Physical
Wallbreaker
CTier
45Speed · Slow

Armaldo Best Moveset

125 Attack and 100 Defense with hidden AbilitySwift Swim doubling 45 Speed in rain for genuine physical threat. Rock/Bug TermStab at that Attack behind rain acceleration gives the moveset a rare niche. Dropped from C-tier to D because the rain dependency and 75/80 on HP and Sp. Def limit consistency.

SABCDEFACCDDDRuby, Sapphire & EmeraldIIIRS/EPEAKDiamond, Pearl & PlatinumIVDP/PtTHE FALLBlack & White / B2W2VBW/B2W2X & Y / ORASVIXY/ORASSun & Moon / USUMVIISM/USUMSword & Shield / BDSPVIIISS/BDSPCURRENT
★Gen III — Ruby, Sapphire & EmeraldA

Rock/Bug with Swift Swim in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Doubled Speed in Rain and hit hard with Rock Slide and Earthquake. Too strong for the tier below on debut.

Received Battle Armor

Best Moves

SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM10
Hidden Power (Bug)
Bug60COMMONSTAB
Lv 64
Rock Blast
Rock25COMMONSTAB
Egg
Swords Dance
Normal—COMMONUtility
Egg
Knock Off
Dark65COMMONCoverage
TM26
Earthquake
Ground100COMMONCoverage
Egg
Rapid Spin
Normal50RARECoverage
Egg
Rock Slide
Rock75RARESTAB
Armaldo Ruby & Sapphire MovesArmaldo Emerald Moves

Best Build

Experimental
Physical Tank
Ability
Battle Armor
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Armaldo
Adamant+ATK

Armaldo best EVs are HP and Attack

EVs

Physical Tank Moveset

  • Hidden Power BugSTAB
  • Rock BlastSTAB
  • Swords Dance
  • Knock Off

Recommended Teammates

Skarmory
SkarmoryDecent
Blissey
BlisseyDecent
↓Gen IV — Diamond, Pearl & PlatinumC

Dropped in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Stealth Rock punished Rock/Bug on every switch, and Swift Swim needed Rain support that most teams weren't building around.

Physical/Special split overhauled move damage
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Lv 73
X-Scissor
Bug80COMMONSTAB
TM71
Stone Edge
Rock100COMMONSTAB
TM26
Earthquake
Ground100COMMONCoverage
TM76
Stealth Rock
Rock—COMMONSTAB
Egg
Rapid Spin
Normal50RARECoverage
TM69
Rock Polish
Rock—RARESTAB
Armaldo Diamond & Pearl MovesArmaldo Platinum Moves
Experimental
Physical Tank
Ability
Battle Armor
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Armaldo
Adamant+ATK
EVs

Physical Tank Moveset

  • X ScissorSTAB
  • Stone EdgeSTAB
  • EarthquakeCoverage
  • Stealth RockSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Forretress
ForretressDecent
Scizor
ScizorDecent
Tyranitar
TyranitarDecent
→Gen V — Black & White / B2W2C

Rain teams preferred actual Water-types for Swift Swim in Gen V (Black & White), not a Rock/Bug that didn't benefit from the STAB Rain boosted. Two gens of decline.

Gained Swift Swim as hidden abilityHidden Abilities became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Egg
Rapid Spin
Normal50COMMONCoverage
Lv 73
X-Scissor
Bug80COMMONSTAB
Lv 55
Rock Blast
Rock25COMMONSTAB
TM90
Substitute
Normal—RAREUtility
TM26
Earthquake
Ground100RARECoverage
TM71
Stone Edge
Rock100RARESTAB
Armaldo Black & White MovesArmaldo Black 2 & White 2 Moves
Experimental
Bulky Support
Ability
Battle Armor
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Armaldo
Impish+DEF
EVs

Bulky Support Moveset

  • Rapid Spin
  • X ScissorSTAB
  • Rock BlastSTAB
  • SubstituteUtility

Recommended Teammates

Scizor
ScizorDecent
Heracross
HeracrossDecent
Cradily
CradilyDecent
↓Gen VI — X & Y / ORASD

125 Attack was decent but Rock/Bug defensive typing with 4x Water weakness made Armaldo dead weight outside Rain in Gen VI (X & Y). Three gens below the peak.

Fairy type added to the gameMega Evolution became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Egg
Rapid Spin
Normal50COMMONCoverage
Lv 46
X-Scissor
Bug80COMMONSTAB
Tutor
Low Kick
Fighting—COMMONCoverage
TM44
Rest
Psychic—RARERecovery
TM88
Sleep Talk
Normal—RAREUtility
TM80
Rock Slide
Rock75RARESTAB
TM71
Stone Edge
Rock100RARESTAB
TM26
Earthquake
Ground100RARECoverage
Armaldo X & Y MovesArmaldo ORAS Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Battle Armor
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Armaldo
Impish+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • Rapid Spin
  • X ScissorSTAB
  • Low Kick
  • RestRecovery

Recommended Teammates

Torkoal
TorkoalDecent
Lapras
LaprasDecent
Xatu
XatuDecent
→Gen VII — Sun & Moon / USUMD

Fell further in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). No niche that another Rock or Bug type didn't fill with better stats or fewer weaknesses. Four gens of decline.

Z-Moves became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Egg
Aqua Jet
Water40COMMONCoverage
Lv 46
X-Scissor
Bug80COMMONSTAB
Tutor
Aqua Tail
Water90COMMONCoverage
Egg
Knock Off
Dark65RARECoverage
TM80
Rock Slide
Rock75RARESTAB
TM26
Earthquake
Ground100RARECoverage
Tutor
Superpower
Fighting120RARECoverage
Egg
Rapid Spin
Normal50RARECoverage
Armaldo Sun & Moon MovesArmaldo Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Moves
Experimental
Physical Sweeper
Ability
Swift Swim
Item
Assault VestBULK
Best Nature for Armaldo
Jolly+SPE
EVs

Physical Sweeper Moveset

  • Aqua Jet
  • X ScissorSTAB
  • Aqua Tail
  • Knock Off

Recommended Teammates

Cradily
CradilyDecent
Pelipper
PelipperDecent
Aggron-Mega
Aggron-MegaDecent
→Gen VIII — Sword & Shield / BDSPD

Swift Swim was the only interesting thing about Armaldo in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield), and Rain teams had long since moved on to better options. Five gens down.

Gigantamax became availableDynamax became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TR75
Stone Edge
Rock100COMMONSTAB
Lv 48
X-Scissor
Bug80COMMONSTAB
Xfer
Knock Off
Dark65RARECoverage
TR10
Earthquake
Ground100RARECoverage
TR0
Swords Dance
Normal—RAREUtility
Xfer
Aqua Jet
Water40RARECoverage
TR76
Stealth Rock
Rock—RARESTAB
Lv 36
Rock Blast
Rock25RARESTAB
Armaldo Sword & Shield MovesArmaldo BDSP Moves
Experimental
Physical Tank
Ability
Swift Swim
Item
Life OrbPOWER
Best Nature for Armaldo
Adamant+ATK
EVs

Physical Tank Moveset

  • Stone EdgeSTAB
  • X ScissorSTAB
  • Knock Off
  • EarthquakeCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Pelipper
PelipperDecent

Armaldo Weakness

Armaldo is weak to Water, Rock, and Steel. With 75 HP and balanced defenses, Armaldo can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Armaldo Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Water, Rock, Steel
0.5x (Resist)Normal, Poison

What is Armaldo Weak Against

Vulnerable
3Weak
2Resist
0Immune
Score-4
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
WaterRockSteel
½xResist
NormalPoison
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None

What is Armaldo Strong Against

7Strong
2Resisted
0Immune
Score+5
2xStrong
FireGrassIceFlyingPsychicBugDark
½xResisted
FightingSteel
0xImmune
None

Best Pokemon Against Armaldo

Evolution

Armaldo is the evolved form of Anorith. Breeding produces Anorith eggs, and they're slow to hatch. Evolving from Anorith gave Armaldo the biggest boost in Defense (+50), bringing the total to 495 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Anorith
#347Anorith
40
Level 40
Armaldo
#348Armaldo
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Anorith
RockBug
Armaldo
RockBug
HP
45
75+30
ATK
95
125+30
DEF
50
100+50
SP.ATK
40
70+30
SP.DEF
50
80+30
SPE
75
45-30
BST
355D-Tier
495C-Tier+140
ROLE
Balanced
Wallbreaker
TYPE
Physical
Physical

Breeding

Moderate

Breed with Armaldo to get Anorith eggs using 37 partners from the Water3 egg group.

Egg Groups
Water 3
Gender
♂87.5%♀12.5%
Hatch Time
30 cycles·7,710 steps
Moderate~8 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
drapionclawitzergolisopodcursolacrawdauntcorsolaskorupiclaunchercorphisharcheopsomastarkabutops
12 of 37·

How to Get Armaldo

All 14 games

No wild encounters for Armaldo in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Bring Anorith over from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Sword & Shield, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.

How to Obtain Armaldo in BDSP

  1. Anorith
    Step 1Obtain Anorith
    CARTRIDGE TRADE
    from Sword & Shield
    Available
    Catch in Sword & Shield via Surfing · Ballimere Lake · Snowing, then trade to the current game via link cable.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from Ruby & Sapphire
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in Ruby & Sapphire via Gift · Rustboro City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from Emerald
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in Emerald via Gift · Rustboro City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from Diamond & Pearl
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in Diamond & Pearl via Gift · Oreburgh City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from Platinum
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in Platinum via Gift · Oreburgh City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from HeartGold & SoulSilver
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Pewter City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
    LATER APPEARANCE
    from Black & White
    Not Tradeable
    Appears in Black & White via Gift · Nacrene City · Revive Claw Fossil. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
  2. Armaldo
    Step 2Armaldo ✓

Base Stats

Armaldo's all-in on Attack at the expense of Speed. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Attack EVs and follows a standard growth curve.

Base Stats
Above
HP75
C
Attack125
A
Defense100
B
Sp. Atk70
C
Sp. Def80
C
Speed45
D
Total495
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Erratic600,000 XP
Height1.5 m
4'11"Average
Weight68.2 kg
150.4 lbsStandard
Base XP173
Average
Abilities
Battle Armor
Protects against critical hits.
Swift SwimHidden Ability
Doubles Speed during rain.
EV Yield
HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe
Attack training target
Pokedex Entry

It went ashore after evolving. Its entire body is clad in a sturdy armor.

Pokemon Shining Pearl

Armaldo Guide

  • Don't let Armaldo's 495 base stat total fool you. Swift Swim is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a wallbreaker.

  • Armaldo's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Aerodactyl (Rock), and Metagross (Steel), all carrying super-effective STAB moves.

  • Run Swift Swim on Armaldo. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Armaldo also gets Battle Armor, but they don't compare. On wall sets, Swift Swim pairs with Armaldo's base 100 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.

  • Armaldo fills the wallbreaker role. It's a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

  • The core moveset is Xscissor, Rapid Spin, Stone Edge, and Knock Off. Xscissor leads at 0% usage. This set covers the wallbreaker role with a mix of damage and utility.

Game Availability

Armaldo first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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