Barbaracle Best Moveset
Mega Barbaracle shifts from Rock/Water to Rock/Fighting at 140 Attack with 130 Defense. The type change drops Water TermStab but adds Fighting coverage, and the physical stats dominate on both sides. 88 Speed keeps cooldowns competitive. The moveset reclassifies when the Mega meter fills.
Tough Claws boosted contact moves by 33% in Gen VI (X & Y). Shell Smash plus Tough Claws Stone Edge and Cross Chop swept after one boost. Between tiers on debut.
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Hone Claws
- Rock Tomb
Recommended Teammates
Same Shell Smash formula in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Between tiers for two gens. One boost was devastating, but Barbaracle was too frail to set up against prepared teams.
Best Moves
Best Build
Barbaracle best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Shell Smash
- Liquidation
- Stone Edge
- Razor Shell
Recommended Teammates
Three gens between tiers in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Shell Smash was always one tier too strong for below and one tier too inconsistent for above.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Shell Smash
- Cross Chop
- Rock Slide
- Liquidation
Recommended Teammates
Barbaracle Weakness
Grass, Electric, Fighting, and Ground moves hit Barbaracle for super-effective damage. Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. The Rock/Water typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Barbaracle's physical bulk (base 115 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Fighting, Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Ice, Poison, Flying |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire |
What is Barbaracle Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Barbaracle
Breloom deals 54-63% with Bullet Seed.
A | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Barbaracle View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn11-13% Scald12-14% | ||
B | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Barbaracle View Breloom builds →Mach Punch 2x42-49% Bullet Seed 4x54-63% | ||
 Raikou Electric | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Barbaracle View Raikou builds →Scald48-56% Thunderbolt 2x161-189%KO Volt Switch 2x125-147%KO | ||
 Lucario FightingSteel | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Barbaracle View Lucario builds →Extreme Speed16-19% Close Combat 2x142-167%KO Aura Sphere 2x91-107%KO | ||
 Landorus Ground | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves View Landorus builds →
| ||
Evolution
Barbaracle is what Binacle becomes. Breed it for Binacle eggs (average hatch time). A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs take an average time to hatch. The evolution from Binacle pushed Barbaracle to 500 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +53. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Barbaracle to get Binacle eggs easily using 37 partners from the Water 3 egg group.
Shiny Barbaracle
Barbaracle's blue-and-dark shiny palette looks like deep ocean camouflage compared to the normal version's muddy brown. It's a clear upgrade that makes the whole design feel more cohesive and threatening.
Shiny Barbaracle Odds & Hunting Methods
6 of 6 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 Barbaracle
Barbaracle clambers over Lumiose's Wild Zones from level 41, a Rock and Water bruiser found on the overworld as high as level 65.
Where To Catch Barbaracle in LZA
Binacle is your first catch on the way to Barbaracle. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 5-65 across 17 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch BinacleWild Zone 2Lv.5-7OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 2Lv.6-8OverworldLegends: Z-ABleu District - Bleu Sector 5Lv.14-16OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 2Lv.17-20OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 6Lv.19-20OverworldLegends: Z-AHyperspace Lumiose - Water 2-StarLv.21-23GrassLegends: Z-AHyperspace Lumiose - Rock 3-StarLv.24-26GrassLegends: Z-AWild Zone 6Lv.31-34OverworldLegends: Z-AHyperspace Lumiose - Water 4-StarLv.33-35GrassLegends: Z-AHyperspace Lumiose - Rock 4-StarLv.37-39GrassLegends: Z-AHyperspace LumioseLv.52-54GrassLegends: Z-A
A few locations for Barbaracle with high spawn rates across late-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Where To Catch Barbaracle in SwSh
To get Barbaracle, start by catching Binacle through walking encounters at Lv. 20-28. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Catch BinacleBridge FieldLv.26-28GrassRate 30%RainingMotostoke RiverbankLv.26-28GrassRate 30%RainingBridge FieldLv.26-28GrassRate 25%ThunderstormGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24OverworldRate 15%All WeatherGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%SnowstormGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%OvercastGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%Heavy FogGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%RainingGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%SandstormGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%SnowingGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%Intense SunGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveShieldRate 10%ThunderstormGalar Mine No. 2Lv.20-24CaveSwordRate 10%All Weather
Step 2Barbaracle ✓Dusty BowlLv.40-45GrassRate 30%RainingRoute 9 - in Circhester BayLv.39-43OverworldShieldRate 20%All WeatherRoute 9 - in Circhester BayLv.39-43OverworldSwordRate 10%All WeatherLake of OutrageLv.50-52GrassRate 2%Rainingor evolve from Binacle (Step 1)
To plan your throws, open the Sword & Shield catch rate calculator with Barbaracle preloaded.
Barbaracle, the barnacle collective, is a late-story prize from an Ultra Wormhole after Ultra Necrozma, gathered up at level 60 among the strange terrain of the Ultra Space Wilds.
How to Obtain Barbaracle in USUM
Step 1Obtain Binacle
Step 2Barbaracle ✓or evolve from Binacle (Step 1)
Barbaracle can't be caught in Sun & Moon. Transfer Binacle in from X & Y or Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, then evolve it into Barbaracle. The step cards below show each evolution.
How to Obtain Barbaracle in SM
- Step 1Obtain BinacleLATER APPEARANCEfrom X & YNot TradeableAppears in X & Y via Rock smash · Ambrette Town. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Rock smash · Mirage Spots. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Sword & ShieldNot TradeableAppears in Sword & Shield via Walking · Bridge Field · Raining. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Legends: Z-ANot TradeableAppears in Legends: Z-A via Overworld · Wild Zone 6. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
- Step 2Barbaracle ✓
Base Stats
Barbaracle's built to absorb hits, not race for knockouts. Physical bulk with Defense doing the heavy lifting. And the medium-fast 1M XP curve means it won't take forever to bring up, worth 2 Attack EVs.
Seven Binacle come together to form one Barbaracle. The Binacle that serves as the head gives orders to those serving as the limbs.
Barbaracle Guide
Use Barbaracle as an attacker. Physical side carries the damage. Not the fastest, Liquidation is the primary attack.
Run Adamant on Barbaracle. +Attack is what matters, and the -Sp. Atk cut doesn't hurt this set. Fits the attacker role.
Game Availability
Since X & Y, Barbaracle has been obtainable in 6 games. A Generation 6 debut means a shorter history, but Barbaracle has appeared steadily across every generation since.
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 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XYDebut
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
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Where to go next after Barbaracle.
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