Archeops Best Moveset
140 Attack, 112 Sp. Atk, 110 Speed. Among the highest offensive stat totals in the game, and Rock/Flying TermStab from either side hits hard. AbilityDefeatist halves both offenses below 50% HP, making the moveset incredibly powerful until taking one big hit. D-tier because the ability turns damage into self-sabotage.
140 Attack and 112 Speed in Gen V (Black & White), but Defeatist halved Attack and Sp. Atk below 50% HP. One of the highest base stats with the worst drawback in the game.
Best Moves
Best Build
Archeops best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Acrobatics
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- U Turn
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen VI (X & Y). Stealth Rock took 25% on entry, putting Archeops closer to Defeatist range before it could attack. Rock/Flying plus Defeatist was a losing combination.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Stealth Rock
- Acrobatics
- Head Smash
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Between tiers in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). 140 Attack swept when healthy, but one priority move or chip damage triggered Defeatist and ended the sweep. Too fragile to work consistently.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- U Turn
- Acrobatics
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of decline in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). The Defeatist problem never got a solution. 140 Attack was meaningless when the ability cut it to 70 at half health.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Roost
- U Turn
- Head Smash
- Meteor Beam
Recommended Teammates
Archeops Weakness
Archeops's Rock/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Electric, Ice, Rock, and Steel. It shrugs off Ground-type attacks completely. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Archeops leans offensive (base 140 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Archeops Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Archeops
Alomomola's Flip Turn hits Archeops for 34-40%. Gholdengo's Shadow Ball hits Archeops for 43-51%. Raging Bolt's Thunderbolt also KOs at 109-129%.
A | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn 2x34-40% Scald 2x28-33% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Gholdengo builds →Shadow Ball43-51% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Raging Bolt builds →Thunderclap 2x85-100%KO Thunderbolt 2x109-129%KO Dragon Pulse52-61% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Gliscor builds →Knock Off22-26% | ||
B | ||
B | ||
B | ||
 Swampert WaterGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Swampert builds →Flip Turn 2x95-111%KO Liquidation 2x133-157%KO | ||
 Regieleki Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTransistor ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Regieleki builds →Volt Switch 2x93-110%KO Rapid Spin8-9% Rapid Spin8-9% Volt Switch 2x93-110%KO | ||
 Baxcalibur DragonIce | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Baxcalibur builds →Icicle Spear 2x49-58% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Pelipper builds →Hurricane18-22% U Turn7-9% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves View Landorus-Therian builds →
| ||
Evolution
Archeops is the evolved form of Archen. Breeding produces Archen eggs, and they are slow to hatch. Evolving from Archen gave Archeops the biggest boost in Speed (+40), bringing the total to 567 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Archeops to get Archen eggs using 73 partners from the Flying and Water 3 egg groups.
Shiny Archeops
Archeops wears that green-gold even better than Archen does. The larger wingspan and bolder patterns mean the color swap covers more real estate, and it all looks great. A tier for this fossil.
Shiny Archeops Odds & Hunting Methods
7 of 7 VerifiedHow do we research these odds?
We check every game where a shiny is possible, then rank each one by the best method available in that game, so the row at the top is the fastest route overall.
Odds marked verified are cross-checked against multiple independent sources before we publish them. Where a rate is not yet confirmed we mark the row pending rather than guess a number.
Read our full methodologyHow to Get Archeops
You're catching Archen first, not Archeops. Archen appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Archeops in SwSh
The path to Archeops starts with Archen at Lv. 60-65 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch ArchenGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 100%SandstormGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%SnowstormGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Normal WeatherGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%OvercastGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Heavy FogGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%RainingGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%SnowingGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Intense SunGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Thunderstorm
Step 2Archeops ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Archen egg.
No wild encounters for Archeops. The 2-stage line runs through Archen, which you can get as a gift from the locations below. Evolve at level 37 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Archeops in USUM
Step 2Archeops ✓
Archeops doesn't appear wild. Get Archen instead, it shows up as a gift. Evolve it at level 37 to get Archeops. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Archeops in SM
- Step 2Archeops ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Archen egg.
Archeops doesn't appear wild. Get Archen instead, it shows up as a gift. Evolve it at level 37 to get Archeops. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Archeops in ORAS
Step 2Archeops ✓
Base Stats
Archeops's built around physical offense. Attack leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Tough to catch, worth 2 Attack EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Though capable of flight, Archeops was apparently better at hunting on the ground.
Archeops Guide
Use Archeops as a sweeper. Physical side carries the damage. It outspeeds most threats, Acrobatics is the primary attack.
Build your team around Groudon Primal, Toxtricity, and Carnivine. These have the highest co-usage rates with Archeops in competitive formats. They cover each other's weaknesses.
Run Adamant on Archeops. +Attack is what matters, and the -Sp. Atk cut doesn't hurt this set. Fits the sweeper role.
Game Availability
Introduced in Black & White, Archeops has appeared in 7 games across 5 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BWDebut
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves
Explore
Where to go next after Archeops.
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