Don't let the raw stats fool you. Chlorophyll doubles its Speed in sun, and that completely changes the math for Maractus. 5 type weaknesses to keep in mind. Introduced in Gen 5. Known as the Cactus Pokemon.
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.
It uses an up-tempo song and dance to drive away the bird Pokémon that prey on its flower seeds.
Arid regions are their habitat. They move rhythmically, making a sound similar to maracas.
Maractus Weakness
FragileMaractus is weak to Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug-type moves. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
No evolution chain to worry about here. Maractus is a standalone Pokemon with no compatible partners for breeding through one egg group. Eggs come out average hatch time.
How to Evolve
Breed Maractus easily from the Plant egg group. Pass egg moves like Bounce, Bullet Seed, Grass Whistle and 6 more to offspring.
For a defensive wall, Maractus wants max HP and Sp. Def EVs and Leftovers. The Bold nature tilts toward physical wall duty, and Stormdrain contributes without taking a move slot.
Best Build
Best Maractus Moveset
- Cotton Guard
- Giga Drain
- Leech Seed
- Helping Hand
Recommended Teammates
Egg moves make a real difference. Maractus gets Bounce and Bullet Seed exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Flying and Bug coverage and more rounds out the picture alongside Petal Dance and Solar Beam.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Maractus can't be caught in X & Y. Bring it over from Black, Black 2, or Sword instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Maractus is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to X & Y.
Also found in:
Chlorophyll changes the entire equation for Maractus. The 461 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as an attacker.
Maractus doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Grass-type Pokemon with a 461 base stat total.
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 special attacker with base 106 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as an attacker.
Maractus appears in 7 games, including Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, and X & Y.
Maractus joined the series in Black & White and has been available in 7 titles so far. With 5 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
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 VBWDebut
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