Introduced in generation one, with the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Staryu is a monotype water Pokemon. It is one of the original 151 Pokemon and evolves into Starmie upon using a Water Stone. Staryu is classified by the Pokedex as the “Star Shape Pokemon” which is an apt description of its general design. This guide will showcase Staryu’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Staryu.
About Staryu
As one of the original 151 Pokemon of generation one, Staryu first appeared in the original series in the episode Clefairy and the Moon Stone. It also received a fair share of screen time as one of Misty’s main Pokemon. Staryu is the base evolution of a two stage evolution line and evolves into Starmie upon using a Water Stone. The Pokedex mentions that the gem in Staryu’s center is actually an organ and its glowing core resembles stars in the sky.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Clefairy and the Moon Stone |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Evolves into Starmie, not known to evolve from any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | Evolves into Starmie when a Water Stone is used. |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Staryu's center section has an organ called the core that shines bright red. If you go to a beach toward the end of summer, the glowing cores of these Pokémon look like the stars in the sky. |
Staryu Base Stats
| HP | 30 |
| ATTACK | 45 |
| DEFENCE | 55 |
| SP. ATTACK | 70 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 55 |
| SPEED | 85 |
| TOTAL | 340 |
Appearance
Staryu is a brown and yellow starfish-like Pokemon with five points and a pink core. It is typically depicted standing on two points and will spray water from its center. The five appendages that make up the star are brown while there is a yellow ring looping around Staryu’s organ. In the center of Staryu’s design is a round and pink organ that can glow like a star and it is a short Pokemon at only 2 feet and 7 inches, or 0.8 meters, tall.
Behavior
Many of Staryu’s depictions in the anime are battling by Misty’s side. It was often used as Misty’s ace Pokemon but any emotion that it showed was purely body language or through its stance. Staryu was often a tough opponent with a wide range of potential moves and maintaining powerful water moves even on land. As a water type Pokemon it prefers a watery environment for battle as well as its habitat.
Strengths and Weaknesses
For a base evolution Pokemon, Staryu has a decent special attack along with a good speed stat. It suffers from a low health pool but its defensive stats are respectable. A Staryu is best built as an offensive special attacking Pokemon rather than a physical attacker. As a monotype water Pokemon, Staryu takes 2x damage from grass and electric type moves, is immune to no moves but is resistant to steel, fire, water, and ice type moves.
Shiny Staryu
A Shiny Staryu changes two of the three colors in its color palette including the gem in its core which changes from pink to blue in Shiny Staryu. The brown appendages are changed to white as only the yellow that surrounds the core remains the same. This makes it easy to distinguish between a Shiny Staryu and a regular Staryu at first glance. Like all shiny Pokemon, a Shiny Staryu gains a starry animation upon entering battle.
Best Moveset
Staryu is exclusively limited to LC (Little Cup) brackets of competitive play as in this format, it will only face other base evolution Pokemon. While Staryu’s offensive stats are decent even for a base evolution Pokemon, it is best to use Staryu as a bulky Pokemon with an Eviolite, as a held item. Consider running Rapid Spin, Scald, Psychic/Thunderbolt/Ice Beam, and Recover. Rapid Spin can clear out any hazards on your side of the field, Scald benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) while also having a chance to apply burn and Psychic/Thunderbolt/Ice Beam are interchangeable as type coverage options. Finally, Recover can help sustain your Staryu’s time in battle.
| Rapid Spin | Scald |
| Psychic/Thunderbolt/Ice Beam | Recover |
How to Catch Staryu in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Staryu in Pokemon Go, there are many ways to do so. As a base evolution Pokemon, it is fairly common to encounter Staryu near typical water type spawn locations. Consider checking canals, harbors, rivers, lakes, and other watery areas while it is raining to have the best odds of finding a Staryu. You can also hatch Staryu from 5 km eggs and it has also appeared as a tier one raid boss in Pokemon Gyms in the past. You can evolve your Staryu into Starmie once you have collected 50 Staryu candies as you do not need a Water Stone in Pokemon Go. Staryu can be found in many different ways in Pokemon Go, you just need to take the first opportunity that comes your way.
Trivia
- In generation two, Staryu was able to learn the move Attract despite having an unknown gender and the move had no effect when used in battle.
- The inspiration for Staryu’s design is likely based on the common starfish but with some stylized designs.
- The name Staryu is a combination of the words star and you (a reflection of its evolution line star and me).
Video
FAQ
How rare is a Staryu?
Staryu is a fairly common Pokemon in the mainline games as well as in Pokemon Go. It is available in many different locations throughout the generations and is typically found through the use of a Super Rod. Other than generation eight, Staryu has been available in every generation, but it has been version exclusive in Pokemon X and Pokemon LeafGreen.
What are Staryu’s attacks?
Staryu actually learns more normal type moves than it does water type moves. It is capable of learning Hydro Pump, Recover, Psychic, Power Gem, Swift, Rapid Spin, Confuse Ray, and many others naturally through leveling. You can also teach it a wide range of moves through TMs/HMs or through move tutors.
How does Staryu Evolve?
There is no level threshold for Staryu to evolve into Starmie as you just need to use a Water Stone to evolve your Staryu into a Starmie. However, you will want to consider the moveset you want your Staryu/Starmie to have before evolving. Starmie does not learn any moves naturally upon leveling, and you will only be able to swap moves through TMs/HMs or move tutors.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Star Shape Pokemon”. For one of the original 151 Pokemon, Staryu’s evolution line has managed to remain relevant in competitive play for upwards of six generations. It was only until generation seven and eight where it began to fall off. Staryu and its evolution line are fast offensive Pokemon with a wide range of potential moves. Reserve a slot on your team for Staryu if you want an offensive water type Pokemon.
