Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue are the first introductions to the Pokemon series for Americans. However, they are very different from later games in the series. The amount of available pokemon is smaller, but if you know what you are doing the game can be much easier than later ones when doing Nuzlockes.
While you don’t have a lot of choice in a nuzlocke it is always a good idea to know what to keep your eyes out for. Due to the smaller pool of pokemon, it is easier to get some of these pokemon on your team.
Nidoking/Nidorino/Nidoran
Nidoran is a beast, and in the very broken generation one, it is can be an asset throughout the game. The pokemon can be found on Route 22 and in the Safari Zone as a Nidoran. The other option is finding it as a Nidorino as in the Safari Zone. On Route 22 it is has a 35% chance of appearing which is pretty good.
Poison and Ground is a pretty solid combo, but why Nidoking is insane takes some very investigation. Nidoran benefits from an early powerful evolution into Nidorino, but what makes it great is that you can get a Nidoking soon after. The Moon Stone can be found twice right before Misty in Mt.Moon. This means you can have a fully evolved pokemon right before the second gym.
However, Nidoking doesn’t learn many moves after it evolves. This is mediated by the great TM pool that it can learn. Ice Beam, Bubble-beam, Surf, Thunderbolt, and Fire Blast can give you great coverage against several of the gym leaders and elite four members. However, the best move is Earthquake which not only is a great move but gives you same type attack bonus.
Nidoking suffers from Psychic and Water types, but that is something you can workaround. In Pokemon Red and Blue, you need to find a way to take out psychics as they are generally pretty strong. However, you should easily be able to find a pokemon that can cover the water weakness. If you have the opportunity to use Nidoking you should take it.
Gyarados/Magikarp
Magikarp is not good. However, Gyarados is one of the best pokemon in general. Magikarp can be found in any water source via the old rod. Gyarados can not be caught in the wild so you must evolve a Magikarp to level 20. Gyarados has insane stats, and the grind is worth it.
Generation 1 has a lot of quirks, and one of them is the Special stat. The Special stat is the special attack and defense ability of a pokemon. Gyarados has a Special stat of 100 which means it hits hard and is tanky. However, Gyarados has an impressive stat line across the board.
Water is a generally good type to be in the game. Gyarados can solo Blaine who is the fire-type gym leader. Gyarados can knock a couple of the elite four members easily. Dragon types can also be handled well by Gyarados as they can learn Ice Beam through TM, and Dragon Rage at level 25.
The problem is that Gyarados is very exposed to the effects of electric-type pokemon. Generation one has a great selection of ground types, so finding a way to fill that weakness should be no problem.
Snorlax
This is one of the few guaranteed encounters in the game. Outside of starters and gift pokemon you have very little choice in what you get per location. However, Snorlax can be found twice on both Route 12 and 16. Both times Snorlax is caught at a fairly respectable level 30.
Snorlax is bulky, and can take quite a bit of damage. Normally you will have caught this pokemon right after Erika, and leading into the middle game. Sabrina, Koga, and the battles at Silph Co can be the first really rough fights if you played your cards right. Snorlax can be another option for your team as the game starts to get more difficult. It can be a great wall to switch into.
In regards to moveset, the choices are actually fairly limited. Snorlax only learns 4 moves through leveling up and has three moves when you catch it. Amnesia increases the user’s Special by two stages, and it is broken in the first generation. This paired with Rest for health regen gives Snorlax some good utility. This should be paired with Body Slam and Hyper Beam as your offensive moves.
Rattata/Raticate
This is probably the most controversial pick on the list, but I stand by it. Rattata is practically a guaranteed encounter if you play using a duplicate clause. However, it is one of the most solid pokemon for the early game. Normal types don’t have any good type advantages, but Raticate has the power to take on most of the game’s early challenges.
Raticate has access to Quick Attack and Hyper Fang early on, and those are the moves that take you a long way. Hyper Fang has a high damage output for the early game and a one in ten chance of making the opponent flinch. Quick attack has high priority, and can be a good way to pick off weaken pokemon.
Raticate is useless for the Brock fight. However, in the Misty and Rival fight in Celadon city Raticate can be a great asset. Once it evolves at level 20 the power increases, and you can take down most of the Rival’s pokemon. Raticate is solid until the fourth gym where I think it starts to fade out of usability. In the middle game you should have access to a huge amount of amazing pokemon, or at least be able to create a solid team.
Raticate will likely be put on the bench before you get to Sabrina, but it will always be remembered as the pokemon that got you out of the beginning of the game.
Any Psychic Type
Psychic-type is overpowered in the first generation due to not really having any weakness. Bug-type offensive moves are non-existent which is the psychics only weakness. This means that if you can get a psychic-type pokemon then pick it up. Drowzee is the most reliable pokemon to pick up. However, If you are able to luck out then an Abra can be an auto-win for your run.
In Conclusion
Pokemon Red and Blue are broken masterpieces and are one of the most interesting nuzlocke experiences. The problems with the games are numerous, but trying to figure it out can be very rewarding. This is not a full list of the best pokemon in the game, but these are just some that I think you should go out of your wave to force an encounter in.