Almost nobody uses Rattata in battle. It exists to evolve into Raticate, which is a completely different story. Get it there and you won't regret it. Known as the Mouse Pokemon. An original Gen 1 pick.
Speed and Attack carry most of Rattata's stat budget. Sp. Atk's the obvious dump stat. Easy to catch and yields 1 Speed EV. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Cautious in the extreme, its hardy vitality lets it live in any kind of environment.
Rattata Weakness
GoodRattata's Normal typing leaves it vulnerable to Fighting moves. It shrugs off Ghost-type attacks completely. Just 1 weak spot to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
One evolution ahead. Rattata grows into Raticate through a straightforward two-stage chain. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are quick to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 160 total stats over Rattata.
How to Evolve
Breed Rattata easily with 131 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Bite, Counter, Flame Wheel and 7 more to offspring.
One guaranteed turn is all Rattata needs. Focus Sash buys it, flexible EVs EVs make it count, and Guts adds something extra. The goal: deal early damage and deal damage with Endeavor. Utility options gives it play beyond just the lead turn.
Best Build
Best Rattata Moveset
- Endeavor
- Quick Attack
- Toxic
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
STAB runs through Last Resort and Double-Edge for the basics, but Rattata's real strength is the 11-type coverage spread. Dark and Ice hit common defensive types, and the movepool keeps going.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Rattata tops out at moderate rates across 4 locations in mid-game routes. The encounters below are sorted by rate so you can see exactly what you're working with.
Best Locations
Before you go hunting for Rattata, check which of the 4 spots belong to your version. Diamond and Pearl each have different walking encounters at Lv. 20-22.
Rattata is meant to evolve into Raticate. At 253 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Watch for Hitmonlee (Fighting) when using Rattata. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Rattata evolves into Raticate at level 20. Rattata is the base form of this evolutionary line.
Run Away ensures success fleeing from wild battles — that's the one you want on Rattata. Hustle is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Guts works too if your team needs something different.
Base 72 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Rattata is a physical attacker with base 56 Attack. Defensively? Fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Rattata appears in 18 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Rattata has appeared in 18 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- 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 VIISMAlolan
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