Special
Balanced
CTier
70Speed · Below Avg

Butterfree's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Atk leads, Attack trails, 2 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Atk and Sp. Def EVs, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
Avg
HP60
C
Attack45
D
Defense50
D
Sp. Atk90
B
Sp. Def80
C
Speed70
C
Total395
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.1 m
3'07"Small
Weight32.0 kg
70.5 lbsLight
Base XP178
Average
Abilities
Compound EyesTop Pick
Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.
Tinted LensHARare
Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpD+1Spe
Strong Special Attack training target
Pokedex Entries

It loves the nectar of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.

Butterfree is weak to Rock, Fire, Electric, Ice, and Flying. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Ground-type moves entirely. Butterfree's special bulk (base 80 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.

Butterfree Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
4x (Critical)Rock
2x (Weak)Fire, Electric, Ice, Flying
0.5x (Resist)Bug
0.25x (Resist)Grass, Fighting
0x (Immune)Ground
Type ChartVulnerable
5Weak
3Resist
1Immune
Score-4
4xCritical
Rock
2xWeak
FireElectricIceFlying
½xResist
Bug
¼xResist
GrassFighting
0xImmune
Ground
STAB (5)
GrassPsychicDarkFightingBug
How to Beat Butterfree (Best Counters)

Jolteon can KO Butterfree with Thunderbolt (180-213%). Volcarona threatens a KO with Heat Wave (139-163%). Glimmora's Power Gem also KOs at 199-234%.

Jolteon
Jolteon
Electric
A
Recommended Build
AbilityVoltabsorb
ItemChoice Specs
NatureTimid
Moves
  • ThunderboltSTAB
  • Volt Switch
  • Alluring Voice
  • Shadow Ball
Damage vs Butterfree
Thunderbolt 2x
180-213%KO
Volt Switch 2x
141-166%KO
Shadow Ball
54-63%
View Jolteon builds →

Butterfree is the final form in a three-stage chain from Caterpie through Metapod. Breeding this form produces Caterpie eggs (quick to hatch). Evolving from Caterpie gave Butterfree the biggest boost in Sp.Atk (+70), bringing the total to 395 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Caterpie
#010Caterpie
7
Level 7
Metapod
#011Metapod
10
Level 10
Butterfree
#012Butterfree
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Caterpie
Bug
Metapod
Bug
Butterfree
BugFlying
HP
45
50+5
60+10
ATK
30
20-10
45+25
DEF
35
55+20
50-5
SP.ATK
20
25+5
90+65
SP.DEF
20
25+5
80+55
SPE
45
30-15
70+40
BST
195D-Tier
205D-Tier+10
395C-Tier+190
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Utility
Utility
Special

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Butterfree to get Caterpie eggs easily using 91 partners from the Bug egg group.

Egg Groups
Bug
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
15 cycles·3,855 steps
Quick~4 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
flygondrapionmasquerainvolbeatillumiseparasectvibravaskorupiparastrapinchsurskitshuckle
12 of 91·

the remaining moves is what separates a good sweep from a wasted boost. After Quiver Dance, Butterfree threatens a wide range with max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs and Focus Sash backing every hit.

Best Build

All 19 games
Experimental
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Wide Lens
Best Nature for Butterfree
Bold+DEF

Butterfree best EVs are Defense and HP

EVs

Doubles Wall Moveset

  • Sleep Powder
  • HurricaneSTAB
  • Quiver DanceSTAB
  • Shadow Ball

Recommended Teammates

Slowking
SlowkingGood
Absol
AbsolGood

Moves

All 19 games

Butterfree develops a solid moveset just through leveling. Bug Buzz and Dream Eater show up naturally, and the progression handles both STAB and utility without leaning on TMs for the core attacks.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Bug Bite
D6010020Bug
Lv 1
Gust
D4010035Flying
Lv 1
Harden
———30Normal
Lv 1
String Shot
——9540Bug
Lv 1
Tackle
D4010035Normal
Lv 4
Supersonic
D—5520Normal
Lv 8
Confusion
—5010025Psychic
Lv 12
Poison Powder
D—7535Poison
Lv 12
Sleep Powder
S—7515Grass
Lv 12
Stun Spore
C—7530Grass
Lv 16
Psybeam
D6510020Psychic
Lv 20
Whirlwind-6
D——20Normal
Lv 24
Air Slash
C759515Flying
Lv 28
Safeguard
C——25Normal
Lv 32
Bug Buzz
A9010010Bug
Lv 36
Tailwind
C——15Flying
Lv 40
Rage Powder+2
D——20Bug
Lv 44
Quiver Dance
S——20Bug

TM Moves

TM
TM40
Aerial Ace
D60—20Flying
TM45
Attract
C—10015Normal
TM62
Bug Buzz
A9010010Bug
TM97
Defog
C——15Flying
TM32
Double Team
———15Normal
TM85
Dream Eater
C10010015Psychic
TM58
Endure+4
C——10Normal
TM53
Energy Ball
C9010010Grass
TM42
Facade
D7010020Normal
TM70
Flash
——10020Normal
TM19
Giga Drain
C7510010Grass
TM68
Giga Impact
C150905Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
B150905Normal
TM17
Protect+4
C——10Normal
TM77
Psych Up
C——10Normal
TM29
Psychic
C9010010Psychic
TM18
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM44
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM51
Roost
C——10Flying
TM20
Safeguard
C——25Normal
TM30
Shadow Ball
S8010015Ghost
TM48
Skill Swap
C——10Psychic
TM82
Sleep Talk
C——10Normal
TM22
Solar Beam
C12010010Grass
TM90
Substitute
C——10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
TM87
Swagger
D—8515Normal
TM46
Thief
D6010025Dark
TM89
U-turn
D7010020Bug

Egg Moves

Butterfree doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Butterfree can't learn any Tutor moves
All 19 games

Can't catch Butterfree directly. Start with Caterpie at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 10. The 3-stage chain from Caterpie to Butterfree is where the leveling time goes.

How to Obtain Butterfree in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

To get Butterfree, start by catching Caterpie through walking encounters at Lv. 58-63. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.

  1. Caterpie
    Step 1Catch Caterpie
    Bogsunk Cavern
    Grass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Grassland Cave
    Grass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Grass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Spacious Cave
    Grass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Grass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Grass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Swampy Cave
    Grass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
  2. Metapod
    Step 2Evolve into Metapod
  3. Butterfree
    Step 3Butterfree ✓

  • Butterfree's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Charizard (Fire), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage. Ice and Flying-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.

  • Metapod evolves into Butterfree at level 10. Butterfree is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Caterpie.

  • Honestly, Butterfree is a tough sell at 395 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

  • Don't let Butterfree's 395 base stat total fool you. Tinted Lens is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.

  • Run Tinted Lens on Butterfree. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Butterfree also gets Compound Eyes, but they don't compare.

Butterfree first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 19 games across 10 generations. It later gained a Gigantamax form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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