Maractus Best Moveset
Grass typing with AbilityStorm Drain from the hidden slot absorbing Water for free Sp. Atk boosts. 106 Sp. Atk and 86 Attack give the moveset some offense from both sides, but 60 Speed is slow. E-tier because the Grass-only coverage has too many resists across the format.
Storm Drain absorbed Water moves in Gen V (Black & White). 106 Sp. Atk was decent, but 60 Speed on pure Grass had no real niche.
Best Moves
Best Build
Maractus best EVs are HP and Sp. Def
Wall Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
- Sucker Punch
- Synthesis
Recommended Teammates
Better Grass-types existed at every tier in Gen VI (X & Y). Maractus was the cactus nobody picked.
Wall Moveset
- Toxic
- Spiky Shield
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Spiky Shield blocked attacks in Gen VII (Sun & Moon), but Maractus couldn't abuse the stalling. 461 BST spread too thin.
Special Tank Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Leech Seed
- Sunny Day
- Solar Beam
Recommended Teammates
Four gens as the forgotten Grass-type in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Storm Drain was niche immunity on a body with no identity.
Wall Moveset
- Hyper Voice
- Knock Off
- Cotton Guard
- Giga Drain
Recommended Teammates
Maractus Weakness
Maractus is weak to Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground |
What is Maractus Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Maractus
Arcanine threatens a KO with Flare Blitz (138-162%). Staraptor deals 73-86% with Double-Edge.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Maractus View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn7-8% Scald5-6% | ||
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Maractus View Arcanine builds →Extreme Speed31-36% Flare Blitz 2x138-162%KO | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Maractus View Staraptor builds →Close Combat49-57% U Turn 2x57-67% Double Edge73-86% | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Maractus View Lapras builds →Surf24-28% Thunderbolt16-19% | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Maractus View Nidoking builds →Ice Beam 2x75-88% Flamethrower 2x75-88% | ||
Evolution
No evolution chain to worry about here. Maractus is a standalone Pokemon with plenty of partners for breeding through one egg group. Eggs come out average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Maractus easily with 89 breeding partners from the Plant egg group.
Maractus Locations
A solid number of locations for Maractus with high spawn rates across mid-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations to Catch Maractus in Sword & Shield
You can find Maractus through 6 walking encounters at Lv. 27-33. The list is sorted by game progression, so the earliest accessible spots show up first.
No wild encounters for Maractus in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. It's available in Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, or Sword & Shield and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Maractus is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Maractus doesn't appear in Sun & Moon. Transfer it from Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, or Sword & Shield to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Maractus is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
2 encounter spots for Maractus at moderate rates starting from late-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Maractus in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Base Stats
Sp. Atk and Attack carry most of Maractus's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Easy to catch and yields 2 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Once each year, this Pokémon scatters its seeds. They’re jam-packed with nutrients, making them a precious food source out in the desert.
Maractus Guide
Chlorophyll changes the entire equation for Maractus. The 461 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as an attacker.
Chlorophyll is what you want on Maractus. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Water Absorb, Storm Drain) work on paper but Chlorophyll is what makes Maractus worth using.
At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Maractus is a mixed attacker with base 86 Attack and 106 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as an attacker.
The core moveset is Giga Drain, Cottonguard, Energy Ball, and Weatherball. Giga Drain leads at 0% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Maractus joined the series in Black & White and has been available in 7 titles so far. With 6 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
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 5BWDebut
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