Everything pushes toward physical damage here. Archen's Attack does the work, Defense pays the price. But you're still getting 1 Attack EV per KO. Tough to catch, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
This Pokémon was successfully restored from a fossil. As research suggested, Archen is unable to fly. But it’s very good at jumping.
Archen is said to be the ancestor of bird Pokémon. It lived in treetops, eating berries and bug Pokémon.
Type-wise, Archen takes extra damage from Water, Electric, Ice, Rock, and Steel. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. The Rock/Flying typing picks up 5 resistances to work with.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
Archaludon can KO Archen with Flash Cannon (189-222%). Jolteon threatens a KO with Thunderbolt (290-342%).
 Archaludon SteelDragon | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStamina ItemAssault Vest NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Archaludon builds →Flash Cannon 2x189-222%KO Dragon Pulse100-118%KO | ||
 Jolteon Electric | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityVoltabsorb ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Jolteon builds →Thunderbolt 2x290-342%KO Volt Switch 2x226-267%KO Shadow Ball86-101%KO | ||
 Dondozo Water | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityUnaware ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Dondozo builds →
| ||
 Glimmora RockPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityToxicdebris ItemRed Card NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Glimmora builds →Power Gem 2x160-189%KO | ||
 Weavile DarkIce | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Archen View Weavile builds →Knock Off75-88% Ice Shard 2x93-110%KO | ||
Archen is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Archeops. Check the evolution method below. Plenty of partners for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are slow to hatch. Evolving adds up to 166 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Archen with 73 breeding partners from the Flying and Water3 egg groups.
You commit to a move every time Archen comes in. Choice Scarf gives speed patching through item lock, and Defeatist adds to that. Max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs make sure the locked move actually hurts. Utility options covers the rest.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 6.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Most of Archen's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Meteor Beam and Stone Edge, but Normal and Dragon and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Stall teams hate this. Archen can spread damage across 11 types, with Normal and Dragon punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Head Smash and Stone Edge keeps the pressure honest on everything else.
Breeding's the move. Ally Switch and Bite give Archen options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 8 types already covers a decent range on top of Head Smash and Stone Edge. The egg moves push it further.
Stall teams hate this. Archen can spread damage across 11 types, with Normal and Dragon punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Head Smash and Stone Edge keeps the pressure honest on everything else.
Archen appears at high spawn rates across 18 spots in endgame routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Archen in Sword & Shield
18 walking encounters at Lv. 60-65 for Archen across Shield and Sword. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Archen is handed to you at Route 8. No encounter rates or random spawns involved, so there's nothing to grind. Check the location details below for the exact conditions to trigger it.
Best Locations to Catch Archen in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
No searching required for Archen. You receive it at Route 8 from an NPC. No wild encounters exist in this game, so just head to the right spot when you're ready and it's yours.
Best Locations to Catch Archen in Sun & Moon
Archen is handed to you at Rustboro City. No encounter rates or random spawns involved, so there's nothing to grind. Check the location details below for the exact conditions to trigger it.
Best Locations to Catch Archen in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
At 401 BST, Archen is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Archeops before bringing it to any serious fight.
Defeatist is the go-to ability for Archen. It halves Attack and Special Attack at 50% max HP or less. It's Archen's only ability.
Archen is a physical attacker with base 112 Attack. Fragile, can't afford to take many hits, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the attacker role.
For a casual playthrough, Archen works as a placeholder. Rock/Flying coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Archeops. That's where the stats start mattering.
Since Black & White, Archen has been obtainable in 7 games. A Generation 5 debut means a shorter history, but Archen has appeared steadily across every generation since.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BWDebut
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves