Physical
Cannon
505High
71Moderate
BTier

High risk, high reward with Honchkrow. The offense is outstanding but the bulk won't survive much — 52 base Defense is the weak link. Ground and Psychic moves can't touch it, which offsets the 4 weaknesses somewhat. Introduced in Gen 4.

Raw Attack carries Honchkrow's bulk more than the defenses do. Defense barely registers. But that HP pool covers for it. A tough to catch Big Boss Pokemon that yields 2 Attack EVs on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
505High
HP100
B
Attack125
A
Defense52
D
Sp. Atk105
B
Sp. Def52
D
Speed71
C
Total505
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Honchkrow yields +2 Atk
HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe
Details
Catch30Difficult•Medium Slow1.06M XP•0.9m / 2'11"•27.3kg / 60.2 lbs•177Base XP
Pokedex Entries

Becoming active at night, it is known to form flocks with numerous Murkrow in tow.

Brilliant Diamond

It makes its Murkrow cronies bring it food. It idles its time away, grooming itself in its nest.

Shining Pearl

Honchkrow Weakness

Good

Type-wise, Honchkrow takes extra damage from Electric, Ice, Rock, and Fairy. Ground and Psychic moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity.

4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
ElectricIceRockFairy
½xResisti
GrassGhostDark
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
GroundPsychic
STAB (5)i
PsychicGhostGrassFightingBug
4Weak
3Resist
2Immune
Scorei+1
Stealth Rock25% on switch
Abilities
InsomniaPrevents sleep.
Super LuckRaises moves' critical hit rates one stage.
MoxieHARaises Attack one stage upon KOing a Pokémon.

Getting Honchkrow requires an evolution item, not just grinding levels. The chain starts at Murkrow. Breed this form to get Murkrow eggs (average hatch time). HP grew the most through evolution (+40 over Murkrow), and Honchkrow peaks at 505 total stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Murkrow
#198Murkrow
Dusk Stone
Honchkrow
#430Honchkrow
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Murkrow
DarkFlying
Honchkrow
DarkFlying
HP
60
100+40
ATK
85
125+40
DEF
42
52+10
SP.ATK
85
105+20
SP.DEF
42
52+10
SPE
91
71-20
BST
405B-Tier
505B-Tier+100
ROLE
Balanced
Cannon
TYPE
Mixed
Physical
Breeding
Very Easy

Breed with Honchkrow to get Murkrow eggs easily from the Flying egg group. Notable egg moves include Assurance, Brave Bird, Confuse Ray and 9 more.

Egg Groups
Flying
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
12moves

Fighting coverage keeps opponents guessing about Honchkrow's real targets. Scopelens provides extra utility while max HP and Attack EVs and Lonely nature handle the stat profile. Superluck ties it together.

Best Build

Physical Tank
Ability
Superluck
Item
Scopelens
Nature
Lonely+ATK
EVs

Best Honchkrow Moveset

  • Brave BirdSTAB
  • Sucker PunchSTAB
  • Heat Wave
  • SuperpowerCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Zapdos
ZapdosDecent
Machamp
MachampDecent

Breeding's the move. Assurance and Brave Bird give Honchkrow options it can't learn any other way, and Ghost and Psychic coverage and more already covers a decent range on top of Sky Attack and Brave Bird. The egg moves push it further.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Air Cutter
609525Flying
Lv 1
Assurance
6010010Dark
Lv 1
Astonish
3010015Ghost
Lv 1
Gust
4010035Flying
Lv 1
Haze
——30Ice
Lv 1
Mean Look
——5Normal
Lv 1
Night Shade
—10015Ghost
Lv 1
Night Slash
7010015Dark
Lv 1
Peck
3510035Flying
Lv 1
Sucker Punch+1
701005Dark
Lv 1
Tailwind
——15Flying
Lv 1
Taunt
—10020Dark
Lv 1
Torment
—10015Dark
Lv 1
Wing Attack
6010035Flying
Lv 25
Swagger
—8515Normal
Lv 35
Nasty Plot
——20Dark
Lv 45
Foul Play
9510015Dark
Lv 55
Night Slash
7010015Dark
Lv 65
Quash
—10015Dark
Lv 75
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark

TM Moves

Src
TM40
Aerial Ace
60—20Flying
TM45
Attract
—10015Normal
TM04
Calm Mind
——20Psychic
TM79
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark
TM97
Defog
——15Flying
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM85
Dream Eater
10010015Psychic
TM58
Endure+4
——10Normal
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM94
Fly
909515Flying
TM68
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM63
Nasty Plot
——20Dark
TM66
Payback
5010010Dark
TM88
Pluck
6010020Flying
TM17
Protect+4
——10Normal
TM77
Psych Up
——10Normal
TM29
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TM18
Rain Dance
——5Water
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM51
Roost
——10Flying
TM30
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TM82
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM78
Snarl
559515Dark
TM47
Steel Wing
709025Steel
TM90
Substitute
——10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
——5Fire
TM87
Swagger
—8515Normal
TM12
Taunt
—10020Dark
TM46
Thief
6010025Dark
TM73
Thunder Wave
—9020Electric
TM41
Torment
—10015Dark

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Assurance
6010010Dark
Egg
Brave Bird
12010015Flying
Egg
Confuse Ray
—10010Ghost
Egg
Drill Peck
8010020Flying
Egg
Feather Dance
—10015Flying
Egg
Flatter
—10015Dark
Egg
Perish Song
——5Normal
Egg
Psycho Shift
—10010Psychic
Egg
Screech
—8540Normal
Egg
Sky Attack
140905Flying
Egg
Whirlwind-6
——20Normal
Egg
Wing Attack
6010035Flying

Tutor Moves

Honchkrow can't learn any Tutor moves

You're catching Murkrow first, not Honchkrow. Murkrow appears at decent rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.

How to Obtain Honchkrow in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

The path to Honchkrow starts with Murkrow at Lv. 10-21 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.

  1. Murkrow
    Step 1Catch Murkrow
    Eterna Forest
    GrassLv.10-1120%EarlyForestNight
    EASY
    Lost Tower - 1F
    GrassLv.1720%MidBuildingNight
    EASY
    Lost Tower - 2F
    GrassLv.1820%MidBuildingNight
    EASY
    Lost Tower - 3F
    GrassLv.1920%MidBuildingNight
    EASY
    Lost Tower - 4F
    GrassLv.2020%MidBuildingNight
    EASY
    Lost Tower - 5F
    GrassLv.2120%MidBuildingNight
    EASY
    Grassland Cave
    GrassLv.16-20MidCave
    Riverbank Cave
    GrassLv.16-20MidCave
    Spacious Cave
    GrassLv.16-20MidCave
    Still-Water Cavern
    GrassLv.16-20MidCave
    Sunlit Cavern
    GrassLv.16-20MidCave
  2. Honchkrow
    Step 2Honchkrow ✓

  • We rate Honchkrow B-Tier — a solid choice for the right team. At 505 BST, it fits the cannon role. Base 125 Attack stands out.

  • Honchkrow's biggest threats include Manectric (Electric), Weavile (Ice), and Golem (Rock), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Fairy-type attackers are also a problem.

  • Murkrow evolves into Honchkrow using a Dusk Stone. Honchkrow is the fully evolved form. At 505 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Insomnia is the go-to ability for Honchkrow. It prevents sleep. Its hidden ability Moxie can work in specific setups. Super Luck is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.

  • Base 71 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Honchkrow is a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a cannon.

  • Honchkrow appears in 12 games, including Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver, and Diamond & Pearl.

Obtainable through an item-based evolution, Honchkrow appears in 12 titles across 6 generations since Diamond & Pearl. The evolution method adds a barrier that wild-catchable Pokemon don't have.