Physical
Balanced
CTier
70Speed · Below Avg

Stats & Training

Butterfree's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Atk leads, Attack trails, 2 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Atk and Sp. Def EVs, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
Avg
HP60
C
Attack45
D
Defense50
D
Sp. Atk80
C
Sp. Def80
C
Speed70
C
Total385
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.1 m
3'07"Small
Weight32.0 kg
70.5 lbsLight
Base XP178
Average
Abilities
Compound EyesTop Pick
Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.
Tinted LensHANot in game
Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpD+1Spe
Strong Special Attack training target
Pokedex Entries

The wings are protected by rain-repellent dust. As a result, this POKéMON can fly about even in rain.

Butterfree Weakness

Butterfree is weak to Rock, Fire, Electric, Ice, and Flying. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Ground-type moves entirely. Butterfree's special bulk (base 80 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.

Butterfree Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
4x (Critical)Rock
2x (Weak)Fire, Electric, Ice, Flying
0.5x (Resist)Bug
0.25x (Resist)Grass, Fighting
0x (Immune)Ground
Type ChartVulnerable
5Weak
3Resist
1Immune
Score-4
Gen III Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
4xCritical
Rock
2xWeak
FireElectricIceFlying
½xResist
Bug
¼xResist
GrassFighting
0xImmune
Ground
STAB (5)
GrassPsychicDarkFightingBug
How to Beat Butterfree in FireRed & LeafGreen (Best Counters)

In FireRed & LeafGreen, Magneton can KO Butterfree with Thunderbolt (113-133%). Aerodactyl threatens a KO with Rock Slide (340-400%). Forretress's Explosion also KOs at 88-103%.

Magneton
Magneton
ElectricSteel
A
Recommended Build
AbilityMagnetpull
ItemMagnet
NatureModest
Moves
  • ThunderboltSTAB
  • Hidden Power Fire
  • ToxicUtility
  • Thunder Wave
Damage vs Butterfree
Thunderbolt 2x
113-133%KO
View Magneton builds →

FireRed & LeafGreen Evolution

Butterfree is the final form in a three-stage chain from Caterpie through Metapod. Breeding this form produces Caterpie eggs (quick to hatch). Evolving from Caterpie gave Butterfree the biggest boost in Sp.Atk (+60), bringing the total to 385 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Caterpie
#010Caterpie
7
Level 7
Metapod
#011Metapod
10
Level 10
Butterfree
#012Butterfree
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Caterpie
Bug
Metapod
Bug
Butterfree
BugFlying
HP
45
50+5
60+10
ATK
30
20-10
45+25
DEF
35
55+20
50-5
SP.ATK
20
25+5
90+65
SP.DEF
20
25+5
80+55
SPE
45
30-15
70+40
BST
195D-Tier
205D-Tier+10
395C-Tier+190
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Utility
Utility
Special

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Butterfree to get Caterpie eggs easily using 37 partners from the Bug egg group.

Egg Groups
Bug
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
15 cycles·3,855 steps
Quick~4 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
flygonmasquerainvolbeatillumiseparasectvibravaparastrapinchsurskitshuckleforretressvenomoth
12 of 37·

FireRed & LeafGreen Butterfree Best Moveset

For a special attacker, Butterfree wants max HP and Speed EVs and Nothing. The Timid nature tilts toward fast special duty, and Compoundeyes contributes without taking a move slot.

Best Build

Situational pick
Support
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Nothing
Best Nature for Butterfree
Timid+SPE

Butterfree best EVs are HP and Speed

EVs

Support Moveset

  • Sleep Powder
  • Stun Spore
  • ThiefCoverage
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility

Recommended Teammates

Metagross
MetagrossDecent
Skarmory
SkarmoryDecent
Tyranitar
TyranitarDecent

Moves

TMs define Butterfree's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Silver Wind and Aerial Ace, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Psychic and Normal coverage and more. That's where the options open up.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Confusion
—5010025Psychic
Lv 10
Confusion
—5010025Psychic
Lv 13
Poison Powder
——7535Poison
Lv 14
Stun Spore
S—7530Grass
Lv 15
Sleep Powder
S—7515Grass
Lv 18
Supersonic
——5520Normal
Lv 23
Whirlwind-6
A——20Normal
Lv 28
Gust
—4010035Flying
Lv 34
Psybeam
—6510020Psychic
Lv 40
Safeguard
D——25Normal
Lv 47
Silver Wind
C601005Bug

TM Moves

TM
TM40
Aerial Ace
D60—20Flying
TM45
Attract
——10015Normal
TM32
Double Team
———15Normal
TM42
Facade
D7010020Normal
HM05
Flash
——7020Normal
TM21
Frustration
——10020Normal
TM19
Giga Drain
C751005Grass
TM10
Hidden Power
—6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TM17
Protect+4
C——10Normal
TM29
Psychic
B9010010Psychic
TM18
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM44
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM27
Return
D—10020Normal
TM20
Safeguard
D——25Normal
TM43
Secret Power
—7010020Normal
TM30
Shadow Ball
C8010015Ghost
TM48
Skill Swap
———10Psychic
TM22
Solar Beam
C12010010Grass
TM11
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
TM46
Thief
A6010025Dark
TM06
Toxic
C—8510Poison

Egg Moves

Butterfree doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Tut
Tutor
Double-Edge
D12010015Normal
Tutor
Dream Eater
—10010015Psychic
Tutor
Mimic
———10Normal
Tutor
Substitute
C——10Normal

Reminder Moves

Rem
Rem
Harden
D——30Normal
Rem
String Shot
——9540Bug
Rem
Tackle
—3510035Normal

How to Get Butterfree in FireRed & LeafGreen

No wild encounters for Butterfree. The 3-stage chain runs through Caterpie, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 10 once you've got the levels.

How to Obtain Butterfree in FireRed & LeafGreen

Caterpie is your first catch on the way to Butterfree. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 3-9 across 18 total spots in the chain.

  1. Caterpie
    Step 1Catch Caterpie
    Viridian Forest
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.3-5 Forest
    CommonEarly
    Viridian Forest
    FireRedGrass Lv.3-5 Forest
    CommonEarly
    Pattern Bush
    FireRedGrass Lv.6
    UncommonEarly
    Pattern Bush
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.6
    UncommonEarly
    Route 24
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.7 Route
    UncommonEarly
    Route 24
    FireRedGrass Lv.7 Route
    UncommonEarly
    Route 25
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.8 Route
    UncommonEarly
    Route 25
    FireRedGrass Lv.8 Route
    UncommonEarly
    Route 2
    FireRedGrass Lv.4-5 Route
    RareEarly
    Route 2
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.4-5 Route
    RareEarly
  2. Metapod
    Step 2Catch or Evolve Metapod
    Viridian Forest
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.4-6 Forest
    UncommonEarly
    Pattern Bush
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.9
    UncommonEarly
    Viridian Forest
    FireRedGrass Lv.5 Forest
    RareEarly
    Route 24
    FireRedGrass Lv.8 Route
    RareEarly
    Route 24
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.8 Route
    RareEarly
    Pattern Bush
    FireRedGrass Lv.9
    RareEarly
    Route 25
    LeafGreenGrass Lv.9 Route
    RareEarly
    Route 25
    FireRedGrass Lv.9 Route
    RareEarly
    or evolve from Caterpie (Step 1)
  3. Butterfree
    Step 3Butterfree ✓

Butterfree Guide

  • In FireRed & LeafGreen, Butterfree's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Charizard (Fire), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage. Ice and Flying-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.

  • In FireRed & LeafGreen, Metapod evolves into Butterfree at level 10. Butterfree is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Caterpie.

  • Honestly, in FireRed & LeafGreen Butterfree is a tough sell at 385 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

  • In FireRed & LeafGreen, Don't let Butterfree's 385 base stat total fool you. Tinted Lens is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier. Sleep Powder with Nothing is the standard set.

  • In FireRed & LeafGreen, Run Tinted Lens on Butterfree. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Butterfree also gets Compound Eyes, but they don't compare.

Game Availability

Butterfree first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 19 games across 10 generations. It later gained a Gigantamax form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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