Bulbasaur

General Overview of Bulbasaur

Bulbasaur (Bulbizarre in French, フシギダネ in Japanese) is the very first Pokémon in the National Pokédex, with the number 001. This Grass and Poison type Pokémon belongs to the first generation and remains one of the most iconic of the series. Nicknamed the Seed Pokémon, it is instantly recognisable by the plant bulb on its back, which holds an energy reserve fed by sunlight.

In the games Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow, Bulbasaur is one of the three starter Pokémon offered to the player by Professor Oak, alongside Charmander and Squirtle. In the Pikachu-focused Yellow version it is obtained differently, but it keeps its role as a starter in most Kanto games and their remakes.

Type, weaknesses and stats

Bulbasaur's dual Grass and Poison type gives it a particular defensive profile. You need to keep an eye on its weaknesses to use it well in battle. Here are the essential details to remember:

• Type - Grass and Poison
• Height - 0.7 m
• Weight - 6.9 kg
• Weaknesses - Fire, Flying, Psychic and Ice
• Main ability - Overgrow, which boosts Grass type moves when HP is low
• Hidden ability - Chlorophyll, which doubles Speed in sunshine

Its base stats are balanced, with a Special Attack and Special Defense slightly higher than its physical Attack. Bulbasaur stays a low level Pokémon at the very start of the adventure, but its growth and evolutions quickly make it worthwhile.

Evolution and capture

Bulbasaur follows a simple three stage evolution line:

• Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur from level 16
• Ivysaur evolves into Venusaur from level 32

As it is a starter Pokémon, catching it in the wild is very rare in the main games. It is most often obtained at the start of a playthrough or through trades. Venusaur, its final form, also has a Mega Evolution in the sixth generation games.

Moves and strategy overview

Bulbasaur learns several useful moves from the very first levels. Among the most common attacks, Vine Whip stands out as the basic Grass move, along with the support moves typical of its line:

• Vine Whip - reliable Grass move available early
• Razor Leaf - Grass move with a high critical hit rate
• Sleep Powder - puts the opponent to sleep to gain the upper hand
• Leech Seed - drains the opponent's HP turn after turn
• Solar Beam - very powerful Grass move, ideal in sunshine

Bulbasaur in the Trading Card Game

In the Pokémon TCG, Bulbasaur has been present since the original Base Set. It is a Basic stage card, the starting point of the line leading to Ivysaur then Venusaur. Its HP is low and it mainly works as an evolution piece in a Grass deck.

For collectors, the versions from the Base Set remain sought after, especially the older printings in good condition. The price of a Bulbasaur card varies by original set, by rarity and language version, with Japanese copies and first printings often the most prized.