Is Pupitar Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Larvitar evolves at level 30. Rock/Ground with AbilityShed Skin for random status healing. Pupitar is the cocoon stage waiting for Tyranitar at 55. The 25-level gap from a Mt. Silver catch is a serious commitment.
Larvitar resists most of Falkner's coverage and hits back hard.
Larvitar resists most of Bugsy's coverage and hits back hard.
Larvitar trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Larvitar trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Chuck's team hits Larvitar's weaknesses hard.
Pupitar has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Pupitar has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Pupitar trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Janine's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Sabrina's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Will's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar resists most of Koga's coverage and hits back hard.
Tyranitar trades roughly evenly with Bruno's team.
Tyranitar has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Tyranitar resists most of Lance's coverage and hits back hard.
Catch Larvitar
Catch Larvitar in the Safari Zone (walking, Lv 17, uncommon).
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 17)
- LV 17RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDigPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 23NormalThrashPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 28DarkDark PulsePower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 37DarkCrunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 41GroundEarthquakePower 150Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 46RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 50NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
Evolve Larvitar to Pupitar
Larvitar evolves into Pupitar at Level 30. Your Larvitar should hit Level 30 before you reach Jasmine, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 30)
- LV 30RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- LV 30NormalThrashPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 30DarkDark PulsePower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDigPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 41DarkCrunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 47GroundEarthquakePower 150Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 54RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 60NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
Evolve Pupitar to Tyranitar
Pupitar evolves into Tyranitar at Level 55. Your Pupitar should hit Level 55 before you reach Brock, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 55)
- LV 55RockStone EdgePower 150Accuracy 80%PP 5
- LV 55DarkCrunchPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 55DarkDark PulsePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 55RockRock SlidePower 113Accuracy 90%PP 10
- LV 55GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10
- After Bugsy
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- LV 70NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
How to Get Pupitar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Pupitar also turns up on Mt. Silver, a rare level 45 catch in the same post-Champion caves. You can skip the hunt and just evolve a Larvitar at level 30, which is usually the smoother road.
1 location to catch Pupitar2 locations to catch Larvitar
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 8Catch Larvitar at any of the 2 locations below, then level it up to 30 — it evolves into Pupitar.
Badge 6
Badge 7 Badge 8Where To Catch Pupitar in HGSS
The only way to get Pupitar during the story is evolving Larvitar (Lv 30).
- Step 2Pupitar ✓Mt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.30CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Mt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.45CaveHeartGoldRate 5%or evolve from Larvitar (Step 1)
- Step 3Evolve into Tyranitar
Want the exact numbers? Work out your catch odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver for Pupitar.
How to Get Shiny Pupitar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Pupitar hardens up on Mt. Silver, but breeding it Masuda-style is the quicker route to a shiny. Compare Shiny Pupitar odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Pupitar Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Curious how fast a hunt could go? Work out your HeartGold & SoulSilver shiny odds for Pupitar.
Pupitar Weakness
Pupitar's Rock/Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. Water and Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Water, Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Pupitar Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Pupitar
 Tangrowth Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Tangrowth builds →Solar Beam 4x271-320%KO Earthquake 2x70-82% Focus Blast 2x90-107%KO | ||
 Roserade GrassPoison | B | |
 Sceptile Grass | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Treecko (Silph Co Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Sceptile builds →Leaf Storm 4x305-359%KO Focus Punch 2x91-108%KO Earthquake 2x61-72% Iron Tail 2x61-72% | ||
 Cacturne GrassDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Cacturne builds →Solar Beam 4x282-332%KO Focus Punch 2x117-138%KO | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 4x251-295%KO Earthquake 2x60-70% Rock Smash 2x25-29% | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Breloom builds →Seed Bomb 4x210-247%KO Focus Punch 2x194-229%KO Iron Tail 2x87-103%KO | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x271-320%KO Drain Punch 2x36-42% | ||
 Suicune Water | A | |
Obtain MethodBurned Tower Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Suicune builds →Surf 4x182-214%KO Ice Beam 2x60-71% Dig 2x44-52% Iron Tail 2x55-65% | ||
 Kingler Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Kingler builds →Crabhammer 4x261-308%KO Dig 2x70-82% Brick Break 2x65-77% Metal Claw 2x44-52% | ||
 Shiftry GrassDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Shiftry builds →Leaf Storm 4x266-314%KO Dig 2x56-66% Focus Blast 2x77-90% | ||
 Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Meganium builds →Solar Beam 4x215-253%KO Earthquake 2x60-70% Iron Tail 2x60-70% Rock Smash 2x25-29% | ||
 Slowbro WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Slowbro builds →Surf 4x199-235%KO Focus Punch 2x82-97% Ice Beam 2x66-78% Earthquake 2x55-65% | ||
 Ludicolo WaterGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pupitar View Ludicolo builds →Solar Beam 4x231-271%KO Surf 4x182-214%KO Focus Punch 2x78-92% Ice Beam 2x60-71% | ||
Pupitar Evolutions
Partway through Larvitar's chain. Pupitar still has another evolution ahead before reaching Tyranitar. For breeding, takes forever to hatch with plenty of partners via one egg group. So far, HP got the biggest boost (+20 from Larvitar). The final form adds another 190 stats on top. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Pupitar to get Larvitar eggs using 63 partners from the Monster egg group. Notable egg moves include Ancient Power, Assurance, Curse and 7 more.
HGSS Pupitar Best Moveset
Rock/Ground mid-stage at 84 Attack and 70 across defenses. AbilityShed Skin clears status regularly. The moveset improves on Larvitar but Tyranitar is the real investment target. Tyranitar is one of the best Pokemon in the entire format.
Best Build
Pupitar best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Brick Break
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Ancient Power and Assurance from the egg pool give Pupitar something extra.
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
All 22 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
Its shell is as hard as sheet rock, and it is also very strong. Its thrashing can topple a mountain.
Even sealed in its shell, it can move freely. Hard and fast, it has outstanding destructive power.
Pupitar HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, you can run Pupitar through the first few routes without issues. 410 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Tyranitar as fast as you can.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, use Pupitar as a balanced. Physical side carries the damage. Not the fastest, Earthquake is the primary attack.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, run Adamant on Pupitar. +Attack is what matters, and the -Sp. Atk cut doesn't hurt this set. Fits the balanced role.
Game Availability
Available in 18 titles since its debut in Gold & Silver, Pupitar spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through catching or hatching as a base form in most mainline games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
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 7Let's Go
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
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