Pokémon as a franchise is home to monsters of all different types and abilities, but few reign supreme like the fire-type does. Not only does the type tend to have some of the cooler designs, the fire-type starter often feels like the one that had the most creative energy put into it by developers. Ever since the Kanto region trainers have had a strong bias towards the fire-type starters thanks to what Charizard established. Let’s now take a look at the best fire-type Pokémon from every generation through Pokémon Sword & Shield.
8 Centiskorch
Now, before you began commenting that it’s blasphemy that Cinderace isn’t the one representing the Galar region, hear out the case for Centiskorch. The strongest thing the fire and bug-type has going for it is that it has a Gigantamax form that takes advantage of the generation’s battle gimmick and makes it look like a real kaiju you’d see Godzilla battling.
Its shiny form is subtle, but it is still better than the odd choice GameFreak made for Cinderace. Centiskorch can also have Flame Body as its hidden ability, making it a must-have for Pokémon breeders. Toy versions of it will likely scare your mom by accident, so do with that what you will.
7 Incineroar
Once Pokémon Sun & Moon released trainers began their journey throughout the Alolan islands, taking in paradise and training to become the best trainer the islands have ever seen. When tasked with picking their starter it was hard to not choose the fire-fueled kitten known as Litten.
This little thing eventually evolves into a bodybuilding feline who resembles a professional wrestler. Incineroar backs up the look with a host of awesome moves. It also happens to be a fire and dark dual-typed fire starter, which is great considering they could have easily made another fire and fighting-type fire starter. As if the franchise needed any more of those.
6 Talonflame
The Kalos region is often referred to by Pokémon fans as one of the series’ low points and arguably the worst generation when it comes to the roster of new Pokémon. The fire-starter, Delphox, has a weird design and doesn’t invite interest at all. Looking at the rest of the Kalos region it becomes clear which fire-type stands out.
Talonflame is the generational final form of a 3 stage bird evolution each region gets, but the addition of the secondary fire-typing helps it stand out. It also happens to have a shiny form that engulfs its entire body in a tangerine red coloring.
5 Chandelure
When looking at which Pokémon of a given type is the best in its native region there are certain criteria it should meet and Chandelure nails most of them. On top of having a welcoming type combination of ghost and fire, it can also be invaluable outside of battle.
Chandelure is one of the few Pokémon who can be born with the ability called flame body which helps warm eggs and causes them to hatch a lot faster than expecting. This can come in handy when trainers are breeding Pokémon in hopes of obtaining a shiny variant of their favorite creature. Pokémon who can be useful in and outside of battle have the most value and are sought after the most by trainers, and Chandelure is exactly that.
4 Infernape
Infernape has a lot going for it in addition to it being a fire-starter in a given generation which usually makes it more favorable as it’s a fan favorite typing for starters. The overall design for Infernape is meant to resemble the Monkey King, otherwise known as Sun Wukong from Chinese folklore.
Sun Wukong is most notable as the main character in the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The combination of fire and fighting-types is something that’s been ton several times for starters in the Pokémon franchise, and out of all of them, the combo seems to fit Infernape the best.
3 Camerupt
Camerupt may seem like the odd choice for the 3rd generation of games, but the truth of the matter is it has a lot going for it. Focusing just on its typing, it manages to clear some of its weaknesses by combining two opposing types in both ground and fire.
It may not be the best design as it resembles a cow with two volcanoes on its back, but the shiny form makes it something special. Instead of being red with blue accents on its body, it becomes entirely charcoal black and the blue rings turn golden.
2 Typhlosion
The Johto region managed to introduce over 100 new Pokémon but didn’t do much when it came to displaying the fire-type in a great way. It’s not a knock against Typhlosion to say the reason it reigns supreme as the best fire-type in Pokémon Gold & Silver is that its competition is almost non-existent.
Magcargo is pretty much the only other Johto Pokémon worthy of consideration, but it has nowhere near the trainer nostalgia that Typhlosion does. The giant fiery anteater is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
1 Charizard
If you were to ask any 10-year-old in 1999 who their favorite Pokémon was, chances are most of them would have said Charizard. Ever since their inclusion in fantasy tales, humans have been fascinated with dragons so it’s not surprising that the first dragon people came across in the Kanto region became so beloved. To this day it’s odd that Charizard is dual-typed with fire and flying with no dragon-type in sight, but at the very least he can learn all of those moves.
It’s hard to find a better fire-type in the entire franchise, let alone just the Kanto region. Charizard is one of the most recognizable faces in pop and nerd culture and isn’t far behind Pikachu as the mascot of the entire franchise. Everyone also still feels guilty after the episode of the anime where a Charmander is left abandoned in the rain by its trainer.
NEXT: Pokémon: Ranking The 10 Most Underrated Sun & Moon Pokémon
