
Is Machoke Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
Machoke with AbilityGuts hits harder when poisoned, burned, or paralyzed. Fighting coverage handles Giovanni and contributes against Lorelei and Bruno. Trade into Machamp is the upgrade, but Machoke is already strong enough for the story without it.
Machop has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Misty's typing presses Machop's defenses.
Machop trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Erika's typing presses Machop's defenses.
Machamp trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Sabrina's team hits Machamp's weaknesses hard.
Machamp has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Machamp has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Machamp has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.
Machamp has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Agatha's team hits Machamp's weaknesses hard.
Machamp trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Machamp trades roughly evenly with Terry's team.
Catch Machop on Rock Tunnel (walking, Lv 16-17, uncommon).
- After Lt. Surge
- TM31FightingBrick Break113100%15
- LV 31FightingVital Throw105100%10
- LV 37FightingSubmission12080%20
- LV 40FightingCross Chop15080%5
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch225100%20
- After Blaine
- TM38FireFire Blast11085%5
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Most players are ready to trade before reaching Koga.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM31FightingBrick Break113100%15
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- LV 33FightingVital Throw105100%10
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch225100%20
- After Sabrina
- TM08FightingBulk Up—100%20
- LV 46FightingCross Chop15080%5
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Machoke in FireRed & LeafGreen
14 encounters for Machoke in both versions, all in late-game caves. Rare or uncommon at every spot. The endgame equivalent of Machop's mid-game spread.
Wild Machoke may be holding when caught:
3 locations to catch Machoke3 locations to catch Machop
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Catch Machop at any of the 3 locations below, then level it up to 28 — it evolves into Machoke.
Where To Catch Machoke in FRLG
Machop is your first catch on the way to Machoke. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 16-52 across 36 total spots in the chain.
Step 2Machoke ✓Mt. Ember - 2F Summit PathLv.38-40CaveRate 20%Mt. Ember - 1F Ruby PathLv.40-42CaveRate 10%Victory Road - 1FLv.44-46CaveRate 5%Victory Road - 3FLv.44-46CaveRate 5%or evolve from Machop (Step 1)
Step 3Evolve into MachampBREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Four Island Pokemon Day Care to receive a Machamp egg. Requires the Rainbow Pass to access Four Island.
Machoke Weakness
Machoke's Fighting typing leaves it vulnerable to Flying and Psychic. Few weaknesses and 3 resistances make the typing clean. Just 2 weak spots to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Flying, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Bug, Rock, Dark |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Machoke Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Machoke
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Butterfree builds →Aerial Ace 2x39-48% Confusion 2x36-43% | ||
Spearow Normal | C | |
Zubat Poison | D | |
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Butterfree builds →Aerial Ace 2x39-48% Confusion 2x36-43% | ||
Spearow Normal | C | |
Zubat Poison | D | |
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Golbat Poison | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Fearow Normal | C | |
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Butterfree builds →Aerial Ace 2x35-41% Confusion 2x34-40% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x154-181%KO | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Golbat Poison | C | |
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Butterfree builds →Psychic 2x62-74% Aerial Ace 2x33-40% | ||
Deoxys Psychic | A | |
Obtain MethodBirth Island Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Deoxys builds →Psycho Boost 2x218-256%KO Aerial Ace 2x56-66% | ||
Lugia Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodNavel Rock Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Lugia builds →Psychic 2x91-107%KO Fly 2x63-75% | ||
Mewtwo Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodCerulean Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Mewtwo builds →Psychic 2x144-169%KO Aerial Ace 2x43-51% | ||
Xatu Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Xatu builds →Future Sight 2x127-149%KO Fly 2x55-65% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x153-180%KO | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Gardevoir can KO Machoke with Psychic (101-119%).
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Machoke View Gardevoir builds →Psychic 2x101-119%KO Thunderbolt34-40% | ||
Machoke Evolutions
Sitting between Machop and Machamp, Machoke is part of a chain that requires a trade. Not your typical level-up setup. So far, Sp.Def got the biggest boost (+25 from Machop). The final form adds another 100 stats on top. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Machoke to get Machop eggs easily using 28 partners from the Humanshape egg group. Notable egg moves include Counter, Encore, Light Screen and 4 more.
FRLG Machoke Best Moveset
100 Attack with AbilityGuts for a status-boosted power spike. Fighting TermStab from MoveCross Chop hits hard from the physical side. The moveset functions at lower levels, though Machamp's devastating 130 Attack is one evolution away.
Best Build
Machoke best EVs are Attack and HP
Physical Tank Moveset
- Earthquake
- Bulk Up
- Cross Chop
- Hidden Power Ghost
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
You'll want to breed for Counter and Encore on Machoke. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Focus Punch and Cross Chop, they expand what Machoke can actually threaten in practice.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
Its formidable body never gets tired. It helps people by doing work such as the moving of heavy goods.
Its muscular body is so powerful, it must wear a power-save belt to be able to regulate its motions.
Machoke FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
No. Machoke only evolves into Machamp through a real trade. There is no in-game alternative in FireRed & LeafGreen. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Machoke to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Machoke has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS

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

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV

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

Winds & Waves