Dominate Johto: Your Ultimate HeartGold Pokemon Guide

Choosing your first partner in Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver is a pivotal moment that shapes your entire adventure through the Johto region. This guide dives deep into the strengths and weaknesses of each starter Pokemon, arming you with the knowledge to make the best choice and conquer every challenge that awaits. Whether you favor the fiery Cyndaquil, the watery Totodile, or the grassy Chikorita, understanding their potential is key to becoming a true Pokemon Master in HeartGold.

Feraligatr: The Adaptable Apex Predator of HeartGold

Totodile, the Water-type starter, evolves into the formidable Feraligatr, a powerhouse renowned for its adaptability and raw strength in HeartGold and SoulSilver. While Johto boasts a deep pool of Water-type Pokemon, including কিংdra, Gyarados, and Suicune, Feraligatr distinguishes itself with its versatile movepool and early evolution advantage. Reaching its final form faster than many competitors, Feraligatr can learn a vast array of moves, making it a strategic asset against diverse opponents, especially the Elite Four.

Feraligatr’s learnset is a treasure trove of coverage options. It naturally learns Ice Fang, crucial for tackling Dragon and Grass-types, and can be taught powerful TMs like Earthquake, Aerial Ace, Rock Slide, and Shadow Claw. This breadth of moves allows Feraligatr to potentially strike every type in the game for super-effective damage, given the right combination. While other Water Pokemon might specialize in certain stats, Feraligatr’s balanced offense and diverse movepool solidify its position as a top-tier choice for your HeartGold journey.

Gym Leader Domination with Feraligatr

Falkner (Violet City Gym Leader – Flying-type): While Totodile lacks a type advantage against Falkner’s Flying-types, its solid Attack stat can overcome their weaker Defense. Water Gun will be effective, and a Pidgey with Gust acquired from Sprout Tower can also be valuable here.
Bugsy (Azalea Town Gym Leader – Bug-type): By the time you reach Bugsy, Totodile will likely have evolved into Croconaw, showcasing its growing power. Again, no direct type advantage, but Croconaw’s raw power and potential Flying-type partners like Pidgeotto will be key. Mareep or Flaaffy can also handle Scyther’s Flying dual-typing.
Whitney (Goldenrod City Gym Leader – Normal-type): Whitney’s Miltank is notorious for its Rollout and Milk Drink. Paralyzing Miltank early is crucial. Utilize Bite and Water Gun, and consider Normal-resistant Pokemon to withstand Rollout.
Morty (Ecruteak City Gym Leader – Ghost-type): Here, Croconaw gains a significant advantage. Bite becomes a Dark-type move, effectively countering Ghost-types. Croconaw’s high Attack stat will exploit the low Defense of Gastly and Haunter. Be cautious of Gengar’s Shadow Ball, which can still inflict heavy damage.
Chuck (Cianwood City Gym Leader – Fighting-type): Type resistances favor Feraligatr against Chuck’s Fighting-types. While Surf from Poliwrath isn’t available to Feraligatr directly at this stage for type advantage, its raw power and potentially Electric-type partners like Ampharos will be effective.
Jasmine (Olivine City Gym Leader – Steel-type): Magnemite’s Electric-typing could pose a minor threat, but by this point, a Fire-type like Houndour, Magmar, or Arcanine is highly recommended. Melt Magnemite with Fire and then unleash Surf on Steelix for a decisive victory.
Pryce (Mahogany Town Gym Leader – Ice-type): Water’s dual resistance to Ice can be tricky. However, Ampharos with Thunder is your best weapon against Pryce’s team. Piloswine will fall quickly to Surf attacks.
Claire (Blackthorn City Gym Leader – Dragon-type): Ice Fang, or TM Ice Beam, is essential for Claire’s Dragon-types. Alternatively, develop a dedicated anti-Dragon strategy. Be wary of Thunder Wave and Hyper Beam from her Dragonair and কিংdra, but Feraligatr’s Ice-type coverage makes this gym significantly easier.

Conquering the Pokemon League with Feraligatr

Will (Elite Four – Psychic-type): Replacing Bite with Crunch provides Dark-type dominance over Will’s Psychic team. Shadow Claw also works effectively. Ampharos can handle the Xatu, and a Fire-type can dispatch Exeggutor or Ice Beam for another option.
Koga (Elite Four – Poison-type): Fire-types are your allies against Koga. Feraligatr can handle some of Koga’s team, but saving it for later might be strategic.
Bruno (Elite Four – Fighting-type): Flying-types excel against Bruno’s Fighting team. Hitmonchan and Machamp are dangerous with their diverse movepools, so swift and decisive attacks are crucial.
Karen (Elite Four – Dark-type): Umbreon’s defenses and Moonlight can be frustrating. Houndoom is less of a threat. Gengar and Murkrow are manageable. Vileplume, while part Poison, is vulnerable to Fire or Flying-types.
Lance (Champion – Dragon-type): Similar to Claire, but at a higher level and with more diverse types. Ampharos handles Aerodactyl and Gyarados. Feraligatr, armed with Ice attacks, will be vital against Lance’s three Dragonites. Be cautious of the Dragonite that knows Thunder. Spam Ice moves and claim your victory as the Champion!

Meganium: The Grassy Gauntlet in HeartGold

Chikorita, the Grass-type starter, evolving into Meganium, presents a unique challenge in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Choosing Chikorita demands strategic team building and a deeper understanding of type matchups to overcome the inherent disadvantages against early Gym Leaders and the Pokemon League. While Grass-types might be less common as starter choices in Johto, Meganium offers a rewarding playthrough for trainers seeking a more strategic and unconventional path.

Meganium’s strength lies in its defensive capabilities and access to support moves. However, its offensive typing and vulnerability to common types like Flying and Poison make the early game and certain Gym battles significantly harder compared to the other starters. Overcoming these hurdles with Chikorita requires clever use of supporting Pokemon and strategic planning for each encounter.

Navigating Johto Gyms with Meganium

Falkner (Violet City Gym Leader – Flying-type): Falkner is a tough first hurdle for Chikorita. Flying-types resist Grass moves and deal super-effective damage. Acquire a Geodude and utilize Rock Throw for super-effective damage. Pidgey from Sprout Tower is also essential for Falkner and Bugsy.
Bugsy (Azalea Town Gym Leader – Bug-type): Bug-types are also resistant to Grass. Pidgey and Geodude remain crucial. Rock Throw and Gust are your primary offensive tools. Mareep or Flaaffy can provide additional coverage.
Whitney (Goldenrod City Gym Leader – Normal-type): Similar strategy as with Quilava and Croconaw. Paralyze Miltank, use defensive tactics, and consider a Fighting-type like Machop for super-effective damage against Normal-types.
Morty (Ecruteak City Gym Leader – Ghost-type): Ghost-types are part Poison, resisting Grass attacks, and many have Levitate, negating Ground moves. Psychic-types are weak to Ghost, and Gengar’s speed makes them unreliable. Bayleef’s Special Defense can mitigate Shadow Ball damage somewhat. Focus on paralysis and attrition tactics.
Chuck (Cianwood City Gym Leader – Fighting-type): Finally, a Gym where Grass-types have an advantage! Poliwrath is vulnerable to Razor Leaf. Meganium can contribute significantly in this gym battle.
Jasmine (Olivine City Gym Leader – Steel-type): Steel-types resist Grass and Electric. Fire-types like Magmar or Arcanine are essential for Magnemite. A Pokemon with Dig is helpful against Steelix, or utilize Fire-type moves to overcome Steel’s defenses.
Pryce (Mahogany Town Gym Leader – Ice-type): Water/Ice dual-types are prevalent in Pryce’s team, creating a complex matchup for Grass. Ice is super-effective against Grass. Ampharos with Thunder and a Fire-type are crucial. Avoid prolonged battles as Rest can become problematic.
Claire (Blackthorn City Gym Leader – Dragon-type): Meganium is neither strong nor weak against Dragon-types. However, Claire’s Kingdra is not resistant to Grass. One of her Dragonair knows Fire Blast, posing a threat to Grass-types. Meganium can inflict some damage on Kingdra but requires careful play.

Enduring the Pokemon League with Meganium

Will (Elite Four – Psychic-type): Will’s team composition, featuring Flying and Ice-types, is unfavorable for Grass. Xatu knows U-Turn, potentially switching into a Pokemon that hard-counters Meganium. Rely on other team members for this battle.
Koga (Elite Four – Poison-type): Poison-types resist Grass and deal super-effective damage. Fire, Rock, or Psychic-types are better suited for this encounter.
Bruno (Elite Four – Fighting-type): Onix is easily handled. Hitmontop and Hitmonlee are manageable for Meganium. Hitmonchan and Machamp are better handled by Flying or Psychic-types, although Meganium might fare okay against Machamp.
Karen (Elite Four – Dark-type): Houndoom is a major threat to Meganium. The rest of Karen’s team is less problematic. Vileplume (part Poison) can be defeated with Fire or Flying-type moves.
Lance (Champion – Dragon-type): Lance’s team is heavily equipped with anti-Grass coverage. Two Dragonites have Blizzard and Fire Blast. Aerodactyl knows Aerial Ace. Charizard is a Fire/Flying threat. Gyarados is part Flying, reducing Grass move effectiveness. The first Dragonite can likely OHKO Meganium with Dragon Rush. Chikorita’s challenge lies in overcoming these significant obstacles.

Cyndaquil/Typhlosion: The Fiery Path (Brief Overview)

Cyndaquil, the Fire-type starter, evolving into Typhlosion, is another strong choice for HeartGold and SoulSilver. While this guide focuses on Totodile and Chikorita in detail, it’s important to acknowledge Cyndaquil’s strengths. Typhlosion provides a straightforward offensive approach, excelling against many Gym Leaders and offering valuable Fire-type coverage throughout your journey.

Typhlosion’s high Special Attack stat and access to powerful Fire-type moves like Flamethrower and Eruption make it a formidable attacker. It’s particularly effective against Bug, Grass, Ice, and Steel-types, proving advantageous against Gym Leaders like Bugsy and Jasmine. However, it’s crucial to build a well-rounded team to cover Typhlosion’s weaknesses against Water, Rock, and Ground-types, especially when facing Gym Leaders like Pryce and the Rock-type specialists.

In Conclusion:

Choosing your HeartGold starter Pokemon is a matter of personal preference and playstyle. Feraligatr offers adaptability and power, making it a consistently strong choice. Meganium presents a challenging but rewarding experience, demanding strategic team building and mastery of type matchups. Cyndaquil/Typhlosion provides straightforward offensive power and Fire-type dominance. Consider your preferred approach to Pokemon battles and the kind of journey you want to experience in HeartGold and SoulSilver. No matter which starter you choose, with careful planning and strategic gameplay, you can become the Champion of Johto!