Stats & Training
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Cacturne's Attack does the work, Speed pays the price. But you're still getting 2 Attack and Sp. Atk EVs per KO. Moderately hard to find, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
During the daytime, Cacturne remains unmoving so that it does not lose any moisture to the harsh desert sun. This Pokémon becomes active at night when the temperature drops.
If a traveler is going through a desert in the thick of night, Cacturne will follow in a ragtag group. The Pokémon are biding their time, waiting for the traveler to tire and become incapable of moving.
Cacturne Weakness
Cacturne is weak to Bug, Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Fairy. Watch out for Bug attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Psychic-type moves entirely. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Bug |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground, Ghost, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
In Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Clefable can KO Cacturne with Moonblast (105-124%). Weavile threatens a KO with Ice Shard (101-119%).
 Clefable Fairy | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Cacturne View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x105-124%KO | ||
 Weavile DarkIce | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Cacturne View Weavile builds →Knock Off41-48% Ice Shard 2x101-119%KO Pursuit25-30% | ||
 Heatran FireSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
 Zapdos Electric | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemSitrus Berry NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Cacturne View Zapdos builds →Heat Wave 2x89-105%KO Thunderbolt31-37% | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemMiracleseed NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Cacturne View Breloom builds →Bullet Seed11-13% Mach Punch 2x72-84% | ||
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Evolution
Cacturne is what Cacnea becomes. Breed it for Cacnea eggs (average hatch time). Plenty of partners for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolution from Cacnea pushed Cacturne to 475 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +30. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Cacturne to get Cacnea eggs easily using 59 partners from the Plant and Humanshape egg groups. Notable egg moves include Acid, Belch, Block and 14 more.
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Cacturne Best Moveset
For a hazard lead, Cacturne wants max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs and Life Orb. The Timid nature tilts toward fast special duty, and Waterabsorb contributes without taking a move slot.
Best Build
Cacturne best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Sucker Punch
- Spikes
- Spiky Shield
- Dark Pulse
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Giga Drain
- Pin Missile
- Sandstorm
- Leech Seed
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Egg moves make a real difference. Cacturne gets Acid and Belch exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Poison and Fighting coverage and more rounds out the picture alongside Solar Beam and Foul Play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Cacturne in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Cacturne doesn't appear wild. Catch Cacnea instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 32 to get Cacturne. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Cacturne in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Step 1Catch CacneaRoute 111 - DesertOmega RubyGrass Lv.21-23 Route10%MidRoute 111 - DesertAlpha SapphireGrass Lv.21-23 Route10%Mid
Step 2Cacturne ✓
Cacturne Guide
In Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Cacturne looks average on paper at 475 BST. But Water Absorb is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier cannon on our tier list. Sucker Punch with Life Orb is the standard set.
In Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Cacturne's biggest threats include Scyther (Bug), Blaziken (Fire), and Lapras (Ice), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Scyther 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.
Cacturne gets Water Absorb and Sand Veil. But Water Absorb is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Cacturne is leaning toward the physical side (base 115 Attack). Speed tells the real story. At base 55 Speed, it won't be moving first often. Fits the cannon role.
In Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Water Absorb is the hidden ability. It absorbs water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP. Worth hunting for if you want Cacturne to compete at a higher level.
Game Availability
Debuting in Ruby & Sapphire, Cacturne appears in 14 games across 8 generations. A reliable presence in a solid number of games, typically found through wild encounters.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves