Pokémon Quest: 5 Best Early Pokémon to Cook and Build

To progress through early expeditions in Pokémon Quest, recruit five reliable Pokémon: Machop, Onix, Abra, Staryu, and Bellsprout. These species require accessible cooking ingredients, roll high-impact moves, and form a balanced squad capable of handling early worlds and transitioning into late-game content.

Machop: Dedicated Team Buffer

Machop is the most critical support recruit in the early game because Bulk Up boosts both Attack and Defense for your entire squad.

Cooking Recipe: Get Swole Syrup a la Cube (2 Tiny Mushrooms, 2 Bluk Berries, 1 Honey).
Target Move: Bulk Up.
Slot Configuration: Aim for a Machop with a single move slot so it can hold three Move Stones.
Stone Setup: Equip three Sharing Stones. Each stone shares 25% of the buff, transferring a total of 75% of Bulk Up's stat increases to both teammates.
Evolution Tip: Equip an Everstone to keep Machop from evolving into Machoke or Machamp. Machop retains superior Bingo Bonuses for Fighting-Type Move Wait Time, allowing you to maintain full buff uptime.

Onix: Early-Game Frontline Carry

Onix provides immediate durability and heavy multi-hit physical damage, carrying teams through the first six stages of Tumblecube Island.

Cooking Recipe: Stone Soup a la Cube (2 Fossils, 2 Apricorns, 1 Icy Rock).
Target Move: Rock Throw.
Stone Setup: Equip two Broadburst Stones to expand the projectile area of effect and one Wait Less Stone to cycle attacks faster.
Alternative Role: If you have not yet recruited Machop, an Onix with Harden and a Sharing Stone serves as a temporary defensive buffer.

Abra: Ranged Wave Clear

Abra acts as an accessible, long-range glass cannon that stays safely behind frontline combatants, avoiding enemy cleave and boss area attacks.

Cooking Recipe: Brain Food a la Cube (3 Bluk Berries, 2 Apricorns).
Evolution Requirement: Level Abra to 16 to evolve it into Kadabra.
Target Move: Psychic (learned as Kadabra via Move Learning).
Stone Setup: Equip one Whack-Whack Stone to fire two homing orbs per cast and two Wait Less Stones to maximize offensive uptime.

Staryu: Scalable Hydro Pump Sweeper

Staryu is an investment Pokémon that evolves into Starmie, one of the strongest damage dealers available.

Cooking Recipe: Mouth-Watering Dip a la Cube (3 Bluk Berries, 2 Tiny Mushrooms).
Evolution Requirement: Level Staryu to 36 to evolve it into Starmie.
Target Move: Hydro Pump (rolled through Move Learning after evolving into Starmie).
Stone Setup: Equip one Broadburst Stone to widen the water pillars and two Whack-Whack Stones for repeated bursts.

Bellsprout: High-Burst Grass Attacker

Bellsprout and its evolution Weepinbell offer rapid close-to-mid-range burst damage, making them particularly effective against Rock, Ground, and Water expedition bosses.

Cooking Recipe: Veggie Smoothie a la Cube (3 Apricorns, 1 Tiny Mushroom, 1 Big Root).
Target Move: Vine Whip.
Stone Setup: Equip two Broadburst Stones to extend hit range and one Wait Less Stone to lower cooldown intervals.

Recipe and Move Stone Build Reference

Pokémon	Cooking Recipe	Priority Move	Recommended Move Stones
Machop	2 Tiny Mushroom, 2 Bluk Berry, 1 Honey	Bulk Up	3 Sharing Stones
Onix	2 Fossil, 2 Apricorn, 1 Icy Rock	Rock Throw	2 Broadburst Stones, 1 Wait Less Stone
Abra (Kadabra)	3 Bluk Berry, 2 Apricorn	Psychic	1 Whack-Whack Stone, 2 Wait Less Stones
Staryu (Starmie)	3 Bluk Berry, 2 Tiny Mushroom	Hydro Pump	1 Broadburst Stone, 2 Whack-Whack Stones
Bellsprout	3 Apricorn, 1 Tiny Mushroom, 1 Big Root	Vine Whip	2 Broadburst Stones, 1 Wait Less Stone

Recommended Next Steps

Assemble a balanced three-member team containing one buffer and two attackers:

Early Squad: Run Machop (Bulk Up) alongside Onix (Rock Throw) and Kadabra (Psychic). This covers frontline durability, team-wide buffs, and safe ranged damage.
Mid-to-Late Transition: Once you reach higher worlds and gather enough ingredient fodder, evolve Staryu into Starmie at level 36, teach it Hydro Pump, and replace Onix to maximize clear speed against boss waves.