How This Pokesurvivor Tier List Works
Build your own ranking in My list: it starts as a copy of the default, every change is saved in your browser, and the Default (stat-based) tab keeps the original. Share link copies a link to your list, Download image saves a PNG and Reset restores the default.
How the Ranking Is Built
The default ranking combines two stat-based models with a few player reports:
- A guide-site model, untested in the game by its own account, weighs base stat total (40%), atk, spd and starting-move damage (20% each).
- A community-made chart of all 966 Pokémon (dated October 13, 2026, game build a9b21f0) scores kill power and survival at minute 15, plus speed.
We averaged each starter’s place in both: the top 4 make S, the next 7 A, then 8 B, 6 C and 4 D. Where the models disagree, they reward different things. The guide-site model counts starting-move damage and ranks Popplio second (its Bubble evolves into Surf); the chart weighs survival at minute 15, where hp matters, so Fuecoco (100 hp) and Tepig (99) make its top three and Popplio its bottom ten. Oshawott splits the same way. Averaged, all four land in B or C.
Only three starters have player reports, so confidence is low. We mark it medium only for Litten, Scorbunny and Sobble, which both models rate highly and guide sites back, and for Fennekin and Snivy, which both put near the bottom.
Starters are close anyway (base stat total 307–320, atk 0.95–1.09); Mewtwo, the community’s top gacha pick, has 1.55 atk. We review this ranking weekly as the game updates.
Best Characters in Pokesurvivor
Your first partner comes from 29 starters: the Grass, Fire and Water trios of all nine generations, plus Psyduck and Slowpoke. Most player talk is about gacha Pokémon, though: see Best Pokémon in Pokesurvivor for the community’s picks, led by Mewtwo.
S-Tier Partners
Both models rate Litten, Scorbunny and Sobble highly, and all three have 107 spd; Psyduck’s spot rests on the guide-site model and on Psychic balance.
- Litten (medium confidence): Top five in both models; 107 spd and the joint-top bst (320).
- Scorbunny (medium confidence): Top five in both models; the highest atk of any starter (1.09).
- Psyduck: Top three in the guide-site model; starts with Confusion, a Psychic move.
- Sobble (medium confidence): Top ten in both models; a guide site’s best all-rounder.
A- to D-Tier Partners
Confidence is low unless marked. Bulbasaur, Chikorita and Chespin start with a melee move; an update buffed melee after players found it weak.
A tier
- Torchic: Upper half of both models, with 1.08 atk.
- Froakie: The fastest starter (108 spd); a player on X placed fifth on a leaderboard with it.
- Quaxly: Top ten in the community chart.
- Rowlet: Top ten in the community chart; 101 hp, second only to Slowpoke.
- Turtwig: Top ten in the guide-site model; Torterra is a separate gacha Pokémon.
- Piplup: Top ten in the guide-site model; 94 hp.
- Slowpoke: The most hp (110) but the lowest spd (84); a guide site’s steadiest pick.
B tier
- Popplio: Second in the guide-site model, bottom ten in the community chart.
- Fuecoco: Top three in the community chart, bottom ten in the guide-site model.
- Bulbasaur: Top ten in the guide-site model, bottom ten in the community chart.
- Tepig: Top three in the community chart, bottom five in the guide-site model.
- Grookey: Mid-table in both models; on a guide site’s top-ten list.
- Mudkip: Mid-table in both models; one player claims the top Mudkip score (unverified).
- Totodile: Top ten in the guide-site model, bottom ten in the community chart.
- Chikorita: Upper half of the guide-site model, bottom ten in the community chart.
C tier
- Cyndaquil: Upper half of the community chart; the same stats as Charmander.
- Chimchar: Upper half of the community chart, bottom ten in the guide-site model.
- Oshawott: Top ten in the community chart, bottom five in the guide-site model.
- Chespin: Lower half of both models.
- Squirtle: Bottom five in the community chart; a guide site’s simplest piercing-shot pick.
- Treecko: Bottom five in the community chart despite 107 spd.
D tier
- Charmander (beginner-friendly): Bottom ten in both models; the same stats and starting move as Cyndaquil.
- Sprigatito: Bottom ten in both models; a player on X blamed their own skill for short runs.
- Fennekin (medium confidence): Bottom five in both models.
- Snivy (medium confidence): Last in both models, with the lowest atk of any starter (0.95).
Best Starter for Beginners
For the best-rated start, pick Litten, Scorbunny or Sobble. Charmander (D tier) is the easy option. A guide site recommends it to beginners: Ember aims for you and can burn. Easy to use, not strong. Litten and Scorbunny start with Ember too, with more spd and atk, and Slowpoke has the most hp (110) for room for mistakes. Either way, a creator’s strategy video suggests saving upgrades for the gacha Pokémon you pull later.
Best Team & Build
A build comes together during a run: each level-up offers a new move, an upgrade or a boost, and coins buy permanent upgrades between runs. Up to four players can team up online.
Starter Pairing Tips
From the stats, the official guide and community builds, not our own tests:
- Speed is crucial in any survivors-like, says a guide thread on X. Froakie (108 spd) is the fastest starter, then Litten, Scorbunny, Sobble and Treecko (107).
- Water holds six of the 11 S- and A-tier spots and keeps full speed in water; rain boosts Water but weakens Fire.
- Fire puts Litten and Scorbunny in S; all nine start with Ember.
- Grass has no S-tier partner; Rowlet and Turtwig lead it in A.
Best Held Items
You carry one held item per run, found in chests (often locked) or dropped by bosses; find another and you choose which to keep.
| Held item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Leftovers | Restores 1.5% of your max HP every second. |
| Choice Band | Boosts your damage by 40%, but you can't switch moves while holding it. |
| Quick Claw | Cuts the cooldown of all your moves by 20%. |
| Focus Sash | Once every 60 seconds, a hit that would knock you out leaves you at 1 HP instead. |
| Shell Bell | Heals you based on the damage you deal. |
| Amulet Coin | Gives you 50% more Pokémonedas (coins) at the end of a run. |
| Lucky Egg | Gives you 30% more experience. |
| Life Orb | Boosts your damage by 30%, but every attack costs you a little HP. |
| Choice Scarf | Increases your movement speed by 35%. |
| Rocky Helmet | Damages enemies that hit you in melee. |
| Assault Vest | Reduces the damage you take by 20%. |
Player picks, from videos and build threads on X:
- Lucky Egg early on, for faster levels.
- Choice Band for damage, as long as you don’t need to switch moves.
- Choice Scarf or Assault Vest for long runs; the Scarf also helps you outrun Arceus.
- Quick Claw for rotating several damage moves; one creator ranks it above Choice Band for that.
- Not Life Orb: a creator would rather restart a run than keep it, and a GitHub issue asks for its removal.
Move Evolutions & Bonds
A move at max level can evolve with the right upgrade, such as Ember into Fire Blast or Bubble into Surf (the official guide’s examples). Beating a legendary lets you bind two moves into one slot, up to four of these Bonds. Community builds almost always run Harden; one build thread on X suggests binding it into your first Bond.
Pokesurvivor Beginner Guide
New to Poke Survivor? It plays like Vampire Survivors or Survivor.io: you only steer while your Pokémon attacks on its own. Sign in to save your progress; guest progress isn’t saved.
Controls
| Action | PC | Phone or tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Move | WASD or arrow keys | Drag a finger anywhere; a joystick appears where you touch |
| Switch moves | 1–4, Q/E or click a move icon | Tap a move |
| Pause | Esc | Button in the top-right corner |
Survival Tips
From the official tips:
- Keep moving in wide circles.
- Step out of filling circles and lines on the ground before they fill.
- Take out healers and shield-casters first.
- Switch to your super-effective move and watch the weather: rain boosts Water and weakens Fire.
Rifts, Legendaries & the Judgment of Arceus
Rifts are rare portals to a legendary Pokémon’s arena, one for each of the 18 types: win for a reward, lose and you’re back on the map. At minute 30 the Judgment of Arceus begins: an invincible Arceus chases you, faster and faster, as stronger legendaries join.
Pokesurvivor Codes
There are currently no redeem codes; tickets are earned by playing (checked ). If codes are ever added, we’ll list them here and update the date at the top of this Pokesurvivor tier list.