Between Contrary and Bug/Rock typing, Shuckle carves out a strong competitive niche. It reverses stat changes — what should be a debuff becomes a boost, which gives it an edge most Pokemon in its stat range don't have. Only weak to Water, Rock, and Steel.
Shuckle's all-in on Defense at the expense of Speed. The mixed lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Defense and Sp. Def EVs and follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
It stores berries in its shell. The berries eventually ferment to become delicious juices.
Shuckle Weakness
VulnerableWater, Rock, and Steel-type moves hit Shuckle for super-effective damage. Shuckle's overall bulk (20/230/230) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Breeding is the whole story for Shuckle. A decent partner pool through one egg group, eggs are average hatch time, and you won't need to evolve anything. It's got 6 egg moves worth looking into.
How to Evolve
Breed Shuckle easily with 47 breeding partners from the Bug egg group. Pass egg moves like Acupressure, Helping Hand, Knock Off and 3 more to offspring.
Sturdy gives Shuckle passive value while it walls. Impish nature boosts Defense, max HP and Defense EVs maximize the physical wall profile, and Leftovers keeps it in the game.
Best Build
Best Shuckle Moveset
- Toxic
- Knock Off
- Encore
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Without breeding, Shuckle misses out on Acupressure and Helping Hand. That's 6 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Stone Edge and Rock Slide, with Normal and Ground coverage and more rounding things out.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
You'll want mid-game access before hunting Shuckle. Moderate rates across 2 encounter spots means the location matters. Sort by Best below and target the top-rated area first.
Best Locations
Don't let Shuckle's 505 base stat total fool you. Contrary is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a support.
Watch for Starmie (Water), Aerodactyl (Rock), and Steelix (Steel) when using Shuckle. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. At base 5 Speed, Shuckle won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Shuckle doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Bug/Rock-type Pokemon with strong stats at 505 BST — no evolution needed.
Run Contrary on Shuckle. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Shuckle also gets Sturdy and Gluttony, but they don't compare.
Shuckle fills the support role. It's leaning toward the physical side (base 10 Attack). Base 5 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Shuckle appears in 16 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Shuckle first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 16 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGSDebut
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 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