Excadrill Best Moveset
AbilitySand Rush doubles the 88 base Speed under sandstorm, and 135 Attack behind Ground/Steel TermStab with NatureAdamant hits with massive physical power. Held ItemAir Balloon grants temporary Ground immunity for safe switch-ins. The moveset clears hazards with Rapid Spin and fires devastating TermStab attacks. Under sand, nothing outspeeds it. A-Tier as the premier sand attacker.
Sand Rush doubled Speed in sandstorm in Gen V (Black & White). Paired with Tyranitar or Hippowdon for permanent sand. Swords Dance into Earthquake swept at blistering Speed.
Best Moves
Best Build
Excadrill best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
Recommended Teammates
Weather nerfed to five turns in Gen VI (X & Y), but Excadrill adapted. Mold Breaker ignored abilities like Levitate, and Stealth Rock plus Rapid Spin gave utility beyond sweeping.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Steel/Ground hit hard with STAB Earthquake and Iron Head in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Rapid Spin removed hazards. Excadrill did everything from one slot. Three gens at the top.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Mold Breaker still ignored abilities but the format's power level pushed Excadrill down. Sand Rush without permanent sand was inconsistent.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
88 Speed was increasingly average in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Steel/Ground was still good typing but faster breakers with better coverage took the slot. Two gens below the top.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Excadrill Weakness
Type-wise, Excadrill takes extra damage from Fire, Water, Fighting, and Ground. Electric and Poison moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. It resists 8 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric, Poison |
What is Excadrill Weak Against
ExcellentBest Pokemon Against Excadrill
Pincurchin's Scald hits Excadrill for 42-49%.
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Blissey builds →
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B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityElectric Surge ItemTerrain Extender NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Excadrill View Pincurchin builds →Scald 2x42-49% | ||
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Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemEviolite NatureBold Moves View Chansey builds →
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Recommended Build AbilitySynchronize ItemLeppaberry NatureRelaxed Moves View Rabsca builds →
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Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves View Slowking-Galar builds →
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Evolution
Excadrill is what Drilbur becomes. Breed it for Drilbur eggs (average hatch time). A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolution from Drilbur pushed Excadrill to 508 total stats. HP saw the largest single gain at +50. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Excadrill to get Drilbur eggs easily using 278 partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Excadrill
moderate rates for Excadrill across 4 locations in endgame routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Where To Catch Excadrill in SV
The path to Excadrill starts with Drilbur at Lv. 50-80 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DrilburCanyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCanyon BiomeLv.64Overworld
Step 2Excadrill ✓Canyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80Overworldor evolve from Drilbur (Step 1)
Excadrill appears at moderate rates across 2 spots in late-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Excadrill in LZA
Drilbur is your first catch on the way to Excadrill. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 23-49 across 5 total spots in the chain.
- Step 1Catch DrilburWild Zone 8Lv.23-25OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 14Lv.28-30OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 14Lv.36-37OverworldLegends: Z-A
- Step 2Excadrill ✓Wild Zone 14Lv.38-39OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 14Lv.48-49OverworldLegends: Z-Aor evolve from Drilbur (Step 1)
A solid number of locations for Excadrill with high spawn rates across late-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Where To Catch Excadrill in SwSh
To get Excadrill, start by catching Drilbur through walking encounters at Lv. 11-58. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch DrilburGalar MineLv.11-14OverworldRate 10%All WeatherGalar MineLv.11-15CaveRate 10%All WeatherGiant's MirrorLv.28-30OverworldRate 35%SandstormGiant's CapLv.26-28GrassRate 30%SandstormStony WildernessLv.26-28GrassRate 30%SandstormGiant's CapLv.26-28GrassRate 20%Intense SunHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassRate 15%SandstormStony WildernessLv.26-28GrassRate 10%Intense SunDusty BowlLv.42-47OverworldRate 35%SandstormDusty BowlLv.42-47OverworldRate 10%Intense Sun
Step 2Excadrill ✓Giant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 60%SandstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 60%Intense SunGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 60%SnowstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 60%SnowingGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 50%SandstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 50%Intense SunGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 50%SnowstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 50%SnowingGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%OvercastGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%ThunderstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%Normal WeatherGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%RainingGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldSwordRate 30%Heavy FogGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 20%OvercastGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 20%ThunderstormGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 20%Normal WeatherGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 20%RainingGiant's Mirror - GroundLv.31-34OverworldShieldRate 20%Heavy FogLake of OutrageLv.55-58OverworldRate 35%Sandstormor evolve from Drilbur (Step 1)
Excadrill isn't available in the wild in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Start by transferring Drilbur from Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, or Sword & Shield. The evolution path from Drilbur to Excadrill is covered in the steps below.
How to Obtain Excadrill in USUM
Step 1Obtain DrilburLATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Shaking grass · Twist Mountain · Shaking spot. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black 2 & White 2Not TradeableAppears in Black 2 & White 2 via Dust cloud · Mistralton Cave · Shaking spot. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Sword & ShieldNot TradeableAppears in Sword & Shield via Overworld · Dusty Bowl · Sandstorm. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Excadrill ✓
Base Stats
The stat line revolves around Attack. Percentage recovery gets extra mileage here. HP backs it up, though Sp. Atk doesn't pull its weight. Worth 2 Attack EVs on a medium-fast 1M XP curve to max out.
It’s not uncommon for tunnels that appear to have formed naturally to actually be a result of Excadrill’s rampant digging.
Excadrill Guide
Excadrill looks average on paper at 508 BST. But Sand Rush is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. B-Tier wallbreaker on our tier list.
Excadrill gets Sand Rush, Sand Force, and Mold Breaker. But Sand Rush is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Excadrill is a physical attacker with base 135 Attack. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 88 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.
The core moveset is Earthquake, Rapid Spin, Ironhead, and Swords Dance. Earthquake leads at 0% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Since Black & White, Excadrill has been obtainable in 9 games. A Generation 5 debut means a shorter history, but Excadrill has appeared steadily across every generation since.
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 5BWDebut
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 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
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