Ash Ketchum may not have caught all the Pokemon in the original anime series. What he has caught, however, is a fair share of Grass-type Pokemon adored by fans far and wide. Interestingly enough, among all of Ash’s mightiest Pokemon, two are Grass types: Bulbasaur and Sceptile. Although these two Poké powerhouses are impressive in their own ways, they aren’t the only Grass-type Pokemon companions that Ash has to boast. In fact, Ash has bonded with a few more noteworthy Grass types that leave fans speculating about how these Pokemon compare in terms of strength.
Ash Ketchum’s 35 Strongest Pokemon, Ranked
Ash and his Pokemon have ventured across various lands, faced many trials, and battled countless trainers and Pokemon. These are his most powerful.
We won’t need a special invite to jump on this lovely train of thought and make a case for why Sceptile is Ash’s strongest Grass-type Pokemon. Here is our take on how the seven Grass types in Ash’s substantial Pokemon collection rank based on four categories – the win rate, the moveset, raw power, and compatibility with Ash’s battle style.
Torterra
A Winner Till He Tanks
Starting off is Torterra, the Continent Pokemon, who happens to be Ash’s least powerful Grass-type comrade. On his own, as far as strength and the moveset go, Torterra is not the weakest Pokemon among Ash’s companions, especially when he taps into the Energy Ball move. What makes Torterra particularly weak as a battler is his incompatibility with Ash’s battle style.
As we can tell from the Pokemon anime series, Ash is more of a high-speed battler, and this style flows well with Turtwig and, to some extent, with Grotle. This battle style, however, is not that suitable for Pokemon like Torterra that are built to approach the battle with the enduring patience of a tank. As a result, Torterra has a low win rate of around 38 percent, and the only battles it has won since its evolution have been against Team Rocket.
In all fairness, though, one could argue that Torterra’s losses have more to do with him being put up against some reasonably tough opponents. As a case in point, Torterra’s battles against Gym Leader Volkner’s Electivire and Elite Four Bertha’s Hippowdon show us that it can get easily overwhelmed despite having an advantage against each Pokemon.
Snivy
Deploying Attraction as a Distraction
The adorable Grass-type Snake Pokemon Snivy comes next deploying her go-to Attract move right off the bat. Although Snivy ranks well among the top Grass types in Pokemon anime series, Ash’s Snivy makes for an average battler with a win rate of about 50 percent.
With her solid Grass-type moveset, Ash’s Snivy is a fairly capable fighter, yet she still struggles to make it through some battles. This is especially so when she has to face impressive opponents like Thundurus and Tornadus. Where we can observe Snivy’s strength and weakness alike is in her dependence on the Attract move. With that said, she is quick to compensate for it in a fight — as she does in her battles with Gothita and Pawniard.
Beyond her top Grass-type Pokemon moves and win rates, Snivy works relatively well with Ash’s battle style. She trusts him as a trainer, too, which is arguably one of the most underrated hidden Pokemon abilities of a kind.
Leavanny
Creatively Weaving the Best Strategies
What Leavanny lacks in raw strength he makes up for by utilizing move combos from his Grass/Bug-type moveset and by using the Swarm ability to his advantage. Especially when his health is low, his Swarm ability serves as a great boost to his moves from the arsenal of the top Bug-type Pokemon in the franchise.
More so, Leavanny’s Swarm ability reveals itself in more detail when Ash goes up against Roxie’s Koffing and Scoliopede. The same holds true for his battle against Stephan’s Sawk in the Pokemon anime series.
Even though he has a 50 percent win rate, Leavanny’s love for battling and superior intelligence aren’t something to underestimate. Likewise, the sense of flow feels strong between Leavanny’s nature and Ash’s battle style.
Bayleef
Body-Slamming Her Way to Victory
What Bayleef brings to the table is her fun Grass/Normal-type move combos and a considerable win rate of 67 percent. With such a decent win rate, it’s no wonder that Bayleef matches Ash’s battle style so well. The fact that Bayleef stays dedicated to helping her favorite Pokemon Champion speaks well of her as a comrade that a Pokemon trainer can count on.
As for strength, Bayleef is one tough Grass-type Pokemon cookie indeed. Not only does she manage to take down Chuck’s Poliwrath, who knocks out Ash’s strongest Pokemon Pikachu, but she also beats Chuck’s Machoke in the same match. Although Gary’s Water-type companion lives up to the untapped potential of Blastoise, playing it dirty with that final Bite move during the match, Bayleef gives it her all until the end.
Rowlet
Using Feints and Sleep as Battle Tactics
Drowsily flying his way into our ranking is Ash’s Flying/Grass-type Rowlet along with his impeccable win rate of 66.7 percent. This strange little Pokemon companion lets his sleep drift his inner bird into all kinds of places, as at one point Rowlet happened to manifest in the LEGO world as well. In the Pokemon anime series, Rowlet’s laid-back move-and-nap strategy shows a real knack for tricking his opponents with what one could call sophisticated sleep magic.
Rowlet’s combat power as a battler is impressive in the sense that he manages to beat both his evolutionary forms – Dartrix and Decidueye. While this avian appreciator of decent sleep may never evolve due to his attachment to the once swallowed everstone, his Bullet Seed and other moves grow stronger.
So long as Rowlet stays awake, he proves to be a fierce battler all the way until he falls asleep again at the most inopportune of all moments. Despite his constant need to roost and take a good snooze, Rowlet is quite a potent pairing with Ash’s battle style and other Pokemon on Ash’s team. Fans get to observe this when Rowlet fights alongside Litten, Meltan, and, to some degree, Rockruff.
Bulbasaur
A Formidable Vine-Whipping Champion
Being the oldest of Ash’s Grass-type Pokemon, Bulbasaur is a humble veteran that packs a win rate of about 71 percent. Having taken part in the highest number of battles compared with other Grass-type Pokemon in Ash’s ranks, Bulbasaur’s reputation for being tough precedes him. Not surprisingly, many fans have found reuniting with Bulbasaur in Pokemon Legends: Z-A very desirable.
As a battle partner, Bulbasaur brings something special to the trainer’s table. This Grass-type brother-in-arms has the capacity to take on almost any opponent, including other fully-evolved Starter Pokemon such as Meganium. In the Pokemon anime series, Bulbasaur also knows his way around the Dig move, which is something that the in-game species can’t learn.
All in all, Bulbasaur has what it takes to empower Ash’s battle style and proves to be a reliable Pokemon on and off the field. When Bulbasaur isn’t busy leading all the Pokemon at Professor Oak’s lab, he is ready to battle at a moment’s notice. This feat alone speaks for itself, as few among Ash’s Pokemon are capable of such constant readiness.
Sceptile
Taking Out Legendaries One Leaf Blade at a Time
Some fans may consider Sceptile’s win rate of 60 to 75 percent to be debatable. One thing, however, is certain: Sceptile can throw down when he needs to. Strength is practically synonymous with this Pokemon’s nature, as he has enough of it to bear Darkrai, a Mythical Pokemon, with one move.
Overall, Sceptile shines as a sturdy battler, powering up his Grass-type moves with his Overgrow ability. Working with solid combos that blend Grass-type and Normal-type moves has helped this Pokemon win almost as many battles as Bulbasaur himself. In fact, Sceptile’s reputation lasts well into his time in Pokemon Legends: Z-A where Mega Sceptile is a highly sought-after Mega Evolution.
What Sceptile contributes to Ash’s battle style is a stubborn dedication to winning, as this Grass-type Pokemon’s past evolutionary forms prove to be loyal allies. When it’s time for yet another battle, Ash can definitely rely on Sceptile to have his back.
Pokémon
- Release Date
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1997 – 2023
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC
- Directors
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Shigeru Omachi, Koji Ogawa, Fumihiro Ueno, Hideki Hiroshima, Maki Kodaira, Makoto Ooga, Ayumi Moriyama, Keitaro Motonaga, Shigeru Ueda, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Minoru Ohara, Yoshitaka Makino, Kiyoshi Egami, Makoto Sokuza, Bjarne Heuser, Naoki Murata, Kenichi Nishida, Tomoe Makino, Masahiko Watanabe, Hiroaki Takagi, Tazumi Mukaiyama, Ryohei Horiuchi, Yoshihiro Oda, Hiromichi Matano
- Writers
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Junki Takegami, Atsuhiro Tomioka, Hideki Sonoda, Yukiyoshi Ôhashi, Yuka Miyata, Takeshi Shudo, Shouji Yonemura, Shinzo Fujita, Michihiro Tsuchiya, Deko Akao, Reiko Yoshida, Aya Matsui, Junichi Fujisaku
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Rica Matsumoto
Satoshi (voice)
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Ikue Otani
Pikachu (voice)
