The five free starters
You do not need the Gacha to get started. Five Pokémon are free, and three of them unlock by simply progressing through Classic mode:
| Pokémon | Type | How to get it | What its shots do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | Electric | Available from the start | Lightning chains between nearby enemies |
| Charmander | Fire | Available from the start | Can burn enemies |
| Squirtle | Water | Beat the Mt. Moon boss (floor 2) | Knocks enemies back |
| Bulbasaur | Grass | Beat the Pokémon Tower boss (floor 3) | Shots pierce through enemies |
| Eevee | Normal | Beat Mewtwo (floor 5) | Plain shots, no type effect |
Base stats of the two starters you have from the beginning, from the in-game Pokédex:
| Pokémon | Health | Damage | Fire rate | Speed | Luck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | 3 | 3.5 | 4.3/s | 4.2 | 1 |
| Charmander | 3 | 4.2 | 3.5/s | 3.9 | 0 |
Which one first? Pikachu’s chain lightning is the friendliest pick for crowded rooms, while Charmander’s burn helps against bosses and the Bug-heavy first floor. Once you have both, bring them together: between Electric and Fire you hit most early enemies for at least normal damage.
How the team of three works
A run uses a team of up to three Pokémon, and you switch between them with 1, 2 and 3. Out of combat switching is free; in combat the Pokémon you switch out rests for 8 seconds before it can come back.
- Health and items are shared. Every heart and every item you pick up belongs to the whole team.
- Type, stats and shot effect change with the Pokémon you switch to.
- Type matchups apply both ways. Your shots deal ×1.5 to enemies weak to your type, and enemies of a type you are weak to hit you harder.
That makes team building simple: pick three Pokémon whose types cover each other’s weaknesses, and switch to the right one for each floor and boss. The type chart lists the matchups, and the floors guide shows which enemy types each floor throws at you.
Levels and evolution
Pokémon level up during a run by defeating enemies, and bosses give far more XP. Team members on the bench get 35% of the XP (70% with Exp. Share).
- Each level adds +0.8% damage, +0.4% fire rate and +0.2% speed, and heals half a heart.
- Evolution is automatic at level 14 and 32, or level 20 for lines with only two stages. Rare Candy and evolution stones also evolve a Pokémon.
- Max level is 60. Levels reset when the run ends.
- Shinies get a stat bonus over the normal form.
Stats
Each Pokémon has its own set of stats, which you can see on the stats screen (Tab) during a run:
| Stat | What it does |
|---|---|
| Health | Your starting hearts |
| Damage | Damage per shot |
| Fire rate | Shots per second |
| DPS | Damage × shots per second, the best single number for comparing Pokémon |
| Range | How far shots travel |
| Speed | Movement speed |
| Luck | Better drops, and stronger item tiers appear earlier (each point brings them two floors sooner) |
Items change these stats for the whole run, so a Pokémon with low base damage can still carry a run with the right items.
Rarities and regions
Every Pokémon has a rarity, Common, Rare, Epic or Legendary, and belongs to a region. The region decides which Gacha banner it comes from, and rarity decides how likely you are to pull it. Shiny versions are rare variants of the same Pokémon.
Mega Pokémon (37 of them) are a separate group. Their banner only opens after you defeat Armored Mewtwo on floor 30, and they are pulled with Mega Tickets rather than Tokens. See unlocks and Gacha.
What are the starters in PokéIsaac?
Pikachu and Charmander are available from the start. Squirtle unlocks when you beat the Mt. Moon boss (floor 2), Bulbasaur when you beat the Pokémon Tower boss (floor 3), and Eevee when you beat Mewtwo (floor 5).
How many Pokémon are in PokéIsaac?
The developer's launch post lists 971 Pokémon and 37 Mega Pokémon, so 1,008 playable forms in total. Shiny versions exist on top of that.
How do I get more Pokémon?
Every Pokémon other than the five starters comes from the Gacha. Each region has its own banner, and pulls are paid with Tokens earned by playing with an account. See the unlocks and Gacha guide.
Do my three Pokémon have separate health?
No. The team shares one health bar and one set of items. Switching changes your type, stats and shot effect, not your health.