History CrutchCharacter / Pokemon

* Like the Gen III remakes, the early game Bug-types return from the earlier generation Kanto games and still evolve into their final forms at level 10. However, the lack of battling wild Pokémon turns Butterfree into a downplayed case since it no longer has its Compound Eyes ability and its status-inducing "Powder" moves no longer aid in catching wild Pokémon. Furthermore, it learns Gust on evolution rather than Confusion, lessening its immediate effectiveness.

* Squawkabilly's decent Attack and great offensive abilities make it easy to slot in early in the game, but once battles start needing more than just that, its low base stats and limited movepool make it just as easy to bench in favor of better Flying-types. Hustle Squawkabilly counts in particular: its ability (extra damage at the cost of accuracy) lets it spam super-powered [[AlwaysAccurateAttack Aerial Aces (a 100% accurate move) with no drawbacks]], but hampers it from hitting anything with its other moves when the damage (Aerial Ace has a middling base of 60) tapers off later on. Similarly to Tarountula, Squawkabilly also takes a lot of EXP to level up in the early-game, so you'll be underleveled later on if you rely on it.

* Like in the originals, the Luxray line can be caught very early and learns both Spark and Bite by level 18, which are both fairly strong moves for such early point in the game. However, it quickly falls off due to Wild Charge being its strongest Physical STAB learned too late and not worth [[CastFromHitPoints the recoil.]]

* Gogoat has all around [[JackOfAllStats solid, but not spectacular stats]] and a really large movepool. The fact that it can be caught so early makes it designed for a lot of newer players, but later on, more powerful Pokémon will be able to outshine it, due to being a MasterOfNone.

* While the ability was {{nerf}}ed from its DiscOneNuke status in Gen III, the early ComMon Lillipup comes with Pickup. The items are not as high-end, but you'll still be set for the rest of the game if you grind early on. Even better, Pickup can now steal away a one time use item the opponent uses up or thrown at them with Fling, meaning you can snag several good berries in a short amount of time. Not to mention that it loses Pickup when it evolves and gains the more situational Sand Rush ability, compared to Intimidate.

!! ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green]]'':

* Ekans is catchable fairly early in ''Fire Red'', and evolves into Arbok at level 22, at which point it'll be much stronger than most enemy Pokémon. However, Arbok is still weak by fully-evolved Pokémon standards, and its Poison type does it no favors in a game dominated by Psychic-types. Not helping matters is that it can't be taught Sludge Bomb, its most powerful attack, until post-game.

* Hoothoot evolves early at level 20 into Noctowl and is respectably strong for that point, but quickly falls off after the mid-game with its subpar stats and a very shallow movepool, with the weak Peck as its only naturally-learned Flying-type move. (It can get a short extension with [=HM02=] Fly, but it still falls off not longer after. Not only that but its only available ''after'' you've beaten the fighting-type gym, when it would've been more useful.) You're better off using another Flying-type.

* Meowth's great Speed stat and manipulation of Technician boosts and Fake Out combos can make it handy for early points of the game (along with Bite and Aerial Ace, making it a viable option against Morty's Ghost Pokemon), with its Pay Day attack and its other ability Pickup also allowing you to nab costly power-up items. Unfortunately, it doesn't really get handed many powerful techniques later on, it loses Pickup when it evolves for the less useful Limber, and its low other stats cause it to struggle to hold on in later battles.

* Hoothoot evolves early at level 20 into Noctowl and is respectably strong for that point, but quickly falls off after the mid-game with its subpar stats and a very shallow movepool, with the weak Peck as its only naturally-learned Flying-type move. (It can get a short extension with [=HM02=] Fly, but it still falls off not longer after. Not only that but its only available ''after'' you've beaten the fighting-type gym, when it would've been more useful.)

* In ''Silver'', you can catch Meowth and train it up to learn Pay Pay. This move allows you to pile up on currency early on, and like trainer earnings, can be doubled or quadrupled through certain stipulations, such as the Amulet Coin item. Especially apparent in early generations where Meowth could be caught and taught Pay Day rather early. Simply put, Meowth is good for your wallet but it and its evolution aren't powerful.

* Purrloin is decent early on, with good speed and decent attack for a first-stage Pokémon, and it gets Fake Out to get a cheap shot in on foes at the start of battle. It also evolves into Liepard at just level 20, which is quite early. However, it gets outclassed really quickly, even after it evolves — Liepard's stats are bad by the standards of fully-evolved Pokémon, and you'll doubtless find stronger Dark-types to replace it with later in the game.

* Similar to Geodude in Kanto, Aron can be found very early in the Hoenn games and has pretty good physical Defense and Attack to hit hard and take punishment. Unfortunately, its typing and low Sp. Def leave it highly open to its increasingly common weaknesses later in the game.
* Mawile and Sableye, which are version exclusive counterparts in Ruby and Sapphire respectively, play similar roles (both appear in Emerald, but only Sableye is found this early). When they are obtained in Granite Cave, shortly after the first Gym Badge is obtained, they are notable for their exceptional defensive properties. Mawile is a pure Steel type, making it resistant to eleven of the game's types and immune to the Poison type. Likewise, Sableye's Ghost and Dark typing has three immunities and no weaknesses, allowing it to easily crush the upcoming Dewford Gym. However, both have Base Stat Totals of only 380 despite having no evolutions, making them among the weakest fully evolved Pokemon. This means that they are quickly outpaced in terms of stats, and are sooner overshadowed by other Steel types (Aggron, Magneton, and Skarmory) and Dark types (Sharpedo, Absol, and Cacturne).

* Meowth's great Speed stat and manipulation of Technician boosts and Fake Out combos can make it handy for early points of the game (along with Bite and Aerial Ace), with its Pay Day attack and its other ability Pickup also allowing you to nab costly power-up items. Unfortunately, it doesn't really get handed many powerful techniques later on, it loses Pickup when it evolves for the less useful Limber, and its low other stats cause it to struggle to hold on in later battles.

* Hoothoot evolves early at level 20 into Noctowl and is respectably strong for that point, but quickly falls off after the mid-game with its subpar stats and a very shallow movepool, with the weak Peck as its only naturally-learned Flying-type move. (It can get a short extension with [=HM02=] Fly, but it still falls off not longer after.)

* The Luxray line can be caught very early and learns both Spark and Bite by level 18, which are both fairly strong moves for such early point in the game. However, it eventually falls off due to Spark being its strongest Physical STAB with just 65 BP and its Special Attack isn't very good. Even Raichu, another CrutchCharcter itself, proves to be a better Electric-type in the endgame.

* The Luxray line can be caught very early and learns both Spark and Bite by level 18, which are both fairly strong moves for such early point in the game. However, it eventually falls off due to Spark being its strongest Physical STAB with just 65 BP and its Special Attack isn't very good.

* Wurmple evolves very quickly and the typings of both evolved forms leaves them with a double resistance to Brawly's Fighting-type attacks. Dustox also learns Confusion early, and both evolutions can hit back with Gust. However, their stats are far outshone by other evolved Pokémon, so don't expect to keep them on your team for long. It doesn't help that their STABs are powered by their weaker Physical Attack.

* You can catch a Galar-Meowth in Route 4. Its great Speed stat and Tough Claws ability boosts its Fake Out and Metal Claw combos can make it handy for early points of the game, with its Pay Day attack and Pickup ability also allowing you to nab costly power-up items. However, it doesn't really get handed many powerful techniques later on, it loses Pickup when it evolves for the less useable Battle Armor, and its low other stats cause it to struggle to hold its evolution, Perserker, up in later battles.

* Due to Gen I's broken typing and plentiful exploits, Bulbasaur Zig-Zagged this trope, but plays it straight here. Its Grass-typing gives it an advantage over the first two Gyms and allows it to resist the third and fourth, its part-Poison typing allows it to resist many early-game Poison and Grass-type Pokémon (plus grants immunity to the status effect of the same name), it gets stronger STAB options like Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb, as well as Earthquake for coverage, and it comes with a number of [[SupportPartyMember utility moves]] like the [Status] Powders and Leech Seed to regain health. Unfortunately, in the second half of the game, it is weak-to or resisted-by three of the final four Gym Leaders, three members of the Elite Four, and ''two-thirds'' of the Champion's Pokémon. The critical hit rate {{Nerf}} since Gen. I means Razor Leaf isn't as powerful as it was in the original, either. Venusaur can still slog through the rest of the game, but it's forced to rely on a GradualGrinder playstyle for these opponents, which is less efficient compared to other Pokémon that can simply knock them out in one or two hits.

* Rattata, reprising its role from Gen I, learns Hyper Fang, this time a ''level 13''. It can one or two-hit KO anything that doesn't resist it up to around the second Gym, but soon declines in usefulness even after it evolves and should be replaced by around Celadon City.

* Both Shock Wave and Water Pulse are available early on, and are on the cheaper end of BP costs. An Alolan-Meowth with Technician can get good coverage for the Trials on Akala this way. However, it'll fall off in efficiency even after it evolves in Persian.

* Both Shock Wave and Water Pulse are available early on, and are on the cheaper end of BP costs. An Alolan-Meowth with Technician can get good coverage for the Trials on Akala this way. However, it'll fall off in efficiency even after it evolves.

* It's possible to find a Surskit with ''[[LastDiscMagic Hydro Pump]]'' before you even meet up with your dad for the catching tutorial by abusing the ''Dev Nav'' feature. It can easily devastate the early part of the game using the move, especially the [[DishingOutDirt first Gym]], though it will eventually drop off in usefulness, due to its mediocre stats and underwhelming evolution that even loses its water STAB.

* Meowth can be caught in ''Blue'' just after the second Gym and learns Pay Day early on, allowing you to pile up on currency rather quickly. Pay Day is also a TM that's not too hard to obtain after getting Surf and can be taught to other Pokémon. Add to the fact that rematching wasn't made available outside of the Elite Four, the presence of Pay Day and its TM seemed to be a necessity for those who ran out of money too soon. Outside of that, Meowth isn't really all that useful.

* Meowth can be caught in ''Blue'' just after the second Gym and learns Pay Day early on, allowing you to pile up on currency rather quickly. Pay Day is also a TM that's not too hard to obtain after getting Surf and can be taught to other Pokémon. Add to the fact that rematching wasn't made available outside of the Elite Four, the presence of Pay Day and its TM seemed to be a necessity for those who ran out of money too soon.

* Hoothoot evolves early at level 20 into Noctowl and is respectably strong for that point, but quickly falls off after the mid-game with its subpar stats and a very shallow movepool (with the weak Peck as its only naturally-learned Flying-type move.

* Rattata, one of the game's resident ComMons, learns Hyper Fang, an ''80 base power move'' (equal to several endgame moves) that gets a STAB boost to boot... at ''level 14''. It can one or two-hit KO anything that doesn't resist it up to around the second Gym (which basically any non-rock type), but soon declines in usefulness after that.