Machop sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Machamp as fast as possible. Been around since Gen 1. Only weak to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy.
Machop's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, Sp. Atk trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 1 Attack EV, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
Though as small as a child, it has strength enough to easily throw a well-built adult. Striving to become ever stronger, Machop trains by carrying a Graveler on its shoulders.
Machop Weakness
AvgType-wise, Machop takes extra damage from Flying, Psychic, and Fairy. 3 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
Machop is the start of a three-stage chain. It evolves into Machoke first, then eventually reaches Machamp. For breeding, average hatch time with plenty of partners via one egg group. Evolving adds up to 200 stat points total.
How to Evolve
Breed Machop easily with 70 breeding partners from the Humanshape egg group.
Nothing fancy here. Machop builds around Life Orb for extra damage on every hit for a health trade, Adamant nature for the right stat lean, and max HP and Attack EVs. Noguard does its job quietly.
Best Build
Best Machop Moveset
- Rock Slide
- Bullet Punch
- Dynamic Punch
- Poison Jab
Recommended Teammates
Hard to wall, honestly. Machop threatens 10 types beyond its own STAB, with Dark and Steel standing out. Pair that with Close Combat and Focus Blast and switchins need to think twice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Machop's movepool balances level-up moves with TM options. Consistent STAB comes from Close Combat and Rock Smash, and coverage across 8 types keeps opponents from switching in for free. No major gaps here.
Hard to wall, honestly. Machop threatens 10 types beyond its own STAB, with Dark and Normal standing out. Pair that with Focus Punch and Focus Blast and switchins need to think twice.
Hard to wall, honestly. Machop threatens 10 types beyond its own STAB, with Dark and Normal standing out. Pair that with Close Combat and Focus Blast and switchins need to think twice.
No wild encounters for Machop in Legends: Z-A. It's available in Red, Yellow, or FireRed and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Machop appears at decent spawn rates across 8 spots in mid-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations
Walking encounters at walking across 8 spots for Machop. Sorted by progression so you can see what's reachable at your current point in the game.
Machop's scattered across 26 spots in early-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations
walking encounters for Machop across 26 spots at Lv. 5-26. The catch is that Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
high spawn rates in early-game routes across 81 locations. Machop's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.
Best Locations
You can catch Machop through 81 walking encounters from Lv. 8-38, but availability differs between Shield and Sword. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
Machop isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Machoke to unlock its full potential. At 305 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Machop evolves into Machoke at level 28. Machop is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Guts is the go-to ability for Machop. It increases Attack to 1.5× with a major status ailment. Its hidden ability Steadfast can work in specific setups. No Guard is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Machop fills the trick room role. It's a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Base 35 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Machop appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Machop has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 21 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
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