Summary
In Gen 3, thePokemonseries made the jump to the Game Boy Advance, and with this generation came a variety of new critters and mechanics for players to experience. Players could now participate in Double Battles, which would become the standard format for competitivePokemonVGC battles, and every monster now had an Ability, which added another layer of complexity to battles. For players looking to complete the Gen 3 games as efficiently as possible, there are a few key critters they will want to include on their team.
The criteria for what makes a critter a good candidate for a team member include how accessible they are, their stat total and overall strength, and how useful they will be in dealing with a game’s major battles.
Even with the changes the series made between Gen 2 and Gen 3, these games are still not the hardest RPGs to beat, but they can still have their challenging moments. Included in this generation are bothPokemon Ruby and Sapphire, as well asPokemon Emerald, which vary slightly in the trainers and creatures players will encounter on their adventure, meaning they will need to take that into consideration when choosing their ideal team.
Manectric
Electric
Pokemon’s Gen 3 games are still without the series' Physical/Special split that would come a generation later, meaning it’s important to consider which types of mons have the higher stats in their appropriate categories. Abilities also add another layer of complexity to battles in Gen 3 as they weren’t present in past generations, so it’s important to remember that interactions like Ground-type moves not affecting mons with Levitate exist in this generation. Additionally, the presence ofDouble Battleswill also inform which mons players will want to use, taking advantage of mons that can learn moves that hit both opponents at once.
Swampert
The clear winner forbest Gen 3 starter is Mudkip, largely thanks to its incredible Water/Ground typing that it gains when it evolves. Mudkip is a great partner to have when facing several of the early Gyms, since it can deal super-effective damage against Roxanne’s Rock types and is immune to Watson’s Electric types once it evolves into Marshtomp. The Hoenn Region is also notorious for its many water routes, so having a reliable Surf user in Swampert is a huge bonus, and it can use Surf to help deal with two opponents at once during the games' Double Battles.
Breloom
WhileBreloom’s Grass/Fighting typinggives it a 4x weakness to Flying-type attacks, it overcomes this downside thanks to its incredible stats and move pool. Having a solid Grass type is a necessity in Gen 3 due to all the Water types players will encounter, and Breloom is the best choice for this position. Not only does Breloom have a base 130 Attack stat that allows it to deal heavy amounts of damage with its Fighting-type moves against trainers like Gym Leader Norman and his Normal types, but this mon is also great for dealing with the eighth Gym’s Water types, as well as Elite Four Glacia’s Ice types and Champion Steven’s Steel types.
Gardevoir
The Fairy type doesn’t exist in Gen 3, meaningGardevoir is a pure Psychic typein this generation, but that doesn’t stop it from being a very useful team member. Although rare, Ralts can be found on Route 102 early in the games, meaning players can access a powerful mon like Kirlia fairly soon as Ralts evolves at level 20, then learns Psychic as Kirlia at level 26. With the second Gym Leader, Brawly, using the Fighting type, having a good Psychic-type like Ralts early in the game is a huge help, and Gardevoir’s high Special Attack and Special Defense stats mean it will continue to be useful throughout the playthrough.
Skarmory
Often mistaken for a Gen 3 mon,Skarmory is actually a Gen 2 critter, but its notability in Gen 3 helps it stand out as a great team member to have in these games. Skarmory is a rare encounter on Route 113, but players should take time out of their journey to Fallarbor Town to hunt for one since Skarmory can be extremely helpful in future battles. Not only is Skarmory useful for learning the HM Fly, but its high defensive stats and fantastic Steel/Flying typing allow it to act as a tank and resist the types used by many of the major battles players will have to face in these games.
Camerupt
Fire-type options are limited in the Hoenn Regionif the player doesn’t choose Torchic as their starter, but it’s definitely a good idea to have one on the team to deal with Steven’s Steel types. Although Swampert already covers the Ground type on this team, Camerupt is the best choice for a Fire-type team member because it has the best stats of the available options. Camerupt can be a great mixed attacker with solid Physical and Special Attack stats that can take advantage of Fire being a Special type in Gen 3 and Ground being a Physical type, and access to a move like Rock Tomb means it can also help with Winona’s Flying types.
Manectric is an often overlooked Gen 3 mon, but it is one of the best Electric types players will have access to in these games. Electric types are vital to success in this generation with the overwhelming presence ofWater types in the Hoenn Region, and Manectric can be incredibly helpful against trainers like Gym Leader Winona and her Flying types, as well as the eighth Gym’s Water types. Although Manectric doesn’t have as high of Speed and Special Attack stats as Jolteon, they are still quite high, and it makes up for these lower stats with a better overall bulk.
