Building Your Team Around Pikachu

Yellow gives away more free Pokemon than any other Generation I game. Here is a team that never needs a link cable.

Step 1: Pikachu - the partner

Thunder Wave at L8, Quick Attack at L11, Thunderbolt free at L26. It carries Misty and stays useful through the mid-game, then sits out Brock and Giovanni entirely. It cannot evolve, so accept its ceiling and love it anyway.

Step 2: Charizard - from the Route 24 Charmander

Flamethrower and Fire Blast. Note that Charizard cannot learn Fly in Generation I - use Wing Attack and Slash, and give Fly to a Pidgeotto or Fearow.

Step 3: Blastoise or Venusaur - the other two gifts

Blastoise carries Surf, Blizzard and Strength. Venusaur brings Razor Leaf (high crit rate in Gen 1) and Sleep Powder. Take both if you have the slots.

Step 4: Kadabra - from an Abra on Routes 5 to 8

Or 230 coins at the Game Corner. Psychic and Recover. It solo-carries Koga, Bruno and Agatha. Alakazam needs a link trade; Kadabra is fine without one.

Step 5: Snorlax - Route 12 or Route 16

Body Slam, Rest, Earthquake (TM26 from Silph Co.) and Ice Beam or Surf. The best all-rounder in the generation.

Step 6: Lapras - the Silph Co. 7F gift

Surf (HM03), Ice Beam (TM13) and Thunderbolt (TM24 - legal in Gen 1). It crushes both Lance and Giovanni.

Step 7: Sort out your HM slaves

Pidgeotto or Fearow for Fly; anything in the Squirtle line or Lapras for Surf and Strength. For Cut use the Charmander line, the Bulbasaur line or a Farfetch'd - Oddish cannot learn Cut.

Level target for a comfortable first League clear: a lead around L55+ with the full six at 48 or better.