Top 10 Tips for People Who Want to Choose Charmander in Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen

In Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, there's 3 different starter Pokemon. There's Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander. Each starters represent a difficulty. Bulbasaur's basically easy mode since it has advantage over the first 3 gyms. Squirtle's medium mode since it has an advantage to the first gym. Charmander's considered hard mode since the first 2 gyms have an advantage over that Pokemon. Here's some tips to make the early game easier with the starter Pokemon, Charmander.
The Top Ten
1 Have some backup Pokemon

It's best to have some other Pokemon just in case you need them. For the first gym, which is a Rock type gym, it's best to have a fighting type Pokemon like Mankey. Train it until it learns Low Kick or train it until you reached level 10. For the second gym, which is a Water type gym, it's best to have a Grass type or an Electric type Pokemon. Grass and Electric type Pokemon have an advantage over Water type Pokemon. For a Grass type Pokemon, there's Oddish/Bellsprout depending on the version you're playing. It's best to train Oddish/Bellsprout to level 20 or up. Evolving your Grass type Pokemon would also be a great option. For an Electric type Pokemon, there's Pikachu. Pikachu has Electric type moves, so it can take down Water types quite easily if you're at a high enough level. It's best to train your Pikachu until it learns Thunderbolt which is at level 26. It's not recommended to use Charmander for the first 2 gyms.

2 Make your Charmander learn Metal Claw

Metal Claw's a quite powerful move that can make a decent amount of damage to Rock types. Since the first gym's a Rock type gym, it's best to make Charmander learn the move Metal Claw. Steel type moves are strong against Rock type Pokemon. Charmander will learn that move at level 13. It usually takes 3 hits of Metal Claw to take down Geodude and 4-5 hits to take down Onix. Sometimes, the move Metal Claw can make your Charmander raise your attack.

Metal Claw isn't tough to learn and comes reasonably early. It also gives variation to your Charmander, since you are a teaching a fire Pokemon a Steel move

3 Have a lot of Potions in your bag

To take on the first gym, it's best to have a lot of Potions in your bag. The recommended quantity should be 5 and up. Onix will use the move Rock Tomb to knock your Charmander down. If that's the case, use a lot of Potions and use the move Growl to prevent Onix from knocking your Charmander too fast. Growl helps reducing the strength of attack moves. To take on the second gym, it's best to have at least 10 Super Potions since Water type Pokemon are strong against Fire type Pokemon.

4 Evolve your Charmander before taking on the first gym

If you don't want to get some other Pokemon to take on the first gym, evolve your Charmander. Evolving your Charmander into a Charmeleon will automatically make your Pokemon stronger and it can take more damage. It will evolve at level 16.

Good idea. Charmeleon is pretty strong.

5 Make your Charmeleon learn Flamethrower

Flamethrower's a very strong move. If you're at a high enough level, Flamethrower can easily knock down Water type Pokemon even if they resist Fire type moves. As for Starmie, it'll take like 2-3 hits to take it down. Charmeleon will learn that move at level 34.

6 Evolve your Charmeleon into a Charizard

Evolving your Charmeleon to a Charizard is also another great option to take on the second gym. Charizard can learn Wing Attack which is a quite powerful move to take on Pokemon that are around level 20-25. Once your Charmeleon evolved into a Charizard, it will learn the move Wing Attack. Both of these things happen at level 36.

7 Use the best TM moves

If you have some decent TM moves, use them. They can help you a bit as well. Use the TM move Bullet Seed for your Oddish. It can somewhat help you.

8 Save your game before taking on a gym

If you save your game before taking on a gym, you won't lose any of your unsaved progress. If you do lose the game, you can always restart your console and continue from where you left off. Then, you can take on the gym until you win for good.

9 Have a full team of 6 Pokemon

If you have a full team of 6, it's gonna help you win. You can have like 2-3 Pokemon that you can use to stall your opponent's team. It can sometimes help you use a bit less Potions.

10 Avoid having Pokemon that are lower than level 10

It's best to avoid having Pokemon that are lower than level 10. Most Pokemon that are lower than level 10 are super weak and will definitely lose against a level 20 Pokemon. They usually get knocked out in one hit.

The Contenders
11 Have water Pokemon
12 Have a balanced team
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