Charmander

The Lizard Pokémon
#004 - Charmander
Evolve	Charmeleon
Debut	Pokémon: Red Version Pokémon: Green Version
Species Info
Type	+
Height	0.6 m (2'00")
Weight	8.5 kg (18.7 lbs.)
Color	Red
Gender Ratio	7♂ : 1♀
Ability	Blaze
Hidden Ability
Egg Group	Dragon / Monster
Icon		Sprite
		File:004sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	39	Speed	65
Attack	52	Sp. Attack	60
Defense	43	Sp. Defense	50
Training Info
Catch Rate	045	Hatch Steps	5,120
Base Exp.	065	Effort Points	Spe
Happiness	70
To Lv.100	Slow

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 004 >	< 229 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #

Charmander is one of the original three starter Pokémon offered by Professor Oak in the beginning of Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, FireRed and LeafGreen Versions.

Information

Charmander is a lizard-like Pokémon known for the flame on the back of its tail, and naturally it prefers to live in hot habitats. The flame and its intensity reflect Charmander's emotions, for example wavering when it is happy and blazing when it is enraged. The flame also reflects the Charmander's life force and will be weak if the Charmander is weak, and a Charmander will die if its flame exhausts. But the flame is resilient and will burn even if it gets a little wet, and it produces steam during rainfall.

It evolves into Charmeleon after reaching Level 16. While it learns all the attacks that its evolutions learn, it learns them much sooner. Therefore it can be advantageous to prolong it's evolution in order to learn moves sooner.

Choosing Charmander in the original games essentially determines the game's difficulty. Choosing Charmander will cause the first gyms to be harder than if the player chose Bulbasaur or Squirtle, as fire-type Pokémon are weak against Brock's Rock-type Pokémon and Misty's Water-Type Pokémon. However, after the first two there are no other gym leaders specializing in types advantageous against fire (with the exception of Giovanni), and the fire start is particularly effective against Erika's Grass-types.

Gen		Game	Pokédex entry
I		Red	Obviously prefers hot places. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail.
		Blue
		Yellow	The flame at the tip of its tail makes a sound as it burns. You can only hear it in quiet places.
		Stadium	Even the newborns have flaming tails. Unfamiliar with fire, babies are said to accidentally burn themselves.
II		Gold	The flame on its tail shows the strength of its life force. If it is weak, the flame also burns weakly.
		Silver	The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly.
		Crystal	If it's healthy, the flame on the tip of its tail will burn vigorously, even if it gets a bit wet.
III		Ruby	The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
		Sapphire	The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
		Emerald	The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is happy, and blazes when it is enraged.
		FireRed	From the time it is born, a flame burns at the tip of its tail. Its life would end if the flame were to go out.
		LeafGreen	It has a preference for hot things. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail.
IV		Diamond	The fire on the tip of its tail is a measure of its life. If healthy, its tail burns intensely.
		Pearl	The fire on the tip of its tail is a measure of its life. If healthy, its tail burns intensely.
		Platinum

Appearances

Mainstream Games

Charmander is one of three optional starter Pokémon offered by Professor Oak in the Red, Green, Blue, FireRed and LeafGreen versions. The only other game in which Bulbasaur is obtainable is Pokémon: Yellow Version, where a Charmander is given to the player by a trainer along Route 24 who believes he is a bad trainer (loosely based on how Ash got his Charmander in the Pokémon anime).

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Oak allows Gold to choose from one of the three starter Pokémon following his defeat of Red.

Other Games

One of the Pokémon Ritchie uses in Pokémon Puzzle League is a Charmander nicknamed Zippo. In Pokémon Pinball, Charmander can be caught in Pallet Town, while in Pokémon Snap they are found in the Volcano course. Charmander also appears in Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2. In Pokémon Stadium, Charmander can be awarded to the player by Professor Oak after the player completes Gym Leader Castle. Charmander could then be transferred to any of the four first generation games.

In Pokémon Trozei!, Charmander can be found in Huge Storage 5 or Mr. Who's Den. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Charmander is one of the starter Pokémon that the player is transformed into (depending on their personality), and it also can be found in the Fiery Field's fifth through eight floors. In Pokémon Ranger, Charmander is found in the Jungle Ruins. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness, Charmander once more is one of the starter Pokémon that the player character could be turned into at the beginning of the name, and it is also found in the first nine floors of the Giant Volcano as well as the first ten basement floors of Dark Crater.

In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, Charmander can be found in the Ranger School or the Volcano Cave. Charmander appeared at the Fiery Furnace in Pokémon Rumble. In Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Charmander was found at Faldera Island and Fire Temple.

Moves

Generation I

Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont	R/B	Y

Generation II

Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont	G/S	C

Generation III

Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont	R/S	E

Generation IV

Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont	D/P	P

Weaknesses

x0.5

x1

x1

x1

x1

x0.5

x1

x1

x0.5

x2

x0.5

x1

x1

x1

x2

x0.5

x2

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In Super Smash Bros., Charmander makes random appearances from the Silph Co. elevator in the Saffron City stage, and attacks anyone nearby with Flamethrower.

In Other Media

• In the anime series, Ash gets a Charmander during a first season episode after he convinced it that its former trainer no longer loved it, as the former trainer had left the Charmander out to die. Near the end of the season, Charmander evolved into Charmeleon and then Charizard, at which point it become unruly and rebellious. Charmander was the only first generation starter Pokémon Ash owned that ever evolved. The character of Ritchie also owned a Charmander that was nicknamed Zippo, which later evolved.
• Charmander appears in the first chapter of the Pokémon Adventures manga as Blue's starter Pokémon. It evolves into a Charmeleon by the time he battles Brock.

Trivia

• Charmander's name is a combination of "char" and "salamander".