Tag: Charmander

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10)

Charizard #6

Rebecca Panks2 Comments
Charizard, Charmeleon and Charmander watching TV

Besides sport, other recreation Charizard enjoys includes spending time with friends and family, watching TV, and any competitivity generally. Image Credit: Thyfany Ron

There can be nothing more rewarding and frustrating than owning a Charizard. They can take you to new heights (quite literally, with Charizard riding classes), but they can sure bring you to your knees, too.

Especially if you have bred your Charizard from a Charmander, you should have a good understanding by now that your Charizard is very independent in nature. They can be very headstrong, and you will have a hard time convincing them to change their mind. However, they are fiercely loyal to those who understand their integrity and treat them with respect.

Where to find one

Charizard have two loves in life: sleeping and flying. While I very much advise against waking a Charizard from its slumber—both due to the rage you will be confronted with, and the rather volcanic location in which this Pokémon makes its bed—catching one in flight won’t exactly be an easy option either. They may not look it from their bulky frame, but they are fast. The top speed was recorded by a Charizard owned by Sir Mark Tauras, which clocked in at astonishing 3,100 miles per hour. True, this took a lot of dedicated training, but it showcases the capabilities of these creatures. The last thing you want is your pursuit of a Charizard turning into it pursuing you!

If you are intent on capturing from the wild, I can’t stress enough how important respect and honour is in your dealings. I have seen some quite horrific-looking nets and other traps being used to help ease large-Pokémon captures, but contraptions like these are not only dangerous but will go no way towards forming a friendship and genuine connection with your new Pokémon partner.

Instead, we may be best to look to some of the successful catches in history for inspiration. For example, I’d recommend the book ‘The Memoire of James, S. Thompson’, which covers how this famous Pokémon battler and traveller located, scoped out, and used food bait to lure the Charizard from hiding in order to formally challenge him to a duel. Or, you could learn about Terri Mendella, who was an entrepreneur of Pokémon resorts who befriended her Charizard by offering it free leisure time at the hot baths.

I would recommend that the safest and most solid way of obtaining a Charizard is to raise it from a Charmander. Not only does this avoid the long search and dangerous perils of locating a wild Charizard, but the working relationship will be stronger.

Raising for battle

Charizard are powerhouses, with the firepower to burn down entire streets if they get out of hand. Safe to say you will need some tough and fire-resistant equipment.

By the time it reaches Charizard stage, this Pokémon is already a highly skilled fighter, so I’d be surprised if you still need to train base offensive/defensive. More foe-specific training is likely to be on the agenda. However, there is still likely to be some new environment-based weaknesses cropping up, compared with Charmeleon. For example, being able to fly now removes the weakness to ground types, but lighting is now an issue. Remember to make good use of any stormy weather when training to practice your electricity tolerance. I know one or two Charizard trainers that have installed lightening rods in their training yards for just this.

Outside of the yard, keep an eye on Charizard’s weight. They can become a touch lazy when not in battle, but this can hurt their game in the long run. Try to inspire your Pokémon with competition. There are several Charizard racing circuits you could get involved with, as well as other sports, ranging from hot-spring volleyball (great for getting Charizard comfortable in the water) and clay Pidgey shooting (great to keep those directional skills sharp).

Keeping Charizard happy and healthy

I’ve mentioned getting your Charizard involved with competitive sports already, but, it is worth repeating! Charizard tends to have a lot of pent-up energy and little motivation to do anything about it. This can lead to destructive habits. I visited the National Pokémon Rehabilitation Center in San José recently, which specialises in large Pokémon, and I saw cases ranging from street fighting to cow and Miltank theft, and even full-blown arson. Of course, a test Charizard won’t make for a good housemate either.

Besides sport, other recreation Charizard enjoys includes spending time with friends and family, watching TV, and any competitivity generally. I knew an elderly Charizard in New York that was practically unbeatable at Chess. Another favourite is spa days. Actually, there can be amazing training and stat benefits from spas: mud baths for rock defence, hot tubs and saunas for water defence, pools for swimming strength (find the ones with tidal settings for a surprise challenge).

Healthwise, be careful with Charizard’s teeth—especially if you heavily rely on historic Charmeleon moves like Fire Fang and Dragon Breath. While they are natural flame retardant, they can get brittle with age and are prone to cracks. You can get some great dental plans for large Pokémon that save you a lot of headache further down the line.

It is actually nigh impossible to douse a Charizard’s tail with water, so you don’t really have that worry anymore. However, best to keep up your tail health routines from the Charmander/Charmeleon days.

Overall

Overall, Charizard is an independent spirit that needs a respectful and understanding owner. You’ll need all your wit and enthusiasm to encourage them to keep active and battle-fit, but, in return, you will get a loyal and trusty companion who will adore beating you over and over at board games. They may not be for the feint of heart, but they sure capture the heart.

Click here to see the guide posts for Charmander and Charmeleon

Click here to read a story about how a trainer confronts a Charizard that has been terrorising their village

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Stories

Al (A Charmander Story) – Part II

Rebecca Panks1 Comment

Image Credit. Thyfany Ron

This is part II of this story. If you’ve not yet read part I, head there now!

Al woke up feeling like he had never felt before. The blanket underneath him was soft, the temperature toasty and the air cool. But despite all of the pleasant sensations, he felt an ingrained sense of panic. Where was his pack?

The room of the Pokécentre buzzed with a hum of working nurses as they seemed to glide from bed to bed. Al pushed himself further under the blanket and away from the glare of the lights. He felt like he had fallen through the window of Al’s Chicken Shack and landed slap bang in the middle of it all, except the cooks and smells of food had been replaced with a clinical odour. Alongside that was the smell of a wide range of different Pokémon.

Al grumbled to himself. He thought of Elvis and Scarface. He thought of the sound of their breathing and the smell of their home. He nibbled and sucked on part of the blanket as he imagined his mother finally returning to the nest and taking his brothers into her arms. In his imaginings, they mistook him for dead and ventured off as a family, leaving him alone.

*

Camille had to wait three days before the nurses would let her in to see the Charmander. He had been placed on the wild Pokémon ward, so it had taken a lot of persuading. She followed a nurse, watching the bow on the back of her pinny bounce as she walked. Next to her, a Chansey bounded holding a big pile of towels. It kept glancing back at Camille every couple of steps.

“We have good news and bad news”, said the nurse, “the Charmander has recovered from his injuries but , unfortunately, he isn’t stabilising. He won’t eat and his flame is staying low.”

Camille peered at the hospital cart and saw two eyes peeking out from under a blanket, huddled over a small wavering flame. She went to reach towards it, but Chansey tapped her hand.

“We’re going to try him on an IV, but its difficult with such a young Pokémon. He needs his mother, really. You said you didn’t see her around?”

The eyes under the blanket closed.

“No”, said Camille.

*

Al didn’t like the nurses. The tall human pricked him with a needle, which Al managed to carefully pull out with his teeth later, while the large, dumpy Pokémon kept watching him all the time. He tried moving his legs, but his muscles were stiff and sore. The blanket now felt itchy on his back.

He flipped between dosing and slowly flicking his tail. The methodical flicking soothed him. When he slept, he dreamt of rain, of nests and of mothers. He had vague memories of his egg; the moving shadows dancing on the outside of the shell. While he hadn’t yet had the capacity for thought, sometimes he remembered a guttural purring vibration as his mother cared for the eggs. Like a hum, like singing.

Somewhere in-between sleep and living, he felt his body being lifted and was only gasped back to full consciousness with a breath of fresh night-time air. He looked up with blurred eyes and scented with his nose. The oily smell of car engines and the harried breath of Camille filled his nostrils, yet it felt glorious to be outside.

*

Camille couldn’t leave the Charmander there to die. Sneaking him out was actually much easier than she thought it’d be, but she felt bad for locking Chansey in the supply cupboard. It was only a matter of time before the centre found out so she ran, Al clutched to her chest still wrapped in the hospital blanket, back towards the alley.

She’d just turned the corner by the restaurant when she heard the whine of a police bike. It may not have been coming for her, but her heart hammered anyway. She knelt down on the wet cobbles, not quite sure what to do. Charmander never wandered far from their nest, so there must be a mother around here somewhere.

She unwrapped Al, who still looked a little dozy from the medication. She rubbed his back gently to stir him, “Come on fella, make a sound for your mummy to hear”.

The Charmander looked up at her sadly, but made a noise anyway. Camille was shocked to hear a little chirrup in response, followed by a thick growl. She span towards the drainpipe, where a crash of lightening revealed the shining eyes of two more small Charmander, Scarface and Elvis – though, of course, she didn’t know their names.

Moving very slowly as to not startle the scared babies, Camille lowered the blanketed Al towards the disused drainpipe. Scarface and Elvis backed further in, allowing enough room for her to put him down out of the rain. Surrounded my familiar smells, Al seemed to perk up a bit and he murmured weakly to his brothers. Camille backed away and watched as Elvis and Scarface cuddled around him. Three babies on a rainy night, yet no mother in sight.

To be continued….

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Makes and Fun Spots

Signs of the Flame: How to Read Your Charmander’s Tail

Rebecca Panks1 Comment
Pokémon communication specialists have long researched these methods to try and find out how we can best talk to our Pokémon to support their well-being . Image Credit: Scottish LebUwU

Being social Pokémon in the wild, Charmander have developed a complex communication method using their tails. Two Charmander can speak effectively with each other when hunting without making a sound – though verbal communication is also a big part of Charmander life on the whole. Pokémon communication specialists have long researched these methods to try and find out how we can best talk to our Pokémon to support their well-being. This guide introduces nine of the ways you can read your Charmander’s tail to see his mood and health.

A relaxed tail with a medium flame (Top Left)

This is a happy/content tail. A healthy Charmander should be like this most of the time. However, remember that Pokémon have feelings – just like you and me – so just like you’re not always happy and content, neither is he. A happy Charmander may also play with their tails, either chasing them, dancing them or sometimes just giving them a gentle sway. They don’t call it a ‘happy medium’ for nothing – and this is the same for your Charmander’s flame. Not too large, not too small is just right.

To help make your Charmander happier, try encouraging him to partake in his favourite activities. Sometimes Charmander get depressed if they don’t have enough opportunities to hunt, for example. Or, perhaps your Charmander enjoys nightly strolls with you. Quality time is the perfect way to help cheer up your friend.

A relaxed tail with a large, roaring flame (Top Middle)

This is a very angry/I’m showing off my power tail. The two types should be easy to tell between.

A very angry Charmander may accompany tail movements with biting, snarling, a furrowed brow, scratching and crouching. Mature Charmander rarely get to this level of anger without cause, so make sure you stop whatever you are doing and have a time out. If it is an external factor that is causing the problem, remove your Charmander from the situation and perhaps talk it out with him when he begins to calm down.

If your Charmander is very young, he may not have received the right guidance from his pack as to the right and wrong times to get angry. In these cases, strong and sure guidance is essential so that your friend doesn’t develop behaviour problems later on. Get him to a Pokémon Breeder as soon as possible for advice as to whether he needs anger management or simple behaviour classes.

A Charmander who has boosted his flame to show off his power may be trying to look tough in front of an adversary or trying to look good in front of its mates (or you, its trainer). If this is infrequent, don’t worry about it, as it can be part of your Charmander’s everyday socialisation. If it happens too often, or if your Charmander starts ‘facing off’ against you, he may be feeling insecure in his ranking in a social group or unhappy with the intensiveness of your training.

A tail flicking from side to side (Top Right)

This is an annoyed tail, and one of the easiest ways to tell if your Charmander is uncomfortable with something. Don’t be confused with the happy-go-lucky dancing where the tail will flick around in different directions – the angry flicking will be flat and consistent: almost like a metronome. He could use this tail for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from not getting fed at his usual time to bickering with his siblings or frustrated after losing a battle. He may also use this movement to show he is hungry or tired.

This level of anger can usually be averted with a quick distraction. Try rubbing his head, having a chat, or suggesting he take a break.

A tail in front of the body with a medium to large flame (Middle Left)

This is a typical prepared-to-battle tail. You’ll get to know this very well if you are training your Charmander for the Pokémon league. It will usually be paired with a standing stance, a slightly bent knee and a toothy grin. This isn’t the only battle stance – your Charmander may adopt a unique one of his own – but it is the most common one I have seen. Your Charmander shouldn’t really be using this stance outside of battle, but sometimes it is incorporated into play between friends.

A tail arched over the back with a low flame (Middle Middle)

This is a crouching or hunting tail. You will see this when your Charmander is hunting prey such as rodents or small lizards. Charmander will often hunt in packs, so your Charmander may try to encourage you to hunt with him and get very frustrated when you scare away the prey. Perhaps team up with a Pokémon friend who can be a better hunting buddy.

An erect tail with a low flame (Middle Right)

This is a surprised or afraid tail. Ever seen your Charmander watching a scary movie and the monster jumps at the screen? When Charmander feels sudden fear, his muscles stiffen as part of the ‘fight or flight’ response. His tail follows suit, straightening along the length, while the flame dips so that the Charmander can either run without the flame getting in the way or he can flash the flame up in an intimidation display.

If your Charmander is slowly becoming more afraid (for example when watching a slow-burn horror film), you can sometimes notice the tail getting progressively straighter and the flame smaller.

A relaxed tail with a very large flame with specks of white at the core (Bottom Left)

This is an overpowered tail and a sign that Charmander is getting too many nutrients or too much food. A Charmander’s diet can be a little tough to manage as they have a tendency towards gluttony. Always portion your Charmander’s meals and never give in if he begs, as a Charmander’s belly is never full.

Getting too much food can increase your Charmander’s risk factor of diseases such as obesity and diabetes. The enlarged flame that comes as a response to these conditions can also be difficult to manage, increasing fire risks around the home. In addition, the possibility of being accidentally burned by your Charmander increases when his flame is harder to control.

A relaxed but dirty tail with a medium to low flame that has specks of blue in it (Bottom Middle)

This means Charmander has not been taking care of himself. This may be a result of a wide array of different physical and mental problems, as well as a simple hygiene issue. Watch out for other signs of illness such as pale gums, retracted pupils, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and lethargy.

If you don’t see any of these symptoms but your Charmander is still dirty or smelly, you may need to teach him the importance of keeping clean. Take him to a Pokémon Centre (or general health centre) to speak with a specialist who can help set up a hygiene routine. Encourage your Charmander to get involved, perhaps including a sticker reward chart. Eventually, he should learn to do things by himself without the need for a reward.

A weak, floppy tail with a low (but still red) flame (Bottom Right)

This is a sick/injured/very sad tail. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell between a Charmander under a sad spell and those that are depressed and sick. However, if you see your Charmander in this condition and the tail does not change position for around half an hour, get him to the Pokémon centre right away, as it could be a medical emergency. Being predators, Charmander usually hide their illness quite well, so he may still look energetic, despite his illness.

If you have been to a health centre and your Charmander has been given a full bill of health, yet you are still seeing a sad tail, perhaps speak with a Pokémon therapist to see if they can work out what the issue is.

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Stories

The Hitokage Detective Agency (A Charmander Story)

jackbumby1 Comment

Story by Jack Bumby

The Hitokage Detective Agency (Charmander Story #1)
It was our first job – literally the very first, we’d barely even set up shop. Image credit: Thyfany Ron

The water splashed up at my torso.

“That’s just swell.”

“Char! Char!” Charmander scolded, from his position on my shoulder.

“It didn’t go anywhere near your tail flame, Charmander. Stop your whining.” I continued through the tunnel. It was getting deeper. We were just passing beneath the factory labs at this point. I made a quiet prayer to myself that it was only water splashing me and not chemical waste or runoff from some unpleasant experiment. The labyrinthian system beneath the factory had turned out to be a lot easier to navigate than I’d expected, thanks in no small part to my Charmander and his impeccable sense of direction. His tail flame also lit up the tunnels better than any torch could. He was a regular swiss-army Pokémon.

“Charmander, up ahead.” I pointed forward at the upcoming crossroads. Charmander raised his claw to his chin and scratched. The flame on his tail pulsed and wavered.

“Char! Char!” He pointed right.

“Thanks pal.” I turned right, deeper into that warren of confusion.

*

It was our first job – literally the very first, we’d barely even set up shop. We’d not even paid the first month of rent on the office. I was still moving my desk in when an old guy knocked on the glass of our door. Our first client.

“Are you the Hitokage Detective Agency?” his nasally voice whispered into the office.

Actually, forget about old. This guy was prehistoric. I remember almost jumping out of my skin when I saw his shrivelled face peering in, the huge spectacles magnifying his cloudy ancient eyes, his bald and liver-spotted head serrated by the shadow of the office blinds. My first thought was that it was a Pokémon I’d never seen before. I’d heard they were cloning ancient Pokémon in a lab somewhere, but no, this was just a man. I put on my business face, invited him in, and heard him out.

Like anyone else who still lived in that hellhole, he worked in a factory. In fact, he owned a handful of factories, he explained. And his top factory was in trouble, someone kept blocking the inflow pipe and it looked like corporate espionage. He wanted us to catch the criminals in the act. It wasn’t the romantic first case I’d imagined but he was paying in cash. The money was good. And besides, in Gringey city, romance was a foreign word.

“Sir, we’ll take the case.” I said once he’d explained his situation. He stuck out a cold and leathery hand – the texture and colour was the same as the hide of a Sandshrew – and I shook it with a wince. Once he’d left and Charmander had woken from his nap, we headed out into the haze and smokestacks of Gringey City.

*

“Char! Char!” He pointed forward. I could see it too. The tunnel was getting wider. It was getting shallower too. Which was good, because moments earlier it had almost reached my chest. I’d nearly had to carry Charmander above my head, which wouldn’t have gone down well. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the light of his tail flame reflect off of something on the wall. I moved closer. The brick here was dark and furry-looking, as it had been since we entered the tunnel. But in this section of the tunnel, the wall glistened with a shimmering film, like someone had sneezed all over it.

“What do you reckon Charmander?”

“Char…”

“Yeah, I’m not stupid. I wasn’t exactly going to stick my hand in it.” I saw his tail flame flicker. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. This place is freaking me out.”

“Char!” I felt his hand grip my shirt.

“You too, huh?”

“Char! Char!”

His attention was no longer on the wall. I saw that he was pointing off further down the tunnel. Something was down there.

“Ok, calm down pal.” We began moving down the tunnel. I could feel him rumbling on my shoulder, getting ready to attack. His tail began to light up the remainder of the tunnel. A dead-end. The wall at the far end was covered in the same slime.

“Char!”

“I thought you were leading us to the inflow pipe?”

“CHAR!”

“Don’t shout at me, you’re the one who led us down a dead-end.”

But all of a sudden it made sense. Charmander wasn’t shouting at me. He was shouting at the wall. The wall that was slick with a sticky substance. The wall that had begun to twist and writhe. Spots of moonlight shot through the wall as cracks began to appear. It seemed to be alive. Looking up, I realised that the ceiling of the tunnel was bending and snaking too, in the same eldritch way as the wall. Something fell from the top of the tunnel with a wet slap. It landed in the water at our feet, a large pile of purple goo. Charmander was urging me to move, but I couldn’t look away. Two eyes appeared out of the goo. Then a toothless, gaping maw.

“GRIIIIIME!” it croaked. Something inside of me snapped, the spell of fear that had been cast over me broke. I began to back away.

“Ok Charmander, not too quick. Let’s just-“ My sentence was cut short as a pile of the gunk hit me on the back, propelling Charmander from my shoulder. Another hit my other shoulder, sending me sprawling.

“Char! Char!” He stood on his tiptoes, holding his flame high above the dirty water.

“Hold on Charmander. Just keep your tail out of the water.” Another mound of sludge hit my belly as I tried to scramble to my feet, knocking the wind out of me. I went to scream, and a heap landed on my face. I felt it begin to seep down my throat. Some began clogging my nose. I couldn’t breathe. The smell of sulphur and mould was unbearable.

“GRIIIIIME!”

I felt more land on my arms and legs as they pushed me under the water. There were dull vibrations as more of the things landed around me. I began to black out.

“CHAAAAAAAAAAR!” There was a blast of heat overhead, above the water. I felt the muddy weights move off me in a flash, retreating from the flames. I could hear muted squeals. Desperate for air, I threw my head above the water as soon as the fire disappeared and took in a deep gasp. My mouth still tasted foul. Behind me, Charmander stood still holding his tail above the water. Smoke curled around his snout.

“Flamethrower, huh?” I croaked.

“Char!”

“Well done buddy, I think you just saved me from a whole heap of trouble.” I stood up and spat out the last of the grime. The Pokémon seemed to have fled, revealing the inflow pipe at the end of the tunnel, where the pulsating wall had been just moments earlier. I reached down and picked up Charmander, putting him on my shoulder.

“Char?”

“I don’t have a clue. But they were disgusting. At least they seem to have gone now. They must have been clogging up the inflow pipe.”

“Char! Char!”

“Yeah, I guess it was a success. Though when they make the movie adaptation of our life stories, they can leave out this case.” We began walking back out of the tunnel. Charmander’s tail was flickering and glowing.

“Char!”

“Of course you’d be the star of the film.”

“Char?”

“I don’t think you’d want him to play you.”

“Char!”

“Good point. C’mon, let’s go get paid.”

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10)

Charmander (#4)

Rebecca Panks1 Comment
To this day, I still have not worked out how this Pokémon hides so well. Image credit: Laurie MacQueen

Charmander are gutsy little fire breathers that have a strong will to please. They are brave beyond their years, often defending a loved one until near death and no matter the odds. With careful training, they can be powerful in battle but it takes a dedicated trainer to unlock their true potential.

They are also surprisingly social and enjoy a pack lifestyle. Young ones quickly make strong family bonds, often becoming over-attached to an imprinted ‘mother’. This can cause some disputes when Charmander is bred as a companion Pokémon, as jealousy issues may occur if not quickly managed. However, this pack-mindedness can also be a benefit, allowing Charmander to quickly adapt to family life.

Where to find one?

Charmander live in volcanic regions in warm climates. They have also been found in deserts or beaches in countries near the equator. Their ecological niches make catching one a difficult task.

If you manage to make your way through the rugged terrain, your next issue will be their rarity. To this day, I still have not worked out how this Pokémon hides so well. He has a flame on his tail for Pete’s sake, you’d think he’d shine from miles away at night. I have heard rumours that Charmander numbers are actually much greater than we think and that they live in networks of underground tunnels. I laughed at this at the start of my career, but it does go some way to explain their capture rate. I have also heard there are some professional Charmander trackers for hire near Cinnabar Island, but they charge by the hour and its really not guaranteed you will spot them, even with expert guidance.

So, you’ve conquered the terrain and you’ve actually found a Charmander. What’s the next challenge? Its pack. As I mentioned earlier, Charmander form strong pack bonds that stay cemented until they evolve. This can make it tricky to find a wild Charmander that wants to join you. I have tried to hint throughout these articles about the importance of Pokémon free-will when it comes to capturing. Charmander is one of those Pokémon where this makes a big difference. These are feisty Pokémon that happily work as a team to drive away predators – you for example. Their packs are insanely in-sync. Scientists have studied communication patterns in Charmander, finding that they use a mixture of vocalisation, tail position and eye contact to talk to one another. Whatever they do, they do it well.

If you are intent on catching a Charmander in the wild, I’d recommend spending at least six months tailing a Charmander pack. This may seem excessive, but trust me it will make all the difference. You won’t be able to follow them everywhere, of course, but a pack will have a particular location they return to every day. Usually an oasis or hot spring. They are quite habitual Pokémon, so there is no real danger of the pack spontaneously disappearing completely, as long as there aren’t any huge ecological changes. Find out where their favourite resting place is, camp out there and get as close as they’ll allow. Earn their trust and you might be lucky in that one of them makes a pack bond with you.

However, with all that said, I suggest talking to a breeder. You’ll save yourself a lot of effort and get a much easier-to-train partner who sees you as his true pack.

Raising for battle

A lot of people get excited when I mention Charmander. People often grow up seeing grass Pokémon, normal types and even fighting types everywhere. But fire types? They’re not as big a part of people’s pre-trainer life because they’re usually hidden in urban areas, working as chefs or in engine rooms. That’s if they’re allowed to work at all. Charmander is just not practical for most office environments – that tail is hazardous! Therefore, battling is the reason that 95% of Charmander trainers choose to work with this species. What a choice, I say!

Therefore, battling is the reason that 95% of Charmander trainers choose to work with this species. What a choice, I say! Image credit: Hālian

The Charmander line is one of the biggest challenges to a trainer, but the reward can be huge. The power held by a Charizard can be out of this world. Charmander can hold quite a punch, too. I may be biased, as I spent my early trainer days working with fire types, but I’d say Charmander is one of the toughest of Professor Oak’s popular ‘starters’ programme.

The initial years of Charmander training is overcoming the hurdle of fire control, This is a biggie. Fresh out of the egg, your Charmander won’t know what is a suitable level of flame for different situations and this is something you will need to teach him. In the wild, he learns this from his pack. One of the key methods here is positive reinforcement. That is, whenever your Charmander is showing behaviour you want to see (nice low-flame tail in the house, and nice big flame on the battlefield for example) you give him a treat. This will slowly-but-surely get the message across.

Once he has the hang of flame control, start showing him the destructive power of his flame, especially on the battlefield. Get together a small collection of dry leaves in autumn and let him set fire to them (always remember fire safety), go camping and teach him how to start a camp fire, or cook smores over his tail. This will help train sustainable fire use and heat flares, which is all good training for using Ember and Flame Burst later down the line.

A Charmander’s flame isn’t the strongest, compared with other fire types. But, he has some other arsenal. His Smokescreen and Growl can be a formidable support to flame attacks, while his scratch can be a good way to finish off an opponent.

Charmander is very weak to water types, so some water training might come in handy. Try squirting him with a small water gun (not at the tail) to build up his resistance and dodging abilities.

Keeping Charmander happy and healthy

We’ve all heard the rumours about the importance of a Charmander’s tail and for the most part these are true. But, things aren’t as straight forward as they look. For example, yes, a Charmander will be very affected if their tail flame is extinguished. However, an unlit tail doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to die. This Pokémon has exact control over the intensity of its flame from an early age, and its status often reflects a whole range of things, from health to emotion. As a Charmander trainer, the first thing you should do is learn to read his tail. I have put together a basic guide; perhaps I’ll find it out for you. But, no two Charmander are alike and you should take the time to get to know the ins and outs of his tail language.

Another thing you can do to help Charmander get along is take care of its claws. Like our fingernails, these grow constantly throughout the Charmander’s life, and he will need you to help cut them for him. You can do this yourself, or you can take him to the Pokécentre day clinics.

Charmander are quite happy to be inactive for most of the day. They like to sunbathe and keep warm, but this is not essential to their survival. While he may be lazy, he does like to socialise. It is very important to make sure your Charmander is not left alone for more than two hours. A Pokémon companion is fine, or just a digital connection to you if that is all you can do, but he may develop strong separation anxiety if left.

Overall

Overall, Charmander are social butterflies that excel at fighting. They are tough to train, but very rewarding in later evolution lines. Always remember to be respectful and thoughtful and I am sure you and your Charmander will get along just fine.

Charmander live in volcanic regions in warm climates. They have also been found in deserts or beaches in countries near the equator. Image credit: Hoop Studio