Heracross Best Moveset
AbilityGuts boosts Attack 50% when statused, and Held ItemFlame Orb activates it turn one by inflicting a burn that Guts ignores. 125 Attack becomes effectively 187 behind Bug/Fighting TermStab. NatureJolly at 85 Speed outspeeds enough of the tier. The moveset is a wallbreaker that doesn't care about status because status makes it stronger.
Bug/Fighting with 125 Attack was devastating in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Megahorn hit incredibly hard, and Reversal at low HP from Endure was a lethal finisher.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Megahorn
- Curse
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Recommended Teammates
Guts boosted Attack when statused in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Getting burned made Heracross hit harder instead of weaker. Brilliant ability design.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Megahorn
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Close Combat arrived as reliable Fighting STAB in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). 125 Attack plus Guts plus Close Combat and Megahorn was an offensive nightmare to face.
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Sleep Talk
Recommended Teammates
Moxie snowballed KOs into more Attack boosts in Gen V (Black & White). Choice Scarf Heracross could sweep weakened teams once it secured one knockout.
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Mega Heracross hit 185 Attack with Skill Link in Gen VI (X & Y). Pin Missile and Rock Blast guaranteed five hits each. Base Heracross also stayed solid.
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Fairy-types resisted both Bug and Fighting STAB, and Mega Heracross couldn't muscle past them like it used to.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
No Mega form in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). 125 Attack with Guts or Moxie was still good but 85 Speed needed more to compete at higher levels.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Reversal
- Endure
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Fairy-types walled it, and faster Fighting-types with better coverage kept taking its team slot.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Facade
Recommended Teammates
Heracross Weakness
Type-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. Heracross's overall bulk (80/115/105) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Flying |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Psychic, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Ground, Bug, Dark |
What is Heracross Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Heracross
Tyranitar deals 54-64% with Stone Edge.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVesselofruin ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Ting-Lu builds →Earthquake11-14% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Blissey builds →
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B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Tyranitar builds →Knock Off18-21% Stone Edge54-64% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Rotom-Wash builds →
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Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves View Slowking-Galar builds →
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Evolution
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. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Heracross easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
Heracross Locations
A solid number of locations for Heracross with moderate rates across early-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.
Best Locations to Catch Heracross in Scarlet & Violet
9 walking encounters at Lv. 8-65 for Heracross across Scarlet and Violet. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
2 encounter spots for Heracross at moderate rates starting from late-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Heracross in Legends: Z-A
decent spawn rates for Heracross across 3 locations in early-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Heracross in Legends: Arceus
3 walking and special spots from Lv. 6-40 for Heracross. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
Heracross doesn't appear in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Transfer it from Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Diamond & Pearl to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Heracross is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Base Stats
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.
This powerful Pokémon thrusts its prized horn under its enemies' bellies, then lifts and throws them.
Heracross Guide
We rate Heracross B-Tier: a solid choice for the right team. At 600 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Base 185 Attack stands out.
Heracross can Mega Evolve into Mega Heracross. That's 700 BST, up from 600. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
Heracross's biggest threats include Dodrio (Flying), Charizard (Fire), and Espeon (Psychic), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Dodrio is the most dangerous since Flying moves deal 4x damage. Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. Heracross has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Skill Link is the go-to ability for Heracross. It extends two-to-five-hit moves and triple kick to their full length every time. It's Heracross's only ability.
Base 75 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Heracross is a physical attacker with base 185 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Gold & Silver, Heracross has appeared in 19 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
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 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
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