The Kicking Pokemon. Choose between Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron. Hitmonlee hits harder, but both are F-Tier in Gen 1.
380HP50Attack120Defense53Speed87Sp.Def35Sp.Atk35
Weak to
Physical
Cannon
87Speed · Above Avg

Is Hitmonlee Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?

A gift from the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City. You pick either Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan, not both. Hitmonlee hits harder and is faster, making it the better choice in most playthroughs. Fighting coverage helps against Giovanni and Lorelei's Lapras.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadSEGEETGGGGTEEBrockGym 1MistyGym 2SurgeGym 3ErikaGym 4HitmonleeGiftKogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6BlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Brock
Gym 1
Strong

Hitmonlee resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.

Easy KO
Geodude
Lv 12
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleDefense Curl
Easy KO
Onix
Lv 14
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleScreechBide
Misty
Gym 2
Even

Hitmonlee trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.

You Win
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Risky
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Good

Hitmonlee has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.

You Win
Voltorb
Lv 21
Electric
Soundproof
TackleScreechSonic Boom
You Win
Pikachu
Lv 18
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunder WaveQuick Attack
Even
Raichu
Lv 24
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunderbolt
Erika
Gym 4
Even

Hitmonlee trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.

Risky
Victreebel
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafWrapPoison PowderSleep Powder
You Win
Tangela
Lv 24
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBind
Risky
Vileplume
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DancePoison PowderMega DrainSleep Powder
Koga
Gym 5
Even

Hitmonlee trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.

Even
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Even
Muk
Lv 39
Poison
Stench
DisablePoison GasMinimizeSludge
Even
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Risky
Weezing
Lv 43
Poison
Levitate
SmogSludgeToxicSelf Destruct
Sabrina
Gym 6
Tough

Sabrina's team hits Hitmonlee's weaknesses hard.

Risky
Kadabra
Lv 38
Psychic
Synchronize
DisablePsybeamRecoverPsychic
Risky
Mr Mime
Lv 37
Psychic
Soundproof
ConfusionBarrierLight ScreenDouble Slap
Risky
Venomoth
Lv 38
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Poison PowderLeech LifeStun SporePsybeam
Risky
Alakazam
Lv 43
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsywaveReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Good

Hitmonlee has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.

You Win
Growlithe
Lv 42
Fire
Intimidate
EmberLeerTake DownAgility
You Win
Ponyta
Lv 40
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
You Win
Rapidash
Lv 42
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Even
Arcanine
Lv 47
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberFire BlastTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Good

Hitmonlee has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.

Easy KO
Rhyhorn
Lv 45
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFury AttackHorn Drill
You Win
Dugtrio
Lv 42
Ground
Sand Veil
GrowlDigSand AttackSlash
Even
Nidoqueen
Lv 44
PoisonGround
Poison Point
ScratchTail WhipBody SlamPoison Sting
Risky
Nidoking
Lv 45
PoisonGround
Poison Point
TackleHorn AttackPoison StingThrash
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 50
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFissureHorn Drill
Lorelei
Elite Four
Good

Hitmonlee has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.

You Win
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
GrowlAurora BeamRestTake Down
You Win
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampAurora BeamSpike Cannon
Even
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
GrowlWater GunWithdrawAmnesia
Even
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchBody SlamThrash
You Win
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Good

Hitmonlee has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.

Easy KO
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
You Win
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchMega PunchCounter
Even
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Jump KickFocus EnergyHigh Jump KickMega Kick
You Win
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Even
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerFocus EnergyFissureSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Tough

Agatha's team hits Hitmonlee's weaknesses hard.

Avoid
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Even
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicConfuse RayWing AttackHaze
Avoid
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Risky
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
BiteGlareScreechAcid
Avoid
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeToxicDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Even

Hitmonlee trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.

Risky
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Even
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
SupersonicBiteTake DownHyper Beam
Risky
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
AgilitySlamBarrierHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Even

Hitmonlee trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.

Even
Pidgeot
Lv 61
NormalFlying
Keen Eye
WhirlwindWing AttackSky AttackMirror Move
Risky
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicReflect
Easy KO
Rhydon
Lv 61
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Tail WhipFury AttackHorn DrillLeer
Even
Exeggutor
Lv 61
GrassPsychic
Chlorophyll
BarrageHypnosisStomp
Risky
Gyarados
Lv 63
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
Risky
Charizard
Lv 65
FireFlying
Blaze
RageSlashFire BlastFire Spin

Gift

Available after Badge 4
Type
Fighting
Tier
E

Hitmonlee is given to you as a gift in Saffron City at Lv 30. Beat the Karate Master; you may take only one of the two Poke Balls. Defeat the Karate Master at the Fighting Dojo in Saffron City, then pick Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan; you can only take one.

View Hitmonlee locations

How to Get Hitmonlee in Red & Blue

Beat Kiyo at the Saffron City Fighting Dojo and you choose one reward, Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan, at level 30. Pick the kicker and Hitmonchan is gone for that save.

1 location to catch Hitmonlee

Badge 5

Hitmonlee Weakness

Type-wise, Hitmonlee takes extra damage from Flying and Psychic. Few weaknesses and 2 resistances make the typing clean. Hitmonlee leans offensive (base 120 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.

Hitmonlee Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Flying, Psychic
0.5x (Resist)Bug, Rock
Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split

What is Hitmonlee Weak Against

Avg
2Weak
2Resist
0Immune
Score-2
4xCritical
None
½xResist
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None

What is Hitmonlee Strong Against

3Strong
4Resisted
1Immune
Score-2
0xImmune

Best Pokemon Against Hitmonlee

Hypno
Hypno
Psychic
C
Kadabra
Kadabra
Psychic
B
Butterfree
Butterfree
BugFlying
C
Golbat
Golbat
PoisonFlying
C
Spearow
Spearow
NormalFlying
C

Hitmonlee Evolutions

No evolution, no breeding. Hitmonlee is a Fighting type with 380 base stats that exists outside the normal chain system. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Hitmonlee
#106Hitmonlee
Does not evolve
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

RB Hitmonlee Best Moveset

120 Attack and 87 Speed, decent physical numbers held back by a Fighting type that Psychic-types shut down completely. MoveHigh Jump Kick is risky and MoveBody Slam often does more useful work. Hits hard physically but the type matchups don't cooperate.

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Hitmonlee
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • High Jump KickSTAB
  • Body Slam
  • Seismic TossSTAB
  • Mega Kick

Moves List

TMs carry this one. Hitmonlee learns High Jump Kick and Jump Kick naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Double Kick
D4510030Fighting
Lv 1
Meditate
A——40Psychic
Lv 33
Rolling Kick
A908515Fighting
Lv 38
Jump Kick
—1509510Fighting
Lv 43
Focus Energy
———30Normal
Lv 48
High Jump Kick
B1959010Fighting
Lv 53
Mega Kick
A120755Normal

TM Moves

All 19 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four

TM
TM34D——10Normal
TM08
Body SlamS.S. Annebadge 2
B8510015Normal
TM18
Counter-5Celadon Department Storebadge 3
A—10020Fighting
TM32
Double TeamSafari Zonebadge 3
———15Normal
TM10
Double-EdgeRocket Hideoutbadge 3
B12010015Normal
TM05
Mega KickCeladon Department Storebadge 3
A120755Normal
TM01
Mega PunchMt. Moonbadge 1
C808520Normal
TM35
MetronomePokémon Labbadge 6
D——10Normal
TM31
MimicSaffron Citybadge 5
D——10Normal
TM20
RageRoute 15badge 3
D2010020Normal
TM44
RestS.S. Annebadge 2
C——10Psychic
TM19
Seismic TossRoute 25badge 1
B—10020Fighting
TM40
Skull BashSafari Zonebadge 4
B10010010Normal
HM04
StrengthFuchsia Citybadge 4
—8010015Normal
TM17
SubmissionCeladon Department Storebadge 3
C1208025Fighting
TM50
SubstituteRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
A——10Normal
TM39
SwiftRoute 12 Gate 2Fbadge 2
D60—20Normal
TM09
Take DownSilph Co.badge 3
C908520Normal
TM06C—9010Poison

Tutor Moves

Hitmonlee can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Avg
HP50
D
Attack120
A
Defense53
D
Sp. Atk35
F
Sp. Def35
F
Speed87
C
Total380
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.5 m
Weight49.8 kg
Base XP159
EV Yield
HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe
Attack training target
Pokedex Entry

When in a hurry, its legs lengthen progressively. It runs smoothly with extra long, loping strides.

Pokemon Red / Pokemon Blue

Hitmonlee Red & Blue Guide

  • Honestly, in Red & Blue Hitmonlee is a tough sell. It rates just E-Tier, and stronger Fighting options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

  • In Red & Blue, Hitmonlee plays as a cannon. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully.

Game Availability

One of the original 151, Hitmonlee has appeared in 20 games: most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.

Explore

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