PokeBonk Squirtle: the Defender starter

PokeBonk Squirtle is the Water starter of PokeBonk, the free browser game by Charcher, and the defensive pick of the three. This PokeBonk Squirtle page shows what the game’s own files say about its passive, its first Ultimate, its move kit and its type matchups. PokeBonk.gg is an unofficial fan site, and the official game at pokebonk.com is always the final reference.

PokeBonk Squirtle at a glance

• Pokédex number 7, type Water, role “Defender”. PokeBonk Squirtle is stage 1 of 3, so the first Ultimate tier is the one you hold at the start.
• Base stats from the data file: HP 44, Attack 48, Defense 65, Sp. Atk 50, Sp. Def 64, Speed 43 (total 314). Defense and Sp. Def are its highest stats.
• Move kit: Water Gun, Bubble, Rapid Spin and Hydro Pump. Rapid Spin is Normal type in the data; the other three are Water. A run starts with Water Gun, according to the game code.

The Torrent Shell passive

The data file lists Torrent, but the game uses a League passive for starters, and for PokeBonk Squirtle it is Torrent Shell: +15 armor and +20 shield, and below 40% HP you deal +40% damage. It is the only starter passive that adds both armor and shield, which matches the Defender role. The Fire starter gets a Fire bonus and the Grass starter gets healing, so the three passives are not identical, whatever the classic abilities suggest.

Shell Whirlpool, the tier 1 Ultimate

The first tier is Shell Whirlpool: you spin inside your shell, a whirlpool drags in nearby enemies, hits them non-stop and ends in a wave. Pulling enemies together suits area attacks. Wartortle later gets Tidal Wave, and Blastoise gets Hydro Cannon.

PokeBonk Squirtle matchups

The game code multiplies by x1.35 for a super-effective type, x0.8 for a resisted one and x0.5 for a classic immunity, with damage you take limited to between x0.5 and x1.6. A pure Water type takes:

• x1.35 from Grass and Electric.
• x0.8 from Steel, Fire, Water and Ice.
• x1.0 from the other eleven types.

Few enemy types punish PokeBonk Squirtle hard. See the type chart for the full list.

When PokeBonk Squirtle evolves

The derived level for Wartortle is about 24, per the game data and not play-tested.

How to use PokeBonk Squirtle in a run

From the game’s glossary: Wet soaks an enemy for 5 seconds, prepares the Electrocuted reaction and lets an Ice hit freeze instantly. General advice, not a measured build: pair Water attacks with Electric or Ice ones, and let the armor and shield cover the early waves. Before it evolves, the armor and shield are the part of the passive that does not depend on low health. To unlock PokeBonk Squirtle as a non-starter, finish 2 runs and capture it. See the Pokédex and the builds guide.