Physical
Balanced
485Average
55Slow
CTier

That 4x Grass weakness is something every Relicanth user needs to plan around. Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain, which helps. Known as the Longevity Pokemon. The stat spread favors raw physical power.

Relicanth's all-in on Defense at the expense of Sp. Atk. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 HP and Defense EVs and follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.

Base Stats
485Above
HP100
B
Attack90
B
Defense130
A
Sp. Atk45
D
Sp. Def65
C
Speed55
D
Total485
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Relicanth yields +1 HP, +1 Def
HP+1AtkDef+1SpASpDSpe
Details
Catch25DifficultSlow1.25M XP1m / 3'03"23.4kg / 51.6 lbs170Base XP
Pokedex Entries

It has remained unchanged for 100 million years. It was discovered during a deep-sea exploration.

Fire Red / Leaf Green

Relicanth Weakness

Vulnerable

Grass, Electric, Fighting, and Ground-type moves hit Relicanth for super-effective damage. Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Relicanth's physical bulk (base 130 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Gen III Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
4xCriticali
¼xResisti
0xImmunei
None
4Weak
5Resist
0Immune
Scorei-4
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
4x Grass — Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Leaf Storm
Abilities
Swift SwimDoubles Speed during rain.
Rock HeadProtects against recoil damage.
SturdyHAPrevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.

What you see is what you get. Relicanth sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and plenty of partners from two egg groups. Eggs are takes forever to hatch.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Relicanth
#369Relicanth
Does not evolve
Breeding
Moderate

Breed Relicanth with 58 breeding partners from the Water1 and Water2 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Amnesia, Magnitude, Rock Slide and 3 more to offspring.

Egg Groups
Water1Water2
Gender
87.5%12.5%
Hatch Time
40 cycles·10,280 steps
Slow~10 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
6moves
Breed With (best first)
gyaradosazumarillblastoisegolduckferaligatrkingdraswampertslowbroslowkingoctilleryludicolodewgong

Ground coverage gives Relicanth answers even while choice-locked. Choice Band provides raw power at the cost of move flexibility, and flexible EVs EVs with Swiftswim mean every prediction that lands hits hard.

Best Build

Physical Sweeper
Ability
Swiftswim
Item
Choice BandPOWER
Nature
Adamant+ATK
EVs

Best Relicanth Moveset

  • EarthquakeCoverage
  • Rock SlideSTAB
  • Double Edge
  • Hidden Power Bug

Don't skip the egg moves. Relicanth picks up Amnesia and Magnitude only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Hydro Pump and Surf while Normal and Ice coverage and more adds range.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Harden
30Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
3510035Normal
Lv 8
Water Gun
4010025Water
Lv 15
Rock Tomb
609510Rock
Lv 22
Yawn
10Normal
Lv 29
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 36
Mud Sport
15Ground
Lv 43
Ancient Power
601005Rock
Lv 50
Rest
10Psychic
Lv 57
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Lv 64
Hydro Pump
120805Water

TM Moves

Src
TM45
Attract
10015Normal
TM14
Blizzard
120705Ice
TM04
Calm Mind
20Psychic
TM
Dive
6010010Water
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM26
Earthquake
10010010Ground
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM07
Hail
10Ice
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
9510010Ice
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
5Water
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM27
Return
10020Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
2010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
609510Rock
TM20
Safeguard
25Normal
TM37
Sandstorm
10Rock
TM43
Secret Power
7010020Normal
HM03
Surf
9510015Water
TM06
Toxic
8510Poison
TM03
Water Pulse
6010020Water
HM07
Waterfall
8010015Water

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Amnesia
20Psychic
Egg
Magnitude
10030Ground
Egg
Rock Slide
759010Rock
Egg
Skull Bash
10010010Normal
Egg
Sleep Talk
10Normal
Egg
Water Sport
15Water

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Body Slam
8510015Normal
Tutor
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Tutor
Mimic
10Normal
Tutor
Rock Slide
759010Rock
Tutor
Substitute
10Normal

Relicanth doesn't appear in FireRed & LeafGreen. Transfer it from Ruby, Emerald, or Sword to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.

Relicanth is not available as a wild encounter in this game.

Catch in the wild in:

Then trade to FireRed & LeafGreen.

Also found in:

  • Don't let Relicanth's 485 base stat total fool you. Swift Swim is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.

  • Watch for Venusaur (Grass), Jolteon (Electric), and Hitmonlee (Fighting) when using Relicanth. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Venusaur is the most dangerous since Grass moves deal 4x damage. Ground-type attackers are also a problem.

  • Relicanth doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Water/Rock-type Pokemon with a 485 base stat total.

  • Run Swift Swim on Relicanth. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Relicanth also gets Rock Head and Sturdy, but they don't compare.

  • Relicanth fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 90 Attack. At base 55 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.

  • Relicanth appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.

Relicanth first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.