An unusually even spread gives Caterpie flexibility. HP barely edges ahead. But Sp. Atk isn't far off. Easy to catch and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve. Yields 1 HP EV.
It releases a stench from its red antennae to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
It releases a stench from its red antennae to repel enemies. It grows by molting repeatedly.
Type-wise, Caterpie takes extra damage from Fire, Flying, and Rock. Standard number of weaknesses for the Bug typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Ground |
Rhyperior can KO Caterpie with Stone Edge (365-430%). Braviary's U-turn hits Caterpie for 71-84%. Delphox's Flamethrower also KOs at 361-425%.
 Rhyperior GroundRock | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Rhyperior builds →Earthquake91-107%KO Stone Edge 2x365-430%KO | ||
 Braviary Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityDefiant ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Braviary builds →U Turn71-84% Close Combat61-71% | ||
 Delphox FirePsychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemDelphoxite NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Delphox builds →Flamethrower 2x361-425%KO Psyshock161-189%KO | ||
 Charizard Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Charizard builds →Scorching Sands45-53% Flamethrower 2x350-412%KO Hurricane 2x427-503%KO Air Slash 2x291-343%KO | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Staraptor builds →Close Combat89-105%KO U Turn104-123%KO Double Edge268-315%KO | ||
Three stages ahead. Caterpie grows into Metapod, then pushes on to Butterfree. Check the evolution methods below. For breeding, quick to hatch with plenty of partners via one egg group. Evolving adds up to 200 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Caterpie easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Not a lot to pick from. Caterpie gets Bug Bite for same-type damage, and Normal coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Not a lot to pick from. Caterpie gets Bug Bite for same-type damage, and Normal and Electric coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Not a lot to pick from. Caterpie gets Bug STAB for same-type damage, and Normal coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Not a lot to pick from. Caterpie gets Bug Bite for same-type damage, and Normal and Electric coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
moderate rates for Caterpie across 7 locations in endgame routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Caterpie in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
7 walking spots from Lv. 58-63 for Caterpie. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
Caterpie appears at decent spawn rates across 2 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Caterpie in Sword & Shield
Easy grab on Caterpie with decent spawn rates across 6 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations to Catch Caterpie in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
Which version you're playing matters for Caterpie. 6 walking spots at Lv. 3-8 spread across Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
Caterpie's scattered across 18 spots in early-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations to Catch Caterpie in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
walking encounters for Caterpie across 18 spots at Lv. 2-22. The catch is that Ultra Moon and Ultra Sun don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
Caterpie becomes Metapod at level 7, then Butterfree at level 10. Straight three-stage line with no branching.
Caterpie evolves into Metapod at level 7. Early evolution, you'll hit it before the third gym in most games.
You can run Caterpie through the first few routes without issues. 195 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Metapod as fast as you can.
Caterpie shows up in 19 games, making it one of the more widely available Pokemon in the series. First catchable in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, most recently in Yellow and Red & Blue.
One of the original 151, Caterpie has appeared in 19 games — most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves