Venusaur Best Moveset
AbilityChlorophyll doubles Speed under sun, turning Venusaur from middling 80 Speed into one of the fastest special attackers on the field. Held ItemLife Orb with NatureNaive pushes Grass and Poison TermStab hard. Tera Fire under sun covers the Steel-types that wall the moveset and picks up a third offensive type.
Grass/Poison had a tough time in Gen I (Red & Blue). Psychic-types ran the format, and Venusaur's 100 base Special wasn't enough to compete with them.
Support Moveset
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
- Body Slam
Recommended Teammates
Sleep Powder and Leech Seed made Venusaur a real nuisance. The Special split preserved its 100 Sp. Atk while giving it solid 100 Sp. Def, turning it into a well-rounded wall.
Support Moveset
- Leech Seed
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Synthesis
Recommended Teammates
Stayed effective with the same Sleep Powder and Leech Seed core. Growth let it threaten teams that tried to stall it out.
Support Moveset
- Leech Seed
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Held its position despite Stealth Rock showing up everywhere. Grass/Poison only takes neutral damage from rocks, giving Venusaur an edge over other Grass-types.
Wall Moveset
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Chlorophyll plus Drought support from Ninetales turned Venusaur into a terrifying sun sweeper. Growth in sun doubled both Attack and Sp. Atk in a single turn.
Best Moves
Best Build
Venusaur best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power Fire
Recommended Teammates
Drought was nerfed to five turns, cutting the sun engine that powered Venusaur. Mega Venusaur with Thick Fat was strong, but the base form fell off.
Special Tank Moveset
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power Ice
- Venoshock
Recommended Teammates
Still relied on sun support that was harder to maintain. Other Grass-types with better Speed or movepool options pushed it down.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Sludge Bomb
- Growth
- Hidden Power Fire
- Giga Drain
Recommended Teammates
Dynamax gave Venusaur a new lease in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Max Overgrowth set Grassy Terrain, Max Flare set its own sun, and Chlorophyll let it outspeed the field.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Weather Ball
- Growth
- Earth Power
Recommended Teammates
No Dynamax, no Mega Evolution. Without the generation-specific power boosts that carried it, Venusaur couldn't keep pace with the modern format.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Weather Ball
- Growth
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Venusaur Weakness
Venusaur's Grass/Poison typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Thick Fat reduces Fire/Ice damage, further improving the defensive spread. Venusaur's overall bulk (80/123/120) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Flying, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Fighting, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
What is Venusaur Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Venusaur
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Venusaur View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn5-6% Scald5-5% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityElectric Surge ItemTerrain Extender NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Venusaur View Pincurchin builds →Scald8-10% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Venusaur View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake22-26% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves
Damage vs Venusaur View Slowking builds →Scald9-11% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Rotom-Wash builds →
| ||
Evolution
Venusaur is the final form in a three-stage chain from Bulbasaur through Ivysaur. Breeding this form produces Bulbasaur eggs (average hatch time). Evolving from Bulbasaur gave Venusaur the biggest boost in Defense (+74), bringing the total to 625 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Venusaur
No wild encounters for Venusaur. The 3-stage chain runs through Bulbasaur, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 32 once you've got the levels.
Venusaur doesn't appear wild. Catch Bulbasaur instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 32 to get Venusaur. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
No wild encounters for Venusaur. The 3-stage chain runs through Bulbasaur, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 32 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Venusaur in BDSP
To get Venusaur, start by catching Bulbasaur through walking encounters at Lv. 58-63. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Venusaur can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Transfer Bulbasaur from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Legends: Z-A and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Venusaur in SwSh
Step 1Obtain BulbasaurBREEDINGAvailableLeave Ivysaur with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Bulbasaur egg.CARTRIDGE TRADEAvailableCatch in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Swampy Cave · After National Dex obtained, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Gift · Pallet Town · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Gift · Cerulean City · Requires high Pikachu friendship. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Gift · Pallet Town · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Pallet Town · Gift from Professor Oak (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom X & YNot TradeableAppears in X & Y via Gift · Lumiose City · Gift from Professor Sycamore. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon via Walking · Route 2 · Island Scan; Friday. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Ivysaur
Step 3Venusaur ✓
Base Stats
Venusaur's spread isn't flashy. Defense leads, HP trails, 6 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Atk and Sp. Def EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
In order to support its flower, which has grown larger due to Mega Evolution, its back and legs have become stronger.
Venusaur Guide
Don't let Venusaur's 625 base stat total fool you. Thick Fat is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Yes. Mega Venusaur hits 725 BST, a solid jump from the base 625. Hold the Mega Stone, trigger it in battle, and it lasts the whole fight. One Mega per team.
Watch for Arcanine (Fire), Lapras (Ice), and Aerodactyl (Flying) when using Venusaur. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Psychic-type attackers are also a problem. Venusaur has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Run Thick Fat on Venusaur. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. On wall sets, Thick Fat pairs with Venusaur's base 123 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.
Venusaur fills the wallbreaker role. It's a mixed attacker with base 100 Attack and 122 Sp. Atk. Base 80 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Game Availability
Venusaur first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 21 games across 10 generations. It later gained a Mega form in Generation 6 and a Gigantamax form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
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 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGigantamax
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