Best team composition for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Players may find themselves wanting to know the best team composition for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, considering the two games provide some serious difficulty spikes over the originals. Being the franchise's first-ever remakes of a past generation, these titles are the best way to experience the Kanto region, according to many veteran trainers.

Since Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are from an older era of the franchise, they can be quite difficult for newer players who are used to things we tend to take for granted now, like the physical-special split that reworked almost every move in the franchise.

This article takes a look at a great team composition that players may want to consider to make their journey through Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen a bit easier.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

Explaining the best team composition for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Blastoise

Blastoise is the final evolution of Squirtle, the Water-type starter in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. While many may consider Venusaur to be the better starter due to its advantages against the first two gyms, its movepool is terrible, causing it to fall off significantly after the fourth gym or so. Additionally, Venusaur's Poison attacks are Physical, meaning they use its poor Physical Attack stat.

Since Blastoise is a pure Water-type creature, here are its weaknesses:

Grass
Electric

Here are the moves players should try to get for their Blastoise:

Ice Beam - Learned via TM13 from the Rocket Game Corner. It is worth the effort
Seismic Toss - Learned via tutor in Pewter City
Surf - Learned via HM03 from the Safari Zone
Protect - Learned at level 31 as Wartortle

Raticate

The true power of Raticate is only known to a few Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen trainers. Many may be quick to pass up on this powerful Normal-type creature, but it has one of the most broken abilities in the game in the third generation: Guts. This ability doubles the Pocket Monster's power when it is under status ailments like Poisoned or Burned.

Raticate can be found as early as a Rattata on Route 1. It evolves at level 20. Since it is a pure Normal-type species, it is only weak to Fighting-type attacks.

Here are the moves Raticate should learn:

Strength - Learned via TM04 from Fuchsia City
Hyper Fang - Learned at level 13 as Rattata
Cut - Learned via HM01 from the S.S. Anne
Dig - Learned via TM28 from Cerulean City

Aerodactyl

Aerodactyl is a solid flyer in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen that scales excellently into the late game, thanks to its high speed and attack stats. Its Rock typing also makes it a better offensive pick than the average Fearow or Pidgeot most players tend to gravitate toward. The creature can be obtained by reviving the Old Amber at Cinnabar Island, which can be acquired at Pewter City.

Since Aerodactyl is a Rock and Flying-type species, here are the elements it is weak against:

Rock
Water
Steel
Electric
Ice

Here are the moves players should teach their Aerodactyl:

Fly - Learned via HM02 from Route 16
Steel Wing - Learned via TM47 from the Safari Zone
Rock Slide - Learned via tutor in Rock Tunnel
Dragon Claw - Learned via TM02 from Victory Road

Jolteon

Jolteon is the Electric-type evolution of Eevee, which Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen players can obtain from the back entrance of the Celadon City apartment complex. To get it, trainers must climb to the top of the stairs and enter the classroom on the roof. Once they have their Eevee, they can buy a Thunder Stone from the Celadon Department Store and evolve it.

Since Jolteon is a pure Electric-type species, it is only weak to Ground-type attacks.

Here are the moves Jolteon should have for this team:

Sand Attack - Learned at level 8 as Eevee
Bite - Learned at level 30 as Eevee
Thunderbolt - Learned via TM24 from the Rocket Game Corner
Mimic - Learned via move tutor in Saffron City

Nidoking

Nidoking is the best early-game evolution players can get in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. While it may have fallen off a bit in the original titles, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have a much deeper movepool for the creature, allowing it to scale even better through a playthrough.

Nidoran, Nidoking's base form, can be found as early as Route 3. After evolving into Nidorino, it can evolve with a Moon Stone, which can be found in Mt. Moon.

Nidoking is a Ground and Poison-type species, which means it is weak to the following elements:

Ground
Water
Psychic
Ice

Here are the moves Nidoking should learn:

Earthquake - Learned via TM26 from Viridian City
Shadow Ball - Learned via TM30 from the Rocket Game Corner
Brick Break - Learned via TM31 from Celadon City
Hyper Beam - Learned via TM15 from Celadon City

Hitmonlee

Hitmonlee is a very powerful Fighting-type creature that can help in some of the late-game battles in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, like against Elite Four member Bruno.

Hitmonlee can be obtained after defeating the dojo master at the Saffron City. Players then have to choose between Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Hitmonchan is the more defensive of the two, which sacrifices a lot of damage output trainers would have with Hitmonlee.

Since Hitmonlee is a pure Fighting-type species, and the Fairy typing is not present in Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, here are the remaining types the creature is weak to:

Flying
Psychic

Here are the moves Hitmonlee should have:

Rolling Kick - Learned at level 11
High Jump Kick - Learned at level 26
Mega Kick - Learned from move tutor on Route 4
Bulk Up - Learned from TM08 from Silph Co.

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