- Pokemon LeafGreen Pokemon list: covers starters, wild encounters, gifts, version exclusives, and legendaries across Kanto and the Sevii Islands.
- Starters: pick Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle in Pallet Town, one per save file.
- Guaranteed catches: Eevee, Lapras, and two Snorlax are free story encounters.
- Version exclusives: Vulpix, Bellsprout, Slowpoke, Staryu, and Pinsir appear only in LeafGreen.
- Legendaries: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, plus one roaming beast tied to your starter.
Pokemon LeafGreen Pokemon List: Starters and Gifts
Your Pokemon LeafGreen Pokemon list begins in Pallet Town, where Professor Oak offers exactly one starter per save file. Every starter can comfortably complete LeafGreen, but each shapes the opening Gyms differently, so choose based on how smooth you want the early game. Beyond the starters, several strong Pokemon are handed to you during the story, and planning your team around those free rewards saves hours of hunting.
Bulbasaur
- Grass/Poison, evolves into Venusaur
- Easiest opening: beats Brock and Misty
- Best for smooth early progression
Charmander
- Fire, evolves into Charizard
- Hardest start: Brock and Misty are tough
- Strong late-game offense
Squirtle
- Water, evolves into Blastoise
- Balanced start: beats Brock, solid bulk
- Reliable Surf user all game
These guaranteed Pokemon are one-time story rewards, so do not skip them:
| Pokemon | Type | Location | How to Get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eevee | Normal | Celadon City | Gift in the Celadon Mansion area |
| Lapras | Water/Ice | Silph Co., Saffron City | Gift from a Silph employee |
| Snorlax | Normal | Routes 12 and 16 | Wake it with the Poke Flute |
| Omanyte or Kabuto | Rock/Water | Cinnabar Island lab | Revive the Helix or Dome Fossil from Mt. Moon |
| Aerodactyl | Rock/Flying | Cinnabar Island lab | Revive the Old Amber |
Eevee, Lapras, and each fossil Pokemon are limited to one per save file. Snorlax appears twice at Lv. 30, and both copies are durable Normal-type team members thanks to huge HP.
Wild Pokemon Locations Across Kanto
Most entries on the list come from wild encounters, and several fan favorites sit on early routes. Encounter methods matter: some species appear only in tall grass, others only through fishing, and a few need field moves such as Surf to reach. Revisit earlier areas whenever you gain a new rod or HM, because new species become available.
| Location | Pokemon | Method and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Viridian Forest | Pikachu | Wild encounter; key early Electric type |
| Mt. Moon | Clefairy | Wild encounter; pick Dome or Helix Fossil here |
| Routes 24-25 | Abra | Wild encounter; flees turn one, use sleep moves |
| Routes 5-8, 12-15 | Bellsprout | Wild encounter; LeafGreen exclusive |
| Routes 7-8, Pokemon Mansion | Vulpix | Wild encounter; LeafGreen exclusive |
| Coastal and island waters | Staryu | Fishing with a rod; LeafGreen exclusive |
| Safari Zone | Pinsir, Nidoran, Dratini | Safari encounters; Dratini via fishing |
Abra teleports away immediately, so lead with a faster Pokemon or inflict Sleep before it acts. In the Safari Zone, throws can fail even when the Pokemon stays, so budget your Safari Balls.
LeafGreen Version Exclusives and Trading
LeafGreen and FireRed share the same adventure but split their Pokemon lists. If a species you want never appears, it is likely a FireRed exclusive, and trading is the standard way to add it. Build your team plan around the exclusives you actually have before investing training time.
| Category | LeafGreen Only | FireRed Only |
|---|---|---|
| Early routes | Sandshrew / Sandslash | Ekans / Arbok |
| Stone evolutions | Vulpix / Ninetales | Growlithe / Arcanine |
| Grass families | Bellsprout line | Oddish line |
| Water lines | Slowpoke / Slowbro | Psyduck / Golduck |
| Water Stone users | Staryu / Starmie | Shellder / Cloyster |
| Rare Bug types | Pinsir | Scyther |
| Late-game singles | Magmar | Electabuzz |
| Post-game Johto | Misdreavus, Sneasel, Mantine | Murkrow, Delibird, Skarmory |
Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler, and Haunter evolve only when traded, while held items evolve Slowpoke (King's Rock), Onix (Metal Coat), and Seadra (Dragon Scale). The 2026 Nintendo Switch release replaces the Game Boy Advance Link Cable with local wireless trading for 2-5 players, as confirmed by the official Pokemon Switch announcement.
Legendary Pokemon List and Catching Steps
The legendary roster is fixed per save file: three Kanto birds, Mewtwo, and exactly one roaming beast determined by your starter choice. Every fixed encounter is one-time only, so preparation matters more than speed.
| Pokemon | Type | Level | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articuno | Ice/Flying | 50 | Seafoam Islands | Surf and Strength to redirect currents |
| Zapdos | Electric/Flying | 50 | Power Plant | Surf east from Route 10 |
| Moltres | Fire/Flying | 50 | Mt. Ember, One Island | First Sevii Islands visit |
| Raikou | Electric | 50 | Roams Kanto | Chose Squirtle |
| Entei | Fire | 50 | Roams Kanto | Chose Bulbasaur |
| Suicune | Water | 50 | Roams Kanto | Chose Charmander |
| Mewtwo | Psychic | 70 | Cerulean Cave | Champion, National Pokedex, Network Machine quest |
Save Before Every Encounter
Fixed legendaries disappear when defeated, and roamers flee constantly, so save directly before each attempt.
Weaken Without Knocking Out
Reduce HP into the red with weak moves and avoid critical hits that could end the encounter permanently.
Inflict Sleep or Paralysis
Status conditions raise catch rates noticeably and stop roaming Pokemon from escaping on the first turn.
Throw Ultra Balls
Stock 30 or more Ultra Balls per target. Reserve the single Master Ball from Silph Co. for Mewtwo at Lv. 70.
If a legendary faints, it is gone for that save file. Reset the game immediately instead of saving the battle result.
Post-Game Pokemon and FAQ
After entering the Hall of Fame, the National Pokedex expands your collection target to 386 entries. Johto species appear across Four through Seven Island, and Mewtwo waits in Cerulean Cave once Celio's Ruby and Sapphire quest restores the Network Machine. The current Nintendo Switch release keeps the Sevii Islands content intact, so this list applies to both the original GBA version and the 2026 re-release.
Pokemon List Milestones:
- Choose your starter and reach Pewter City
- Catch Pikachu in Viridian Forest
- Collect the Eevee and Lapras gifts
- Wake both Snorlax with the Poke Flute
- Catch all four fixed legendaries
Completing the Kanto Pokedex and meeting Professor Oak unlocks the National Pokedex, which opens the Sevii Islands Johto encounters and Cerulean Cave.
Q: How many Pokemon are in the Pokemon LeafGreen Pokemon list?
The main story uses the 151-entry Kanto Pokedex. After becoming Champion and unlocking the National Pokedex, the collection target expands to 386 entries through Sevii Islands encounters and trading.
Q: Which Pokemon appear only in LeafGreen?
Sandshrew, Vulpix, Bellsprout, Slowpoke, Staryu, Pinsir, and Magmar are LeafGreen wild exclusives, while Misdreavus, Sneasel, and Mantine are post-game exclusives. FireRed players must trade to obtain them.
Q: Where is Mewtwo in LeafGreen?
Mewtwo sits at Lv. 70 deep in Cerulean Cave. Access requires becoming Champion, obtaining the National Pokedex, and finishing Celio's Ruby and Sapphire Network Machine quest on the Sevii Islands.
Q: Can I finish the list without trading?
No. Version exclusives and trade evolutions such as Alakazam, Golem, and Gengar require a second player. The Switch version supports 2-5 player local wireless trading instead of the original Link Cable.