Middle Stage Starter Tier List (Warning: Opinion)
Disclaimers:
\- Final evolutions and first stages do not affect the ranking. This is a ranking of the middle stage starters only, not the entire evolution line. That’s why pokemon like Floragato and Ivysaur are higher-ranked than they otherwise would be.
\- Order is left to right, so Grovyle > Croconaw and Prinplup > Raboot.
Ranking Explanations:
Grovyle - Self-explanatory.
Ivysaur - Best of the evolution line. Lots of nostalgia from SSBB too.
Croconaw - Worst of the evolution line, but still one of my favorites, because the Totodile line is still one of the best. Croconaw is great transition from Totodile to Feraligatr and looks like a caveman.
Charmeleon - Upgrade in design from Charmander, an already amazing starter. Best color scheme of the three in the evolution line.
Servine - Basically a better-looking Snivy to me, and I already love Snivy. A middle stage that looks cool instead of awkward goes a long way for me.
Dewott - Self-explanatory. Some of you will be more angry that it didn’t make the top 5 than angry for it being so high in general.
Marshtomp - Like the colors, love the whole evolution line and their design inspiration. Would be higher if it didn’t go fully bipedal, but pulls it off okay.
Frogadier - Same as with Charmeleon and Servine. An upgraded and cooler-looking version of the first stage design. I thought Froakie had kind of a weird-looking head, but Frogadier fixes it.
Thwackey - Super underrated design imo. The color is cool, the sticks being stored on top of the head looks natural, I like the leaf mohawk tbh, and the design looks like a natural transition from Grookey to Rillaboom. Although it looks more like Grookey, you can clearly start to see it going in that “punk rock drummer” direction. I might even move it up a tier.
Dartrix - Not as good as Rowlet, obviously, but I love that he’s just a dapper young man. The hair is a little bit much tho. Still a great middle evo imo.
Grotle - Clearly not as good as Turtwig or Torterra, but he reminds me of Spike from The Land Before Time, so he gets bonus points. Also like that it looks like there’s a layer of yellow armor plating on top of the head and back.
Bayleef - Best of the evo line I think. Keeps the best design element from Chikorita (the leaf on the head), while still having the dinosaur look of Meganium.
Wartortle - Great color scheme, cool wave tail, definitely on par with Squirtle’s design, if not better.
Crocalor - Wish I could’ve put it a tier higher, because I love crocodiles, but it’s easily the worst of the evolution line for how awkward it looks. It appears better in the anime imo, but aside from that, I feel like there was just a ceiling on how high I could place it. I cannot in good conscience rank it a tier above the others next to it.
Combusken - Used to hate this design for looking like a p\*nis, but I’ve warmed up to it. The claws and talons look awesome. Still the worst of its line tho.
Monferno - CLEAR upgrade from Chimchar in every way. I think Chimchar looks weird, but Monferno just fixes everything: the head, the color, the tail. The reason I didn’t rank it higher is because the Infernape line as a whole has never really appealed to me as much design-wise, but that does not mean I can’t acknowledge that Monferno and Infernape still objectively have amazing designs, and I understand why others have them as some of their favorites. It’s just not MY personal kind of Pokemon.
Floragato - Easily the best design of the evolution line, especially in the face. The yo-yo thing works well too. It also looks good in the anime. Still dont like that it went bipedal, but pulls it off well enough.
Torracat - My least favorite of the evolution line, but it’s still ok. I just think Litten and Incineroar both look better and have better color schemes.
Quilava - Always thought Quilava looked way worse than Cyndaquil and Typhlosion for some reason. Idk, it just looks like a weiner dog in the anime, especially when it runs. And I don’t like that its eyes are so weirdly big, especially since it evolves from squinty-eye Cyndaquil. Still a fine enough middle evo, albeit a bit awkward-looking to me. I will say it looks better in its official artwork.
Braixen - Basically a worse version of Floragato and Thwackey to me. I think where Braixen stores the stick looks off, and I don’t like that Fennekin went bipedal either. Also clear furry bait, and I’ve always been put off by the ear hair on Braixen and Delphox. Looks better when the stick is out of the tail and being used a magic wand, like in Pokken. I can understand the appeal, just not for me personally.
Quilladin - Honestly, somewhat underrated. Used to have it in my bottom 4-5, but it actually looks better in the anime than in the games. Almost in “so ugly, it’s cute” territory for me, like in a goofy sense. However, still the clear worst in its evolution line. One look at Chespin and Chesnaught reminds me that Quilladin can only be ranked so highly.
Prinplup - Boring.
Quaxwell - Boring.
Pignite - Fat, ugly, and bipedal. Tepig deserved so much better than this.
Raboot - Might move this thing down a tier. It’s just not good. The design being that it’s basically wearing clothes just looks weird. Rowlet and Dartrix look cute with the leaf bow tie because it’s minimalist, and works for the designs, but Raboot basically wearing a hoodie/sweatshirt with hand pockets just does not work. Also don’t like that it’s trying to look like a human child. Creepy. Clear downgrade from Scorbunny in every way.
Brionne - Just awkward-looking. You can tell it wants to be Primarina, but can’t look TOO different from Popplio. Unfortunately, that doesn’t equate to an appealing design. Popplio and Primarina are far superior design-wise, especially in terms of color. Also kinda tries to do the same thing as Raboot with the clothes, although not as egregious. Brionne’s eyes look weird too. Doesn’t look QUITE as bad in-game tho, which is why it’s not my least favorite.
Drizzile - Emo garbage. Delete it.