Almost nobody uses Barboach in battle. It exists to evolve into Whiscash, which is a completely different story. Get it there and you won't regret it. Known as the Whiskers Pokemon. Been around since Gen 3.
Barboach's stats barely vary. 0 sit in respectable range with no real gaps. It's a blank slate for EV investment. Worth 1 HP EV, medium-fast 1M XP curve to max.
It coats its entire body with a slimy fluid so it can squirm and slip away if grabbed.
Its whiskers make a superb radar. They are used to locate prey, even in the murkiest of water.
Barboach Weakness
GoodBarboach's Water/Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Grass moves. Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Barboach evolves into Whiscash. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 180 total stats over Barboach.
How to Evolve
Breed Barboach easily with 19 breeding partners from the Water2 egg group. Pass egg moves like Flail, Hydro Pump, Spark and 3 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
You'll want to breed for Flail and Hydro Pump on Barboach. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Hydro Pump and Earthquake, they expand what Barboach can actually threaten in practice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Barboach is available from early-game fishing spots onward at high spawn rates. 36 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations
Catching Barboach here means fishing. All 36 encounters require Good Rod at Lv. 10-25, and there aren't any overworld spawns in this game.
Barboach isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Whiscash to unlock its full potential. At 288 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Barboach evolves into Whiscash at level 30. Barboach is the base form of this evolutionary line.
Oblivious prevents infatuation and protects against captivate — that's the one you want on Barboach. Hydration is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Anticipation works too if your team needs something different.
Barboach fills the balanced role. It's leaning toward the physical side (base 48 Attack). At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Barboach appears in 16 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Barboach first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 16 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A