Is Heracross Good in Sun & Moon Playthrough?
Breed-only. Heracross's Bug/Fighting hits hard, but no Mega Stone during the story limits its ceiling. Bewear fills the Fighting role natively.
Heracross resists most of Ilima's coverage and hits back hard.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Hala's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Lana's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Kiawe's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Mallow's team.
Heracross resists most of Olivia's coverage and hits back hard.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Sophocles's team.
Heracross trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Heracross resists most of Nanu's coverage and hits back hard.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Totem Kommo-o's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Hapu's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Hala's team.
Heracross has the type edge here and should clean up Olivia's team.
Heracross trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Heracross trades roughly evenly with Kahili's team.
Heracross cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four.
How to Get Heracross in Sun & Moon
Heracross can't be caught in Sun & Moon. Bring it over from Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Diamond & Pearl instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
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.
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
 Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x172-204%KO Fire Fang 2x42-49% | ||
 Oricorio Fire | C | |
 Drifloon Ghost | C | |
 Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Butterfree builds →Gust 4x66-79% Confusion 2x28-34% | ||
 Pikipek Normal | C | |
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x151-178%KO Fire Fang 2x36-43% | ||
Oricorio Fire | C | |
Drifloon Ghost | C | |
 Fletchinder Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Fletchinder builds →Acrobatics 4x61-73% Ember 2x20-24% | ||
 Trumbeak Normal | C | |
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x154-182%KO Fire Fang 2x38-46% | ||
Oricorio Fire | C | |
 Fearow Normal | C | |
Drifloon Ghost | C | |
Fletchinder Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Fletchinder builds →Acrobatics 4x65-76% Flame Charge 2x28-34% | ||
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x150-177%KO Fire Fang 2x36-43% | ||
 Espeon Psychic | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Espeon builds →Future Sight 2x103-123%KO | ||
 Masquerain Bug | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Masquerain builds →Air Cutter 4x86-102%KO | ||
Oricorio Fire | C | |
 Golbat Poison | C | |
 Toucannon Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Toucannon builds →Beak Blast 4x160-189%KO Overheat 2x50-59% | ||
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x160-189%KO Zen Headbutt 2x47-56% Fire Fang 2x38-45% | ||
 Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Golbat Poison | C | |
Fearow Normal | C | |
Toucannon Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Toucannon builds →Beak Blast 4x153-180%KO Overheat 2x48-57% | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x153-180%KO Zen Headbutt 2x46-54% Fire Fang 2x37-44% | ||
Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Masquerain Bug | C | |
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Chandelure builds →Overheat 2x126-149%KO Psychic 2x59-70% | ||
Toucannon Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Toucannon builds →Beak Blast 4x154-181%KO Overheat 2x49-58% | ||
Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Drifblim builds →Fly 4x99-117%KO Psychic 2x40-47% | ||
Salamence Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Salamence builds →Fly 4x154-181%KO Fire Blast 2x57-67% Zen Headbutt 2x46-54% | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
 Togekiss Fairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Togekiss builds →Sky Attack 4x150-176%KO Dazzling Gleam 2x66-78% Dream Eater 2x54-64% Fire Blast 2x60-71% | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Staraptor builds →Brave Bird 4x181-213%KO | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Chandelure builds →Overheat 2x125-147%KO Dream Eater 2x64-75% | ||
Toucannon Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Toucannon builds →Beak Blast 4x152-179%KO Overheat 2x47-56% | ||
 Talonflame Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Talonflame builds →Brave Bird 4x132-155%KO Flare Blitz 2x66-78% | ||
In Sun & Moon, Xerneas's Moonblast hits Heracross for 73-86%. Staraptor's Double-Edge hits Heracross for 55-65%.
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFairyaura ItemPower Herb NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Xerneas builds →Moonblast 2x73-86% Focus Blast23-27% Thunder42-50% | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Heracross View Staraptor builds →Close Combat18-22% U Turn11-13% Double Edge55-65% | ||
Heracross Evolutions
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
SM Heracross Best Moveset
Mega Heracross fires 185 Attack with AbilitySkill Link guaranteeing MovePin Missile and MoveRock Blast hit five times. Base form AbilityGuts boosts Attack through status for a Held ItemFlame Orb set, and AbilityMoxie raises Attack on each KO. The moveset earns B-tier through either Mega Skill Link multi-hits or Guts burn-boosted Fighting power.
Best Build
Heracross best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding's the move. Bide and Double-Edge give Heracross options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 8 types already covers a decent range on top of Focus Punch and Megahorn. The egg moves push it further.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
Heracross Sun & Moon Guide
For Sun & Moon, we rate Heracross B-Tier: a solid option in Sun & Moon for the right team. At 600 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Close Combat with Flame Orb is the standard set.
In Sun & Moon, 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.
In Sun & Moon, 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