Physical
Support
495Average
43Very Slow
CTier

Cradily's stats are solid on their own, but Storm Drain is what pushes it over the line. It redirects Water moves and boosts its Sp. Atk. Only weak to Ice, Fighting, Bug, and Steel. Introduced in Gen 3.

Bulk defines Cradily's stat line. Sp. Def and Defense anchor the defensive side, but Speed can't keep up offensively. Tough to catch and worth 2 Sp. Def EVs.

Base Stats
495Above
HP86
C
Attack81
C
Defense97
B
Sp. Atk81
C
Sp. Def107
B
Speed43
D
Total495
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Cradily yields +2 SpD
HPAtkDefSpASpD+2Spe
Details
Catch45ChallengingErratic600,000 XP1.5m / 4'11"60.4kg / 133.2 lbs173Base XP
Pokedex Entries

CRADILY roams around the ocean floor in search of food. This POKéMON freely extends its tree trunk-like neck and captures unwary prey using its eight tentacles.

Ruby

CRADILY’s body serves as an anchor, preventing it from being washed away in rough seas. This POKéMON secretes a strong digestive fluid from its tentacles.

Sapphire

Cradily Weakness

Fragile

Type-wise, Cradily takes extra damage from Ice, Fighting, Bug, and Steel. Storm Drain grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Cradily's overall bulk (86/97/107) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.

Gen III Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
4xCriticali
None
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
4Weak
2Resist
1Immune
Scorei-6
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Suction CupsPrevents being forced out of battle by other Pokémon's moves.
Storm DrainHARedirects single-target water moves to this Pokémon where possible. Absorbs Water moves, raising Special Attack one stage.
Storm Drain grants Water immunity

Evolved from Lileep. Cradily is the final form in this two-stage line. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are slow to hatch. Attack grew the most through evolution (+40 over Lileep), and Cradily peaks at 495 total stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Lileep
RockGrass
Cradily
RockGrass
HP
66
86+20
ATK
41
81+40
DEF
77
97+20
SP.ATK
61
81+20
SP.DEF
87
107+20
SPE
23
43+20
BST
355D-Tier
495C-Tier+140
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Special
Mixed
Breeding
Moderate

Breed with Cradily to get Lileep eggs using 19 partners from the Water3 egg group. Notable egg moves include Barrier, Mirror Coat, Recover and 1 more.

Egg Groups
Water3
Gender
87.5%12.5%
Hatch Time
30 cycles·7,710 steps
Moderate~8 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
4moves
Breed With (best first)
crawdauntcorsolacorphishomastarkabutopsomanytekabutotentacruelcloysterstarmiekinglerstaryu

This build takes hits and hits back. Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn, Suctioncups supports the gameplan, and flexible EVs EVs mean Cradily doesn't crumble to chip damage. Plus Ground coverage backing it up.

Best Build

Wall
Ability
Suctioncups
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Nature
Adamant+ATK
EVs

Best Cradily Moveset

  • RecoverRecovery
  • RestRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • EarthquakeCoverage

The egg pool carries weight here. Barrier and Mirror Coat aren't available any other way for Cradily, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Solar Beam and Giga Drain for solid options.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Acid
4010030Poison
Lv 1
Astonish
3010015Ghost
Lv 1
Constrict
1010035Normal
Lv 1
Ingrain
20Grass
Lv 8
Constrict
1010035Normal
Lv 15
Acid
4010030Poison
Lv 22
Ingrain
20Grass
Lv 29
Confuse Ray
10010Ghost
Lv 36
Amnesia
20Psychic
Lv 48
Ancient Power
601005Rock
Lv 60
Spit Up
10010Normal
Lv 60
Stockpile
20Normal
Lv 60
Swallow
10Normal

TM Moves

Src
TM45
Attract
10015Normal
TM09
Bullet Seed
1010030Grass
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM26
Earthquake
10010010Ground
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM19
Giga Drain
751005Grass
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM27
Return
10020Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
2010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
609510Rock
TM37
Sandstorm
10Rock
TM43
Secret Power
7010020Normal
TM36
Sludge Bomb
9010010Poison
TM22
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
HM04
Strength
8010015Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM06
Toxic
8510Poison

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Barrier
30Psychic
Egg
Mirror Coat-5
10020Psychic
Egg
Recover
20Normal
Egg
Rock Slide
759010Rock

Tutor Moves

Cradily can't learn any Tutor moves

You're catching Lileep first, not Cradily. Lileep appears but it's a rare spawn in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.

How to Obtain Cradily in Ruby & Sapphire

  1. Lileep
    Step 1Catch Lileep
    Rustboro City - Devon Corporation
    SapphireGift from NPCLv.20LimitedMidCityRevive Root Fossil
    MODERATE
    Rustboro City - Devon Corporation
    RubyGift from NPCLv.20LimitedMidCityRevive Root Fossil
    MODERATE
  2. Cradily
    Step 2Cradily
  • Storm Drain changes the entire equation for Cradily. The 495 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a support.

  • Cradily's biggest threats include Cloyster (Ice), Blaziken (Fighting), and Scyther (Bug), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Steel-type attackers are also a problem.

  • Lileep evolves into Cradily at level 40. Cradily is the fully evolved form. At 495 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Storm Drain is what you want on Cradily. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Suction Cups) work on paper but Storm Drain is what makes Cradily worth using.

  • Base 43 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Cradily is a physical attacker with base 81 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a support.

  • Cradily appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.

Available in 14 titles since its debut in Ruby & Sapphire, Cradily spans 7 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in a solid number of games.