Cranidos's all-in on Attack at the expense of Sp. Atk. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 1 Attack EV and follows a standard growth curve.
An incredibly rare sight. They duel each other by ramming their heads together, and the resulting sound echoes throughout the area like the pealing of a bell.
Cranidos is weak to Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. That's a lot of weak spots to cover so team support is important.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Poison, Flying |
Greninja can KO Cranidos with Surf (266-313%). Gholdengo threatens a KO with Shadow Ball (136-160%). Vullaby deals 45-53% with Knock Off.
 Greninja WaterDark | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Cranidos View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse119-140%KO Ice Beam89-104%KO Surf 2x266-313%KO U Turn41-49% | ||
 Gholdengo SteelGhost | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityGoodasgold ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Cranidos View Gholdengo builds →Shadow Ball136-160%KO | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityWeakarmor ItemEviolite NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Cranidos View Vullaby builds →Knock Off45-53% Heat Wave13-16% | ||
 FoongusRecovers HP on switch via Regenerator, puts to sleep with Spore, wears down with Toxic GrassPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemEviolite NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Cranidos View Foongus builds →Sludge Bomb25-29% Giga Drain 2x82-97% | ||
 Mienfoo Fighting | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemEviolite NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Cranidos View Mienfoo builds →Knock Off30-36% U Turn33-39% High Jump Kick 2x181-213%KO | ||
Cranidos evolves into Rampardos. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are slow to hatch. Evolving adds up to 145 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Cranidos with 81 breeding partners from the Monster egg group.
Rock Slide is the safe click most turns. Choice Scarf locks Cranidos into it but rewards with speed patching through item lock. Adamant nature and spread EVs maximize that first hit. Sheerforce helps on the margins.
Best Build
Cranidos best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- Rock Slide
- Fire Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Legends: Arceus 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 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Thunder Punch
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 11 types means almost nothing walls Cranidos cleanly, with Head Smash and Stone Edge anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Cranidos's movepool balances level-up moves with TM options. Consistent STAB comes from Head Smash and Stone Edge, and coverage across 9 types keeps opponents from switching in for free. No major gaps here.
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Cranidos cleanly, with Head Smash and Stone Edge anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Cranidos cleanly, with Head Smash and Stone Edge anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Cranidos can't be caught in Scarlet & Violet. Bring it over from Diamond, Platinum, or Legends: Arceus instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
decent spawn rates for Cranidos across 1 locations in mid-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Cranidos in Legends: Arceus
No wild encounters for Cranidos in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. It's available in Diamond, Platinum, or Legends: Arceus and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Cranidos is a gift in this game. Pick it up at Route 8 — no wild encounters or spawn rates to deal with. The details below cover exactly when it becomes available.
Best Locations to Catch Cranidos in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Cranidos isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Rampardos to unlock its full potential. At 350 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Run Sheer Force on Cranidos. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Cranidos also gets Mold Breaker, but they don't compare.
Sheer Force is the hidden ability. It strengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects. Worth hunting for if you want Cranidos to compete at a higher level.
Cranidos fills the cannon role. It's a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. At base 58 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's fragile, can't afford to take many hits.
Cranidos first appeared in Diamond & Pearl and has been available in 12 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
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 4DPDebut
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