Is Larvitar Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Mt. Silver encounter at high levels. Rock/Ground with AbilityGuts boosting Attack when statused. Tyranitar at level 55 is 600 BST, but the Mt. Silver timing means the grind starts at the end of the game. A trophy for the most dedicated trainers.
Larvitar resists most of Falkner's coverage and hits back hard.
Larvitar resists most of Bugsy's coverage and hits back hard.
Larvitar trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Larvitar trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Chuck's team hits Larvitar's weaknesses hard.
Pupitar has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Pupitar has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Pupitar trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Janine's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Sabrina's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Will's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Koga's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar trades roughly evenly with Bruno's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Lance's coverage and hits back hard.
Catchable
Catch Larvitar in the Safari Zone (walking, Lv 17, uncommon).
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 17)
- LV 17RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDigPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 23NormalThrashPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 28DarkDark PulsePower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 37DarkCrunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 41GroundEarthquakePower 150Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 46RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 50NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
Evolve Larvitar to Pupitar
Larvitar evolves into Pupitar at Level 30. Your Larvitar should hit Level 30 before you reach Jasmine, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 30)
- LV 30RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- LV 30NormalThrashPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 30DarkDark PulsePower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDigPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 41DarkCrunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 47GroundEarthquakePower 150Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 54RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 60NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
Evolve Pupitar to Tyranitar
Pupitar evolves into Tyranitar at Level 55. Your Pupitar should hit Level 55 before you reach Brock, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 55)
- LV 55RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 55DarkCrunchPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 55DarkDark PulsePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 55RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- LV 55GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10
- After Bugsy
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- LV 70NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
How to Get Larvitar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
The only Larvitar in the game sits inside Mt. Silver, rare to uncommon and locked behind beating the Champion. This is pure endgame turf, so the Tyranitar line cannot even begin until the credits roll.
2 locations to catch Larvitar
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Larvitar in HGSS
The line opens with Larvitar at Lv. 15-30 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
- Step 2Catch or Evolve into PupitarMt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.30CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Mt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.45CaveHeartGoldRate 5%or evolve from Larvitar (Step 1)
- Step 3Evolve into Tyranitar
To plan your throws, open the HeartGold & SoulSilver catch rate calculator with Larvitar preloaded.
How to Get Shiny Larvitar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Larvitar burrows through Mt. Silver, though a shiny hatches faster from Masuda breeding. Compare Shiny Larvitar odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Larvitar Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
For time estimates and charm math, open the HeartGold & SoulSilver shiny odds calculator with Larvitar already selected.
Larvitar Weakness
Type-wise, Larvitar takes extra damage from Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. Watch out for Water and Grass attacks, those deal 4x damage. Electric moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Water, Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Larvitar Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Larvitar
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x396-467%KO Drain Punch 2x52-62% | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Carnivine Grass | C | |
 Hariyama Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Hariyama builds →Focus Punch 2x267-315%KO Dig 2x96-114%KO Surf 4x105-123%KO | ||
 Slowbro WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Slowbro builds →Surf 4x289-341%KO Focus Punch 2x121-143%KO Ice Beam 2x96-114%KO Dig 2x67-79% | ||
 Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Feraligatr builds →Surf 4x244-289%KO Focus Punch 2x157-185%KO Dig 2x85-101%KO Iron Tail 2x106-126%KO | ||
 Leafeon Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Leafeon builds →Solar Beam 4x252-296%KO Dig 2x88-104%KO Iron Tail 2x111-131%KO Rock Smash 2x46-54% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Marowak builds →Focus Punch 2x127-151%KO Dig 2x104-122%KO Iron Tail 2x85-101%KO Ice Beam 2x58-69% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodIlex Forest Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Golduck builds →Surf 4x283-333%KO Focus Punch 2x130-153%KO Ice Beam 2x94-111%KO Dig 2x70-84% | ||
 Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Bayleef builds →Solar Beam 4x258-304%KO Iron Tail 2x70-84% Rock Smash 2x31-37% | ||
 Tentacruel WaterPoison | B | |
Obtain MethodCherrygrove City Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Tentacruel builds →Surf 4x244-289%KO Ice Beam 2x81-96% | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Lapras builds →Surf 4x258-304%KO Ice Beam 2x128-152%KO Iron Tail 2x90-106%KO Rock Smash 2x37-44% | ||
 Sandslash Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Sandslash builds →Focus Punch 2x151-178%KO Dig 2x122-144%KO Iron Tail 2x102-121%KO | ||
 Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Obtain MethodCliff Edge Gate Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Larvitar View Quagsire builds →Surf 4x207-244%KO Focus Punch 2x133-158%KO Dig 2x110-130%KO Iron Tail 2x90-106%KO | ||
Larvitar Evolutions
Larvitar is the start of a three-stage chain. It evolves into Pupitar first, then eventually reaches Tyranitar. For breeding, takes forever to hatch with plenty of partners via one egg group. Evolving adds up to 300 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Larvitar with 63 breeding partners from the Monster egg group. Pass egg moves like Ancient Power, Assurance, Curse and 7 more to offspring.
HGSS Larvitar Best Moveset
Rock/Ground at 64 Attack and 41 Speed with AbilityGuts boosting Attack when statused. The moveset has no competitive role at these stats. Two evolutions from Tyranitar's dominance.
Best Build
Larvitar best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding's the move. Ancient Power and Assurance give Larvitar options it can't learn any other way, and Dark and Normal coverage and more already covers a decent range on top of Earthquake and Stone Edge. 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
All 22 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it falls asleep so it can grow.
It is born deep underground. It can’t emerge until it has entirely consumed the soil around it.
Larvitar HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- How do I catch Larvitar in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone?
See the Locations section above for where to find Larvitar in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Larvitar from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Larvitar easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Larvitar does the job early-game if you need a Rock/Ground type on your team. Evolve it into Pupitar before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Game Availability
Larvitar first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 18 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
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 7Let's Go
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
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