Stats & Training
An unusually even spread gives Caterpie flexibility. HP barely edges ahead. But Sp. Atk isn't far off. Easy to catch and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve. Yields 1 HP EV.
For protection, it releases a horrible stench from the antenna on its head to drive away enemies.
Its short feet are tipped with suction pads that enable it to tirelessly climb slopes and walls.
Caterpie Weakness
Type-wise, Caterpie takes extra damage from Fire, Flying, and Rock. Standard number of weaknesses for the Bug typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Ground |
 Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Pluck 2x113-133%KO Peck 2x65-78% | ||
 Butterfree Bug | C | |
 Growlithe Fire | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Growlithe builds →Flame Wheel 2x94-111%KO Ember 2x83-100%KO | ||
 Drifloon Ghost | D | |
 Woobat Psychic | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Woobat builds →Air Cutter 2x104-122%KO Gust 2x70-83% | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Pluck 2x105-124%KO Peck 2x63-76% | ||
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Butterfree builds →Air Slash 2x173-205%KO Gust 2x97-114%KO | ||
 Farfetch'd Normal | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Farfetch'd builds →Aerial Ace 2x108-129%KO Peck 2x63-76% | ||
Growlithe Fire | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Growlithe builds →Fire Fang 2x97-114%KO Flame Wheel 2x89-105%KO Ember 2x81-95% | ||
Drifloon Ghost | D | |
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Pluck 2x106-126%KO Peck 2x62-74% | ||
 Noctowl Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Noctowl builds →Sky Attack 2x162-191%KO Air Slash 2x170-200%KO Peck 2x43-52% | ||
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Butterfree builds →Air Slash 2x172-204%KO Gust 2x96-113%KO | ||
Farfetch'd Normal | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Farfetch'd builds →Aerial Ace 2x106-126%KO Air Cutter 2x103-122%KO Peck 2x65-78% | ||
Growlithe Fire | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Growlithe builds →Fire Fang 2x96-113%KO Flame Wheel 2x88-104%KO Ember 2x81-96% | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Fly 2x160-189%KO Drill Peck 2x143-169%KO Pluck 2x108-128%KO Peck 2x65-78% | ||
 Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x169-199%KO Bounce 2x160-189%KO Wing Attack 2x115-135%KO Aerial Ace 2x115-135%KO | ||
 Sigilyph Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Sigilyph builds →Fly 2x120-142%KO Air Slash 2x211-249%KO Air Cutter 2x169-199%KO Gust 2x115-135%KO | ||
 Unfezant Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Unfezant builds →Fly 2x200-236%KO Air Cutter 2x117-138%KO Gust 2x80-94% | ||
 Heatmor Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Heatmor builds →Fire Lash 2x157-185%KO Incinerate 2x172-202%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Fly 2x165-194%KO Drill Peck 2x145-171%KO Pluck 2x110-129%KO Peck 2x66-77% | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x172-203%KO Bounce 2x161-190%KO Wing Attack 2x115-135%KO Aerial Ace 2x115-135%KO | ||
Sigilyph Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Sigilyph builds →Fly 2x120-142%KO Air Slash 2x219-258%KO Air Cutter 2x175-206%KO Gust 2x117-139%KO | ||
Unfezant Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Unfezant builds →Fly 2x208-245%KO Air Cutter 2x123-145%KO Gust 2x82-97% | ||
Heatmor Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Heatmor builds →Fire Lash 2x158-187%KO Incinerate 2x177-210%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Fly 2x160-188%KO Drill Peck 2x142-168%KO Air Slash 2x127-150%KO Pluck 2x107-126%KO | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x167-197%KO Bounce 2x157-185%KO Wing Attack 2x112-132%KO Aerial Ace 2x112-132%KO | ||
 Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Drifblim builds →Fly 2x150-176%KO Acrobatics 2x92-109%KO Gust 2x102-121%KO | ||
Sigilyph Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Sigilyph builds →Fly 2x117-138%KO Air Slash 2x210-247%KO Air Cutter 2x170-200%KO Gust 2x115-135%KO | ||
Unfezant Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Unfezant builds →Fly 2x200-235%KO Air Slash 2x147-174%KO Air Cutter 2x117-138%KO Gust 2x79-94% | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Corviknight builds →Fly 2x162-191%KO Drill Peck 2x143-168%KO Air Slash 2x126-149%KO Pluck 2x109-129%KO | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x169-199%KO Bounce 2x159-188%KO Rock Slide 2x93-110%KO Wing Attack 2x114-135%KO | ||
Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Drifblim builds →Fly 2x152-179%KO Acrobatics 2x93-109%KO Gust 2x100-118%KO | ||
Sigilyph Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Sigilyph builds →Fly 2x119-140%KO Air Slash 2x209-247%KO Air Cutter 2x169-199%KO Gust 2x114-135%KO | ||
Unfezant Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Unfezant builds →Fly 2x202-238%KO Air Slash 2x145-171%KO Air Cutter 2x116-137%KO Gust 2x79-93% | ||
 Ninetales Fire | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Ninetales builds →Fire Blast 2x254-300%KO Inferno 2x233-274%KO Flamethrower 2x210-248%KO Incinerate 2x141-166%KO | ||
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Arcanine builds →Burn Up 2x358-422%KO Flare Blitz 2x264-310%KO Flamethrower 2x248-292%KO Fire Fang 2x145-171%KO | ||
 Togekiss Fairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Togekiss builds →Sky Attack 2x166-197%KO Fly 2x107-127%KO Air Slash 2x244-287%KO Ancient Power 2x130-153%KO | ||
 Noivern Dragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Noivern builds →Fly 2x141-166%KO Air Slash 2x204-241%KO Wing Attack 2x94-111%KO Air Cutter 2x165-194%KO | ||
 Coalossal RockFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Coalossal builds →Rock Slide 2x129-153%KO Ancient Power 2x141-166%KO Incinerate 2x141-166%KO Rock Tomb 2x103-122%KO | ||
In Sword & Shield, Volcarona can KO Caterpie with Psychic (148-175%). Tyranitar threatens a KO with Stone Edge (530-623%).
 Volcarona BugFire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Volcarona builds →Psychic148-175%KO | ||
 Tyranitar RockDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Tyranitar builds →Crunch212-249%KO Stone Edge 2x530-623%KO Earthquake88-104%KO | ||
 Skarmory Steel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
 Charizard Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolarpower ItemChoice Specs NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Caterpie View Charizard builds →Air Slash 2x479-564%KO Flamethrower 2x575-677%KO Overheat 2x830-977%KO Heat Wave 2x607-714%KO | ||
Sword & Shield Evolution
Three stages ahead. Caterpie grows into Metapod, then pushes on to Butterfree. Check the evolution methods below. For breeding, quick to hatch with a decent partner pool via one egg group. Evolving adds up to 200 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Caterpie easily with 47 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
Sword & Shield Caterpie Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Not a lot to pick from. Caterpie gets Bug Bite for same-type damage, and Normal and Electric coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Sword & Shield Caterpie Locations
Caterpie appears at decent spawn rates across 2 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Caterpie in Sword & Shield
Caterpie Guide
Caterpie becomes Metapod at level 7, then Butterfree at level 10. Straight three-stage line with no branching.
Caterpie evolves into Metapod at level 7. Early evolution, you'll hit it before the third gym in most games.
For Sword & Shield, you can run Caterpie through the first few routes without issues. 195 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Metapod as fast as you can.
Caterpie is catchable in Sword & Shield. Check the Locations section above for specific routes, encounter rates, and methods. It also appears in 18 other games across the series.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Caterpie has appeared in 19 games — most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
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