As much as I love using Swampert in a Pokémon Emerald playthrough, being that it’s my favourite water starter (if not my favourite starter), I will say that it can be overhyped, though I can definitely understand why. Water/Ground typing is an incredible typing as it grants immunity to Electric-type moves and Thunder Wave (gains 4x weakness to grass, but the only notable threat is Wally’s Roselia). This is useful against Wattson, a tough Electric-type Gym leader who can be challenging with Magneton’s and Manectric’s Thunder Waves. The only other ground type you can get is Geodude at Granite Cave, so a team without any ground types can be challenging. Marshtomp can be pretty good against Flannery (although she does have Sunny Day and Body Slam to slow down your stampede). As a bulky water type, Marshtomp can learn Ice Beam via TM to take down Winona’s Altaria, and when it evolves into Swampert, it uses its bulk to use super-effective moves against Tate and Liza, Maxie’s Camerupt and Drake’s Dragons. It also helps that Mudkip is considered to be the best of the three starters.
The problem arises when Swampert falls off after the mid-game, where its Ground sub-type makes it take neutral damage against Water and Ice moves. This can be noticeable when facing off against Juan, Glacia and Wallace, who are definitely more difficult with Wattson, with Juan’s Kingdra having good bulk and an excellent typing, Glacia’s Walrein being a fat tank, and all of Wallace’s mons being individually threatening that can hit Swampert neutrally. The ground typing isn’t that useful after Wattson, as the only trainers that have mons weak to Ground are Wally’s Magneton and Maxie’s Camerupt (which can really be taken down by any other water type). Swampert also can’t really do much against them except for Wallace’s Tentacruel. A strong Water-type in the later parts of the game would need to resist Water and Ice moves to be a great tank for the later parts of the game.
There are some water types that even if they are not necessarily better than Swampert, can also provide value as a good water type whilst also resisting Water and Ice:
- Gyarados: starts out weak as a Magikarp, but it gets very good after evolving. It is a consistent counter to Torkoal, thanks to its high special defence that helps it take a sun-boosted Overheat easily, and its Dragon Rage will 3HKO Torkoal and won’t be hindered by the Sun. Gyarados has Intimidate for Slaking and can handle Winona like Marshtomp with Ice Beam but also Thunderbolt via TMs. After learning Dragon Dance at Level 50, it can sweep well with Return and Earthquake. Gyarados has always been great since it can learn Dragon Dance, making it a high bar to compare with other water mons.
- Tentacruel: Also starts out too weak to take hits and to deal damage (good against Flannery, though it needs to watch out for Torkoal’s Body Slam). Once it evolves though it can have great returns. Its Poison Type can help to take down Wallace’s Ludicolo with a TM Sludge Bomb (unless the darn thing gets lucky with Double Team), and its Milotic thanks to its Toxic Immunity and great special defence. It’s also deceptively fast for a special tank. Clear Body can help it against Sidney’s Mightyena spamming Sand Attack or Drake’s Kingdra’s Smokescreen.
- Walrein: Feel like it’s overlooked a lot. You get it in Shoal Cave, which is pretty late, but also has great returns. A fat tank that has Encore that forces opponents to lock themselves into a move indefinitely (in theory), has Rest to heal itself up (though you can use a Full Restore). Thick Fat, giving it a quadruple Ice Resistance, can be very useful against Juan’s Kingdra as well as some of Wallace’s mons like Milotic or Wailord, who only have Ice and Water coverage. It also doesn’t risk being frozen due to being an Ice type.
Honourable Mentions:
- Wailord: May not be as bulky as Swampert or Walrein because of its low defences. However, it can hit hard, thanks to Water Spout coming off a respectable 90 special attack. It also has Rest to heal up, so after waking up (or using a Chesto Berry or Awakening), it can use Water Spout again.
- Pelipper: Pretty Underrated too, with Protect to wall Slaking and to waste Flannery’s Overheat attacks. Keen Eye can actually be useful against Winona’s Skarmory that has Sand Attack, so none of its attacks will miss like Ice Beam or Shock Wave. It falls off sadly after Winona, but I say it’s pretty impressive for a Hoenn Water bird mon.
- Sharpedo: An anti-setup good mon against Tate and Liza with Taunt denying the duo from setting up screens or Xatu using Confuse Ray, giving Sharpedo to strike back with Crunch (Swampert can attack with Surf but double battles weaken spread moves). Sharpedo does have to watch out for Claydol’s Earthquake. Not as useful as Swampert or the others, but I thought it would be interesting and funny to bring it up, considering the only offensive non-psychic moves they have are Claydol’s Earthquake, Solrock’s Flamethrower and Sunny Day.
Milotic is pretty good too, but I’m not counting it as from what I understand, catching and evolving a Feebas in Emerald could be pretty complicated for someone playing it casually on their first try.
Even though Swampert isn’t S-tier material, that’s not a knock against his strengths. Swampert is still great from the early to mid-game, and is still one of the best mons you can have in Pokémon Emerald.
You'll still be my favourite Water Starter,
Swampert.
