Pokémon Black and White Starters: Snivy, Tepig or Oshawott?
Compare Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott across both Unova stories without treating one starter as universally best.
Tepig offers the most direct story offense, Oshawott is a flexible balanced choice, and Snivy rewards defensive setup and careful teammate coverage. The best choice changes with the encounters available in each story.
Requirements
Choose one starter at the beginning of either Gen5 story.
Plan teammates for the starter's weak matchups rather than judging it alone.
Starter comparison
Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott
| Starter | Evolution line | Final type | Story profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snivy | Snivy → Servine → Serperior | Grass | Fast, defensive and best with coverage support |
| Tepig | Tepig → Pignite → Emboar | Fire / Fighting | Strong mixed offense with useful broad coverage |
| Oshawott | Oshawott → Dewott → Samurott | Water | Balanced stats and reliable neutral progression |
Black and White environment
- The Striaton leader automatically targets your starter's weakness, but the Dreamyard gift monkey is designed to help.
- Tepig gains useful matchups into Lenora and Brycen after evolving.
- Snivy and Oshawott often need teammates for several midgame Gyms rather than one-starter solutions.
Black 2 and White 2 environment
- Cheren's Normal Gym does not create the elemental Striaton matchup.
- The expanded regional Pokédex provides more early teammates and coverage choices.
- Roxie's Poison Gym is awkward for Snivy, while later Burgh, Elesa and Clay still reward a balanced team.
Who should choose each starter?
- Choose Snivy for speed, setup and a more deliberate team-building challenge.
- Choose Tepig for aggressive offense and wide move coverage.
- Choose Oshawott for a straightforward all-rounder with useful Water access.
Pokémon, Locations and Key Items
Potion
Poké Ball
Exp. ShareCommon Mistakes
Calling one starter objectively best for every team.
Ignoring the different early encounters and Gym orders between the two stories.
Related Gen5 Guides
FAQ
Which Gen5 starter is easiest for beginners?
Oshawott is usually the most straightforward balanced choice, while Tepig offers strong offense. Snivy is viable but often asks for more teammate support and setup planning.
Are the starters different in Black 2 and White 2?
The three choices are the same, but their matchups and teammate options change because the sequel Gym order and regional Pokédex are different.
This guide covers the original Nintendo DS Generation V games. Online services, distributions and external software are described in their historical context and are not presented as currently available normal gameplay.