Stats & Training
Nothing fancy in Ludicolo's spread. It leans mixed with Sp. Def out front. And you'll get 3 Sp. Def EVs per KO for it. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
If it hears festive music, all its muscles fill with energy. It can’t help breaking out into a dance.
If it hears festive music, all its muscles fill with energy. It can’t help breaking out into a dance.
Ludicolo Weakness
Ludicolo is weak to Poison, Flying, and Bug. Ludicolo's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Ground, Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Water |
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Celesteela's Air Slash hits Ludicolo for 79-93%. Amoonguss deals 56-67% with Sludge Bomb.
Scizor BugSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Scizor builds →Bullet Punch10-12% Knock Off22-26% | ||
Celesteela Steel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityBeastboost ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Celesteela builds →Flamethrower32-37% Air Slash 2x79-93% | ||
Amoonguss GrassPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Amoonguss builds →Sludge Bomb 2x56-67% Giga Drain24-28% | ||
Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityCorrosion ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Salazzle builds →Flamethrower44-52% Sludge Bomb 2x88-104%KO | ||
Talonflame Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGalewings ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Talonflame builds →Flare Blitz52-61% | ||
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Evolution
Ludicolo evolved from Lotad's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Lotad eggs (quick to hatch). The evolution from Lotad pushed Ludicolo to 480 total stats. Sp.Atk saw the largest single gain at +50. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Ludicolo to get Lotad eggs easily using 45 partners from the Plant and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Counter, Flail, Leech Seed and 6 more.
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Ludicolo Best Moveset
Ludicolo runs a standard attacker set. Hardy nature with max Defense and Speed EVs shapes the build, while Leftovers brings passive recovery each turn. Swiftswim supports the kit from the background.
Best Build
Ludicolo best EVs are HP and Sp. Atk
Doubles Special Tank Moveset
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Giga Drain
- Fake Out
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Energy Ball
- Scald
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Breeding opens up real options for Ludicolo. Counter and Flail come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Solar Beam and Hydro Pump and Ghost and Normal coverage and more.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Ludicolo in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Ludicolo doesn't appear wild. Catch Lotad instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it through a special method to get Ludicolo. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Ludicolo in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
To get Ludicolo, start by catching Lotad through walking encounters at Lv. 58-63. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch LotadFountainspring CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameGrassland CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameRiverbank CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameStill-Water CavernGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameSunlit CavernGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-game
Step 2Catch or Evolve LombreFountainspring CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameGrassland CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameRiverbank CaveGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameStill-Water CavernGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameSunlit CavernGrass Lv.58-63 CavePostPost-gameor evolve from Lotad (Step 1)
Step 3Ludicolo ✓
Ludicolo Guide
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Ludicolo looks average on paper at 480 BST. But Swift Swim is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier on our tier list. Giga Drain with Leftovers is the standard set.
Ludicolo gets Swift Swim, Rain Dish, and Own Tempo. But Swift Swim is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Ludicolo is a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, the best way to handle Ludicolo: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Poison, Flying, and Bug-type attackers hit hardest.
Game Availability
Since Ruby & Sapphire, Ludicolo has been in 15 games. Requiring an item-based evolution to obtain means it's consistently available but requires more effort than simply catching it in the wild.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB

Red & Blue - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves
