What is Butterfree weak to?

In Ruby & Sapphire, 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 Ruby & Sapphire, 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 Ruby & Sapphire Butterfree is a tough sell at 385 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

In Ruby & Sapphire, 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.

What is the best ability for Butterfree?

In Ruby & Sapphire, 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

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

Attack45

Defense50

Sp. Atk80

Sp. Def80

Speed70

Total385

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 LensHANot in game

Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+2SpD+1Spe

Strong Special Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

BUTTERFREE has a superior ability to search for delicious honey from flowers. It can even search out, extract, and carry honey from flowers that are blooming over six miles from its nest.

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

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

Fire Electric Ice Flying

½xResist

Bug

¼xResist

Grass Fighting

0xImmune

Ground

STAB (5)

Grass Psychic Dark Fighting Bug

How to Beat Butterfree in Ruby & Sapphire (Best Counters)

In Ruby & Sapphire, 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 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 →
Aerodactyl RockFlying	A
Recommended Build AbilityRockhead ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves Earthquake Rock Slide Double Edge Hidden Power Flying Damage vs Butterfree Rock Slide 4x 340-400%KO Double Edge 90-106%KO View Aerodactyl builds →
ForretressResists Bug, sturdy guarantees survival, walls physical sets BugSteel	B
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves SpikesHazard Rapid Spin Explosion Earthquake Damage vs Butterfree Rapid Spin 18-21% Explosion 88-103%KO View Forretress builds →
Charizard FireFlying	B
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemLeftovers NatureHasty Moves Fire Blast Hidden Power Grass SubstituteUtility Focus Punch Damage vs Butterfree Fire Blast 2x 118-139%KO View Charizard builds →
Gyarados WaterFlying	B
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves Earthquake Dragon Dance Hidden Power Flying TauntUtility View Gyarados builds →

Ruby & Sapphire 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

#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 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)

Ruby & Sapphire 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

SpD

Spe

Support Moveset

Sleep Powder
Stun Spore
ThiefCoverage
WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility

Recommended Teammates

MetagrossDecent

SkarmoryDecent

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

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

Butterfree can't learn any Tutor moves

How to Get Butterfree in Ruby & Sapphire

Butterfree isn't available in the wild in Ruby & Sapphire. Start by transferring Caterpie from Red, Yellow, or FireRed. The evolution path from Caterpie to Butterfree is covered in the steps below.

How to Obtain Butterfree in Ruby & Sapphire

Step 1Obtain Caterpie
Catch in the wild in:
FireRedWalking · Route 2
Then trade to Ruby & Sapphire to continue the evolution chain.
Also found in:
Red Yellow Gold Crystal
Train until Level 7
Step 2Evolve into Metapod
Catch in the wild in:
FireRedWalking · Route 2
Also found in:
Red Yellow Gold Crystal
Train until Level 10
Step 3Butterfree ✓

Butterfree Guide

In Ruby & Sapphire, 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 Ruby & Sapphire, Metapod evolves into Butterfree at level 10. Butterfree is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Caterpie.
Honestly, in Ruby & Sapphire Butterfree is a tough sell at 385 BST. Plenty of stronger Bug/Flying options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.
In Ruby & Sapphire, 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 Ruby & Sapphire, 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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