What is Butterfree weak to?

In X & Y, 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.

How do you evolve Butterfree?

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

Should I use Butterfree?

Honestly, in X & Y Butterfree is a tough sell at 395 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

In X & Y, Don't let Butterfree's 395 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 Focus Sash is the standard set.

What is the best ability for Butterfree?

In X & Y, 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.

Butterfree - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Special

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

Attack45

Defense50

Sp. Atk90

Sp. Def80

Speed70

Total395

Details

Catch Rate

Challenging45 / 255

Growth Rate

Medium Fast1M XP

Height1.1 m

Weight32.0 kg

Base XP178

Abilities

Compound EyesTop Pick

Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.

Tinted LensHA

Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+2SpD+1Spe

Strong Special Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.

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
Damage	Types
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

4xCritical

Rock

2xWeak

Fire Electric Ice Flying

½xResist

Bug

¼xResist

Grass Fighting

0xImmune

Ground

STAB (5)

Grass Psychic Dark Fighting Bug

How to Beat Butterfree in X & Y (Best Counters)

In X & Y, Weavile can KO Butterfree with Ice Shard (97-114%). Zapdos's Thunderbolt also KOs at 91-107%.

Weavile DarkIce	A
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves Knock Off Icicle Crash Ice Shard PursuitSTAB Damage vs Butterfree Knock Off 78-92% Ice Shard 2x 97-114%KO Pursuit 48-57% View Weavile builds →
Heatran FireSteel	A
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves Stealth Rock Lava Plume Earth Power TauntUtility View Heatran builds →
Zapdos ElectricFlying	A
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemSitrus Berry NatureTimid Moves Heat Wave TailwindUtility ThunderboltSTAB RoostRecovery Damage vs Butterfree Heat Wave 2x 64-75% Thunderbolt 2x 91-107%KO View Zapdos builds →
Tyranitar RockDark	A
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureRelaxed Moves Stone Edge PursuitSTAB CrunchSTAB Superpower Damage vs Butterfree Stone Edge 4x 430-507%KO Pursuit 43-51% Crunch 86-102%KO Superpower 21-25% View Tyranitar builds →
Gliscor GroundFlying	B
Recommended Build AbilityPoisonheal ItemToxic Orb NatureCareful Moves EarthquakeSTAB RoostRecovery Swords Dance Knock Off Damage vs Butterfree Knock Off 23-28% View Gliscor builds →

X & Y 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 (+70), bringing the total to 395 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms

#010Caterpie

Level 7

#011Metapod

Level 10

#012Butterfree

Stat Comparison 3 Stages

Caterpie

Bug

Metapod

Bug

Butterfree

BugFlying

50+5

60+10

ATK

20-10

45+25

DEF

55+20

50-5

SP.ATK

25+5

90+65

SP.DEF

25+5

80+55

SPE

30-15

70+40

BST

195D-Tier

205D-Tier+10

395C-Tier+190

ROLE

Balanced

TYPE

Utility

Special

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Butterfree to get Caterpie eggs easily using 68 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)

X & Y Butterfree Best Moveset

Focus Sash guarantees Butterfree survives one hit from full HP. That's enough to deal early damage and fire off Sleep Powder before going down. Compoundeyes and spread EVs maximize first-turn impact.

Best Build

Experimental

Ability

Compound Eyes

Item

Focus SashSURVIVAL

Best Nature for Butterfree

Modest+SPA

Butterfree best EVs are Defense and Speed

EVs

Def

SpA

SpD

Spe

Doubles Utility Moveset

Sleep Powder
Bug BuzzSTAB
PsychicCoverage
Shadow Ball

Recommended Teammates

ScytherGood

AriadosGood

Moves

TMs define Butterfree's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Bug Buzz and U-turn, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it coverage across 7 types. That's where the options open up.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Confusion

—5010025Psychic

Lv 10

Confusion

—5010025Psychic

Lv 12

Poison Powder

——7535Poison

Lv 12

Sleep Powder

S—7515Grass

Lv 12

Stun Spore

D—7530Grass

Lv 16

Gust

—4010035Flying

Lv 18

Supersonic

——5520Normal

Lv 22

Whirlwind-6

C——20Normal

Lv 24

Psybeam

—6510020Psychic

Lv 28

Silver Wind

C601005Bug

Lv 30

Tailwind

C——15Flying

Lv 34

Rage Powder+2

C——20Bug

Lv 36

Safeguard

C——25Normal

Lv 40

Captivate

——10020Normal

Lv 42

Bug Buzz

S9010010Bug

Lv 46

Quiver Dance

S——20Bug

TM Moves

TM62

Acrobatics

D5510015Flying

TM40

Aerial Ace

D60—20Flying

TM45

Attract

D—10015Normal

TM100

Confide

———20Normal

TM32

Double Team

———15Normal

TM85

Dream Eater

C10010015Psychic

TM53

Energy Ball

A9010010Grass

TM42

Facade

D7010020Normal

TM70

Flash

D—10020Normal

TM21

Frustration

D—10020Normal

TM68

Giga Impact

C150905Normal

TM10

Hidden Power

—6010015Normal

TM15

Hyper Beam

B150905Normal

TM83

Infestation

D2010020Bug

TM17

Protect+4

C——10Normal

TM77

Psych Up

D——10Normal

TM29

Psychic

S9010010Psychic

TM18

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM44

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM27

Return

D—10020Normal

TM19

Roost

C——10Flying

TM48

Round

D6010015Normal

TM20

Safeguard

C——25Normal

TM30

Shadow Ball

A8010015Ghost

TM88

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

TM22

Solar Beam

C12010010Grass

TM76

Struggle Bug

C5010020Bug

TM90

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM11

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM87

Swagger

——9015Normal

TM46

Thief

D6010025Dark

TM06

Toxic

C—9010Poison

TM89

U-turn

D7010020Bug

TM09

Venoshock

D6510010Poison

Egg Moves

Butterfree doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Butterfree can't learn any Tutor moves

Reminder Moves

Rem

Bug Bite

D6010020Bug

Rem

Harden

———30Normal

Rem

String Shot

——9540Bug

Rem

Tackle

D5010035Normal

Transfer Moves

Gen

Gen 4

Air Cutter

B609525Flying

Gen 4

Defog

C——15Flying

Gen 3

Double-Edge

D12010015Normal

Gen 4

Endure+4

D——10Normal

Gen 3

Mimic

———10Normal

Gen 4

Natural Gift

D—10015Normal

Gen 4

Ominous Wind

—601005Ghost

Gen 4

Swift

—60—20Normal

Gen 4

Twister

—4010020Dragon

How to Get Butterfree in X & Y

You're catching Caterpie first, not Butterfree. Caterpie appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.

How to Obtain Butterfree in X & Y

To get Butterfree, start by catching Caterpie through walking encounters at Lv. 2-4. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

Step 1Catch Caterpie
Santalune Forest
YGrass Lv.2-3 Forest
CommonEarly
Santalune Forest
XGrass Lv.2 Forest
RareEarly
Route 2
YGrass Lv.3-4 Route
RareEarly
Train until Level 7
Step 2Catch or Evolve Metapod
Santalune Forest
Grass Lv.4 Forest
RareEarly
or evolve from Caterpie (Step 1)
Train until Level 10
Step 3Butterfree ✓

Butterfree Guide

In X & Y, 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 X & Y, Metapod evolves into Butterfree at level 10. Butterfree is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Caterpie.
Honestly, in X & Y Butterfree is a tough sell at 395 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.
In X & Y, Don't let Butterfree's 395 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 Focus Sash is the standard set.
In X & Y, 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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