The Best Ground-Type Pokémon to Use in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen
Ground‑type Pokémon are a valuable asset in the Kanto region, offering a strong mix of offensive pressure and defensive stability. As an attacking type, Ground is excellent, being one of the only physical types to hit both Rock and Steel for super‑effective damage. Ground is also super-effective against Fire, Electric, and the frequently encountered Poison-types, which are each represented by a Kanto gym you’ll need to defeat in order to become the champ.
Defensively, Ground Pokémon resist Poison and Bug and are completely immune to Electric attacks. By the time you reach the third gym, having a reliable Ground‑type partner can make that battle and several key battles much easier going forward.
Choosing the right Ground-type Pokémon depends on your team’s needs and your preferred playstyle. The guide below explains your options so you can confidently select the one that suits you best.
Nidoking
Nidoking is not only one of the strongest Ground types in the game but also one of the best overall Pokémon for a full playthrough. Its stats are solid across the board, but what truly sets it apart is its early availability and versatility.
After securing your first gym badge, you can catch a 
Nidoran male just east of Pewter City on Route 3. It evolves into 
Nidorino at level 16, and you can immediately evolve it into Nidoking using the 
Moon Stone found nearby in Mt. Moon. Having a fully evolved Pokémon before earning your second gym badge gives you a major advantage in trainer battles, including the upcoming rival battle near Nugget Bridge. However, players who chose 
Charmander may want to delay evolving Nidorino until after defeating Misty, since Nidoking is weak to Water while Nidorino is not.
After that point, Nidoking dominates the mid‑game, easily defeating most trainers and handling the Vermillion City gym leader, Lt. Surge without breaking a sweat. Its useful Poison typing helps it go neutral against Erika’s Grass gym and resist Koga’s Poison types. It performs extremely well against Blaine, sweeping his Fire team with a combination of 
Surf and 
Dig, and can contribute in the final gym battle against Giovanni with those same moves.
Nidoking’s move pool is another major strength and is what sets it apart from other Ground-types. It can effectively run both physical and special attacks and learns a wide range of TMs. Early options like 
Rock Tomb, Water Pulse, Dig, 
Brick Break, and 
Shock Wave provide excellent coverage. Later in the game, these can be upgraded to powerful moves such as Rock Slide, 
Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, 
Flamethrower, 
Shadow Ball, Surf, Earthquake, 
Megahorn and 
Sludge Bomb, giving Nidoking answers to nearly any situation. The only real downside to Nidoking is that most of its useful moves require heavy TM investment.
Dugtrio
Dugtrio has blazing base 120 Speed and a serviceable base 80 Attack, which allows it to out speed almost anything and sweep through teams that lack a bulky counter. Its best ability, Arena Trap, while amazing in the competitive scene, is unfortunately not very useful in‑game. The reason Dugtrio makes the list is its availability and low investment.
You can catch it as a 
Diglett in Diglett’s Cave just east of Vermilion City, and with some patience you can find a wild Dugtrio at level 29 or 31. Since only Diglett and Dugtrio appear in the cave, capturing one is simple. Just make sure to lead with a Flying Pokémon so you are not trapped by Arena Trap and knocked out by Magnitude or Dig.
With Dugtrio at your disposal, the nearby Vermilion City gym becomes trivial, as you’re able to out speed and one‑shot every Pokémon you’ll face, including Lt. Surge’s ace, 
Raichu. It continues to perform well throughout the game, outspeeding and knocking out most opponents before they can react. However, its defenses and HP are extremely low, so it is easily knocked out by strong counter attacks.
Dugtrio learns most of what it needs through level‑up, including the powerful Earthquake. Its coverage is limited, but moves like 
Tri Attack, 
Aerial Ace, Rock Slide, and Sludge Bomb can still be useful against foes who resist or are immune to Ground attacks.
Golem
For players who prefer a more defensive playstyle, 
Golem is an excellent choice. Its Rock typing and impressive base 130 Defense allow it to shrug off most physical attacks it isn’t weak to, and its base 110 Attack gives it plenty of offensive presence. The trade‑off is its very low Speed and its two crippling 4× weaknesses to Grass and Water, making it dominant in many matchups but extremely vulnerable in a few key ones.
One of Golem’s biggest advantages is its early availability. You can catch its first form, 
Geodude, shortly after earning your first gym badge by exploring Mt. Moon. Geodude performs well against the Normal, Flying, Bug, and Poison types common in the early game, and it pairs especially well with players who chose 
Bulbasaur as their starter. Geodude easily handles your rival’s 
Pidgey, 
Rattata, and Charmander, and it’s also one of the few Ground types available before facing Lt. Surge’s Electric‑type gym.
Geodude evolves into 
Graveler at level 25, and Graveler can immediately evolve into Golem via trade. This is fantastic if you have access to trading; if not, you’ll be using Graveler for the rest of the game. Graveler is still strong, but the inability to reach its final form may be a drawback for some players.
Golem benefits from a strong level‑up move pool, learning Rock Throw and Magnitude early for reliable STAB damage. You can also teach it Rock Tomb or Dig via early TMs if you prefer. Later on, it gains access to Earthquake and Double‑Edge, the latter pairing perfectly with its Rock Head ability to provide a powerful, recoil‑free Normal‑type attack. Golem also learns Self‑Destruct early at level 21 and Explosion later to replace it, the two strongest moves in the game. While they cause Golem to faint, they can be invaluable for removing major threats, such as Lance’s Dragonite.
Verdict
The Ground‑type is a reliable addition to any team thanks to its strong mix of offense and defense, and Kanto offers several excellent choices. You can’t really go wrong with any of the main options, but a few honorable mentions are worth highlighting.
First is 
Nidoqueen. She functions similarly to Nidoking but trades some power and speed for better bulk. Her movepool is nearly identical, though she generally can’t take advantage of it as effectively as her male counterpart.
Marowak and 
Sandslash are solid mono‑Ground options. Sandslash is exclusive to LeafGreen and suffers from a shallow level‑up movepool. Marowak’s stats are mediocre on their own, but with the 
Thick Club, a held item that doubles its Attack, it becomes one of the hardest hitters in the game. Its low Speed and reliance on that item, however, often cause players to overlook it.
Lastly, 
Rhydon shares Golem’s typing and general role, but its late availability, late evolution, and delayed access to Earthquake make it a less practical choice for an in‑game playthrough.
