Carkol Best Moveset
Rock/Fire at 60 offenses and 90 Defense with AbilitySteam Engine boosting Speed on Fire/Water hits. AbilityFlame Body burns on contact. Held ItemEviolite adds bulk since Coalossal exists. The moveset tanks physical hits building toward evolution. One step from 120 Defense and Coalossal.
Carkol saw minimal competitive use in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield / BDSP). This was Carkol's competitive peak. Its most popular set ran Steamengine with Eviolite, favoring a Impish nature.
Best Moves
Best Build
Carkol best EVs are Attack and Defense
Physical Tank Moveset
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Blast
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
Recommended Teammates
Carkol saw minimal competitive use in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet / Legends Z-A). Carkol maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Flashfire with Eviolite, favoring a Careful nature.
Wall Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Will O Wisp
- Body Press
Recommended Teammates
Carkol Weakness
Type-wise, Carkol takes extra damage from Water, Ground, Fighting, and Rock. Watch out for Water and Ground attacks, those deal 4x damage. With 7 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Water, Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Fighting, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire |
What is Carkol Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Carkol
Greninja can KO Carkol with Surf (121-142%). Excadrill threatens a KO with Earthquake (135-160%). Conkeldurr deals 52-61% with Drain Punch.
 Greninja WaterDark | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Carkol View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse27-31% Ice Beam10-12% Surf 4x121-142%KO | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySandrush ItemAir Balloon NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Carkol View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 4x135-160%KO Rapid Spin6-7% | ||
 Conkeldurr Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGuts ItemFlame Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Carkol View Conkeldurr builds →Drain Punch 2x52-61% Mach Punch 2x28-33% Knock Off15-18% | ||
 Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemAssault Vest NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Carkol View Rhyperior builds →Earthquake 4x140-165%KO Stone Edge 2x70-82% | ||
Evolution
Partway through Rolycoly's chain. Carkol still has another evolution ahead before reaching Coalossal. For breeding, quick to hatch with plenty of partners via one egg group. HP has grown the most so far (+50), but there's still another 100 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Carkol to get Rolycoly eggs easily using 84 partners from the Mineral egg group.
Shiny Carkol
Deeper yellow-brown Carkol makes the mine cart turtle look more like a smoldering ember. The warmer body tones pair well with the red-hot coal eyes. Middle evolutions don't always pull their weight in shiny lines, but this one holds up.
Shiny Carkol Odds & Hunting Methods
2 of 2 VerifiedHow do we research these odds?
We check every game where a shiny is possible, then rank each one by the best method available in that game, so the row at the top is the fastest route overall.
Odds marked verified are cross-checked against multiple independent sources before we publish them. Where a rate is not yet confirmed we mark the row pending rather than guess a number.
Read our full methodologyHow to Get Carkol
Decent spawn rates across 1 location for Carkol in mid-game routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Where To Catch Carkol in SV
The path to Carkol starts with Rolycoly at Lv. 5-23 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch RolycolyEast Province (Area Three) - MineLv.5-23OverworldRate 30%East Province (Area Three) - CaveLv.5-23OverworldRate 10%
Step 2Carkol ✓East Province (Area Three) - MineLv.25-34OverworldRate 18%or evolve from Rolycoly (Step 1)
Step 3Evolve into CoalossalBREEDINGAvailableStart a picnic with two compatible Pokemon in your party, then check the picnic basket to receive a Rolycoly egg.
Want the exact numbers? Work out your catch odds in Scarlet & Violet for Carkol.
Carkol starts showing up in mid-game routes at high spawn rates across 6 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Where To Catch Carkol in SwSh
Rolycoly is your first catch on the way to Carkol. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 10-65 across 49 total spots in the chain.
- Step 1Catch RolycolyRoute 3 - GarbageLv.10-13OverworldRate 99%All WeatherGalar MineLv.11-14OverworldRate 35%All WeatherGalar MineLv.11-15CaveRate 30%All WeatherGiant's Cap - 2Lv.28-30OverworldRate 50%Intense SunGiant's Cap - 3Lv.29-32OverworldRate 50%Intense SunMotostoke RiverbankLv.26-28OverworldSwordRate 10%SandstormMotostoke RiverbankLv.28-30OverworldShieldRate 10%SandstormMotostoke RiverbankLv.28-30OverworldShieldRate 10%Intense SunMotostoke RiverbankLv.26-28OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldRate 60%Normal WeatherGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldRate 60%OvercastGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldRate 60%Heavy FogGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldRate 60%SandstormGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldRate 60%Intense SunGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%SnowstormGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%RainingGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%SnowingGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%ThunderstormGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 10%SnowstormGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 10%RainingGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 10%SnowingGiant's Cap - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 10%Thunderstorm
- Step 2Carkol ✓Stony WildernessLv.26-28GrassRate 40%Intense SunGiant's CapLv.28-30OverworldRate 40%SandstormGiant's CapLv.28-30OverworldRate 40%Intense SunBridge FieldLv.26-28GrassRate 10%Intense SunBallimere LakeLv.60-65OverworldRate 20%Intense SunLakeside CaveLv.60-65OverworldRate 15%All Weatheror evolve from Rolycoly (Step 1)
- Step 3Catch or Evolve into CoalossalDusty BowlLv.40-45GrassRate 2%Intense SunLake of OutrageLv.50-52GrassRate 25%Intense SunGiant's SeatLv.55-60Max RaidSwordGigantamax, Sword exclusive, 4-5 star raidor evolve from Carkol (Step 2)
Want the exact numbers? Work out your catch odds in Sword & Shield for Carkol.
Base Stats
Bulk defines Carkol's stat line. Defense and HP anchor the defensive side, but Speed can't keep up offensively. Common in the wild and worth 2 Defense EVs.
Due to the coal tar created inside it, the heap of coal on Carkol’s back never falls apart, even when the Pokémon rolls around at high speeds.
Carkol Guide
Flash Fire is the hidden ability. It protects against fire moves. Worth hunting for if you want Carkol to compete at a higher level.
You can run Carkol through the first few routes without issues. 410 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Coalossal as fast as you can.
Carkol plays as a balanced. Not the fastest, so pick your spots carefully.
Careful is the go-to nature for Carkol. That's +Sp. Def / -Sp. Atk. Pair it with 240 HP / 96 Def / 172 SpD EVs. Fits the balanced role.
Game Availability
Carkol joined the series in Sword & Shield and has been available in 2 titles so far. With 2 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
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 5BW
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 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShDebut
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
Explore
Where to go next after Carkol.
Next stepPokedexBrowse the full Pokedex for every gameSee Pokedex