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%.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn 2x34-40% Scald 2x28-33% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPoisonheal ItemToxic Orb NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Gliscor builds →Knock Off22-26% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Archeops View Pelipper builds →Hurricane18-22% U Turn7-9% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemCharizarditey NatureTimid Moves View Charizard-Mega-Y builds →
| ||
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're 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
How 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%RainingGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%SnowstormGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Intense SunGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Heavy FogGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%SnowingGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%OvercastGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%ThunderstormGiant's FootLv.60-65OverworldRate 10%Normal Weather
Step 2Archeops ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Archeops egg.
No wild encounters for Archeops. The 2-stage line runs through Archen, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 37 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Archeops in USUM
Step 1Catch ArchenRoute 8 - Fossil Restoration CenterLv.15Gift from NPCRevive Plume Fossil
Step 2Archeops ✓
Archeops doesn't appear wild. Catch Archen instead, it shows up at moderate rates. 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 1Catch ArchenRoute 8 - Fossil Restoration CenterLv.15Gift from NPCMoonRevive Plume Fossil
- Step 2Archeops ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Archeops egg.
Archeops doesn't appear wild. Catch Archen instead, it shows up at moderate rates. 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 1Catch ArchenRustboro City - Devon CorporationLv.20Gift from NPCOne-timeRevive Plume Fossil
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
Archeops has a 567 base stat total and ranks as B-Tier: a solid choice for the right team. It works best as a sweeper. Base 140 Attack is where it shines.
Watch for Milotic (Water), Jolteon (Electric), and Kyurem (Ice) when using Archeops. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Rock and Steel-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Archeops's base 110 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Defeatist halves Attack and Special Attack at 50% max HP or less. That's the one you want on Archeops. It's the only ability Archeops has.
Archeops fills the sweeper role. It's a physical attacker with base 140 Attack. Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Run Acrobatics, Endeavor, Head Smash, and Skyattack on Archeops. Acrobatics is the most common pick at 0% usage. Acrobatics provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Introduced in Black & White, Archeops has appeared in 7 games across 6 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 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