I think for me the starter trios started to struggle at Gen 5. Gen 1-4 really felt like it didn’t matter which you chose design wise and they all felt solid (yes stat wise they can be out classed by other things but none of them are outright bad). But I remember when I first started gen 5 and just couldn’t decide on which started because I didn’t like any of them, and from then on it always felt like there was only really one good Pokémon design wise, maybe 2 in some gens.
btw this is based off their first form and only their first form and dont forget, just like him, this is my opinion 1. piplup chimchar turtwig 2. bulbasaur charmander squirtle 3. quaxly fuecoco sprigatito 4. scorbunny grookey sobble 5. treecko mudkip torchic 6. cyndaquill totodile chikorita 7. popplio rowlett litten 8. fennekin froakie chespin 9. snivy tepig oshawott my opinion