Stats & Training
Nothing fancy in Kabuto's spread. It leans physical with Defense out front. And you'll get 1 Defense EV per KO for it. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It is thought to have inhabited beaches 300 million years ago. It is protected by a stiff shell.
It is thought to have inhabited beaches 300 million years ago. It is protected by a stiff shell.
Kabuto Weakness
Kabuto is weak to Grass, Electric, Fighting, and Ground. Watch out for Grass attacks, those deal 4x damage. The Rock/Water typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Kabuto's physical bulk (base 90 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Fighting, Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Ice, Poison, Flying |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
 Snivy Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodNuvema Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Snivy builds →Leaf Tornado 4x158-188%KO Vine Whip 4x73-88% | ||
 Pansage Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodDreamyard Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Pansage builds →Low Sweep 2x35-42% Vine Whip 4x83-100%KO | ||
 Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
 Scraggy DarkFighting | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Scraggy builds →Focus Blast 2x117-138%KO Brick Break 2x79-94% Low Sweep 2x69-81% | ||
 Drilbur Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Drilbur builds →Dig 2x90-106%KO Mud-Slap 2x25-31% | ||
 Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x215-255%KO Solar Beam 4x432-509%KO Magical Leaf 4x221-260%KO Rock Smash 2x47-57% | ||
 Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x385-453%KO Mega Drain 4x134-158%KO | ||
 Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x509-600%KO Mega Drain 4x181-215%KO | ||
 Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x289-340%KO Razor Leaf 4x106-125%KO | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x203-241%KO Solar Beam 4x408-482%KO Magical Leaf 4x208-246%KO Rock Smash 2x46-54% | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x367-433%KO Mega Drain 4x133-157%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x484-570%KO Mega Drain 4x167-197%KO | ||
 Maractus Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Maractus builds →Solar Beam 4x467-551%KO Giga Drain 4x300-354%KO Needle Arm 4x125-148%KO Mega Drain 4x167-197%KO | ||
Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x275-325%KO Razor Leaf 4x100-118%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x213-252%KO Solar Beam 4x428-504%KO Magical Leaf 4x222-261%KO Rock Smash 2x48-57% | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x377-443%KO Mega Drain 4x132-157%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x494-583%KO Mega Drain 4x170-200%KO | ||
Maractus Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Maractus builds →Solar Beam 4x487-574%KO Giga Drain 4x310-365%KO Needle Arm 4x132-157%KO Mega Drain 4x170-200%KO | ||
Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x280-330%KO Razor Leaf 4x96-113%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x217-257%KO Solar Beam 4x436-513%KO Magical Leaf 4x221-261%KO Rock Smash 2x46-55% | ||
 Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x187-221%KO Rock Smash 2x22-26% | ||
 Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x362-426%KO Razor Leaf 4x141-166%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x388-458%KO Mega Drain 4x134-158%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x516-608%KO Mega Drain 4x180-213%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x212-250%KO Solar Beam 4x425-500%KO Giga Drain 4x267-314%KO Magical Leaf 4x218-257%KO | ||
Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x175-207%KO Thunderbolt 2x44-52% Rock Smash 2x20-24% | ||
Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x345-407%KO Leaf Blade 4x218-257%KO Razor Leaf 4x133-157%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x376-443%KO Mega Drain 4x133-157%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x498-586%KO Mega Drain 4x169-200%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x215-254%KO Solar Beam 4x432-509%KO Sacred Sword 2x99-117%KO Giga Drain 4x271-320%KO | ||
Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x177-209%KO Thunderbolt 2x43-52% Rock Smash 2x20-24% | ||
Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x354-417%KO Leaf Blade 4x222-261%KO Razor Leaf 4x138-163%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x382-450%KO Mega Drain 4x133-157%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x504-593%KO Mega Drain 4x172-202%KO | ||
In Black & White, Conkeldurr can KO Kabuto with Drain Punch (156-184%). Magnezone threatens a KO with Thunderbolt (301-355%). Breloom's Bullet Seed also KOs at 132-155%.
 Conkeldurr Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGuts ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Conkeldurr builds →Drain Punch 2x156-184%KO Mach Punch 2x84-99% | ||
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemAir Balloon NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Magnezone builds →Thunderbolt 2x301-355%KO Flash Cannon134-158%KO Volt Switch 2x234-276%KO | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Breloom builds →Mach Punch 2x103-122%KO Bullet Seed 4x132-155%KO | ||
 Gliscor Ground | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPoisonheal ItemToxic Orb NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Gliscor builds →Earthquake 2x112-133%KO | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityOvergrow ItemBlack Sludge NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Venusaur builds →Giga Drain 4x383-451%KO Sludge Bomb57-67% | ||
Black & White Evolution
Kabuto is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Kabutops. Check the evolution method below. Plenty of partners for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are slow to hatch. Evolving adds up to 140 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Kabuto with 78 breeding partners from the Water1 and Water3 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Aurora Beam, Bubble Beam, Confuse Ray and 8 more to offspring.
Black & White Kabuto Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 5.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Egg moves make a real difference. Kabuto gets Aurora Beam and Bubble Beam exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 7 types rounds out the picture alongside Surf and Scald.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Kabuto in Black & White
Kabuto is a gift in this game. Pick it up at Nacrene City — no wild encounters or spawn rates to deal with. The details below cover exactly when it becomes available.
Best Locations to Catch Kabuto in Black & White
Kabuto Guide
At 355 BST, Kabuto is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Kabutops before bringing it to any serious fight.
Kabuto gets Swift Swim, Battle Armor, and Weak Armor. But Swift Swim is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Kabuto is a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Fragile, can't afford to take many hits, too. Speed tells the real story. At base 55 Speed, it won't be moving first often.
In Black & White, For a casual playthrough, Kabuto works as a placeholder. Rock/Water coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Kabutops. That's where the stats start mattering.
Game Availability
Present since Red & Blue, Kabuto appears in 19 games spanning 10 generations. Gen 1 originals like Kabuto have the longest track record of availability in the series.
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