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.
Its two whiskers provide a sensitive radar. Even in muddy waters, it can detect its prey’s location.
It probes muddy riverbeds with its two long whiskers. A slimy film protects its body.
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.
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 20 breeding partners from the Water2 egg group. Pass egg moves like Flail, Spark, Take Down and 1 more to offspring.
Earthquake is the main STAB option after a Dragon Dance boost. Eviolite gives Barboach a bulk boost that only works before full evolution to survive the setup turn, and a spread EV build EVs make the boosted hits count. Double STAB catches resists.
Best Build
Best Barboach Moveset
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Liquidation
- Waterfall
Recommended Teammates
You'll want to breed for Flail and Spark 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
Easy grab on Barboach with high spawn rates across 22 locations in mid-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations
Which version you're playing matters for Barboach. 22 walking spots at Lv. 16-34 spread across Violet and Scarlet, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
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 a physical attacker with 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