No. 0004 · Generation I · Lizard Pokémon
ヒトカゲHitokage · From hi (fire) and tokage (lizard); hitokage (火蜥蜴, literally 'fire lizard') is also a Japanese word for a salamander or fire salamander
The Lizard Pokémon · Fire type · first seen in Pokémon Red & Green (1996)
01Overview
Meet Charmander
Everything you need to know about the Lizard Pokémon — the creature behind the number.
Meet Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon: a small, upright, orange reptile with big blue eyes, a cream-coloured belly and soles, tiny fangs peeking from its jaws – and, most famously, a flame flickering at the tip of its tail. It is a pure Fire type, #0004 in the National Pokédex, and for many players it is the very first Pokémon they ever called their own.
That tail flame is far more than decoration. It has been burning since the day Charmander hatched, and it works like a built-in mood ring and health bar rolled into one: bright and vigorous when Charmander is strong, weak and feeble when it is worn out, wavering when it is happy and roaring when it loses its temper. Legend has it that if the flame ever went out, Charmander's life would end with it. Luckily, a healthy one's fire keeps burning through a splash of water, and its tail is said to hiss with steam in the rain. In a quiet room you can even hear it crackle.
“From the time it is born, a flame burns at the tip of its tail. Its life would end if the flame were to go out.”
Pokédex · Pokémon Red (Japan), Green (Japan), FireRed, Y & Shield · 1996
Charmander loves the heat. Wild ones live in hot, mountainous places, and some have lately been seen living in the Terarium at Blueberry Academy, though most Charmander you meet will be with a Trainer. Newborns have flaming tails from the start, and before they get used to fire they are said to burn themselves by accident. They are sociable little things, too: a Charmander that finds food calls its friends over, and groups keep a close eye on one another's tails so that no flame ever goes out. Come bedtime, it curls up – drawing warmth, it is thought, from its own fire.
Charmander was one of the three first partners Professor Oak offered in Pokémon Red and Green in 1996, alongside Bulbasaur and Squirtle, and it has been handed out again and again since: by a boy on Route 24 in Yellow, by Professor Sycamore in X and Y, and by Leon himself, the Galar Champion you have just dethroned, in Sword and Shield. Its grown-up form, Charizard, became one of the most famous Pokémon of all, with two Mega Evolutions and a Gigantamax form to its name.
Fans know Charmander as the bold pick. In Red and Blue its Fire moves struggle against Brock's Rock types and Misty's Water types, so choosing it means doing things the hard way – and the payoff, the fire-breathing, dragon-like Charizard, has made it a favourite for three decades. Ash's loyal Charmander, left waiting on a rock in the rain by a careless Trainer, only sealed its place in fans' hearts.
How big is Charmander?
At 0.6 m (2′00″) Charmander stands about as tall as a fire hydrant – fittingly enough – and at 8.5 kg (18.7 lb) it weighs about as much as a big Halloween pumpkin, flame not included.
Evolution
02In the Pokédex's words
Charmander's Pokédex entries
19 different entries across 45 games, from 1996 to 2023. Here is how the Pokédex has described Charmander over the years, in the order the games came out.
Generation I
From the time it is born, a flame burns at the tip of its tail. Its life would end if the flame were to go out.
Kanto Pokédex
Obviously prefers hot places. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail.
Kanto Pokédex
The flame at the tip of its tail makes a sound as it burns. You can only hear it in quiet places.
Kanto Pokédex
Even the newborns have flaming tails. Unfamiliar with fire, babies are said to accidentally burn themselves.
Kanto Pokédex
Generation II
The flame on its tail shows the strength of its life force. If it is weak, the flame also burns weakly.
Johto Pokédex
The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly.
Johto Pokédex
If it's healthy, the flame on the tip of its tail will burn vigorously, even if it gets a bit wet.
Johto Pokédex
Generation III
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is enjoying itself. If the Pokémon becomes enraged, the flame burns fiercely.
Hoenn Pokédex
It has a preference for hot things. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail.
FireRed & LeafGreen Pokédex
The flame that burns at the tip of its tail is an indication of its emotions. The flame wavers when Charmander is happy, and blazes when it is enraged.
Hoenn Pokédex
Charmander shudders while breathing fire. It is the very picture of vitality.
Capture Styler (Pokémon Ranger series)
Generation IV
The fire on the tip of its tail is a measure of its life. If healthy, its tail burns intensely.
Sinnoh Pokédex
It attacks by spitting embers.
Capture Styler (Pokémon Ranger series)
It attacks by spitting fire.
Capture Styler (Pokémon Ranger series)
Generation VIII
The fire on the tip of its tail is a measure of its life. If the Pokémon is healthy, its tail burns intensely.
Sinnoh Pokédex
Charmander live together in groups so they can all watch each other’s tail and make sure the flames never go out. If you can only see one Charmander, look around—its friends are sure to be nearby.
Photodex (New Pokémon Snap)
Generation IX
The flame on its tail shows the strength of its life-force. If Charmander is weak, the flame also burns weakly.
Rotom Phone (Scarlet & Violet)
If Charmander is healthy, the flame on the tip of its tail will burn vigorously and won’t go out even if it gets a bit wet.
Rotom Phone (Scarlet & Violet)
When it curls up to sleep, it's thought to be drawing warmth from the flame on its tail. On quiet nights, it feels like you can almost hear the sound of the flame burning if you listen hard enough.
03Stats, moves & where to find it
Charmander in the video games
Base stat total 309 · 24 core-series games · 37 spin-offs · every move it learns, generation by generation.
Base stats
Base stats have never changed: 39/52/43/60/50/65, a total of 309. In Generation I Charmander had a single Special stat of 50; when Gold and Silver split Special in two, it gained a Sp. Atk of 60 and kept 50 as its Sp. Def. Its spread is identical, stat for stat, to Cyndaquil's – and the match holds for their evolutions too. Base friendship was 70 in Generations II–VII and has been 50 since Generation VIII; base experience yield was 65 in Generations I–IV and is 62 today. It reaches level 100 at 1,059,860 Exp. (Medium Slow).
Abilities
- Blazesince Gen III
Powers up Charmander's Fire-type moves when its HP drops to a third or less. - Solar PowerHidden abilitysince Gen V
In harsh sunlight Charmander's Sp. Atk jumps by half, but it loses an eighth of its maximum HP every turn.
Type matchups
How hard each attacking type hits a Fire Pokémon.
Generation I: Ice-type moves did normal damage to Fire types – Fire has resisted Ice only since Generation II. The Steel resistance arrived with the Steel type in Generation II, and the Fairy resistance with the Fairy type in Generation VI.
Training & breeding
- Catch rate
- 45
- Base friendship
- 50
- Base experience
- 62
- Growth rate
- Medium Slow
- EV yield
- 1 Speed
- Egg groups
- Monster, Dragon
- Egg cycles
- 20
- Colour
- Red
- Gender ratio
- 87.5% male
- Body shape
- bipedal, tailed
Where to find Charmander
| Game | Year | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Red & Green | 1996 | First partner from Professor Oak in Pallet Town |
| Blue (Japan) | 1996 | First partner from Professor Oak in Pallet Town |
| Red & Blue | 1998 | First partner from Professor Oak in Pallet TownPick Bulbasaur and your rival takes Charmander instead, raising it into a Charmeleon as the adventure goes on. |
| Yellow | 1998 | Gift (Lv. 10) from a boy on Route 24, north of Cerulean CityHe admits he is not good at raising Pokémon and would rather give Charmander to you than release it. |
| Gold & Silver | 1999 | Not in the wild – trade from Red, Blue or Yellow via the Time Capsule, or eventUS Gotta Catch 'Em All Station! events (2001–2003) and a Japanese Pokémon Center Mystery Egg (2002) handed out Charmander knowing Crunch. |
| Crystal | 2000 | Time Capsule trade or event |
| Ruby & Sapphire | 2002 | Trade (from FireRed/LeafGreen) or event |
| FireRed & LeafGreen | 2004 | First partner from Professor Oak in Pallet Town |
| Emerald | 2004 | Trade or event |
| Diamond & Pearl | 2006 | Not found in Sinnoh – migrate it from a GBA game via Pal Park (Field area), trade or eventJapan's yearly Birthday Charmander gifts ran from 2007 to 2010. |
| Platinum | 2008 | Pal Park migration, trade or event |
| HeartGold & SoulSilver | 2009 | Gift from Professor Oak in Pallet Town after defeating RedOak offers a choice of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. |
| Black & White | 2010 | Not found in Unova – Pokémon Global Link (Dream World) promotionsJapanese (2010–2011) and Korean (2011–2013) Global Link promotions handed out Charmander. |
| Black 2 & White 2 | 2012 | Poké Transfer or eventKanto first partner Egg promotions ran in Japan and South Korea in 2012–2013. |
| X & Y | 2013 | Gift from Professor Sycamore at the Sycamore Pokémon Lab in Lumiose CitySycamore battles you with a team that includes Charmander, then lets you choose one of the three Kanto first partners. |
| Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | 2014 | Trade or eventEvents included a 2016 World Championships Charmander. |
| Sun & Moon | 2016 | Not obtainable in Alola – transfer only |
| Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | 2017 | Island Scan on Route 3 (Melemele Island), on Sundays |
| Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee! | 2018 | Wild on Routes 3 and 4 and in Rock Tunnel; one-off gift (Lv. 14) from a boy on Route 24The Route 24 boy only hands it over once you have caught at least 50 Pokémon. |
| Sword & Shield | 2019 | Gift (Lv. 5, with the Gigantamax Factor) left by Leon in his room in Postwick once you have dethroned him; Max Raid Battles in Hammerlocke Hills and Lake of OutrageAlso via Wild Area News (2020–2021) and a Pokémon HOME gift with its Hidden Ability, Solar Power (from February 2020). |
| Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl | 2021 | Grand Underground – Volcanic Cave, Sandsear Cave and Typhlo Cavern – after obtaining the National Pokédex |
| Legends: Arceus | 2022 | Unobtainable |
| Scarlet & Violet | 2022 | The Indigo Disk (2023): Savanna Biome in the Terarium, after boosting the biome's biodiversityOtherwise trade only. |
| Legends: Z-A | 2025 | Gift (Lv. 5) from Mable at the Pokémon Research Lab (Vert District) during Side Mission 22, 'A Call from Mable'; wild in Wild Zone 20 (Centrico Plaza)Mable lets you pick one of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Mega Dimension DLC: also in Hyperspace Lumiose's 2★, 3★ and 5★ Fire-type wild zones (5★ zones need a special scan). |
Sprites through the ages
Spin-offs & cameos
Super Smash Bros.
Charmander has never stepped into the ring as a fighter, but it has been part of Super Smash Bros. since the very first game. On the original Saffron City stage it is one of the Pokémon that burst out of the Silph Co. building, singeing anyone who touches it and spraying Flamethrower across the platform until a strong enough attack sends it flying – and it is back on duty there in Ultimate. Brawl made it a collectible trophy, whose text sums it up neatly: 'It just downright likes hot stuff.' Ultimate also turned it into a spirit, and its spirit battle is a cheeky in-joke: you face a tiny Charizard on a version of The Great Cave Offensive with a floor of lava. Its evolved form has had the bigger career, of course – Charizard went from a Poké Ball Pokémon in the original game to a fighter on the Pokémon Trainer's team in Brawl and Ultimate, and a solo fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
Pokémon GO
Charmander has been in Pokémon GO since launch day in July 2016. Evolving it takes 25 Candy, and as a buddy it finds Candy every 3 km. Its first Community Day, on 19 May 2018, brought the debut of Shiny Charmander, Charmeleon and Charizard, and any Charizard evolved during the event learned the exclusive Blast Burn. On 17 October 2020 it became the first Pokémon to get a second Community Day with a different exclusive move – Dragon Breath – and a Community Day Classic on 2 September 2023 offered both moves at once. Charizard was one of the first four Pokémon able to Mega Evolve when the feature arrived on 27 August 2020, and Gigantamax Charizard stomped into Max Battles on 26 October 2024. You can also meet Charmander as a Shadow Pokémon; purify it and it can learn Return.
One of Pikachu's friends – the PokéHelper notes it uses its tail flame to show its vitality – and it sometimes turns up on the first Field Trip mission.
On the Saffron City stage Charmander pops out of the Silph Co. building to scorch fighters with Flamethrower – until a hard enough hit sends it flying.
A whole pack roams the Volcano course: toss food and they call in friends, play the Poké Flute and all six march on the spot – and if Magmar's fire hits one, it evolves into Charmeleon before your eyes.
Flip your way to Pallet Town on the Red Field and Charmander is up for grabs.
Has its own Stadium Pokédex entry, and clearing Gym Leader Castle can reward you with a Charmander to send back to your Game Boy cartridge.
Ritchie is one of the Trainers in the line-up, and his Charmander, Zippo, comes along with him.
Become Charmander through the personality quiz or pick it as your partner – it cheerfully reports that the flame on its tail grows bigger every time it levels up. Wild ones lurk in Fiery Field.
Fiore Browser #140, found in the Jungle Relic; capture it and it can lend a hand with its Burn field move.
Back as a hero or partner choice, and recruitable in Dark Crater and Giant Volcano.
Charmander is a collectible trophy that 'just downright likes hot stuff', while Charizard joins the fight as part of the Pokémon Trainer's team.
Spits embers at Rangers at the Ranger School and in Volcano Cave.
The expanded Explorers adventure keeps Charmander as a hero or partner, with the same volcanic haunts.
One of the first friends you can team up with in Blazing Adventure Squad, and found in the Fire Mountains.
One of Pikachu's best friends: it tumbles through the Mysterious Tunnel, nearly lands in lava, and trains under Blaziken in the Lava Zone before celebrating the restored Sky Prism with its home-made fireworks.
Spits fire on Faldera Island and in the Fire Temple.
Lives in the fiery kingdom of Ignis, can have Blaze, Warm Blanket or Hero as its ability, and evolves once its Attack reaches 50.
Appears in the Dream Gate: Flame Dance stage and the 'Get 1,000 Combos!' Variety Battle.
Catch it on Puerto Blanco Stage 4 – plus a special Winking Charmander that clears barrier blocks with Barrier Bash+.
Another hero or partner option – 'The fire at the tip of my tail shows my energy!' – or chat to one in Capim Town to recruit it.
Solve Area 05, Stage 03 to catch it; its Cross Reveal skill uncovers a cross of squares at the start of a puzzle.
Around since launch day, with two Community Days of its own, a Shiny debut and Mega and Gigantamax Charizard to aim for.
One of five cube-shaped partners you can choose at the start of your Tumblecube Island expedition.
A spirit whose battle pits you against a tiny Charizard on a lava-floored Great Cave Offensive – and Saffron City returns with its Silph Co. Pokémon.
Appears in the tutorial and across a string of seas, from Charizard Sea to Mewtwo Sea.
Hatch one from an Egg and it can team up with your own player character as a sync pair.
The Switch remake keeps Charmander as a hero or partner, with wild ones back in Fiery Field.
A drinks specialist that arrives by delivery once you complete Extra Order 100, later joined by a DJ outfit (2022) and a 3rd-anniversary look (2023).
Photodex #149, roaming Fireflow Volcano in groups – spot one and its friends are never far away.
Charizard, a melee All-Rounder, starts every match as Charmander and evolves through Charmeleon as it levels up.
A Snoozing-type ingredient specialist that gathers Bean Sausage, Warming Ginger and Fiery Herbs, with sleep styles such as Crackling Sleep and Tummy-Rub Sleep.
Pokopia #004, a Burn specialist that likes warm habitats, spicy food, group activities and – naturally – lots of fire.
Moves
In Red and Green, Charmander's toolkit was short and scrappy: Scratch and Growl to start, Ember at level 9, then Leer, Rage and Slash before Flamethrower at 38 and Fire Spin as the level-46 finale. Gold and Silver slipped in Smokescreen, Scary Face and a level-43 Dragon Rage, a first hint of the dragon it was never quite meant to be. Diamond and Pearl added Fire Fang and opened up Flare Blitz as an egg move, and Black and White crowned the list with Inferno, a 100-power gamble that lands only half the time.
Sword and Shield then pressed fast-forward: Ember now comes at level 4, Dragon Breath replaces the retired Dragon Rage, Flamethrower arrives at 24 instead of 37 and Flare Blitz caps things off at 40, a list Scarlet and Violet kept exactly. The TM list has grown from 24 entries in Red and Blue to 46 in Scarlet and Violet, with Dragon Claw, Dragon Dance and Outrage feeding the dragon dream. Legends: Z-A trims everything back, swaps Scratch for Tackle and adds Dragon Rush at 42 before a level-54 Flare Blitz. Not bad for a lizard with a candle on its tail.
Signature moves
The first spark. Charmander waited until level 9 for it in Red and Blue, got it at 7 from Gold and Silver onwards, and has had it at level 4 since Sword and Shield (Let's Go makes it wait until 13).
The classic blast: level 38 in Red and Blue, level 24 since Sword and Shield, a TM or TR in every main game from Ruby and Sapphire onwards and even Crystal's move-tutor prize. It cooled slightly, from 95 to 90 power, in Generation VI.
A flat 40 HP of damage, however small the attacker. A TM in Red and Blue and a level-up move from Gold and Silver all the way to Let's Go, until Sword and Shield retired it and gave Charmander Dragon Breath at level 12 instead.
The original finale, learned at level 46 in Red and Blue. It has stayed in Charmander's level-up list in every game since, and its power more than doubled, from 15 to 35, in Black and White.
Black and White's new grand finale at level 46: 100 power but only 50% accuracy, an all-or-nothing fireball. Since Sword and Shield it arrives at level 36.
From Diamond and Pearl onwards it was an egg move that a Charizard father had to pass down. Since Sword and Shield it is the level-40 finale, and Legends: Z-A saves it for level 54.
The ultimate Fire-type move normally belongs to Charizard, but a Generation V event Egg handed out in Japan and Korea hatched a Charmander that already knew it, along with Acrobatics, Block and False Swipe.
Complete learnsets
Generation I · Red, Green, Blue & Yellow8 level-up · 24 TM/HM
Charmander is one of the three first partners Professor Oak offers in Pallet Town in Red, Green and Blue; in Yellow, a trainer on Route 24 hands one over. The levels are identical in all four games. Back then a move's type decided whether it hit physically or specially, so every Fire and Dragon attack here is special and every Normal, Fighting, Rock and Ground attack physical. Move names use the original spellings, such as SmokeScreen. Dragon Rage is only a TM at this point. The transfer list shows Generation I moves that Charmander can only pick up in Gold, Silver or Crystal and bring back through the Time Capsule.
By level-up
| RGBY | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 9 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 15 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 22 | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| 30 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 38 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| 46 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 15 | 70 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Mega Punch | Normal | Physical | 80 | 85 | 20 |
| TM03 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| TM05 | Mega Kick | Normal | Physical | 120 | 75 | 5 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM08 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| TM09 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| TM10 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| TM17 | Submission | Fighting | Physical | 80 | 80 | 25 |
| TM18 | Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM19 | Seismic Toss | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM20 | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 100 | 100 | 10 |
| TM31 | Mimic | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM33 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM34 | Bide | Normal | Physical | — | — | 10 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 120 | 85 | 5 |
| TM39 | Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM40 | Skull Bash | Normal | Physical | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM50 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bite | Gen II (breeding) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM) |
| Fire Punch | Gen II (TM) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM) |
| Rock Slide | Gen II (breeding) |
| SmokeScreen | Gen II (level-up) |
Generation II · Gold, Silver & Crystal10 level-up · 28 TM/HM · 6 egg · 1 tutor · 1 event
There are no wild or gift Charmander in Gold, Silver or Crystal: it arrives through the Time Capsule or from events. The type-based physical/special rule still applies (Dark-type moves such as Bite and Crunch count as special), Curse is the mysterious ???-type and Hidden Power's category depends on its calculated type. Dragon Rage becomes a level-43 move and is shown with 40 power because it always deals exactly 40 HP. AncientPower and Beat Up need chain breeding. Crystal's move tutor teaches Flamethrower, and a special Charmander that knew Crunch came from the Japanese Pokémon Center Mystery Egg and from the Pokémon Center New York.
By level-up
| GSC | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 13 | SmokeScreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 19 | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| 25 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| 31 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| 49 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 15 | 70 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | DynamicPunch | Fighting | Physical | 100 | 50 | 5 |
| TM02 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM03 | Curse | ??? | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM08 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM20 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM24 | DragonBreath | Dragon | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| TM31 | Mud-Slap | Ground | Physical | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM34 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM35 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 120 | 85 | 5 |
| TM39 | Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM40 | Defense Curl | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM48 | Fire Punch | Fire | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM49 | Fury Cutter | Bug | Physical | 10 | 95 | 20 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AncientPower | Rock | Physical | 60 | 100 | 5 | Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Beat Up | Dark | Special | 10 | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Arbok, Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Special | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 4 more |
| Outrage | Dragon | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite |
| Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar; or Ekans, Arbok, Nidoking, Rhyhorn, Rhydon or Snorlax that learned it from the Generation I TM and came over through the Time Capsule |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 | Crystal |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Crunch | Pokémon Center Mystery Egg (Japan); Pokémon Center New York |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Body Slam | Gen I (TM) |
| Counter | Gen I (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM) |
| Leer | Gen I (level-up) |
| Mega Kick | Gen I (TM) |
| Mega Punch | Gen I (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen I (TM) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Submission | Gen I (TM) |
| Substitute | Gen I (TM) |
| Swords Dance | Gen I (TM) |
| Take Down | Gen I (TM) |
Generation III · Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed & LeafGreen (tutor data also covers XD)11 level-up · 23 TM/HM · 8 egg · 20 tutor
Charmander is back as a first partner in FireRed and LeafGreen; Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald only get it by trade or event. The remakes tweak its level-up list: FireRed and LeafGreen add Metal Claw at 13, push Smokescreen back to 19 and drop Rage. Categories still follow the type rule, and Aerial Ace only gets the same-type bonus once Charmander becomes the Fire/Flying Charizard. Tutor columns are FireRed/LeafGreen, Emerald and XD. AncientPower, Beat Up and Swords Dance need chain breeding.
By level-up
| RSE | FRLG | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| N/A | 13 | Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 |
| 13 | 19 | SmokeScreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 19 | N/A | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| 25 | 25 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| 31 | 31 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | 37 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | 43 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 49 | 49 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 15 | 70 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 120 | 85 | 5 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 140 | 90 | 5 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AncientPower | Rock | Physical | 60 | 100 | 5 | Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Beat Up | Dark | Special | 10 | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Arbok, Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Special | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 8 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Altaria |
| Outrage | Dragon | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite |
| Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar |
| Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | Rhyhorn, Rhydon (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | FRLG, Emerald |
| Defense Curl | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Emerald |
| Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| DynamicPunch | Fighting | Physical | 100 | 50 | 5 | Emerald |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Fire Punch | Fire | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 | Emerald |
| Fury Cutter | Bug | Physical | 10 | 95 | 20 | Emerald |
| Mega Kick | Normal | Physical | 120 | 75 | 5 | FRLG, Emerald |
| Mega Punch | Normal | Physical | 80 | 85 | 20 | FRLG, Emerald |
| Mimic | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Mud-Slap | Ground | Physical | 20 | 100 | 10 | Emerald |
| Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | FRLG, Emerald |
| Seismic Toss | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | Emerald |
| Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | Emerald, XD |
| Swift | Normal | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | Emerald |
| Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | FRLG, Emerald |
Generation IV · Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver10 level-up · 35 TM/HM · 13 egg · 8 tutor · 2 event
The first generation in which every move has its own physical or special category. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Professor Oak gives you a Charmander in Pallet Town after you defeat Red; in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum it comes by trade or event. One level-up list covers all five games, with Fire Fang new at level 25. Flare Blitz becomes an egg move that only a Charizard father can pass on, and Counter is a HeartGold/SoulSilver egg move that needs chain breeding. Tutor columns are Diamond/Pearl, Platinum and HeartGold/SoulSilver. The Japanese Birthday Charmander events of 2007 to 2010 came with Quick Attack and Howl.
By level-up
| DPPt/HGSS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 10 | SmokeScreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 16 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 19 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| 25 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 28 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 34 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 15 | 70 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 120 | 85 | 5 |
| TM39 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 50 | 80 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 140 | 90 | 5 |
| TM56 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM61 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM75 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| TM78 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM80 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM83 | Natural Gift | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AncientPower | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | 10 | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Nidoran♂ (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 13 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Nidoran♂, Rhyhorn, Chikorita (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | Arbok, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar and 9 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Altaria |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp |
| Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Charizard |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite |
| Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar |
| Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | Rhyhorn (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
| Fury Cutter | Bug | Physical | 10 | 95 | 20 | Pt, HGSS |
| Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | HGSS |
| Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 100 | 90 | 10 | Pt, HGSS |
| Mud-Slap | Ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 | Pt, HGSS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
| Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 | Pt, HGSS |
| ThunderPunch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Quick Attack | 2007–2010 Birthday Charmander (Japan) |
| Howl | 2007–2010 Birthday Charmander (Japan) |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| DynamicPunch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mega Kick | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mega Punch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Rage | Gen III (level-up) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen III (tutor) |
Generation V · Black, White, Black 2 & White 212 level-up · 33 TM/HM · 13 egg · 8 tutor · 4 event
Black and White offered Charmander through a Global Link event; Black 2 and White 2 get it through Poké Transfer or events. Flame Burst (level 28) and the risky, 50%-accurate Inferno (level 46) join the level-up list, Fire Spin jumps from 15 to 35 power and Scary Face becomes 100% accurate. Fire Pledge is taught in all four games; the other tutor moves are Black 2 and White 2 only. The Sticker Promotional Egg Charmander (Japan) and the Korean Egg Charmander hatched knowing False Swipe, Block, Blast Burn and Acrobatics.
By level-up
| BW/B2W2 | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 10 | SmokeScreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 16 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 19 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| 25 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 28 | Flame Burst | Fire | Special | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| 34 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 37 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| 43 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 46 | Inferno | Fire | Special | 100 | 50 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Hone Claws | Dark | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 120 | 85 | 5 |
| TM39 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 50 | 80 | 10 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Flame Charge | Fire | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 140 | 90 | 5 |
| TM56 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM59 | Incinerate | Fire | Special | 30 | 100 | 15 |
| TM61 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 75 | 15 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM75 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| TM80 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM94 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AncientPower | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Nidoran♂ (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 17 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Nidoran♂, Rhyhorn, Chikorita, Scraggy (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | Arbok, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar and 15 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Altaria and 3 more |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Swablu, Altaria, Axew, Fraxure, Haxorus and 3 more |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Deino, Zweilous and 1 more |
| Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Charizard |
| Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | Scraggy, Scrafty |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Axew, Fraxure, Haxorus, Druddigon, Deino and 2 more |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Pledge | Fire | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 | BW, B2W2 |
| Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 100 | 90 | 10 | B2W2 |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | B2W2 |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | B2W2 |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
| ThunderPunch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| False Swipe | Sticker Promotional Egg Charmander (Japan); Korean Egg Charmander |
| Block | Sticker Promotional Egg Charmander (Japan); Korean Egg Charmander |
| Blast Burn | Sticker Promotional Egg Charmander (Japan); Korean Egg Charmander |
| Acrobatics | Sticker Promotional Egg Charmander (Japan); Korean Egg Charmander |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| DynamicPunch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| Fury Cutter | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Howl | Gen IV (event) |
| Mega Kick | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mega Punch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Quick Attack | Gen IV (event) |
| Rage | Gen III (level-up) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen III (tutor) |
| Swift | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
Generation VI · X, Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire12 level-up · 38 TM/HM · 14 egg · 8 tutor · 1 event
In X and Y, Professor Sycamore offers Charmander at his lab in Lumiose City; Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire need a trade or an event. Mega Charizard X is part Dragon, so from here Dragon Claw, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Rush and Outrage get a same-type bonus for the fully evolved, Mega Evolved form (Flying moves do so for Charizard itself). TM94 is Rock Smash in X and Y but Secret Power in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where Rock Smash becomes HM06. Air Cutter is a new egg move, but only from a father that learned it in an earlier generation. Tutor columns are X/Y and Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. The 2016 World Championships Charmander knew Celebrate.
By level-up
| XY/ORAS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 10 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 16 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 19 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| 25 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 28 | Flame Burst | Fire | Special | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| 34 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 37 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| 43 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 46 | Inferno | Fire | Special | 100 | 50 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Hone Claws | Dark | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 | |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 | |
| TM39 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 | |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | ||
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM43 | Flame Charge | Fire | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 | |
| TM56 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | |
| TM59 | Incinerate | Fire | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM61 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 | |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM75 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | |
| TM80 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM94 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | XY |
| TM94 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | ORAS |
| TM98 | Power-Up Punch | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 | |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Special | 60 | 95 | 25 | Charizard, Dragonite, Swablu, Altaria, Tropius, Salamence (the father must have learned it in an earlier generation) | |
| Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum, Amaura, Aurorus |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Nidoran♂ (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 21 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Nidoran♂, Rhyhorn, Chikorita, Scraggy (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | Arbok, Gyarados, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar and 19 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Altaria and 3 more |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Ampharos, Swablu, Altaria, Axew, Fraxure and 9 more |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Deino, Zweilous and 1 more |
| Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Charizard |
| Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | Scraggy, Scrafty |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Axew, Fraxure, Haxorus, Druddigon, Deino and 3 more |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | ORAS |
| Fire Pledge | Fire | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 | XY, ORAS |
| Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
| Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | ORAS |
| Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 95 | 90 | 10 | ORAS |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | ORAS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
| Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Celebrate | 2016 World Championships Charmander |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Acrobatics | Gen V (event) |
| Blast Burn | Gen V (event) |
| Block | Gen V (event) |
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Dynamic Punch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| False Swipe | Gen V (event) |
| Fury Cutter | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Howl | Gen IV (event) |
| Mega Kick | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mega Punch | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Quick Attack | Gen IV (event) |
| Rage | Gen III (level-up) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen III (tutor) |
| Swift | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
Generation VII · Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon12 level-up · 30 TM/HM · 14 egg · 8 tutor · 1 event
Charmander's level-up list is the same in Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon it can turn up through Island Scan on Sundays, and those Charmander know Counter. Dig, Cut, Strength and Rock Smash are no longer TMs or HMs here, so they move to the transfer list. Tutor columns are Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon; every tutor move except Fire Pledge is Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon only. Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! have their own list.
By level-up
| SM/USUM | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 7 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 10 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 16 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 19 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| 25 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 28 | Flame Burst | Fire | Special | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| 34 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 37 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| 43 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 46 | Inferno | Fire | Special | 100 | 50 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Work Up | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 |
| TM39 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Flame Charge | Fire | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 |
| TM56 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM61 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM75 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM80 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Special | 60 | 95 | 25 | Charizard, Dragonite, Swablu, Altaria, Tropius, Salamence (the father must have learned it in an earlier generation) | |
| Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum, Amaura, Aurorus |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Nidoran♂ (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax, Kommo-o |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Totodile, Croconaw and 21 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Nidoran♂, Rhyhorn, Chikorita, Mudkip, Scraggy (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | Arbok, Gyarados, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar and 19 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Altaria and 6 more |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Ampharos, Swablu, Altaria, Axew, Fraxure and 12 more |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Deino, Zweilous and 1 more |
| Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Charizard, Marowak (Alolan) |
| Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | Scraggy, Scrafty |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Axew, Fraxure, Haxorus, Druddigon, Deino and 7 more |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | USUM |
| Fire Pledge | Fire | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 | SM, USUM |
| Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
| Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | USUM |
| Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 95 | 90 | 10 | USUM |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | USUM |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
| Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Counter | Island Scan (Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon) |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Acrobatics | Gen V (event) |
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Blast Burn | Gen V (event) |
| Block | Gen V (event) |
| Body Slam | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Celebrate | Gen VI (event) |
| Curse | Gen II (TM) |
| Cut | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Dig | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Dragon Breath | Gen II (TM) |
| Dynamic Punch | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Endure | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM) |
| False Swipe | Gen V (event) |
| Fury Cutter | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Hone Claws | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Howl | Gen IV (event) |
| Incinerate | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Leer | Gen I (level-up) |
| Mega Kick | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mega Punch | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Power-Up Punch | Gen VI (TM) |
| Quick Attack | Gen IV (event) |
| Rage | Gen I (level-up, TM), Gen II (level-up), Gen III (level-up) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Rock Smash | Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Strength | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Submission | Gen I (TM) |
| Swift | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Take Down | Gen I (TM) |
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! · Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee!9 level-up · 19 TM/HM
Wild Charmander live on Routes 3 and 4 and in Rock Tunnel, and a trainer on Route 24 gives one away (once only). There is no breeding and there are no move tutors in these games. Fury Swipes at level 18 is a Let's Go exclusive for Charmander, Ember waits until level 13 and Flamethrower closes the list at 36. Dragon Pulse and Outrage are TMs here.
By level-up
| LGPE | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 4 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 9 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 13 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 18 | Fury Swipes | Normal | Physical | 18 | 80 | 15 |
| 22 | Dragon Rage | Dragon | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| 27 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 31 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 36 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM05 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM07 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM08 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM09 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM10 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM11 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM12 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM13 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM15 | Seismic Toss | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM19 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM22 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| TM23 | Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM27 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM31 | Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM34 | Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| TM37 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| TM39 | Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM46 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 |
Generation VIII · Sword & Shield, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl12 level-up · 75 TM/HM · 22 egg · 1 tutor
Sword and Shield: once you are Champion, Leon gives you a Charmander with the Gigantamax Factor at his house in Postwick. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: wild in the Grand Underground (Volcanic Cave, Sandsear Cave and Typhlo Cavern) after you get the National Pokédex. Both pairs share one level-up list: Ember at 4, Dragon Breath at 12 in place of the retired Dragon Rage, and Flare Blitz as the level-40 finale. TMs, TRs and egg moves are listed per game. Fire Pledge is a Sword and Shield tutor move. Some old moves that can be carried over, such as Dragon Rage, Hidden Power, Return and Frustration, cannot be used in Sword and Shield. Charmander does not appear in Legends: Arceus, so there is no Legends: Arceus list.
By level-up
| SwSh/BDSP | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 4 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 8 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 12 | Dragon Breath | Dragon | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| 17 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 20 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 24 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| 28 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| 32 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 36 | Inferno | Fire | Special | 100 | 50 | 5 |
| 40 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM00 | Mega Punch | Normal | Physical | 80 | 85 | 20 | SwSh |
| TM01 | Mega Kick | Normal | Physical | 120 | 75 | 5 | SwSh |
| TM03 | Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM05 | Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM13 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM15 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM21 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TM22 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM24 | Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM25 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TM26 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM31 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM34 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | SwSh |
| TM37 | Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM38 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM39 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | SwSh |
| TM40 | Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TM41 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TM43 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM46 | Weather Ball | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM48 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM59 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM68 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM76 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM78 | Acrobatics | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 | SwSh | |
| TM94 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 40 | SwSh |
| TR00 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TR01 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR02 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR15 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 | SwSh |
| TR20 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR24 | Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR26 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR27 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR31 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR32 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR36 | Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 95 | 90 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR43 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 | SwSh |
| TR47 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR51 | Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TR55 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR62 | Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR85 | Work Up | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | SwSh |
| TM01 | Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 | BDSP |
| TM02 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM10 | Work Up | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | BDSP |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | BDSP |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM31 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | BDSP |
| TM35 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM38 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 | BDSP |
| TM39 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM40 | Aerial Ace | Physical | 60 | — | 20 | BDSP | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | BDSP |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM50 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 | BDSP |
| TM54 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 40 | BDSP |
| TM56 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM59 | Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM61 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM75 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | BDSP |
| TM80 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM93 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 | BDSP |
| TM96 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM98 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Tyrunt, Tyrantrum, Amaura, Aurorus |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Snorlax, Kommo-o |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Gyarados, Snorlax, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar and 29 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Chewtle, Drednaw |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp and 6 more |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon | Physical | 60 | 90 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Milotic, Salamence, Druddigon and 6 more |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Druddigon, Duraludon |
| Wing Attack | Physical | 60 | 100 | 35 | Dragonite, Noibat, Noivern, Flapple | |
| Air Cutter | Special | 60 | 95 | 25 | Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard (no ordinary father can teach it: the move has to come from a Charmander-line Pokémon that already knows it, such as one caught in the Grand Underground) | |
| Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Ekans, Arbok, Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Snorlax |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Snorlax, Totodile and 20 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Chikorita, Bayleef and 1 more (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | Arbok, Gyarados, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar and 13 more |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 | Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Gyarados, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Flygon and 1 more |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon | Physical | 60 | 90 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Milotic, Salamence |
| Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | Charmander, Charmeleon, Charizard |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Flygon, Bagon, Shelgon, Salamence |
| Wing Attack | Physical | 60 | 100 | 35 | Dragonite |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Pledge | Fire | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Aerial Ace | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Air Cutter | Gen VI (breeding), Gen VII (breeding) |
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Blast Burn | Gen V (event) |
| Block | Gen V (event) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (TM) |
| Celebrate | Gen VI (event) |
| Confide | Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Curse | Gen II (TM) |
| Cut | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Double Team | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Dragon Rage | Gen I (TM), Gen II (level-up), Gen III (level-up), Gen IV (level-up), Gen V (level-up), Gen VI (level-up), Gen VII (level-up) |
| Dynamic Punch | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Echoed Voice | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Flame Burst | Gen V (level-up), Gen VI (level-up), Gen VII (level-up) |
| Flame Charge | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Focus Punch | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (breeding), Gen VI (breeding, tutor), Gen VII (breeding, tutor) |
| Frustration | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Fury Cutter | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Fury Swipes | Gen VII (level-up) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM), Gen IV (tutor), Gen VII (TM) |
| Hidden Power | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Hone Claws | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Howl | Gen IV (event) |
| Incinerate | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Leer | Gen I (level-up) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Power-Up Punch | Gen VI (TM) |
| Quick Attack | Gen IV (event) |
| Rage | Gen I (level-up, TM), Gen II (level-up), Gen III (level-up) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Return | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Rock Smash | Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Seismic Toss | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen VII (TM) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Strength | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Submission | Gen I (TM) |
| Swagger | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Take Down | Gen I (TM) |
| Toxic | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
Generation IX · Scarlet & Violet (incl. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero)12 level-up · 46 TM/HM · 8 egg
In Scarlet and Violet Charmander arrives by trade; with The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero it can also be found in the wild in Blueberry Academy's Terarium once its biodiversity has been boosted through the Terarium Club. The level-up list is exactly the same as in Sword and Shield. The TM list is the longest yet, with Dragon Claw, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse, Outrage and Breaking Swipe keeping the dragon dream alive. Only level-up, TM and breeding moves apply here.
By level-up
| SV | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| 4 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| 8 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 12 | Dragon Breath | Dragon | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| 17 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| 20 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| 24 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| 28 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| 32 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| 36 | Inferno | Fire | Special | 100 | 50 | 5 |
| 40 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM001 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| TM006 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM007 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM008 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| TM024 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| TM025 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM031 | Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 |
| TM032 | Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM036 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 |
| TM038 | Flame Charge | Fire | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| TM043 | Fling | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM044 | Dragon Tail | Dragon | Physical | 60 | 90 | 10 |
| TM047 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM049 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM055 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM057 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 40 |
| TM058 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM061 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM066 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| TM067 | Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM068 | Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| TM070 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM078 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM085 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM086 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| TM088 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM100 | Dragon Dance | Dragon | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM103 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM107 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM108 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| TM115 | Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| TM118 | Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 95 | 90 | 10 |
| TM125 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| TM130 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM141 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 |
| TM144 | Fire Pledge | Fire | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM156 | Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| TM157 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 |
| TM158 | Focus Blast | Fighting | Special | 120 | 70 | 5 |
| TM165 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| TM171 | Tera Blast | Normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM172 | Roar | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM192 | Focus Punch | Fighting | Physical | 150 | 100 | 20 |
| TM193 | Weather Ball | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| TM207 | Temper Flare | Fire | Physical | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| TM222 | Breaking Swipe | Dragon | Physical | 60 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon |
| Belly Drum | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Snorlax, Kommo-o |
| Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Snorlax, Totodile and 37 more |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Chewtle, Drednaw |
| Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | 75 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp and 6 more |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon | Physical | 60 | 90 | 10 | Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Vibrava, Flygon, Milotic, Salamence, Jangmo-o and 9 more |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | Goodra (Hisuian) |
| Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 | 95 | 35 | Duraludon, Archaludon |
Pokémon Legends: Z-A · Legends: Z-A11 level-up · 32 TM/HM
Mable gives you a Charmander at the Pokémon Research Lab in Vert District during Side Mission 22, and wild ones appear in Wild Zone 20 in Centrico Plaza. Legends: Z-A's real-time battles use different numbers: each move shows the level at which Charmander learns it, the level at which it becomes a Plus Move, its category and power, and a cooldown in place of accuracy and PP. Charmander starts with Tackle instead of Scratch here, Dragon Rush joins at level 42 and Flare Blitz waits until 54. Fire Spin hits for 20 power in this game. There is no breeding and there are no tutors.
By level-up
| Learn | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 | — | — |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| 4 | Ember | Fire | Special | 40 | — | — |
| 8 | Smokescreen | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| 12 | Dragon Breath | Dragon | Special | 60 | — | — |
| 17 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | — | — |
| 20 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 20 | — | — |
| 24 | Slash | Normal | Physical | 70 | — | — |
| 30 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | — | — |
| 42 | Dragon Rush | Dragon | Physical | 100 | — | — |
| 54 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | — | — |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM002 | Dragon Claw | Dragon | Physical | 80 | — | — |
| TM005 | Roar | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| TM010 | Brick Break | Fighting | Physical | 75 | — | — |
| TM012 | Rock Slide | Rock | Physical | 75 | — | — |
| TM014 | Fire Fang | Fire | Physical | 65 | — | — |
| TM017 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| TM023 | Thunder Punch | Electric | Physical | 75 | — | — |
| TM025 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 | — | — |
| TM027 | Swift | Normal | Special | 60 | — | — |
| TM028 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | — | — |
| TM029 | Fire Punch | Fire | Physical | 75 | — | — |
| TM030 | Swords Dance | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| TM033 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | — | — |
| TM035 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| TM036 | Rock Tomb | Rock | Physical | 60 | — | — |
| TM038 | Fire Blast | Fire | Special | 110 | — | — |
| TM050 | Overheat | Fire | Special | 130 | — | — |
| TM057 | Will-O-Wisp | Fire | Status | — | — | — |
| TM061 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | — | — |
| TM062 | Flamethrower | Fire | Special | 90 | — | — |
| TM068 | Heat Wave | Fire | Special | 95 | — | — |
| TM072 | Fire Spin | Fire | Special | 20 | — | — |
| TM075 | Dragon Pulse | Dragon | Special | 85 | — | — |
| TM085 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | — |
| TM087 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | — | — |
| TM093 | Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 | — | — |
| TM102 | Focus Blast | Fighting | Special | 120 | — | — |
| TM104 | Flare Blitz | Fire | Physical | 120 | — | — |
| TM109 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | — | — |
| TM114 | Flame Charge | Fire | Physical | 50 | — | — |
| TM120 | Ancient Power | Rock | Special | 60 | — | — |
| TM122 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 | — | — |
04Ash's Charmander & friends
Charmander in the anime
Debut EP001Pokémon – I Choose You! · First major role EP011Charmander – The Stray Pokémon · Ash’s loyal Charmander, its battle record, and 9 other trainers who raised one.
Charmander's anime career begins with one of the show's most heart-tugging stories: a little Lizard Pokémon left on a rock by a Trainer who never meant to come back. Rescued from a storm with its tail flame flickering, Ash's Charmander repaid him by winning the Soul Badge, lighting the way through haunted towers and snowstorms and stopping a stampede single-handed – before evolving into Charmeleon and then the Charizard that would become one of the most famous Pokémon in the series.
Charmander is also the anime's favourite origin story for great Fire-types. Ritchie's Zippo went toe to toe with Ash at the Indigo Plateau, Trevor's grew into a Mega Charizard Y in Kalos, and the Charizard of Alain, Leon and Friede all started out as Charmander. Red picks one in Pokémon Origins, a Charmander heads Team Go-Getters in the Mystery Dungeon special, and Professor Oak always seems to have one waiting for the next new Trainer – right up to Ash's very last episode.
Ash's Charmander
Trainer profile
Ash Ketchum
- Caught in
- EP011Charmander – The Stray Pokémon
- First aired
- 10 June 1997 (Japan) · 22 September 1998 (US)
- Where
- A lonely rock in the woods beside the trail to Vermilion City, where the path meets Route 24
- Status
- Now a Charizard and still one of Ash's Pokémon; at the close of his journey it was back home in Pallet Town around Professor Oak's Laboratory (JN147)
- Japanese name
- サトシのヒトカゲ
- Moves used
- FlamethrowerLeerRageSkull BashEmberFire Spin
- How it joined
- Abandoned by Damian and nursed through a storm by Ash's group, it saved Pikachu from Team Rocket, saw off Damian and jumped into Ash's Poké Ball of its own accord.
Personality
As a Charmander it was shy, anxious and loyal almost to a fault – loyal enough to sit out a downpour for a Trainer who had dumped it. Ash's kindness quickly built its confidence, and it became the sunny optimist of the early team, sure that Ash would come back when Bulbasaur and Squirtle had their doubts (EP017). It had a playful streak, pulling a silly face in the middle of a battle with a Haunter (EP023), and a short fuse with Squirtle (EP043), but its defining quality was selflessness: in Snow Way Out! it burned its own tail flame low to keep everyone warm. Evolution would bring pride and a famous disobedient streak – but the loyal Charmander was always still in there.
Ash's Charmander arrived as the saddest Pokémon on the road to Vermilion City. Its Trainer, Damian, had parked it on a rock in the woods with a promise to come back – then bragged at the Pokémon Center that he never would. Charmander waited anyway, its tail flame flickering lower, and twice turned down Ash's Poké Balls out of loyalty (EP011).
When a storm rolled in and a flock of Spearow found it, Ash, Misty and Brock bundled the shivering Pokémon in their raincoats and raced it to Nurse Joy, shielding that tiny flame all the way. By morning it was back on its rock – until Team Rocket snatched Pikachu and Charmander answered with a Flamethrower that left the trio smouldering. When Damian finally turned up to reclaim his 'toughened-up' Pokémon, Charmander batted his Poké Ball away with its tail, sent him packing alongside Pikachu and hopped into Ash's ball of its own accord (EP011).
Shy at first, Charmander soon became the team's light source and its biggest optimist. It helped the passengers' Pokémon rout Team Rocket's Grunts aboard the St. Anne (EP015), burned an escape hatch through the hull of the capsized liner (EP016) and refused to give up on Ash when the Pokémon were stranded on the Island of the Giant Pokémon (EP017). At the beach it kept the grill going at Moe's restaurant and sent Team Rocket's missile back where it came from (EP018) – though a mischievous Gastly simply produced a fire extinguisher and aimed it at its tail (EP020).
Ghosts were never its speciality. In Pokémon Tower it lit the way with Flamethrower, then lost a staring contest with a Haunter by breaking into a funny face – and got licked into paralysis for its trouble (EP023). At Saffron Gym it cowered with the rest of Ash's team rather than face Sabrina's Kadabra (EP024). It found its fire again against a berserk Primeape: pummelled by punches, its flame flared into Rage, and a final Flamethrower set Primeape up for Ash's catch (EP025).
Charmander's Gym debut came at Celadon City, where it turned Weepinbell's Razor Leaf into a shower of fireballs and finished it with Skull Bash, before Gloom's stench made it keel over (EP026). At Fuchsia City it truly came of age: after Team Rocket crashed the first match against Koga's Venomoth, it held Golbat off with Ember, answered Screech with a volley of Flamethrowers and won Ash the Soul Badge with a blazing Fire Spin (EP032).
The wins kept coming. It traded Flamethrowers with Lara Laramie's Growlithe (EP033), set Team Rocket's fuel-soaked Kangaskhan robot ablaze (EP034) and gave the Bridge Bike Gang's leader Chopper a scorching lesson – his Golem's Tackle missed and bowled over his own gang, and its Poké Ball was still hot when he recalled it (EP036).
Two winter episodes, held back by the long break after Electric Soldier Porygon and finally shown in Japan on 5 October 1998, reveal its gentlest side. In Holiday Hi-Jynx its Fire Spin accidentally thawed the Team Rocket submarine that Lapras had just frozen. In Snow Way Out! it blasted out a snow cave and turned up its tail flame to keep everyone warm through a blizzard – burning so much of itself that Ash recalled it for its own safety, only for Charmander to pop back out and huddle with its friends until morning.
Its last adventure as a Charmander was its biggest. At a carnival it squabbled with Squirtle inside a botched magic box; then, with Ash under the magician Melvin's hypnosis, it helped weaken a whole herd of wild Exeggutor for Melvin to catch. When the herd stampeded towards town, Charmander held the line alone, and its Flamethrower combined with Melvin's fire trick to raise a wall of flame that stopped them. Moments later it evolved into Charmeleon – and greeted its Trainer with a blast of fire to the face (EP043).
The rest is anime legend. Charmeleon decided its skills had outgrown Ash's (EP044), became a defiant Charizard just two episodes later (EP046) and famously lay down for a nap in Ash's Indigo Plateau Conference battle with Ritchie (EP079). After Ash nursed it through a freezing defeat it finally gave him its loyalty (EP105), entered the Orange League Hall of Fame (EP112) and stayed behind to train in the Charicific Valley (EP134). It came back to beat Noland's Articuno in the Battle Frontier (AG136), rejoined Ash in Unova after the Kanto Fair stirred up memories of the stray Charmander (BW116), and was still there in Pallet Town for the very end of his journey (JN147).
Battle record
| Episode | Opponent | Context | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP011Charmander – The Stray Pokémon | Team Rocketvs Jessie, James and Meowth | Team RocketDemands Pikachu back, then a Flamethrower roasts the trio into dropping it. | Won |
| EP011Charmander – The Stray Pokémon | Damianvs Damian (his former Trainer) | Showdown with its old TrainerBats Damian's Poké Ball away with its tail; its Flamethrower and Pikachu's Thunder Shock send him running. | Won |
| EP015Battle Aboard the St. Anne | Team Rocket Gruntsvs Grunts' Pokémon | Team RocketJoins the passengers' Pokémon – several of them Charmander – in routing the Grunts aboard the St. Anne. | Won |
| EP018Beauty and the Beach | Team Rocketvs Heat-seeking missile from the Gyarados submarine | Team RocketIts Flamethrower knocks the missile off course and straight back at the submarine. | Won |
| EP020The Ghost of Maiden's Peak | wildvs Gastly | Ghost encounterGastly conjures a fire extinguisher and sprays its tail flame; Squirtle and Bulbasaur take over. | Unknown |
| EP023The Tower of Terror | wildvs Haunter | Ghost encounter (Pokémon Tower)A staring match with Leer dissolves into a funny face; Haunter's Lick paralyses it and Ash recalls it. | Unknown |
| EP025Primeape Goes Bananas | wildvs Primeape | Wild PokémonPummelled into a Rage, it bites back and softens Primeape up with Flamethrower for Ash's catch. | Won |
| EP026Pokémon Scent-sation! | Erikavs Weepinbell | Gym battle (Celadon Gym)Burns Razor Leaf into a shower of fireballs, then finishes with Skull Bash. | Won |
| EP026Pokémon Scent-sation! | Erikavs Gloom | Gym battle (Celadon Gym)One whiff of Gloom's stench and it faints; Team Rocket's fire ends the match. | Lost |
| EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown | Kogavs Venomoth | Gym battle (Fuchsia Gym)Flamethrower burns away Stun Spore before Team Rocket crash through the ceiling. | Interrupted |
| EP032The Ninja Poké-Showdown | Kogavs Golbat | Gym battle (Fuchsia Gym)Ember and Flamethrower keep Golbat at bay and a blazing Fire Spin wins Ash the Soul Badge. | Won |
| EP033The Flame Pokémon-athon! | Lara Laramievs Growlithe | Casual (misunderstanding at the Laramie Ranch)Pinned straight away, it trades Flamethrowers with Growlithe; no winner is declared. | Unknown |
| EP034The Kangaskhan Kid | Team Rocketvs Kangaskhan robot | Team RocketIts Flamethrower ignites fuel leaking from the robot, which goes up in flames and explodes. | Won |
| EP036The Bridge Bike Gang | Choppervs Golem | Casual (Bridge Bike Gang leader)Flamethrower and Fire Spin set Golem alight; its Tackle misses and flattens the gang, and Chopper recalls it. | Unknown |
| Holiday Hi-Jynx | Team Rocketvs Gyarados submarine | Team RocketIts Fire Spin backfires, thawing the submarine Lapras had just frozen; Santa's Jynx save the day. | Unknown |
| EP043The March of the Exeggutor Squad | wildvs Exeggutor herd | Casual (Ash hypnotised by Melvin)With Bulbasaur and Squirtle it weakens a whole herd so Melvin can catch them. | Won |
| EP043The March of the Exeggutor Squad | Melvinvs Stampeding Exeggutor | Rampage in townHolds the line alone; its Flamethrower and Melvin's fire trick raise a wall of flame that stops the herd – and then it evolves. | Won |
Why didn’t it evolve?
Ash's Charmander evolved remarkably fast. After a run of Gym battles and Team Rocket skirmishes, the effort of single-handedly holding back a stampeding Exeggutor herd tipped it over the edge, and it evolved into Charmeleon at the end of The March of the Exeggutor Squad (EP043) – flaming Ash's face as its first act. In the very next episode Cassandra's grandmother explained that its battling skill had overtaken Ash's, so it no longer respected him (EP044). Two episodes later, knocked flat by an Aerodactyl, it gave chase, was shaken off and evolved again into Charizard (EP046), reaching its final stage only 35 episodes after Ash met it – quicker than any of his other first partner Pokémon. It is the only one of Ash's Kanto first partners to evolve at all.
Key episodes
Ash’s Charmander trivia
- It was Ash's first Fire-type and the first of his first partner Pokémon to evolve – and the only one of his Kanto trio ever to do so.
- It reached its final stage in just 35 episodes, from capture in EP011 to Charizard in EP046 – faster than any of Ash's other first partners.
- Charmander – The Stray Pokémon (EP011) is the first episode to say that a Pokémon could die: a Charmander whose tail flame goes out will not survive.
- EP011 is also the first time Meowth translates another Pokémon's words – Charmander's demand that Team Rocket hand Pikachu back.
- Its Poké Ball never wobbled: it went in willingly, as Tracey's Scyther and Brock's Vulpix later would too.
- Rage, learned against Primeape in EP025, was never used again.
- Because Holiday Hi-Jynx and Snow Way Out! aired late, dub viewers saw Ash with a Charmander again in December 1999, long after his Charizard had appeared.
- Its abandonment story is echoed by Ash's Tepig, left waiting by Shamus (BW077), and his Gengar (JN016). In Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! it gets a different past altogether, abandoned in the rain by a Trainer called Cross.
Other trainers’ Charmander
First seen: EP078A Friend In Deed
Evolved: EP221A Parent Trapped!
Ritchie – the friendly rival who mirrored Ash at the Indigo Plateau Conference – named his Charmander Zippo, after the famous lighter. It made its entrance slashing open the wall of a Team Rocket van to free Ritchie and Ash (EP078), then starred in their Conference battle: it outlasted Pikachu's dodging, knocked it out with Tackle and then traded Flamethrowers with Ash's Charizard before Ritchie called it back (EP079). Zippo also helped rescue Pikachu and Sparky by igniting Weezing's own Smog (EP080). When Ritchie turned up again near the Whirl Islands, Zippo had become a Charmeleon (EP221).
- EP079Friend and Foe Alike · vs Pikachu Won
- EP079Friend and Foe Alike · vs Charizard Lost
- EP080Friends to the End · vs Weezing Won
First seen: XY039Summer of Discovery!
Evolved: XY086A Legendary Photo Op!
Trevor, the camera-toting member of Ash's Kalos rivals, received his Charmander from Professor Sycamore's lab. It made a fiery entrance at the summer camp, racing around spouting happy flames and accidentally setting Clemont's Chespin alight (XY039), starred in a Pokévision video with Tierno's and Shauna's Pokémon (XY040) and was the first member of Team Squirtle to fall – to Pikachu's Thunderbolt – in the camp's team battle (XY042). It was a Charmeleon by the time Trevor went hunting for a photo of Moltres (XY086), and it evolved into Charizard at the Lumiose Conference, where it Mega Evolved into Mega Charizard Y before losing to Alain's Charizard (XY125).
- XY042Battling Into the Hall of Fame! · vs Pikachu Lost
First seen: JN129A Flood of Torrential Gains!
Galar's unbeatable Champion started out like everyone else – with a Charmander, his very first Pokémon, which travelled with him and his childhood friend Sonia when they first became Trainers. During the Masters Eight Tournament, Leon thought back to his first-ever battle as a child – against Sonia, with Charmander at his side (JN129), and it was revealed to be the first of his Pokémon to evolve (JN131). As a Charizard it became the heart of his reign at the top of the World Coronation Series, until it Gigantamaxed in the Masters Eight final and Ash's Pikachu finally beat it (JN132).
First seen: XYS01Mega Evolution Special I
Alain met his Charmander while working as one of Professor Sycamore's assistants, and the professor let him take it along when he set out in search of Mega Stones (XYS01). That Charmander grew into the formidable Charizard at the heart of the Mega Evolution specials – a Mega Charizard X that powered Alain all the way to victory at the Lumiose Conference.
First seen: HZ150The Expanding World, I'll GO with You! (Japanese title, translated)
Friede's high-flying Charizard was a wild Charmander when the two met. A flashback shows young Friede testing a home-made hang-glider on a grassy hill; a curious Charmander snatched his goggles and tried to copy his glides, tumbling down the slope until Friede caught it and invited it to chase their shared dream of flying together (HZ150). It became his first Pokémon, and as a Charizard it now carries him into the skies for real.
First seen: PO01File 1: Red
Evolved: PO02File 2: Cubone
Red picked Charmander almost the moment Professor Oak offered it, reasoning that a boy named Red ought to start with a Fire-type. Its early days were rocky: a Pidgey's Gust blew its Ember away, and Blue's Squirtle pinned and bit it until Red withdrew it to save its shrinking flame. At Pewter Gym it was Red's last hope against Brock's Onix, and a simultaneous clash of Scratch and Tackle left Onix fainted and Red holding the Boulder Badge (File 1: Red). By the time Red explored Pokémon Tower it was a Charmeleon, and as a Charizard it went on to beat Blue's Blastoise for the Championship and Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X against Mewtwo.
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Nidoran♀ Won
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Squirtle Lost
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Geodude Lost
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Onix Won
First seen: AG071A Six Pack Attack!
Professor Oak always seems to have a Charmander waiting for Pallet Town's next new Trainer. He brought one all the way to Hoenn with a Bulbasaur and a Squirtle, where it singed Max for pulling its face, heated the bars of Team Rocket's cage with Torchic so they could be broken and joined the barrage that brought their mecha down (AG071). Another was resting at his lab when Misty, Max and Tracey looked after the Kanto trio (AG133), and the professor's video presentation of the three Kanto first partners sets off Ash's trip down memory lane at the Kanto Fair (BW116).
- AG071A Six Pack Attack! · vs Skiploom mecha Won
First seen: EP011Charmander – The Stray Pokémon
Damian is the vain Trainer who wanted strong Pokémon without the bother of raising them. He left his Charmander on a rock with a promise to return, boasted that he never would, and came back only once it had proved its strength – claiming he had been toughening it up. Charmander knocked his Poké Ball away with its tail and, with Pikachu's help, sent him running (EP011). He reappears in a flashback when Ash relives the story at the Kanto Fair (BW116).
First seen: M20Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
The film I Choose You! retells Ash's story with a new villain of the piece. Here Charmander belonged to Cross, a ruthless Trainer who called it weak and left it out in the rain. Ash and Verity carried it to the cave where Sorrel and his Lucario were sheltering, and the next morning it chose to join Ash. It evolved into Charmeleon after a battle with a Jigglypuff, was crushed by Cross's Incineroar, and then evolved into Charizard in the rematch at Mount Tensei to defeat it.
Featured episodes
- EP004Challenge of the SamuraiA flashback shows a Trainer's Charmander defeating Samurai's Pinsir.
- EP015Battle Aboard the St. AnneSeveral passengers' Charmander fight alongside Ash's in driving Team Rocket's Grunts off the St. Anne.
- BW116The Fires of a Red-Hot Reunion!At the Kanto Fair, a show host's Charmander charms the crowd with a spinning Ember – then gets dizzy, topples over and brings part of the stage down on itself. Nurse Joy patches it up, and the sight of it sends Ash's thoughts back to his own Charmander.
- JN002Legend? Go! Friends? Go!Professor Cerise offers Goh the choice of Charmander, Bulbasaur or Squirtle as his first partner – and Goh turns all three down because he has set his heart on Mew.
- JN147The Rainbow and the Pokémon Master!In Ash's final episode, a newly delivered first partner Charmander goes missing from Professor Oak's lab. Pikachu finds it at the bottom of a small cave, Ash climbs down to bring it back up, and Gary reveals he brought the new first partners to Pallet Town.
More appearances
- EP001Pokémon – I Choose You! Ash dreams about choosing a Charmander as his first partner.
- EP027Hypno's Naptime A Charmander suffering the after-effects of Hypno's Hypnosis is treated at the Pokémon Center.
- EP028Pokémon Fashion Flash A Charmander appears on Scissor Street.
- EP056The Ultimate Test A Pokémon League admissions exam instructor owns a Charmander.
- EP057The Breeding Center Secret A Charmander evolves in a TV commercial, and another is at the breeding centre.
- PK01Pikachu's Vacation A Charmander is at the Pokémon Theme Park.
- EP080Friends to the End A Trainer's Charmander attends the Indigo Plateau Conference closing ceremony.
- EP117Don't Touch That 'dile A first partner Charmander appears in a flashback.
- PK04Pikachu's Rescue Adventure A Charmander appears in the Japanese version's credits.
- AG015Gonna Rule The School! The Pokémon Trainers' School owns a Charmander.
- PK24Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade A Charmander watches Meloetta's concert.
- SM034A Crowning Moment of Truth! A Trainer's Charmander attends the Wela Fire Festival.
- SM042Alola, Kanto! A wild Charmander sleeps at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
- M21Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us A Trainer's Charmander appears.
- SM093Lillier and the Staff! A Trainer's Charmander appears in the Where Are You Going, Eevee? segment.
- SM099We Know Where You're Going, Eevee! The same Charmander reappears in a flashback.
- M22Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution A Charmander is at Old Shore Wharf.
- JN046Getting More Than You Battled For! A Charmander appears in a fantasy alongside the other first partner Pokémon.
- JN047Crowning the Chow Crusher! A Trainer's Charmander appears.
- JN054Sobble Spies a Stealthy Strategy! A Trainer's Charmander appears.
- JN136This Could be the Start of Something Big! A Charmander appears.
- HZ001The Pendant That Starts It All (Part One) A Trainer's Charmander appears, and an Indigo Academy student owns another.
- HZ058Food Fit for a Kingambit! A Trainer's Charmander appears.
- HZ066Infiltrating the System! Naranja Academy in Danger! A student's Charmander appears.
- HZ125Battle for the Six Heroes! A Trainer's Charmander appears.
Beyond the main series
Anime gallery
Anime trivia
- Leon, Friede and Alain all began their journeys with a Charmander – each of which grew into a Charizard.
- The anime draws Charmander with three fingers on each hand, while its official artwork since FireRed and LeafGreen and its 3D models give it four.
- In the English dub of EP219, Charmander is the Who's That Pokémon? answer even though none appears in the episode – the Japanese version used Sandslash.
- Ritchie's Zippo is named after the famous brand of lighter.
- Professor Oak's Kanto trio of Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle keeps turning up: on a trip to Hoenn (AG071), in a lab breakout (HS14) and in his video presentation at the Kanto Fair (BW116).
- Ash's story ends close to where it began: his last episode as the lead (JN147) has him rescuing a lost Charmander, one of the new first partner Pokémon at Professor Oak's lab.
- Goh is offered a Charmander in only the second episode of Pokémon Journeys and turns it down – he wants Mew as his first partner (JN002).
“Charmander. A flame burns on the tip of its tail from birth. It is said that a Charmander dies if its flame ever goes out.”
Ash's Pokédex (Dexter) · EP011
05On the big screen
Charmander in the movies
6 films, 3 Pikachu shorts and 2 specials featuring Charmander.
Charmander's film career is mostly cameos, which makes its two starring roles stand out all the more. Ash's Charmander had already become a Charizard by the time the first film came out, so in the early years the species turns up as an extra: in the theme park of Pikachu's Vacation, as Dr. Fuji's clone 'Charmandertwo' in the extended Japanese cut of Mewtwo Strikes Back, and later in the crowds of The Power of Us, Detective Pikachu and the CGI Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution. Then 2017's I Choose You! rewrote Ash's Charmander story with a new villain, Cross, a rescue in the pouring rain and a triumphant rematch against Incineroar. On TV, Charmander even leads its own special: in Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! it's the plucky founder of a rescue team who signs up a boy who has turned into a Squirtle.
Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back
M01 · 1998
Dr. Fuji's clone Charmander, 'Charmandertwo' (extended Japanese cut only)
Charmander isn't in the film most of the world saw in cinemas. Japan's extended kanzenban cut, first shown on TV on 8 July 1999, opens with a ten-minute prologue, The Birth of Mewtwo, in which Dr. Fuji clones the three Kanto first partners, a 'Charmandertwo' among them, and the young Mewtwo reaches out to the clones telepathically. English-speaking fans finally saw the whole prologue as The Uncut Story of Mewtwo's Origin, an extra on the Mewtwo Returns DVD in 2001.
Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice
M15 · 2012
Cameo in the all-species intro
The opening sequence parades every species discovered before Generation VI (Genesect excepted), so Charmander gets its moment in the line-up. The Pikachu short shown with the film, Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade, puts a Charmander in the audience at Meloetta's concert.
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
M20 · 2017
Ash's Charmander (abandoned by Cross), later Charmeleon and Charizard; Tierno's Charmander (flashback)
Charmander gets a whole new origin story in this retelling of Ash's journey. Here the ruthless Trainer Cross dumps it for being weak, and Ash and Verity find it left out in a rainstorm; they shelter in a cave where Sorrel nurses it back to health, and the next morning it agrees to join Ash. It evolves into Charmeleon after beating a Trainer's Jigglypuff, takes a hiding from Cross's Incineroar, then turns into Charizard mid-rematch and wins (and unlike the TV series' Charizard, this one always does as Ash asks). Look out for a cameo, too: the Trainers who collect Professor Oak's first partners before Ash turns up are Gary, Marina and Kalos's Tierno, who picks Charmander here instead of his usual Squirtle.
Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us
M21 · 2018
A Trainer's Charmander (background)
Charmander is strictly a face in the crowd here: a Trainer's Charmander is among the film's many Pokémon, with no scene of its own. American cinemas made up for it before the film started, with a medley of clips of Ash's Charizard at every stage of its evolution.
2019
Several Charmander (background); Sebastian's Charizard
Several live-action Charmander are dotted about the film's world, though none gets a scene of its own. The fire-breathing spotlight goes to its final evolution instead: the battle-ring boss Sebastian doses his prized Charizard with the drug R, and it goes berserk in his underground arena, while the shapeshifting Ms. Norman turns into a Charizard in the final showdown.
Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution
M22 · 2019
A Trainer's Charmander (Old Shore Wharf)
The CGI remake finds room for a Charmander: a Trainer's Charmander is among the Pokémon waiting at Old Shore Wharf, where a storm has stopped the ferries to New Island and Officer Jenny warns everyone not to try the crossing.
Pikachu shorts
- PK01Pikachu's Vacation (1998) · A Charmander at the Pokémon Theme Park; Ash's Charizard
A Charmander is among the crowd at the Pokémon Theme Park, the Pokémon-only playground where the short is set. Ash's Charizard has a rougher day: Pikachu and Raichu step on its tail, it chases them across the park, and it ends up with its head stuck in a climbing frame. In many countries the short gave away Charizard's evolution, because it was shown before the episodes in which Charmander evolves had aired there. It premiered with Mewtwo Strikes Back. - PK04Pikachu's Rescue Adventure (1999) · A Charmander (Japanese credits only)
Outside Japan you won't spot this one at all: a Charmander turns up only in the Japanese ending credits. The short was shown with The Power of One. - PK24Meloetta's Moonlight Serenade (2012) · A Charmander in the audience
When Meloetta regrows the Melody Tree and gives a night-time concert in the forest clearing, a Charmander is among the Pokémon watching. The short was shown with Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice.
TV specials
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out of the Gate! (2006)
This adaptation of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team makes Charmander a star. He and Chikorita have founded the rescue team Team Go-Getters, and he's the one who finds a boy who has woken up by a river as a Squirtle, tells him he's a Pokémon now and hands him a Rescue Team Badge. In the Sinister Cave his tail flame lights the way and Metal Claw breaks through to a trapped Pichu, and later his Ember turns into Flamethrower, just in time for the team's combined attack that brings down Skarmory. Unusually, the special aired in the US on Cartoon Network more than six months before Japan saw it; Charmander is voiced by Daisuke Sakaguchi in Japanese and Emily Williams in English. - Mega Evolution Special I (2014)
Alain's Mega Charizard X started out as a Charmander. A flashback shows Alain working as one of Professor Sycamore's assistants and setting off to search for a Mega Stone, and Sycamore lets him take a Charmander along.
06Trading Card Game · every card
Charmander in the Pokémon TCG
68 cards since 1999, oldest first. Tap any card to see it full size.
Charmander has been lighting up card tables since day one. It was in Japan's very first Expansion Pack in October 1996 and reached English players in Base Set in January 1999: a 50 HP Basic Fire Pokémon whose Ember scorched for 30 at the cost of a Fire Energy. That set the tone for three decades. Charmander is nearly always a humble Basic armed with a scratch, a bite or a puff of flame, and it has never had an ex, V or Mega card of its own. What it lacks in raw power it makes up for in sheer presence. Blaine fielded two of them in the Gym sets, Expedition gave it a pair of e-Reader cards, EX Dragon and FireRed & LeafGreen tucked it among their Secret Rares, and Crystal Guardians turned it into a Lightning-type Delta Species. Modern sets keep it close to every new Charizard, from Obsidian Flames and 151 to Phantasmal Flames and Ascended Heroes, and along the way its HP has climbed from 40 to 80.
Its art charts the history of the hobby. Mitsuhiro Arita painted the original and kept coming back, redrawing it for Stormfront's retro Secret Rare and adding EX Dragon and two Delta Species cards. Ken Sugimori, Atsuko Nishida and Kagemaru Himeno all drew it more than once, and Japan added curiosities of its own: a glossy vending-machine card, a McDonald's Happy Meal holo and a prize card made from a fan's Pokémon Snap photo. Later came story-telling scenes such as Akira Komayama's Generations card, a CGI Charmander from the Detective Pikachu film, Shiny versions in Hidden Fates and Paldean Fates, and full-art showpieces like miki kudo's 151 Illustration Rare and Saboteri's Kanto panorama for the 2026 First Partner Illustration Collection. Pokémon TCG Pocket has picked up the torch as well, mixing new pieces with classic paper art, from Naoyo Kimura's Team Up card to Sachiko Adachi's 2007 Power Keepers illustration.
Cards to know
- Base Set 46/102 — Mitsuhiro Arita's original, whose Ember burns a hole in your Energy supply. Arita redrew it for Stormfront's retro Secret Rare, and the first art returned in Evolutions and the 2023 Classic box.
- Gym Challenge 60/132 (Blaine's Charmander) — Ken Sugimori sneaked in a tiny spike on its back, a callback to the very first Charmander design.
- Pokémon Snap Best Photo Contest promo (Japan) — A fan's own Pokémon Snap photo turned into a real card, with a camera where the set symbol should be. One of the rarest Charmander cards ever made.
- EX Crystal Guardians 49/100 (Charmander δ) — A Lightning-type Charmander! Delta Species let the fire lizard swap flames for sparks.
- Generations RC3/RC32 — A little comic strip in card form: a mischievous Charmander teases a boy, and the story continues on Charmeleon's card.
- MEP 038 — Saboteri's full art joins up with Bulbasaur and Squirtle into one Kanto panorama, packed with Gen I nods like Pokémon Tower and a snoozing Snorlax on Route 12.
Every English-language card
Promo cards
Japan-exclusive cards
Other regional releases
Pokémon TCG Pocket
Digital card games
- Pokémon Trading Card Game (Game Boy Color): Charmander (Base Set 46 art, Mitsuhiro Arita), card A06, in the Colosseum booster pack; two copies are in the Charmander & Friends Deck, one of the starter decks Dr. Mason offers at the start (an Auto Deck Machine version also exists). Sprite: TCG1 A06 Charmander.png (64×48).
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): Charmander (Base Set 46 art, Mitsuhiro Arita), card A11, in the Beginning Pokémon pack. Sprite: TCG2 A11 Charmander.png (64×48).
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): Charmander (Vending Expansion Sheet 1 art, Atsuko Nishida), card D16, Uncommon, in the Psychic Battle pack. Sprite: TCG2 D16 Charmander.png (64×48).
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): Charmander (Team Rocket 50 art, Kagemaru Himeno), card G06, in the We Are Team Rocket pack. Sprite: TCG2 G06 Charmander.png (64×48).
The artists behind the cards
- Mitsuhiro Arita — 5 artworks (Base Set, EX Dragon Secret Rare, EX Crystal Guardians Charmander δ, POP Series 5 Charmander δ, and his own redraw for Stormfront's retro Secret Rare); his Base Set art also returned in Evolutions and the TCG Classic box
- Ken Sugimori — 3 (Blaine's Charmander in Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge, EX FireRed & LeafGreen Secret Rare)
- Atsuko Nishida — 3 (Vending Expansion Sheet 1, EX Crystal Guardians 48, Team Up 12)
- Kagemaru Himeno — 2 (Team Rocket, Burning Shadows)
- Masakazu Fukuda — 2 (Secret Wonders, Yellow A Alternate 18a), plus the 18a art reused in TCG Pocket's Mega Shine
- Akira Komayama — 2 (Boundaries Crossed, Generations)
- GIDORA — 1 paper card (151 004/165, reprinted in Paldean Fates) and the TCG Pocket Genetic Apex ☆
- One artwork each: Masako Yamashita, Yuichi Sawayama, Hajime Kusajima, Kouki Saitou, Midori Harada, Sachiko Adachi, Yuka Morii, Suwama Chiaki, match, tetsuya koizumi, kirisAki, Naoyo Kimura, MPC Film, Megumi Mizutani, MAHOU, Uta, saino misaki, Saya Tsuruta, DOM, MINAMINAMI Take, miki kudo, NC Empire, sowsow, Kurata So, HYOGONOSUKE, Orca, Saboteri, Naoki Saito (China only), and a Pokémon Snap contest photo; TCG Pocket also has new pieces by Teeziro, Souichirou Gunjima and whomor Inc.
07On the page & beyond
Charmander in manga, books & other media
From the earliest manga to story books and songs.
In print, Charmander was there from the very start. Less than three weeks after Red and Green went on sale, Kosaku Anakubo's Pocket Monsters gave one to Green, and it set Professor Oak's lab on fire in its very first scene. Pokémon Adventures opened in 1997 with Blue's Charmander squaring up to Mew, and since then Charmander has been Satoshi's first partner in Zensho, a bossy little hero in Magical Pokémon Journey and, in The Electric Tale of Pikachu, the star of a much kinder take on Damian's story: he never meant to leave it behind. In Kalos, X's dozy Salamè keeps a Charizardite X tucked away by his tail. On the bookshelf, Charmander launched the Pokémon Tales picture books with Charmander Sees a Ghost, a gentle tale about being spooked by your own shadow, and Scholastic's Charizard, Go! retells its journey from stray to Charizard. It's in the Pokérap and Ed Sheeran's Celestial video, it has lit up kids' meals since 1999, and in 2001 it even ended up on a coin from Niue.
Manga
Books
Other media
More from the page
08Did you know?
Charmander trivia
Name origins, design secrets and the facts that make Charmander such a fan favourite.
What’s in a name?
Charmander's English name is a hot-blooded mash-up: 'char', to scorch or burn, and 'salamander' – the amphibian that folklore long imagined could live in fire. In 1999 Game Freak's own website spelled out that recipe, while in a 2016 interview Tsunekazu Ishihara offered a slightly different blend: 'charcoal' plus Salamandra, the genus that includes the fire salamanders. Its Japanese name, Hitokage, puts together hi (fire) and tokage (lizard), and as a single word, hitokage, it means a salamander – literally a 'fire lizard'. So in both languages the little Lizard Pokémon is named after the creature folklore said could thrive in flames.
Design origins
Charmander was designed by Atsuko Nishida, who also designed its evolutions. It was conceived specifically as a lizard, and its name points to the salamander – an amphibian that looks lizard-like and that European folklore cast as a fire spirit able to survive in flames. The lizard look also sets up its future: Charizard draws on the European dragon, and Western dragon legends have always borrowed heavily from lizards and other reptiles. Stand Charmander up on its sturdy hind legs and you can see a third influence, too, as it resembles a baby theropod dinosaur. Early on its look was still settling down: the Generation I sprites and original artwork gave it a little row of spikes along its back, and Nishida's three-fingered sprites became four-fingered in Ken Sugimori's artwork – a split that lingers today, with the anime keeping three fingers and the games' 3D models using four.
Names around the world
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ヒトカゲ Hitokage | From hi (fire) and tokage (lizard); hitokage (火蜥蜴) also means a salamander or fire salamander |
| French | Salamèche | From salamandre (salamander) and mèche (wick) |
| German | Glumanda | From Glut (ember) and Salamander |
| Spanish | Charmander | Same as the English name |
| Italian | Charmander | Same as the English name |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Charmander | Same as the English name |
| Korean | 파이리 Pairi | From fire and kkori (tail) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 小火龍 / 小火龙 Xiǎohuǒlóng | From xiǎo (small), huǒ (fire) and lóng (dragon) |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 小火龍 Síufólùhng | From síu (small), fó (fire) and lùhng (dragon) |
| Russian | Чармандер Charmander | Transcription of the English name |
| Thai | ฮิโตคาเงะ Hitokhange | Transcription of the Japanese name |
| Hindi | चारमैंडर Cārmaiṇḍar | Transcription of the English name |
| Arabic | تشارمندر Charmander | Transcription of the English name |
| Hebrew | צ'רמנדר Charmander | Transcription of the English name |
| Bulgarian | Чармандър Charmandŭr | Transcription of the English name |
| Lithuanian | Žavingasis | From the English name |
Did you know?
- Charmander's base stats are identical to Cyndaquil's, point for point – and the match holds right up through both evolutionary lines.
- Its Generation I sprites and first artwork gave it a small row of spikes down its back; Blue's Charmander in Pokémon Adventures still shows them off.
- Count its fingers and you may get a different answer: Atsuko Nishida's original sprites have three, Ken Sugimori's artwork has four – and today the anime sticks with three while the 3D game models use four.
- In Yellow and in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, a boy on Route 24 hands over his Charmander because he feels he has not raised it well – an echo of the anime's Damian.
- In Sword and Shield, the Charmander that Leon leaves in his room for you already carries the Gigantamax Factor.
- In the original Pokémon Snap, a Charmander singed by Magmar's fire evolves into Charmeleon – and knocking a Charmeleon into the lava makes it evolve into Charizard.
- Pokémon GO's October 2020 Community Day made Charmander the first Pokémon to be featured again with a different exclusive move: Dragon Breath.
- Its Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy sums it up in one line: 'It just downright likes hot stuff.'
- In PokéPark Wii, Charmander is one of Pikachu's best friends – and becomes Blaziken's pupil after nearly tumbling into the lava.
- Pokémon Sleep calls one of its sleep styles 'Crackling Sleep', and says you can almost hear its flame burning on quiet nights.
- In Pokémon Conquest, Charmander evolves not at a set level but once its Attack stat reaches 50.
- Pokémon Quest sells a Charmander Flag decoration that makes move-learning training one and a half times more likely to succeed.
- In 2001 the Pacific nation of Niue issued a commemorative $1 silver coin with Charmander on one side and the island's coat of arms on the other.
- Fast-food fans could take home a glowing Charmander: a light-up toy from Burger King in 1999 and a light-up tail toy from McDonald's in 2001.
- Charmander reached manga before television: in the first chapter of Pokémon Pocket Monsters (March 1996) it sets Clefairy's tail on fire.
- Charmander appears in the music video for Ed Sheeran's 'Celestial', made for Pokémon's 2022 collaboration with the singer.
09Quizzes, archive & further reading
More Charmander
Test yourself
Professor Oak's Kanto Quiz: BeginnerProfessor Oak has a few questions before you set foot in the tall grass. How well do you know the region where it all began?Take the quiz →
Who's That Pokémon? Kanto: BeginnerIt's the classic challenge! Can you name these original 151 Pokémon from their silhouettes alone?Take the quiz →
Indigo League Anime: IntermediateGrab your cap and set off on Ash's very first adventure. How much do you remember from the Indigo League days?Take the quiz →Ash & Pikachu Anime: BeginnerFrom his first step out of Pallet Town to the top of the world, how well do you know Ash and Pikachu's legendary journey?Take the quiz →
Pokémon Horizons Anime: BeginnerAll aboard for a brand-new adventure! See how well you know Liko, Roy and the crew of Pokémon Horizons: The Series.Take the quiz →
Mewtwo Strikes Back: BeginnerThe film that brought Pokémon to cinemas everywhere! How well do you remember Pokémon: The First Movie?Take the quiz →From the archive: Gengar’s Online Pokédex
Before this page, Pokémon Dungeon was home to Gengar’s Online Pokédex, the classic fan Pokédex for Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver & Crystal by Curtis Alumbaugh (Gengar) with Ian Alumbaugh (Haunter). Its Charmander entry is preserved in full, with its original art, moves and locations.
Further reading
Pokémon and all related names, artwork, sprites, screenshots and card images are © Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc. and The Pokémon Company, used here for fan commentary. Images via the Bulbagarden Archives. Page updated 24 October 2026.