Flying is a dangerous matchup for Heracross — quadruple damage means one hit can end things. Known as the Single Horn Pokemon. Built to hit on the physical side.
Attack leads and Sp. Atk gets almost nothing. That's Heracross's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 2 Attack EVs.
It loves sweet nectar. To keep all the nectar to itself, it hurls rivals away with its prized horn.
With its herculean powers, it can easily throw around an object that is 100 times its own weight.
Heracross Weakness
VulnerableType-wise, Heracross takes extra damage from Flying, Fire, Psychic, and Fairy. Watch out for Flying attacks, those deal 4x damage. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
What you see is what you get. Heracross sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and plenty of partners from one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time.
How to Evolve
Breed Heracross easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
The moveset leans on Grass and Normal coverage to catch would-be counters. Flame Orb means self-burn for Guts activation for Heracross, and max Attack and Speed EVs make sure nothing walls it cleanly. Guts fills in the gaps.
Best Build
Best Heracross Moveset
- Close Combat
- Trailblaze
- Knock Off
- Facade
TMs carry this one. Heracross learns Focus Punch and Megahorn naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Flying and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
TMs carry this one. Heracross learns Megahorn and Close Combat naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Flying and beyond give it real matchup play.
A solid spread overall. Heracross gets Close Combat and Megahorn for same-type damage alongside Normal and Flying coverage and more. It won't blow anyone away, but it doesn't leave you stuck either.
Breeding's the move. Double-Edge and Feint give Heracross options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 7 types already covers a decent range on top of Focus Punch and Megahorn. The egg moves push it further.
Heracross sits at low spawn rates across 6 spots in late-game routes. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.
Best Locations
6 walking encounters at Lv. 45-65 for Heracross across Scarlet and Violet. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Heracross doesn't appear in Legends: Z-A. Transfer it from Gold, Crystal, or Diamond to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
decent spawn rates for Heracross across 3 locations in late-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations
3 walking and special spots from Lv. 40+ for Heracross. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
We rate Heracross B-Tier — a solid choice for the right team. At 500 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Base 125 Attack stands out.
Heracross doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Bug/Fighting-type Pokemon with strong stats at 500 BST — no evolution needed.
Swarm is the go-to ability for Heracross. It strengthens bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less. Its hidden ability Moxie can work in specific setups. Guts is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Base 85 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Heracross is a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Heracross appears in 19 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Since debuting in Gold & Silver, Heracross has appeared in 19 titles over 8 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A