Is Archen Good in Black 2 & White 2 Playthrough?
Fossil revival from the Plume Fossil in Nacrene Museum. Rock/Flying with AbilityDefeatist halving offense below half HP. Archeops at level 37 has extreme stats crippled by AbilityDefeatist.
Archen has the type edge here and should clean up Cheren's team.
Archen has the type edge here and should clean up Roxie's team.
Archen resists most of Burgh's coverage and hits back hard.
Archen trades roughly evenly with Elesa's team.
Clay's team hits Archen's weaknesses hard.
Archen has the type edge here and should clean up Skyla's team.
Archen trades roughly evenly with Drayden's team.
Archen trades roughly evenly with Marlon's team.
Archeops has the type edge here and should clean up Shauntal's team.
Archeops trades roughly evenly with Grimsley's team.
Archeops has the type edge here and should clean up Caitlin's team.
Archeops has the type edge here and should clean up Marshal's team.
Archeops has the type edge here and should clean up Iris's team.
Archen can be revived from a fossil obtained on Nacrene City. Revive Plume Fossil.
Your Archen should hit Level 37 before you reach Shauntal, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Archen in Black 2 & White 2
Archen is a gift in this game. Pick it up at Nacrene City — no wild encounters or spawn rates to deal with. The details below cover exactly when it becomes available.
How to Obtain Archen in B2W2
Step 1Archen ✓Nacrene City - Nacrene MuseumLv.25Gift from NPCLimitedAnyRevive Plume Fossil
Step 2Evolve into Archeops
Archen Weakness
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 |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Archen Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Archen
 Oshawott Water | D | |
Obtain MethodAspertia City Gift | ||
 Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
 Alomomola Water | B | |
 Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Azumarill builds →Bubble Beam 2x75-91% Rollout 2x21-26% | ||
 Magnemite ElectricSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnemite builds →Thunder Shock 2x66-79% Magnet Bomb 2x53-62% | ||
 Psyduck Water | C | |
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnezone builds →Mirror Shot 2x130-154%KO Thunder Shock 2x83-99% | ||
 Glaceon Ice | C | |
 Ampharos Electric | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Archen View Ampharos builds →Thunder Punch 2x99-117%KO | ||
Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
 Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) | ||
Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnezone builds →Mirror Shot 2x125-148%KO Thunder Shock 2x78-92% | ||
Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Ampharos Electric | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Archen View Ampharos builds →Thunder Punch 2x95-112%KO | ||
Jellicent WaterGhost | B | |
 Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) | ||
Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnezone builds →Flash Cannon 2x155-183%KO Thunder Shock 2x79-93% | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Excadrill builds →Metal Claw 2x101-119%KO Rock Slide 2x100-118%KO | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x160-189%KO Aurora Beam 2x74-87% | ||
 Lairon SteelRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Lairon builds →Iron Head 2x116-137%KO Rock Slide 2x109-128%KO | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Samurott builds →Surf 2x161-190%KO Blizzard 2x136-160%KO | ||
 Aggron SteelRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Aggron builds →Iron Head 2x138-163%KO Rock Slide 2x130-154%KO Surf 2x68-80% Blizzard 2x86-101%KO | ||
Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnezone builds →Thunder 2x238-281%KO Flash Cannon 2x158-187%KO | ||
 Wailord Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Wailord builds →Water Spout 2x220-259%KO Blizzard 2x117-138%KO Rock Tomb 2x50-59% | ||
 Cobalion SteelFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 13 Interact Encounter | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Samurott builds →Surf 2x162-191%KO Blizzard 2x136-161%KO | ||
 Kingler Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Kingler builds →Dive 2x160-189%KO Rock Slide 2x100-118%KO Metal Claw 2x68-80% Blizzard 2x74-88% | ||
Aggron SteelRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Aggron builds →Iron Head 2x139-164%KO Rock Slide 2x131-155%KO Surf 2x68-80% Blizzard 2x86-102%KO | ||
Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Magnezone builds →Thunder 2x239-282%KO Flash Cannon 2x160-189%KO | ||
Wailord Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Wailord builds →Water Spout 2x220-259%KO Blizzard 2x117-138%KO Rock Tomb 2x50-59% | ||
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x374-440%KO Thunderbolt 2x72-85% Ice Beam 2x72-85% Surf 2x72-85% | ||
 Metagross SteelPsychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Metagross builds →Meteor Mash 2x188-221%KO Rock Slide 2x105-124%KO | ||
Aggron SteelRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Aggron builds →Iron Head 2x140-165%KO Stone Edge 2x175-206%KO Ice Beam 2x68-80% Thunderbolt 2x68-80% | ||
 Kyurem DragonIce | B | |
Obtain MethodGiant Chasm Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Kyurem builds →Ice Beam 2x192-226%KO Stone Edge 2x135-159%KO Flash Cannon 2x108-127%KO | ||
 Relicanth WaterRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Archen View Relicanth builds →Head Smash 2x221-261%KO Dive 2x119-140%KO Ice Beam 2x55-65% | ||
In Black 2 & White 2, Starmie threatens a KO with Hydro Pump (222-262%). Kyurem's Ice Beam also KOs at 210-247%.
 Ferrothorn GrassSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Ferrothorn builds →
| ||
 Starmie WaterPsychic | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityAnalytic ItemAir Balloon NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Starmie builds →Rapid Spin10-11% Ice Beam 2x121-143%KO Hydro Pump 2x222-262%KO Thunderbolt 2x121-143%KO | ||
Kyurem DragonIce | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Kyurem builds →Ice Beam 2x210-247%KO | ||
 Terrakion RockFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Archen View Terrakion builds →Close Combat145-171%KO Stone Edge 2x244-287%KO | ||
 Rotom ElectricGhost | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Archen View Rotom builds →Volt Switch 2x137-161%KO Shadow Ball78-92% Thunderbolt 2x176-208%KO | ||
Archen Evolutions
Archen is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Archeops. Check the evolution method below. A decent partner pool 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 45 breeding partners from the Flying and Water3 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Bite, Defog, Dragon Pulse and 4 more to offspring.
B2W2 Archen Best Moveset
112 Attack at 70 Speed fires Rock/Flying TermStab at real power, but AbilityDefeatist halves both offenses below 50%% HP. The moveset hits hard at full health and collapses after one significant hit. Opponents only need to survive the first attack.
Best Build
Archen best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Acrobatics
- U Turn
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Stall teams hate this. Archen can spread damage across 10 types, with Normal and Dragon punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Head Smash and Stone Edge keeps the pressure honest on everything else.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It was revived from an ancient fossil. Not able to fly, it lived in treetops and hopped from one branch to another.
Archen Black 2 & White 2 Guide
At 401 BST, Archen is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Archeops before bringing it to any serious fight.
. Archen is revived at level 5. Give it Rare Candies or experience-share if you want it ready for the late-game.
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.
Game Availability
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 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 7LGPE
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