Linoone is technically a pre-evolution of Galarian Obstagoon, but it holds its own in formats where Eviolite is allowed. Ghost moves can't touch it, and only a single type hits it super-effectively. Known as the Rushing Pokemon.
Linoone's spread isn't flashy. Speed leads, Sp. Atk trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Moderately hard to find and worth 2 Speed EVs, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
When running in a straight line, it can easily top 60 miles an hour. It has a tough time with curved roads.
Linoone Weakness
GoodLinoone is weak to Fighting-type moves. On the flip side, it's immune to Ghost-type moves entirely. Only 1 weakness makes it relatively easy to build around defensively.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Linoone is the evolved form of Zigzagoon. Breeding produces Zigzagoon eggs, and they're quick to hatch. Evolving from Zigzagoon gave Linoone the biggest boost in HP (+40), bringing the total to 420 stats.
How to Evolve
Breed with Linoone to get Zigzagoon eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Charm, Helping Hand, Mud-Slap and 4 more.
Gluttony helps Linoone stick around while dealing real damage. Leftovers for passive recovery each turn, max Attack and Speed EVs for the right balance, and Bellydrum as the main threat. Not the fastest, but it doesn't need to be.
Best Build
Best Linoone Moveset
- Belly Drum
- Shadow Claw
- Extreme Speed
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 12 types means almost nothing walls Linoone cleanly, with Giga Impact and Hyper Beam anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
48 encounter spots for Linoone at decent spawn rates starting from early-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Where To Catch Linoone in HeartGold & SoulSilver
To get Linoone, start by catching Zigzagoon through walking encounters at Lv. 3-42. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch ZigzagoonEASYSprout TowerSoulSilverGrassLv.3-4UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYSprout TowerHeartGoldGrassLv.3-4UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBurned Tower - 1FHeartGoldGrassLv.13-14UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBurned Tower - 1FSoulSilverGrassLv.13-14UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBurned Tower - B1FSoulSilverGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBurned Tower - B1FHeartGoldGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBell Tower - 2F-10FHeartGoldGrassLv.20-21UncommonMidBuildingRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYBell Tower - 2F-10FSoulSilverGrassLv.20-21UncommonMidBuildingRadio: Hoenn Sound
Step 2Linoone ✓EASYRoute 31SoulSilverGrassLv.3UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 31HeartGoldGrassLv.3UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 30SoulSilverGrassLv.4UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 30HeartGoldGrassLv.4UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 22SoulSilverGrassLv.5UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 22HeartGoldGrassLv.5UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 32SoulSilverGrassLv.6UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 32HeartGoldGrassLv.6UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 25SoulSilverGrassLv.8UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 25HeartGoldGrassLv.8UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 4SoulSilverGrassLv.8UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 4HeartGoldGrassLv.8UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 24SoulSilverGrassLv.9UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 24HeartGoldGrassLv.9UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 34SoulSilverGrassLv.12UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 34HeartGoldGrassLv.12UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 9HeartGoldGrassLv.13UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 9SoulSilverGrassLv.13UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 35SoulSilverGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 35HeartGoldGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 42SoulSilverGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 42HeartGoldGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 6HeartGoldGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 6SoulSilverGrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 10HeartGoldGrassLv.16UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 10SoulSilverGrassLv.16UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 43SoulSilverGrassLv.17UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 43HeartGoldGrassLv.17UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRuins of Alph - OutsideSoulSilverGrassLv.18UncommonMidRuinsRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRuins of Alph - OutsideHeartGoldGrassLv.18UncommonMidRuinsRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 44HeartGoldGrassLv.22UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 44SoulSilverGrassLv.22UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 45HeartGoldGrassLv.24UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 45SoulSilverGrassLv.24UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 13HeartGoldGrassLv.25UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 13SoulSilverGrassLv.25UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 27SoulSilverGrassLv.30UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 27HeartGoldGrassLv.30UncommonMidRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 47HeartGoldGrassLv.31-32UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 47SoulSilverGrassLv.31-32UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 26SoulSilverGrassLv.32UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 26HeartGoldGrassLv.32UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 21SoulSilverGrassLv.35UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 21HeartGoldGrassLv.35UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 28SoulSilverGrassLv.40UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYRoute 28HeartGoldGrassLv.40UncommonLateRouteRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYMt. Silver - BaseSoulSilverGrassLv.42UncommonLateCaveRadio: Hoenn SoundEASYMt. Silver - BaseHeartGoldGrassLv.42UncommonLateCaveRadio: Hoenn Soundor evolve from Zigzagoon (Step 1)
Linoone isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Galarian Linoone to unlock its full potential. At 420 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Linoone's biggest threats include Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. Linoone's base 100 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Zigzagoon evolves into Linoone at level 20. Linoone evolves into Galarian Obstagoon at level 35. Linoone is a middle-stage evolution in the Zigzagoon line.
Pickup is the go-to ability for Linoone. It picks up other Pokémon's used and Flung held items. Its hidden ability Quick Feet can work in specific setups. Gluttony is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Linoone fills the pivot role. It's a physical attacker with base 70 Attack. Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Linoone appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Linoone first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and spans 14 games across 7 generations. It later gained a Galarian form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
- 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 VIIISwShGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A