Physical
Attacker
325Low
50Slow
CTier

Krabby is technically a pre-evolution of Kingler, but it holds its own in formats where Eviolite is allowed. Only weak to Electric and Grass. Known as the River Crab Pokemon. Built to hit on the physical side.

The stat bars tell the story: Attack carries everything and Sp. Atk's dead weight. But this River Crab Pokemon still yields 1 Attack EV per fight on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
325Avg
HP30
F
Attack105
B
Defense90
B
Sp. Atk25
F
Sp. Def25
F
Speed50
D
Total325
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Krabby yields +1 Atk
HPAtk+1DefSpASpDSpe
Details
Catch225EasyMedium Fast1M XP0.4m / 1'04"6.5kg / 14.3 lbs65Base XP
Pokedex Entries

Its pincers are not only powerful weapons, they are used for balance when walking sideways.

Red / Blue

Krabby Weakness

Avg

Type-wise, Krabby takes extra damage from Electric and Grass. Not many exploitable gaps in the Water typing defensive chart. Krabby's physical bulk (base 90 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

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
4xCriticali
None
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
None
2Weak
3Resist
0Immune
Scorei-1
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Hyper CutterPrevents Attack from being lowered by other Pokémon.
Shell ArmorProtects against critical hits.
Sheer ForceHAStrengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects.

Krabby starts a line toward Kingler. Can't breed this Water type (325 stats), so keep the evolution path going. Evolving adds up to 150 stat points total.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Krabby
Water
Kingler
Water
HP
30
55+25
ATK
105
130+25
DEF
90
115+25
SP.ATK
25
50+25
SP.DEF
25
50+25
SPE
50
75+25
BST
325C-Tier
475C-Tier+150
ROLE
Attacker
Wallbreaker
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

Nothing fancy here. Krabby builds around an item for extra utility, a nature nature for the right stat lean, and flexible EVs EVs. An ability does its job quietly.

Best Build

Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 1
Item
Not in Gen 1
Nature
Not in Gen 1

Best Krabby Moveset

  • Swords Dance
  • Body Slam
  • Double Edge
  • CrabhammerSTAB

Most of Krabby's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Crabhammer and Surf, but Normal and Ice and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Bubble
2010030Water
Lv 1
Leer
10030Normal
Lv 20
Vise Grip
5510030Normal
Lv 25
Guillotine
305Normal
Lv 30
Stomp
6510020Normal
Lv 35
Crabhammer
1008510Water
Lv 40
Harden
30Normal

TM Moves

Src
TM34
Bide+1
10Normal
TM14
Blizzard
110905Ice
TM08
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM11
Bubble Beam
6510020Water
HM01
Cut
509530Normal
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM10
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
9510010Ice
TM31
Mimic
10Normal
TM20
Rage
2010020Normal
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
HM04
Strength
8010015Normal
TM50
Substitute
10Normal
HM03
Surf
9510015Water
TM03
Swords Dance
30Normal
TM09
Take Down
908520Normal
TM06
Toxic
9010Poison
TM12
Water Gun
4010025Water

Egg Moves

Krabby doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Krabby can't learn any Tutor moves

high spawn rates in early-game fishing spots across 35 locations. Krabby's one of the easier catches on the list. Two different catch methods are in play here. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.

Best Locations

You can catch Krabby through 35 fishing and walking encounters from Lv. 15-33, but availability differs between Blue and Red. Some spots are exclusive to one version.

Fuchsia City
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Fuchsia City
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Route 11
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 11
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 12
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 12
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 13
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 13
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 17
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 17
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 18
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 18
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 24
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 24
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 25
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 25
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 6
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Route 6
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyRoute
EASY
Safari Zone - Center
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - Center
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - East
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - East
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - North
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - North
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - West
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Safari Zone - West
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacility
EASY
Vermilion City - City
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Vermilion City - City
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Vermilion City - Harbor
BlueSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Vermilion City - Harbor
RedSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyCity
EASY
Seafoam Islands - B1F
BlueGrassLv.30-32CommonMidWater
EFFORTLESS
Seafoam Islands - 1F
BlueGrassLv.28-30UncommonMidWater
EASY
Seafoam Islands - B2F
BlueGrassLv.28-30UncommonMidWater
EASY
Seafoam Islands - B3F
BlueGrassLv.29-31UncommonMidWater
EASY
Seafoam Islands - B4F
BlueGrassLv.31-33CommonLateWater
EFFORTLESS
  • At 325 BST, Krabby is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Kingler before bringing it to any serious fight.

  • Krabby's biggest threats include Jolteon (Electric) and Exeggutor (Grass), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • Krabby evolves into Kingler at level 28. Krabby is the base form of this evolutionary line.

  • Krabby is a physical attacker with base 105 Attack. Fragile — can't afford to take many hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. Fits the attacker role.

  • Krabby appears in 19 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

Present since Red & Blue, Krabby appears in 19 games spanning 9 generations. Gen 1 originals like Krabby have the longest track record of availability in the series.