Is Zubat Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Every cave in Johto from Dark Cave onward. Poison/Flying with AbilityInner Focus preventing flinch. The real goal is Crobat through friendship, one of the best Pokemon you can field in HGSS. Worth the Zubat encounters.
Falkner's typing presses Zubat's defenses.
Zubat trades roughly evenly with Bugsy's team.
Zubat trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Golbat has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Golbat has the type edge here and should clean up Chuck's team.
Jasmine's team hits Golbat's weaknesses hard.
Golbat trades roughly evenly with Pryce's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Clair's team.
Brock's team hits Crobat's weaknesses hard.
Crobat trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Crobat trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Crobat resists most of Erika's coverage and hits back hard.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Janine's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Crobat trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Crobat trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Crobat has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Crobat trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Catchable
Catch Zubat on Route 32 (walking, Lv 4, rare).
Recommended Moves
- LV 17FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- LV 25FlyingAir CutterPower 83Accuracy 95%PP 25
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- TM30GhostShadow BallPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Prize for defeating Morty
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 41FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
Evolve Zubat to Golbat
Zubat evolves into Golbat at Level 22. Your Zubat should hit Level 22 before you reach Morty, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 22)
- LV 22FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- TM30GhostShadow BallPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Prize for defeating Morty
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
- LV 51FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
Evolve Golbat to Crobat
Golbat evolves into Crobat with high friendship. Friendship is usually high enough before you reach Clair.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 34)
- LV 34PoisonCross PoisonPower 105Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 34FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
- LV 51FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
How to Get Zubat in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Zubat infests caves across both regions, with eighty-nine encounters in nineteen locations from Johto tunnels to Kanto caverns. Common in nearly every dark space, the bat is impossible to avoid once you start exploring underground.
19 locations to catch Zubat
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Zubat in HGSS
Zubat is where the line starts, caught through walking encounters at Lv. 2-32. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Zubat ✓Slowpoke Well - B1FLv.5-8CaveRate 85%Mt. Mortar - 1F EntranceLv.13-15CaveRate 60%Mt. Mortar - B1FLv.15-17CaveRate 60%Mt. Moon - 1FLv.6-8CaveSoulSilverRate 50%Mt. Moon - 2FLv.6-8CaveSoulSilverRate 50%Route 33Lv.4-8GrassRate 40%NightRoute 42Lv.14-16GrassSoulSilverRate 40%NightSafari Zone - MountainLv.15-17FloorRate 40%NightDark Cave - WestLv.2-4CaveRate 39%Route 3Lv.5GrassRate 30%NightRoute 4Lv.5GrassRate 30%NightMt. Moon - 1FLv.6CaveHeartGoldRate 30%Mt. Moon - 2FLv.6CaveHeartGoldRate 30%Route 42Lv.14-16GrassHeartGoldRate 30%NightSafari Zone - SavannahLv.15-17FloorRate 30%NightSafari Zone - Rocky BeachLv.15-17FloorRate 30%NightIlex ForestLv.5-6GrassRate 25%NightUnion Cave - 1FLv.5-7CaveRate 25%Union Cave - B1FLv.7-9CaveRate 25%Rock Tunnel - 1FLv.8CaveRate 10%Rock Tunnel - B1FLv.10CaveRate 10%Burned Tower - 1FLv.14FloorRate 10%Route 32Lv.4GrassRate 5%Morning/nightRoute 33Lv.4GrassRate 5%MorningIlex ForestLv.5GrassRate 5%Morning/dayMt. Mortar - 1F BackLv.14CaveRate 5%Burned Tower - B1FLv.15FloorRate 5%Slowpoke Well - B2FLv.19-23CaveRate 80%Union Cave - B2FLv.22CaveRate 30%Tohjo FallsLv.22GrassRate 30%Dark Cave - EastLv.23CaveRate 30%Whirl Islands - 1FLv.23GrassRate 30%Whirl Islands - B1FLv.23GrassRate 30%Whirl Islands - B2FLv.23GrassRate 30%Whirl Islands - B3FLv.24GrassRate 30%Seafoam Islands - 1FLv.26-28GrassRate 30%Ice Path - 1FLv.22CaveHeartGoldRate 25%Morning/nightIce Path - B1FLv.22CaveHeartGoldRate 25%Morning/nightIce Path - B2FLv.23CaveHeartGoldRate 25%Morning/nightIce Path - B3FLv.23CaveHeartGoldRate 25%Morning/nightIce Path - 1FLv.22CaveHeartGoldRate 20%DayIce Path - B1FLv.22CaveHeartGoldRate 20%DayIce Path - B2FLv.23CaveHeartGoldRate 20%DayIce Path - B3FLv.23CaveHeartGoldRate 20%DaySeafoam Islands - B1FLv.28-29GrassRate 10%Seafoam Islands - B2FLv.29-30GrassRate 10%Cliff Cave - 1FLv.18CaveRate 5%NightIce Path - 1FLv.22CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Morning/nightIce Path - B1FLv.22CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Morning/nightIce Path - B2FLv.23CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Morning/nightIce Path - B3FLv.23CaveSoulSilverRate 5%Morning/nightSeafoam Islands - B3FLv.31-32GrassRate 10%
- Step 2Catch or Evolve into GolbatSafari Zone - MountainLv.15-17FloorRate 30%NightIce Path - 1FLv.22CaveRate 30%Ice Path - B1FLv.22CaveRate 30%Ice Path - B2FLv.23CaveRate 30%Ice Path - B3FLv.23CaveRate 30%Seafoam Islands - 1FLv.30-32GrassRate 30%Cliff Cave - 1FLv.20-22CaveRate 24%NightCliff Cave - 1FLv.22CaveRate 20%Morning/dayUnion Cave - B2FLv.22CaveRate 20%Tohjo FallsLv.22GrassRate 20%Safari Zone - SavannahLv.17FloorRate 10%NightDark Cave - EastLv.23CaveRate 5%Slowpoke Well - B2FLv.23CaveRate 5%Whirl Islands - 1FLv.23GrassRate 5%Whirl Islands - B1FLv.23GrassRate 5%Whirl Islands - B2FLv.23GrassRate 5%Whirl Islands - B3FLv.24GrassRate 5%Mt. Mortar - 2FLv.30CaveRate 5%Cerulean Cave - 1FLv.38-39CaveRate 50%NightSeafoam Islands - B1FLv.32-34GrassRate 30%Victory Road - 1FLv.32CaveRate 30%Victory Road - 2FLv.32CaveRate 30%Victory Road - 3FLv.32CaveRate 30%Seafoam Islands - B2FLv.33-35GrassRate 30%Seafoam Islands - B3FLv.34-36GrassRate 30%Seafoam Islands - B4FLv.38-40GrassRate 30%Cerulean Cave - 2FLv.41-42CaveRate 20%NightCerulean Cave - 1FLv.38CaveRate 10%Morning/dayCerulean Cave - 2FLv.41CaveRate 10%Morning/dayMt. Silver - 1FLv.45CaveRate 5%Mt. Silver - Lower mountainsideLv.48-51CaveRate 40%Cerulean Cave - B1FLv.47CaveRate 10%Mt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.48CaveRate 5%Mt. Silver - 1F Upper ChamberLv.48CaveRate 5%Mt. Silver - 2FLv.48CaveRate 5%Mt. Silver - 3FLv.48CaveRate 5%Mt. Silver - Upper mountainsideLv.48CaveRate 5%or evolve from Zubat (Step 1)
- Step 3Evolve into Crobat
Bring the right balls: check Zubat catch odds in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Catch Rate Calculator before you throw.
How to Get Shiny Zubat in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Zubat clouds Mt. Moon and Rock Tunnel, so breed it Masuda-style with a foreign-language parent at 1 in 1,638. Compare Shiny Zubat odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Zubat Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Planning a longer hunt? Set up Zubat in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Odds Calculator to compare every method side by side.
Zubat Weakness
Electric, Ice, Psychic, and Rock moves hit Zubat for super-effective damage. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. The Poison/Flying typing picks up 4 resistances to work with.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Psychic, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Zubat Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Zubat
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
 Glaceon Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) | ||
 Ampharos Electric | C | |
 Gardevoir Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Gardevoir builds →Thunderbolt 2x144-171%KO Confusion 2x119-140%KO | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Lapras builds →Ice Beam 2x159-188%KO Thunderbolt 2x105-125%KO | ||
 Luxray Electric | C | |
 Plusle Electric | B | |
 Kadabra Psychic | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Kadabra builds →Psybeam 2x145-172%KO Charge Beam 2x75-88% | ||
 Minun Electric | C | |
 Slowbro WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Slowbro builds →Ice Beam 2x120-141%KO Confusion 2x97-116%KO | ||
 Mr. Mime Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Mr. Mime builds →Psybeam 2x125-148%KO Thunderbolt 2x120-141%KO | ||
 Rhyhorn GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Rhyhorn builds →Rock Tomb 2x95-112%KO Ice Beam 2x53-64% Thunderbolt 2x53-64% | ||
 Pupitar RockGround | C | |
 Girafarig NormalPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Zubat View Girafarig builds →Psybeam 2x115-136%KO Thunderbolt 2x111-131%KO | ||
Zubat Evolutions
Zubat kicks off a three-stage evolution line through Golbat all the way to Crobat. For breeding, quick to hatch with a decent partner pool via one egg group. The evolved forms gain up to 290 total stats over Zubat. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Zubat easily with 31 breeding partners from the Flying egg group. Pass egg moves like Brave Bird, Curse, Feint Attack and 7 more to offspring.
HGSS Zubat Best Moveset
Poison/Flying at stats below 55 across the board. AbilityInner Focus prevents flinching, but the moveset has no damage output or defensive identity worth investing in. Two evolutions from Crobat's actual function.
Best Build
Zubat best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- U Turn
- Brave Bird
- Pluck
- Quick Attack
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Don't skip the egg moves. Zubat picks up Brave Bird and Curse only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Brave Bird and Fly while coverage across 8 types adds range.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
24 of 25 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
While flying, it constantly emits ultrasonic waves from its mouth to check its surroundings.
Capable of flying safely in dark places, it emits ultrasonic cries to check for any obstacles.
Zubat HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- Where in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone can I find Zubat?
See the Locations section above for where to find Zubat in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Zubat from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Zubat easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, for a casual playthrough, Zubat works as a placeholder. Poison/Flying coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Golbat. That's where the stats start mattering.
Game Availability
Present since Red & Blue, Zubat appears in 21 games spanning 9 generations. Gen 1 originals like Zubat have the longest track record of availability in the series.
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 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
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
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