Is Hoothoot Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Underground Normal/Flying. Noctowl is a special-leaning bird, but the offensive output is too low. AbilityInsomnia blocks sleep, which helps against some trainers but doesn't save the team slot.
Roark's team hits Hoothoot's weaknesses hard.
Hoothoot has the type edge here and should clean up Gardenia's team.
Noctowl has the type edge here and should clean up Maylene's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Crasher Wake's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Fantina's team.
Byron's team hits Noctowl's weaknesses hard.
Noctowl has the type edge here and should clean up Candice's team.
Volkner's team hits Noctowl's weaknesses hard.
Noctowl has the type edge here and should clean up Aaron's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Bertha's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Flint's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Lucian's team.
Noctowl trades roughly evenly with Cynthia's team.
Catch Hoothoot on Route 211 (walking, Lv 14, uncommon).
Your Hoothoot should hit Level 20 before you reach Maylene, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Hoothoot in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
A solid number of locations for Hoothoot with decent spawn 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.
Where To Catch Hoothoot in BDSP
To get Hoothoot, start by catching Hoothoot through walking encounters at Lv. 14-54. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Hoothoot ✓Route 211 - WestLv.14GrassRate 10%NightGreat Marsh - Area 5Lv.20-22FloorRate 20%NightGreat Marsh - Area 6Lv.20-22FloorRate 20%NightGreat Marsh - Area 3Lv.22-24FloorRate 20%NightGreat Marsh - Area 4Lv.22-24FloorRate 20%NightGreat Marsh - Area 1Lv.24FloorRate 10%NightGreat Marsh - Area 2Lv.24FloorRate 10%NightRoute 210 - NorthLv.24GrassRate 10%NightFountainspring CaveLv.25-29CaveRequires StrengthGrassland CaveLv.25-29CaveRequires StrengthRiverbank CaveLv.25-29CaveRequires StrengthSpacious CaveLv.25-29CaveRequires StrengthStill-Water CavernLv.25-29CaveRequires StrengthSunlit CavernLv.25-29CaveRequires Strength
Step 2Catch or Evolve into NoctowlRoute 210 - NorthLv.25GrassRate 10%NightGreat Marsh - Area 1Lv.26FloorRate 10%NightGreat Marsh - Area 2Lv.26FloorRate 10%NightRoute 211 - EastLv.28GrassRate 10%NightLake AcuityLv.34-36GrassRate 20%NightLake ValorLv.34-36GrassRate 20%NightRoute 216Lv.33GrassRate 10%NightAcuity LakefrontLv.35GrassRate 10%NightRoute 217Lv.35GrassRate 10%NightMt. Coronet - SummitLv.39CaveRate 10%NightSendoff SpringLv.53-54GrassRate 20%Nightor evolve from Hoothoot (Step 1)
Hoothoot Weakness
Hoothoot's Normal/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric, Ice, and Rock. It shrugs off Ground and Ghost-type attacks completely. Hoothoot's special bulk (base 56 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground, Ghost |
What is Hoothoot Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Hoothoot
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
 Pikachu Electric | C | |
 Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Abomasnow builds →Ice Beam 2x108-128%KO Rock Slide 2x90-106%KO | ||
 Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x82-97% Thunderbolt 2x62-73% | ||
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
 Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Pikachu Electric | C | |
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x82-97% Thunderbolt 2x62-73% | ||
Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Abomasnow builds →Ice Beam 2x108-128%KO Rock Slide 2x90-106%KO | ||
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
 Rhydon GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x249-293%KO Avalanche 2x100-118%KO Thunderbolt 2x42-50% | ||
Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x84-99% Thunderbolt 2x63-74% | ||
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Regieleki can KO Hoothoot with Thunderbolt (202-238%). Rhyperior's Avalanche hits Hoothoot for 76-89%.
 Regieleki Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTransistor ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Regieleki builds →Volt Switch 2x157-185%KO Thunderbolt 2x202-238%KO Rapid Spin21-25% | ||
 Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemWeakness Policy NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Hoothoot View Rhyperior builds →Avalanche 2x76-89% | ||
Hoothoot Evolutions
One evolution ahead. Hoothoot grows into Noctowl through a straightforward two-stage chain. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are quick to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 190 total stats over Hoothoot. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Hoothoot easily with 31 breeding partners from the Flying egg group. Pass egg moves like Agility, Feather Dance, Hurricane and 6 more to offspring.
BDSP Hoothoot Best Moveset
Normal/Flying pre-evo with hidden AbilityTinted Lens halving resistance penalties. 36 Sp. Atk at 50 Speed can't use the resistance bypass. The moveset is non-functional. One evolution from Noctowl where AbilityTinted Lens at 86 Sp. Atk creates some niche.
Best Build
Hoothoot best EVs are Sp. Atk and HP
Special Attacker Moveset
- Heat Wave
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
- Air Slash
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
You'll want to breed for Agility and Feather Dance on Hoothoot. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Sky Attack and Hurricane, they expand what Hoothoot can actually threaten in practice.
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
Base Stats
It always stands on one foot. Even when attacked, it does not brace itself using both feet.
It switches its standing foot so quickly that the switch can’t be seen. It cries at the same time every day.
Hoothoot Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
For Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, you can run Hoothoot through the first few routes without issues. 262 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Noctowl as fast as you can.
Game Availability
Available in 17 titles since its debut in Gold & Silver, Hoothoot spans 9 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through catching or hatching as a base form in most mainline games.
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 6ORAS
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