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.
The rhythm of bright, festive music activates Ludicolo’s cells, making it more powerful.
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 X & Y, Zapdos's Thunderbolt hits Ludicolo for 39-46%. Gengar threatens a KO with Sludge Bomb (147-173%). Volcarona deals 55-65% with Flamethrower.
 Zapdos Electric | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemSitrus Berry NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Zapdos builds →Heat Wave27-32% Thunderbolt39-46% | ||
 Gengar GhostPoison | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Gengar builds →Shadow Ball65-77% Sludge Bomb 2x147-173%KO Focus Blast65-76% | ||
 Volcarona BugFire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemLum Berry NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Volcarona builds →Giga Drain31-36% Flamethrower55-65% | ||
 Talonflame Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGalewings ItemLife Orb NatureHasty Moves
Damage vs Ludicolo View Talonflame builds →Flare Blitz83-97% | ||
X & Y 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 59 partners from the Plant and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Counter, Flail, Giga Drain and 7 more.
X & Y Ludicolo Best Moveset
Bulk and offense in one package. Ludicolo runs Rocky Helmet for chip damage on every physical hit received with a Modest nature, so it survives long enough to threaten with Fakeout. Max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs and the remaining moves make it hard to safely switch into.
Best Build
Ludicolo best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Fake Out
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Hydro Pump
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 coverage across 7 types.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Ludicolo in X & Y
Can't catch Ludicolo directly. Start with Lotad in the wild from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 3-stage chain from Lotad to Ludicolo is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Ludicolo in X & Y
To get Ludicolo, start by catching Lotad through surfing and walking encounters at Lv. 25-59. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Obtain Lotad
Step 2Catch or Evolve LombrePokémon VillageXGrass Lv.25RareMidHorde battlePokémon VillageYGrass Lv.25RareMidHorde battleRoute 15YSurfing on water Lv.34-36 RouteCommonLateRoute 15XSurfing on water Lv.34-36 RouteCommonLatePokémon VillageYSurfing on water Lv.48-50CommonPostPokémon VillageXSurfing on water Lv.48-50CommonPostRoute 21XSurfing on water Lv.50-52 RouteCommonPostRoute 21YSurfing on water Lv.50-52 RouteCommonPostCouriway TownXSurfing on water Lv.57-59 CityCommonPostCouriway TownYSurfing on water Lv.57-59 CityCommonPostRoute 16YSurfing on water Lv.57-59 RouteCommonPostRoute 16XSurfing on water Lv.57-59 RouteCommonPostVictory Road - Outside Section 3XSurfing on water Lv.57-59 CaveCommonPostVictory Road - Outside Section 3YSurfing on water Lv.57-59 CaveCommonPostor evolve from Lotad (Step 1)
Step 3Ludicolo ✓
Ludicolo Guide
In X & Y, 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. Fakeout with Rocky Helmet 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.
For X & Y, the core moveset is Fakeout, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, and Energy Ball. Fakeout leads at 21% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
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