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Introduction:
The best possible Pokemon for an in-game team are the ones that are obtained obtainable at the start of the game, can OHKO enemies easily, take little damage from nearly any enemy attack, can learn many HMs, can heal itself, can learn useful moves upon level up, doesn't need excessive TMs, and has a useful ability. Such a Pokemon doesn't exist of course, but this means that Pokemon closer to this ideal are obviously the best ones possible.
The goal of this in-game tier list is to recommend a select group of Pokemon for an efficient run through the game. The ones that fit most of the above requirements are placed in the high tier. Very inefficient Pokemon will be put in the low tier. Things that are neither efficient nor inefficient, for example Pokemon that have some opportunity costs but don't end up as good as high tiered ones, will be put in the middle tier.
Don't confuse an efficient run with a speed run. Speed runs are often ones that are segmented and recorded with luck manipulation through resets, and aim for the absolute fastest time recorded, but the real time spent on them is usually much more. Just assume you want to play through in a relatively fast time frame.
Team size is actually by far most efficient if you use only one member, but I'm assuming something more like 3 members, as otherwise you get extremely centralized lists with starters and early game Pokemon at the far top with and everything else pretty much too inefficient to bother with.
Also note when reading through this guide that some of the moves and abilities listed for a Pokemon may only be obtained by their evolutions. Some Pokemon may be placed in higher tiers due to their evolution's capabilities as well.
High Tier:
Abra
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has very high Special Attack and Speed stats, however, needs to be traded
to fully evolve.
Azelf
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Although it is available very late in the game it is available at a high
level of 50 which compensates for this. Also has very high Attack, Special Attack, and Speed
stats.
Bidoof
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Very useful in-game Pokemon because it learns a vast amount of HMs
such as Cut, Rock Climb, Rock Smash, Strength, Surf, and Waterfall.
Buizel
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has high Attack and Speed stats.
Chimchar
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Has great offensive stats and a high Speed stat and learns a vast
amount of TMs and useful moves upon level up.
Cranidos (Diamond only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has an incredibly high Attack stat capable of OHKOing many Pokemon.
Dialga (Diamond only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Although obtained late in the game it is captured at a high level of 47 and has excellent stats all-round.
Gastly
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has a very high Special Attack and Speed stat, however, needs to be traded
to fully evolve.
Machop
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Average
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack stat and good defenses, learns useful STAB
attacks upon level up, and has a useful ability in No Guard. However, it needs to be traded to fully
evolve.
Magikarp
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Despite being useless as a Magikarp, one it evolves it is an incredibly useful Pokemon. Gyarados has a very high Attack stat, great defenses, learns Dragon Dance upon level up, and has a useful ability in Intimidate.
Meditite
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has an extremely high Attack stat with the ability Huge Power capable
of OHKOing Pokemon easily.
Palkia (Pearl only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Although obtained late in the game it is captured at a high level of 47 and has excellent stats all-round.
Piplup
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a good typing and has a high Special Attack stat.
Shinx
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has great offensive stats and a useful ability in Intimidate.
Starly
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack and Speed stat and learns powerful moves upon
level up such as Close Combat and Brave Bird.
Turtwig
Availability: Beginning
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a high Attack stat and learns powerful moves upon level up such as
Earthquake and Wood Hammer.
Middle Tier:
Bronzor
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has great defensive stats, great typing, learns Hypnosis upon level up,
and has useful abilities.
Croagunk
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a high Attack stat and useful ability in Dry Skin.
Marill
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has an incredibly high Attack stat with the ability Huge Power and has
good bulk.
Misdreavus (Pearl only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has above average Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed stats.
Murkrow (Diamond only)
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a very high Attack stat and high Special Attack stat.
Pikachu
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Has an above average Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stat, and
learns a wide variety of moves through TM.
Ponyta
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Is the only other Fire-type in the game if you don't choose Chimchar as your starter,
however, has a shallow movepool outside of Fire-type attacks.
Rotom
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a great typing and useful ability.
Shellos
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a very high HP stat, above average defenses, and learns Recover
upon level up.
Low Tier:
Bonsly
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average stats and a shallow movepool.
Budew
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats as a pre-evolution and has a shallow movepool
outside of Grass-type attacks. However, outside of Turtwig it is the best Grass-type in-game.
Buneary
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats.
Chatot
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats, has a shallow movepool, and is available late in the game.
Clefairy
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Has decent stats all-round and a very wide movepool, but its movepool
relies on TMs.
Drifloon
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool.
Geodude
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has bad typing, low Speed stat, and needs to be traded to be fully evolved.
Gible
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and evolves at a high level of 48.
Girafarig
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool and below average offensive stats.
Glameow (Pearl only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Below average offensive stats and has a shallow movepool outside of Normal-type attacks.
Hoothoot
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats and has a shallow movepool.
Mesprit
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Very wide
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and must be found in the wild randomly to
capture be captured.
Psyduck
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average stats and a shallow movepool.
Stunky (Diamond only)
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Has a high HP and Attack stat and learns useful moves upon level up, however, it is found quite late in the game.
Uxie
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Despite having excellent defensive stats its offensive stats are quite
poor.
Wingull
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats and a shallow movepool, but learns 3
useful HMs such as in Fly, Surf, and Defog.
Wooper
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats and a shallow movepool, but has
good defenses and a useful ability in Water Absorb.
Zubat
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats and a shallow movepool.
Bottom Tier:
Aipom
Availability: Early
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees Only capturable from honey trees
(which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon to appear), has a low encounter rate, and you would have to
rely on luck to find one.
Barboach
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats.
Burmy
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees (which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon
to appear), has poor stats overall, and has a shallow movepool.
Carnivine
Availability: Late
Stats: Decent
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and has a shallow movepool outside of
Grass-type attacks.
Chansey
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has very poor offensive stats, a very shallow movepool, and a very low
Defense stat.
Cherubi
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees (which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon
to appear), has below average offensive stats, and a shallow movepool outside of Grass-type
attacks.
Chingling
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats and a shallow movepool.
Combee
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees (which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon
to appear), has a shallow movepool, and has poor offensive stats.
Feebas
Availability: Late
Stats: Very poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game, too hard to capture, too hard to evolve,
and practically useless until it does evolve.
Finneon
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor offensive stats and a shallow movepool outside of Water-type attacks.
Goldeen
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average stats and a shallow movepool.
Heracross
Availability: Early
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees (which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon
to appear), has a low encounter rate, and you would have to rely on luck to find one.
Hippopotas
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Poor
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool and has a hindering ability to an ability that hinders the rest of the
team.
Kricketot
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has very poor stats besides its Attack stat and has a very shallow
movepool.
Mantyke
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and has below average offensive stats.
Mime Jr.
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool outside of Psychic-type attacks.
Munchlax
Availability: Early
Stats: Above avergae
Movepool: Wide
Additional Comments: Only capturable from honey trees (which takes 6 hours for a Pokemon
to appear), only has a 1% chance of appearing, and is only available on certain trees which
depend on your ID/SID combination.
Onix
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has a shallow movepool and a poor Speed and Special Defense stat.
Pachirisu
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor stats overall and a shallow movepool.
Remoraid
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late i nthe game and has below average offensive stats.
Riolu
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Obtained too late in the game and at too low of a level.
Shieldon (Pearl only)
Availability: Early
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Has below average offensive stats and a terrible typing.
Skorupi
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and has a shallow movepool.
Sneasel
Availability: Late
Stats: Above average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and has a shallow movepool.
Snover
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and has a hindering ability to an ability that hinders the rest of
the team.
Spiritomb
Availability: Early
Stats: Average
Movepool: Shallow
Additional Comments: Very hard to obtain since it can only be caught once 32 people have
been talked to in the underground.
Tentacool
Availability: Late
Stats: Average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game.
Togepi
Availability: Late
Stats: Below average
Movepool: Decent
Additional Comments: Available too late in the game and obtained as an egg. Is also very hard
to evolve.
Unown
Availability: Mid-game
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has very poor stats and can only learn the move Hidden Power.
Wurmple
Availability: Early
Stats: Poor
Movepool: Very shallow
Additional Comments: Has poor stats overall and has a shallow movepool.