Special
Attacker
490Average
50Slow
CTier

That 4x Bug weakness is something every Vileplume user needs to plan around. The stat spread leans into special offense. A competitive option since Gen 1.

Vileplume's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Atk leads, Speed trails, 4 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Atk EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
490Above
HP75
C
Attack80
C
Defense85
C
Sp. Atk110
B
Sp. Def90
B
Speed50
D
Total490
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Vileplume yields +3 SpA
HPAtkDefSpA+3SpDSpe
Details
Catch45Challenging•Medium Slow1.06M XP•1.2m / 3'11"•18.6kg / 41 lbs•221Base XP
Pokedex Entries

The larger its petals, the more toxic pollen it contains. Its big head is heavy and hard to hold up.

Red / Blue

Vileplume Weakness

Fragile

Bug, Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic-type moves hit Vileplume for super-effective damage. Bug hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage.

Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
4xCriticali
Bug
2xWeaki
FireIceFlyingPsychic
½xResisti
WaterElectricFighting
¼xResisti
Grass
0xImmunei
None
STAB (5)i
WaterGroundRockGrassBug
5Weak
4Resist
0Immune
Scorei-7
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesAbsorbs on switch
4x Bug — U-turn, Bug Buzz, Megahorn
Abilities
ChlorophyllDoubles Speed during strong sunlight.
Effect SporeHAHas a 30% chance of inflcting either paralysis, poison, or sleep on attacking Pokémon on contact.

You get Vileplume from Oddish using a Leaf Stone. This Grass/Poison type hits 490 total but remains in the Undiscovered group. Both Vileplume and Bellossom hit 490 total stats from Oddish. The difference is how those stats are split.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Oddish
#043Oddish
21
Level 21
Gloom
#044Gloom
Leaf Stone
Vileplume
#045Vileplume
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Oddish
GrassPoison
Gloom
GrassPoison
Vileplume
GrassPoison
HP
45
60+15
75+15
ATK
50
65+15
80+15
DEF
55
70+15
85+15
SP.ATK
75
85+10
110+25
SP.DEF
65
75+10
90+15
SPE
30
40+10
50+10
BST
320D-Tier
395D-Tier+75
490B-Tier+95
ROLE
Balanced
Trick Room
Attacker
TYPE
Special
Special
Special
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

Start with flexible EVs EVs. A nature nature gives Vileplume the right balanced lean, an item adds extra utility, and an ability works in the background. Sleep Powder is the main damage option.

Best Build

Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 1
Item
Not in Gen 1
Nature
Not in Gen 1

Best Vileplume Moveset

  • Sleep PowderSTAB
  • Mega DrainSTAB
  • Swords Dance
  • ToxicUtility

Recommended Teammates

Snorlax
SnorlaxDecent
Charizard
CharizardDecent
Starmie
StarmieDecent

Without TMs, Vileplume's movepool is bare bones. With them, you get Normal coverage on top of Petal Dance and Solar Beam for STAB. The natural kit handles basics, but TMs are doing the real work.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Acid
4010030Poison
Lv 1
Petal Dance
12010020Grass
Lv 1
Sleep Powder
—7515Grass
Lv 1
Stun Spore
—7530Grass
Lv 15
Poison Powder
—7535Poison
Lv 17
Stun Spore
—7530Grass
Lv 19
Sleep Powder
—7515Grass

TM Moves

Src
TM34
Bide+1
——10Normal
TM08
Body Slam
8510015Normal
HM01
Cut
509530Normal
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM10
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM21
Mega Drain
4010010Grass
TM31
Mimic
——10Normal
TM20
Rage
2010020Normal
TM33
Reflect
——20Psychic
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM22
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
TM50
Substitute
——10Normal
TM03
Swords Dance
——30Normal
TM09
Take Down
908520Normal
TM06
Toxic
—9010Poison

Egg Moves

Vileplume doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Vileplume can't learn any Tutor moves

Reminder Moves

Src
Rem
Absorb
2010020Grass
Rem
Solar Beam
12010010Grass

Vileplume doesn't appear wild. Catch Oddish instead, it shows up at solid rates. Evolve it through a special method to get Vileplume. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.

How to Obtain Vileplume in Red & Blue

To get Vileplume, start by catching Oddish through walking encounters at Lv. 12-30. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

  1. Oddish
    Step 1Catch Oddish
    Route 24
    GrassLv.12-14CommonEarlyRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 25
    GrassLv.12-14CommonEarlyRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 5
    GrassLv.13-16CommonEarlyRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 6
    GrassLv.13-16CommonEarlyRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 7
    GrassLv.19-22CommonMidRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 12
    GrassLv.22-26CommonMidRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 13
    GrassLv.22-26CommonMidRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 14
    GrassLv.22-26CommonMidRoute
    EFFORTLESS
    Route 15
    GrassLv.22-26CommonMidRoute
    EFFORTLESS
  2. Gloom
    Step 2Catch or Evolve Gloom
    Route 12
    GrassLv.28-30RareMidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    Route 13
    GrassLv.28-30RareMidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    Route 14
    GrassLv.30RareMidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    Route 15
    GrassLv.30RareMidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    or evolve from Oddish (Step 1)
  3. Vileplume
    Step 3Vileplume ✓

  • Don't let Vileplume's 490 base stat total fool you. Chlorophyll is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as an attacker.

  • Watch for Pinsir (Bug), Arcanine (Fire), and Lapras (Ice) when using Vileplume. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Pinsir is the most dangerous since Bug moves deal 4x damage. Flying and Psychic-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.

  • Gloom evolves into Vileplume using a Leaf Stone. Vileplume is the final evolution in a 4-stage line starting from Oddish. At 490 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Vileplume fills the attacker role. It's a special attacker with base 110 Sp. Atk. Base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

  • Vileplume appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

Vileplume has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.