Lotad sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Ludicolo as fast as possible. Been around since Gen 3. Only weak to Poison, Flying, and Bug.
Lotad's stats barely vary. 0 sit in respectable range with no real gaps. It's a blank slate for EV investment. Worth 1 Sp. Def EV, 1.06M XP medium-slow curve to max.
LOTAD live in ponds and lakes, where they float on the surface. It grows weak if its broad leaf dies. On rare occasions, this POKéMON travels on land in search of clean water.
LOTAD is said to have dwelled on land before. However, this POKéMON is thought to have returned to water because the leaf on its head grew large and heavy. It now lives by floating atop the water.
Lotad Weakness
AvgType-wise, Lotad takes extra damage from Poison, Flying, and Bug. 3 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
Lotad is the start of a three-stage chain. It evolves into Lombre first, then eventually reaches Ludicolo. For breeding, quick to hatch with a decent partner pool via two egg groups. Evolving adds up to 260 stat points total.
How to Evolve
Breed Lotad easily with 35 breeding partners from the Plant and Water1 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Flail, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf and 3 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 3.
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Breeding's the move. Flail and Leech Seed give Lotad options it can't learn any other way, and Ghost and Ice coverage and more already covers a decent range on top of Solar Beam and Surf. The egg moves push it further.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Easy grab on Lotad with high spawn rates across 2 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations
Lotad isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Lombre to unlock its full potential. At 220 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Lotad's biggest threats include Gengar (Poison), Aerodactyl (Flying), and Scyther (Bug), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. At base 30 Speed, Lotad won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Lotad evolves into Lombre at level 14. Lotad is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Run Swift Swim on Lotad. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Lotad also gets Rain Dish and Own Tempo, but they don't compare.
Lotad fills the balanced role. It's leaning toward the special side (base 40 Sp. Atk). Base 30 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Lotad appears in 15 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Lotad first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 15 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