Zarude has the stats to dominate any format it's allowed in. 120 base Attack stands out, and the rest of the spread doesn't have obvious weak points either. Known as the Rogue Monkey Pokemon. Part of the Gen 8 roster.
Nothing fancy in Zarude's spread. It leans physical with Attack out front. And you'll get 3 Attack EVs per KO for it. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
This Zarude left its pack to raise a human child. The cloth Zarude would wrap the child with has a comforting scent that calmed the child’s crying.
This Zarude’s special strength stems from its love and care for an orphaned human child that the Pokémon has raised since the child’s infancy.
Zarude Weakness
FragileBug, Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Fairy-type moves hit Zarude for super-effective damage. Bug hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. The upside? Psychic-type moves can't touch it at all. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Zarude's overall bulk (105/105/95) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
Mythical Pokemon don't breed, and Zarude is no exception. This Dark/Grass type sits at 600 stats with no chain to speak of.
How to Evolve
Darkestlariat is the safe click most turns. Choice Scarf locks Zarude into it but rewards with speed patching through item lock. Jolly nature and max Attack and Speed EVs maximize that first hit. Leafguard helps on the margins.
Best Build
Best Zarude Moveset
- Darkest Lariat
- Power Whip
- U Turn
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Zarude's coverage across 7 types all comes from technical machines, built on top of Solar Blade and Power Whip for same-type damage. Energy Ball and Hammer Arm are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Zarude is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
This is an event-exclusive or special distribution.
At 600 BST, Zarude is built different. We rank it A-Tier. As a Mythical Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a sweeper.
Watch for Genesect (Bug), Cinderace (Fire), and Kyurem (Ice) when using Zarude. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Genesect is the most dangerous since Bug moves deal 4x damage. Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 7 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Zarude has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Zarude doesn't evolve. As a Mythical Pokemon, it stands on its own without an evolutionary line. It's a Dark/Grass type with 600 BST.
Leaf Guard protects against major status ailments during strong sunlight — that's the one you want on Zarude. It's the only ability Zarude has.
Zarude is a physical attacker with base 120 Attack. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 105 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the sweeper role.
Zarude can be found in Scarlet & Violet and Sword & Shield.
Introduced in Sword & Shield, Zarude shows up in 2 games across 2 generations. Mythical status keeps it locked behind events or specific story content in most appearances.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
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 VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwShDebut
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A