While most trainers evolve Lileep into Cradily immediately, the unevolved form has a niche with Eviolite boosting its defenses. Only weak to Ice, Fighting, Bug, and Steel. Can go either physical or special depending on the set. Been around since Gen 3.
Lileep's spread favors balanced defenses over offense. Sp. Def leads the defensive side, Speed eats the cost. Yields 1 Sp. Def EV per defeat. Standard growth curve to level.
It lived on the seafloor 100 million years ago and was reanimated scientifically.
Lileep Weakness
FragileIce, Fighting, Bug, and Steel-type moves hit Lileep for super-effective damage. Storm Drain grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
Lileep evolves into Cradily. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. No compatible partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are slow to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 140 total stats over Lileep.
How to Evolve
Breed Lileep from the Water3 egg group. Pass egg moves like Barrier, Curse, Endure and 6 more to offspring.
Don't let the NFE status fool you. Lileep with Eviolite hits bulk numbers that compete with final forms. Max HP and Sp. Atk EVs and Modest nature maximize that, and Stormdrain handles the rest.
Best Build
Best Lileep Moveset
- Stealth Rock
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
- Ancient Power
Recommended Teammates
Don't skip the egg moves. Lileep picks up Barrier and Curse only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Solar Beam and Energy Ball while coverage across 7 types adds range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
No wild encounters for Lileep in Sun & Moon. It's available in Ruby, Emerald, or Sword and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Lileep isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Cradily to unlock its full potential. At 355 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Lileep evolves into Cradily at level 40. Lileep is the base form of this evolutionary line.
Run Storm Drain on Lileep. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Lileep also gets Suction Cups, but they don't compare.
Lileep fills the balanced role. It's leaning toward the special side (base 61 Sp. Atk). Base 23 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Lileep appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Lileep first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A