp, it gains Ground typing, making it immune to Electric‑type moves, which is huge in Hoenn.
Gym Matchups With Mudkip
| Gym | Type | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Roxanne | Rock | ✅ Easy win |
| Brawly | Fighting | ⚠ Neutral |
| Wattson | Electric | ✅ Immune |
| Flannery | Fire | ✅ Strong |
| Norman | Normal | ✅ Solid |
| Winona | Flying | ⚠ Watch Grass |
| Tate & Liza | Psychic | ✅ With coverage |
| Juan | Water | ⚠ Neutral |
Mudkip handles the majority of gyms with little trouble.
Final Evolution: Swampert
- Type: Water/Ground
- Strengths: High Attack, great HP, good Defense
- Best Moves:
- Surf
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Protect / Rock Slide
Swampert also performs extremely well in the Elite Four and post‑game.
Second Best Starter: Torchic
✅ Why Choose Torchic?
Torchic evolves into Blaziken, one of the most popular Pokémon in the series.
Strengths:
- Fire/Fighting typing (rare in Gen 3)
- High Attack and Special Attack
- Strong against Ice, Steel, Normal, and Dark types
Blaziken hits incredibly hard but is more fragile than Swampert.
Downsides of Torchic
- Weak early game
- Struggles against Roxanne and Wattson
- More vulnerable overall due to multiple weaknesses
Torchic is great if you want a challenging but rewarding playthrough.
Third Choice: Treecko
✅ Why Pick Treecko?
Treecko evolves into Sceptile, a fast, stylish Grass‑type attacker.
Strengths:
- Very high Speed
- Strong Special Attack
- Excellent against Water‑type Pokémon
Why Treecko Ranks Last
- Poor gym matchups early game
- Grass typing struggles in Hoenn
- Frail defenses
- Limited move diversity in Gen 3
Treecko is fun, but objectively the hardest starter to use effectively in Emerald.
Starter Rankings Summary
| Rank | Starter | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | Mudkip | Smooth, powerful playthrough |
| 🥈 2nd | Torchic | High‑damage, aggressive teams |
| 🥉 3rd | Treecko | Speed lovers & challenge runs |
Best Starter for Different Playstyles
- Beginner or casual player: Mudkip
- Competitive mindset / offense: Torchic
- Speed‑focused or challenge run: Treecko
- Nuzlocke runs: Mudkip (highest survivability)
Final Verdict: Who Should You Pick in 2026?
If you want the easiest, strongest, and most consistent experience in Pokémon Emerald, Mudkip is the best starter—no contest.
Torchic offers a high‑risk, high‑reward alternative, while Treecko is best reserved for experienced players seeking a tougher run.
No matter your choice, Emerald remains one of the best Pokémon games ever made—and your adventure starts with that first Poké Ball.
1: Mudkip has balanced stats and great versatility
Mudkip stands out as a fantastic starter choice for your Pokémon Emerald journey. Many players consider it the best in terms of stats and numbers, giving you a solid foundation for your team.
When you choose Mudkip, you’re getting a Pokémon with remarkably balanced statistics that evolve well throughout the game. Its evolution line maintains this balance, with more balanced stats compared to the other starter Pokémon’s evolutions.
The Water/Ground typing Mudkip gains upon evolving into Marshtomp gives you significant advantages. This dual typing means your starter will have only one weakness – Grass – while gaining immunity to Electric attacks that would normally threaten Water types.
You’ll find Mudkip particularly useful for tackling the early gyms in Emerald. Its typing and move pool help you handle the first few gym leaders with relative ease, giving you a smoother start to your adventure.
Speedrunners often choose Mudkip for its balanced approach to gameplay. If you’re new to Pokémon Emerald, this balanced playstyle makes Mudkip an excellent choice that won’t let you down as you progress.
Building a team around Mudkip is straightforward since its few weaknesses allow you to focus on covering other strategic needs rather than just compensating for vulnerabilities.
2: Swampert, the evolution of Mudkip, excels in all areas
When you select Mudkip as your starter, you’re making a choice that most Pokemon Emerald experts agree is the best starter option. This little blue water Pokemon evolves into one of the game’s most powerful creatures.
Swampert’s Water/Ground typing gives you a significant advantage throughout your journey. This dual typing means it only has one weakness – Grass-type moves. You can easily cover this weakness by teaching Swampert ice beam, which is super effective against Grass Pokemon.
In terms of stats, Swampert gives you excellent bulk and impressive attacking power. Its high HP and defense stats allow you to withstand powerful attacks while its attack stats let you dish out serious damage to opponents.
The movepool available to your Swampert is remarkably versatile. You can teach it powerful Water moves like Surf, Ground moves like Earthquake, and coverage moves like Ice Beam. This versatility makes it effective in all major battles throughout the game.
Speedrunners consistently choose Mudkip because Swampert provides the smoothest progression through the game. Your Swampert will handle gym leaders, Team Aqua/Magma encounters, and even Elite Four challenges with relative ease.
Many Pokemon experts consider Swampert to be one of the greatest Pokemon available in Hoenn. Its rare Ground-type immunity to Electric attacks further cements its position as an exceptional Pokemon for your team.
3: Water/Ground typing minimizes weaknesses
When you choose Mudkip as your starter, you’ll gain a significant advantage once it evolves into Swampert. Its Water/Ground typing creates an excellent defensive position in your team lineup.
This unique typing gives Swampert only one weakness: Grass. While most Water Pokémon are vulnerable to Electric attacks, Swampert’s Ground typing makes it completely immune to electric attacks.
You’ll notice this immunity becomes particularly valuable when facing the Electric-type gym leader in Mauville City. Your Marshtomp or Swampert can easily handle Wattson’s team without fear.
The Water/Ground combination also reduces Swampert’s weakness to Fire attacks. As noted by experts, this dual typing gives Swampert half weakness to Fire because the Ground aspect moderates the typical effectiveness Fire would have.
This defensive advantage makes Swampert widely considered one of the most superior Water-type Pokémon in Generation 3. Its typing contributes significantly to why many players regard it as the easiest starter for completing Emerald.
You’ll find this defensive positioning incredibly useful throughout your journey in the Hoenn region, as it provides excellent coverage against multiple threatening types that would otherwise cause problems for your team.
4: Mudkip’s movepool includes Ice Beam for Grass types
Mudkip evolves into Swampert, which is an excellent Water/Ground type Pokémon. This typing gives it just one weakness – Grass-type moves. Fortunately, you can teach your Mudkip line Ice Beam to counter this vulnerability.
Ice Beam is a powerful special attack that deals super-effective damage against Grass-type Pokémon. You can obtain the Ice Beam TM in Emerald from the Game Corner in Mauville City for 4000 coins.
While some players note that Ice Beam might not always be threatening enough against Grass types, it’s still your best option for coverage. The move helps balance out your team’s weaknesses.
When you evolve Mudkip into Swampert, this coverage becomes even more important. Swampert has been described as the best starter available in the game, with its 4x Grass weakness being its only real drawback.
Your Swampert can learn other powerful moves like Earthquake, Surf, and Waterfall too. These complement Ice Beam well and give you coverage against multiple types.
Remember that Mudkip is powerful on land, capable of lifting large boulders. This physical strength, combined with special attacks like Ice Beam, makes it a versatile choice for your Emerald playthrough.
5: Reliable choice for Emerald Nuzlocke runs
When taking on the challenging Nuzlocke format in Pokémon Emerald, your starter choice becomes even more crucial. In a Nuzlocke, you must release Pokémon that faint and can only catch the first Pokémon in each area, making every decision count.
Mudkip stands out as the best starter for an Emerald Nuzlocke. Its Water/Ground typing upon evolution gives you excellent coverage against many of Hoenn’s challenges. This typing neutralizes Mudkip’s weakness to Electric moves, which can be a lifesaver.
With the right coverage moves, Swampert can handle five of the eight gyms effectively. This versatility is invaluable when your team options are limited by Nuzlocke rules.
You’ll find Mudkip remains solid throughout the entire game, with no major Grass-type trainers to threaten your progress. This reliability cannot be overstated in a challenge where a single mistake can cost you a team member.
Swampert’s mixed offensive and defensive stats allow you to adapt to different battle situations. You can build it as a physical attacker, special attacker, or even a tank depending on your team needs.
The powerful movepool at your disposal includes Earthquake, Surf, Ice Beam, and Rock Slide, giving you coverage against most Pokémon you’ll face. This versatility helps you overcome the Elite Four, particularly Drake’s Dragon-types.
6: Favored by speedrunners for efficiency
When it comes to speedrunning Pokémon Emerald, one starter consistently stands above the rest. Mudkip is nearly always chosen by speedrunners who want to complete the game as quickly as possible.
The water-type starter evolves into Swampert, which becomes nearly unstoppable once it learns Earthquake. This powerful Ground-type move allows it to tackle many of the game’s challenges efficiently.
Speedrunners value Mudkip’s typing advantages. As a Water/Ground type upon final evolution, Swampert has only one weakness – Grass. This makes it incredibly durable throughout most of the game.
The starter’s performance in early gyms is another reason for its popularity. You can breeze through the first gym (Rock-type) with minimal training, saving precious minutes in a speedrun.
Mudkip also performs well against Team Magma encounters, which feature primarily Fire-type Pokémon. This advantage helps maintain momentum throughout the run.
There’s a reason why speedrunners always pick Mudkip as their starter. Its combination of typing, movepool, and performance against key game obstacles makes it the most time-efficient choice.
If you’re looking to complete Emerald quickly, following the experts’ lead and choosing Mudkip will give you the best chance at a fast completion time.
7: Treecko offers a unique Grass-type advantage
Treecko stands out as one of the three starter options in Pokémon Emerald with its special Grass-type abilities. When you choose Treecko, you gain access to a Pokémon that can handle Water-types effectively, which are common throughout the Hoenn region with its many ocean routes.
As you progress through your journey, Treecko evolves into Grovyle and finally into Sceptile, becoming more powerful at each stage. This evolution line gives you a fast Pokémon that can strike first in many battles, which is a tactical advantage.
While some players note that there are better Grass options available later in the game, Treecko remains a solid choice for your starter. Its Grass typing helps you particularly in the early gyms where Water-type Pokémon are featured.
You should be aware that Treecko may struggle against the 4th and 6th gyms due to type disadvantages. These gyms focus on Fire and Ice types, which can be challenging for Grass Pokémon.
By choosing Treecko, you’re selecting a starter that offers good coverage against the Water-heavy routes of Hoenn. With its speed and special attack stats, Treecko can become a powerful member of your team with the right training.
8: Grovyle evolves into Sceptile, a speedster powerhouse
When your Grovyle reaches level 36, it will evolve into Sceptile, completing the final stage of the Treecko evolutionary line. This evolution brings significant improvements to your Pokémon’s stats and capabilities.
Sceptile is known for its exceptional Speed stat, making it one of the fastest starters in Emerald. You’ll often find your Sceptile moving first in battles, giving you a strategic advantage against many opponents.
While some players note that Sceptile might have less coverage against certain gym leaders, its raw speed and power can still make it a formidable team member. Speed is a crucial attribute in competitive battling.
As a fully evolved Grass-type, Sceptile gains access to powerful moves like Leaf Blade. This signature move takes advantage of Sceptile’s high Attack stat and provides strong same-type attack bonus damage.
Be aware that in Generation 3 games like Emerald, some moves work differently than in later generations. For instance, Shadow Ball is a Physical attack in Gen 3, which may affect how you build your Sceptile’s moveset.
You can enhance Sceptile’s performance by teaching it TMs that complement its strengths. Focus on moves that cover its weaknesses to Fire, Flying, Bug, Poison, and Ice-type Pokémon.
9: Torchic evolves into Blaziken with dual Fire/Fighting type
Torchic, the cute Fire-type starter, offers you a powerful evolution path in Pokémon Emerald. This small, chicken-like Pokémon first evolves into Combusken at level 16 and then into the impressive Blaziken at level 36.
When your Torchic finally evolves into Blaziken, you’ll gain a valuable dual Fire/Fighting type Pokémon. This typing gives you excellent coverage against multiple gym leaders and Elite Four members in the Hoenn region.
Blaziken’s Fire/Fighting combination gives you advantages in several key battles. It’s strong against the Elite Four and provides advantages in multiple gym challenges throughout your journey.
Your Blaziken can learn powerful moves like Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, and Brave Bird. These moves complement its high Attack stat, making it a physical attacking powerhouse in your team.
The Fire/Fighting typing does come with weaknesses to Water, Ground, Flying, and Psychic moves. You’ll need to be careful when facing opponents with these attack types.
Many players consider Blaziken a top choice for Emerald playthroughs. Its balanced stats and powerful movepool make it a great Pokémon to build your team around.
You can complement Blaziken with Water-types like Gyarados or Psychic-types like Gardevoir to cover its weaknesses and create a well-rounded team.
10: Mudkip handles most in-game challenges effortlessly
Mudkip stands out as a top choice for your Pokemon Emerald adventure. When you select this water-type starter, you gain a powerful ally that can tackle most of the game’s challenges with remarkable ease.
One of Mudkip’s greatest strengths is its advantage against multiple gym leaders. This little blue Pokemon is not weak to any of the gym leaders in the Hoenn region, giving you a smoother progression through the game.
You’ll especially appreciate Mudkip when facing Roxanne and Flannery. The water typing makes Mudkip super strong against the rock-type gym leader and the fire-type gym, allowing you to breeze through these potentially difficult battles.
Upon evolution, Swampert becomes even more formidable. This final form has only one weakness – grass-type moves. You can easily cover this vulnerability by teaching Swampert ice beam, which handles grass Pokemon effectively.
Swampert’s balanced offensive and defensive stats make it incredibly versatile. This Pokemon offers you both attacking power and survival capability, making it a clear top choice for your Emerald journey.
The water/ground typing gives Swampert excellent coverage against many Pokemon types you’ll encounter. You’ll find this combination particularly useful throughout the water-heavy Hoenn region.
Understanding Pokemon Emerald Starter Choices
Selecting your first Pokemon in Emerald is one of the most significant decisions you’ll make at the start of your journey. This choice affects your gameplay experience, especially during the early gym battles.
The Importance of Starter Pokemon
Your starter Pokemon serves as your first companion and the foundation of your team. This initial choice influences how difficult certain gym leaders will be and can shape your overall strategy.
When you begin your adventure in Pokemon Emerald, Professor Birch offers you three options: Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip. This decision matters because your starter will be with you for a long time and often becomes one of your strongest team members.
Early gym leaders in Emerald include Rock-type specialist Roxanne and Fighting-type user Brawly. Your starter’s type advantages against these challenges can make these battles significantly easier or harder.
Many players develop a special bond with their starter Pokemon. It’s the one that helps you catch your first wild Pokemon and defeat your first trainer battles.
Overview of Starter Types
Treecko (Grass-type) evolves into Grovyle and finally Sceptile. It has high speed stats and good special attack. Treecko users may face challenges with early gyms but grows really powerful later in the game.
Torchic (Fire-type) evolves into Combusken and then Blaziken. Its final evolution gains a Fighting-type, giving it unique advantages. Torchic provides good coverage against many Pokemon types but struggles with the first gym.
Mudkip (Water-type) evolves into Marshtomp and finally Swampert. It’s often considered the most versatile starter with excellent type coverage. Mudkip becomes nearly unstoppable with Earthquake and has advantages against the first two gym leaders.
Each starter has unique strengths and weaknesses that will affect your gameplay differently, especially during the early stages of your journey.
Strategies for Choosing the Best Starter
Selecting the right starter Pokémon in Emerald can significantly influence your gameplay experience. Your choice will affect how easily you progress through early gym battles and impact your team composition later on.
Considering Type Advantages
When choosing your Emerald starter, consider how each Pokémon performs against the early gym leaders. The first gym features Rock-type Pokémon, making Mudkip’s Water-type moves highly effective. Mudkip becomes nearly unstoppable once it learns powerful moves like Earthquake.
Torchic struggles initially against Rock types but becomes valuable against the third gym’s Fighting types once it evolves into Combustion with its dual Fire/Fighting typing.
Treecko has a neutral matchup against the first gym but offers advantages against the Water-type Pokémon you’ll encounter frequently in Hoenn’s ocean routes.
Look at the gym sequence and consider which early challenges you want to overcome more easily:
- Gym 1 (Rock): Mudkip has advantage
- Gym 2 (Fighting): Treecko has slight advantage
- Gym 3 (Electric): Mudkip has advantage due to Ground typing upon evolution
Evaluating Long-Term Benefits
Beyond early gym battles, consider how your starter will contribute to your final team. Swampert (evolved Mudkip) is widely considered the best option with its Water/Ground typing giving it only one weakness to Grass.
Swampert’s offensive capabilities are exceptional with access to powerful moves like Earthquake, Surf, and Ice Beam. This versatile movepool allows it to counter its Grass weakness and handle most threats.
Blaziken (evolved Torchic) offers excellent offensive stats but has more weaknesses to manage. Sceptile (evolved Treecko) excels in speed and special attack but faces many challenging matchups in the Hoenn region.
Your playstyle matters too. If you prefer:
- Defensive play: Mudkip line provides bulk and fewer weaknesses
- Offensive power: Torchic line offers high attack stats
- Speed tactics: Treecko line gives you the fastest option
Frequently Asked Questions
Pokemon Emerald offers three starter choices that impact your journey significantly. Each has unique strengths and strategic implications that affect your gameplay experience.
Which starter Pokemon offers the most advantages throughout Pokemon Emerald?
Mudkip is widely considered the best starter in Pokemon Emerald. Its balanced stats provide versatility in battles, and its eventual Water/Ground typing as Swampert gives it only one weakness – Grass.
This typing combination allows you to breeze through many gym battles. Mudkip’s evolution into Swampert creates a powerhouse that can handle most challenges in the game with minimal difficulty.
Many experienced players choose Mudkip for Nuzlocke challenges due to its reliability and survivability.
What are the strategic benefits of each starter in Pokemon Emerald?
Mudkip offers excellent typing that resists five types and is only weak to Grass. It learns good moves naturally like Surf, Earthquake, and can be taught Ice Beam to counter Grass-types.
Treecko evolves into Sceptile, which provides a speedy Special Attack focused Pokemon. It excels against Water and Rock types but struggles with the many Flying-type Pokemon in Hoenn.
Torchic evolves into Blaziken, a Fire/Fighting type that works well as a tank. It has good offensive capabilities but faces challenges with Water types common in the region.
What are the recommended team compositions when choosing a particular starter in Pokemon Emerald?
With Mudkip, complement your team with Electric and Grass types to cover your few weaknesses. Consider Pokemon like Manectric and Tropius or Vileplume.
If you choose Treecko, include Fire and Flying types to handle Bug, Ice, and other Grass Pokemon. Swellow and Camerupt make excellent companions.
Torchic teams benefit from Ground and Water types like Flygon and Milotic to counter Electric, Rock, and other Fire types.
How do the starter Pokemon in Emerald compare to those in Ruby and Sapphire in terms of gameplay?
The starters have identical base stats and movesets across all three games. However, Emerald’s expanded Battle Frontier and different wild Pokemon distribution make certain starters more valuable.
Mudkip performs consistently well across all three games, but excels in Emerald due to the increased number of Electric-type trainers where its Ground typing shines.
The addition of move tutors in Emerald also benefits Swampert the most, giving it access to important coverage moves like Ice Beam.
Can you list the evolution paths for the starters in Pokemon Emerald and their impact on gameplay?
Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp at level 16, gaining the Ground type. At level 36, it evolves into Swampert, maintaining the Water/Ground typing but with improved stats across the board.
Treecko evolves into Grovyle at level 16, then into Sceptile at level 36. It remains pure Grass throughout, becoming extremely fast but retaining multiple weaknesses.
Torchic evolves into Combusken at level 16, gaining the Fighting type. At level 36, it becomes Blaziken, keeping the Fire/Fighting typing with enhanced attack stats and speed.
What are the most efficient strategies for utilizing the chosen starter throughout the Pokemon Emerald gameplay?
For Mudkip, teach it Surf, Earthquake, Ice Beam, and a fourth move of your choice like Waterfall or Return. This coverage moveset allows it to handle almost any opponent.
With Treecko, focus on its speed advantage. Teach it Leaf Blade, Dragon Claw, and moves like Earthquake for coverage against Fire types.
For Torchic, leverage its dual typing with Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut, and Earthquake. Add Shadow Ball or Rock Slide for additional coverage against Psychic or Flying types.
