Special
Balanced
DTier
50Speed · Slow

Stats & Training

Sp. Atk and Sp. Def carry most of Prinplup's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 2 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
Above
HP64
C
Attack66
C
Defense68
C
Sp. Atk81
C
Sp. Def76
C
Speed50
D
Total405
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Slow1.06M XP
Height0.8 m
2'07"Small
Weight23.0 kg
50.7 lbsFeather
Base XP142
Average
Abilities
Torrent
Strengthens water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
CompetitiveHANot in game
Raises Special Attack by two stages upon having any stat lowered.
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpDSpe
Special Attack training target
Pokedex Entries

It lives alone, away from others. Apparently, every one of them believes it is the most important.

Prinplup Weakness

Type-wise, Prinplup takes extra damage from Electric and Grass. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Just 2 weak spots to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.

Prinplup Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Electric, Grass
0.5x (Resist)Fire, Water, Ice, Steel
Type ChartGood
2Weak
4Resist
0Immune
Score0
Gen IV Type Chart
  • Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
  • Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
ElectricGrass
½xResist
FireWaterIceSteel
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None
STAB (3)
FireGroundRock
How to Beat Prinplup in Diamond & Pearl (Best Counters)

In Diamond & Pearl, Magnezone can KO Prinplup with Thunderbolt (138-163%). Rotom's Thunderbolt also KOs at 112-132%.

Magnezone
Magnezone
ElectricSteel
B
Recommended Build
AbilityMagnetpull
ItemLeftovers
NatureTimid
Moves
  • ThunderboltSTAB
  • Hidden Power Fire
  • Thunder Wave
  • Explosion
Damage vs Prinplup
Thunderbolt 2x
138-163%KO
Explosion
61-72%
View Magnezone builds →

Diamond & Pearl Evolution

Partway through Piplup's chain. Prinplup still has another evolution ahead before reaching Empoleon. For breeding, average hatch time with a massive partner pool via two egg groups. Sp.Atk has grown the most so far (+20), but there's still another 125 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Piplup
#393Piplup
16
Level 16
Prinplup
#394Prinplup
36
Level 36
Empoleon
#395Empoleon
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Piplup
Water
Prinplup
Water
Empoleon
WaterSteel
HP
53
64+11
84+20
ATK
51
66+15
86+20
DEF
53
68+15
88+20
SP.ATK
61
81+20
111+30
SP.DEF
56
76+20
101+25
SPE
40
50+10
60+10
BST
314D-Tier
405D-Tier+91
530B-Tier+125
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
Attacker
TYPE
Utility
Special
Special

Breeding

Easy

Breed with Prinplup to get Piplup eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Agility, Aqua Ring, Double Hit and 7 more.

Egg Groups
GroundWater1
Gender
♂87.5%♀12.5%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
10moves
Breed With (best first)
raichuazumarillpikachunidokinggolduckampharosblastoiseferaligatrkingdraswampertrhydonslowbro
12 of 131·

Diamond & Pearl Prinplup Best Moveset

Best Build

No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.

Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.

Moves

Hard to wall, honestly. Prinplup threatens 10 types beyond its own STAB, with Normal and Flying standing out. Pair that with Hydro Pump and Surf and switchins need to think twice.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Growl
——10040Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
—3510035Normal
Lv 4
Growl
——10040Normal
Lv 8
Bubble
—2010030Water
Lv 11
Water Sport
———15Water
Lv 15
Peck
—3510035Flying
Lv 16
Metal Claw
—509535Steel
Lv 19
Bide+1
———10Normal
Lv 24
Bubble Beam
—6510020Water
Lv 28
Fury Attack
D158520Normal
Lv 33
Brine
C6510010Water
Lv 37
Whirlpool
D358515Water
Lv 42
Mist
———30Ice
Lv 46
Drill Peck
D8010020Flying
Lv 51
Hydro Pump
C120805Water

TM Moves

TM
TM40
Aerial Ace
D60—20Flying
TM45
Attract
——10015Normal
TM14
Blizzard
C120705Ice
TM31
Brick Break
D7510015Fighting
TM55
Brine
C6510010Water
TM78
Captivate
——10020Normal
HM01
Cut
—509530Normal
HM05
Defog
———15Flying
TM28
Dig
D8010010Ground
TM32
Double Team
———15Normal
TM58
Endure+4
———10Normal
TM42
Facade
D7010020Normal
TM56
Fling
——10010Dark
TM21
Frustration
D—10020Normal
TM86
Grass Knot
D—10020Grass
TM07
Hail
D——10Ice
TM10
Hidden Power
—6010015Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
C9510010Ice
TM83
Natural Gift
D—10015Normal
TM88
Pluck
—6010020Flying
TM17
Protect+4
C——10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM44
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM27
Return
D—10020Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
D4010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
D609510Rock
TM43
Secret Power
—7010020Normal
TM65
Shadow Claw
D7010015Ghost
TM82
Sleep Talk
C——10Normal
TM76
Stealth Rock
C——20Rock
HM04
Strength
D8010015Normal
TM90
Substitute
C——10Normal
HM03
Surf
C9510015Water
TM87
Swagger
——9015Normal
TM06
Toxic
C—8510Poison
TM03
Water Pulse
C6010020Water
HM07
Waterfall
C8010015Water

Egg Moves

Egg
Egg
Agility
C——30Psychic
Egg
Aqua Ring
———20Water
Egg
Double Hit
D359010Normal
Egg
Flail
——10015Normal
Egg
Hydro Pump
C120805Water
Egg
Mud Sport
———15Ground
Egg
Mud-Slap
D2010010Ground
Egg
Snore
D4010015Normal
Egg
Supersonic
——5520Normal
Egg
Yawn
D——10Normal

Tutor Moves

Prinplup can't learn any Tutor moves

Reminder Moves

Rem
Rem
Pound
—4010035Normal

How to Get Prinplup in Diamond & Pearl

You're catching Piplup first, not Prinplup. Piplup appears but it's a rare spawn in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.

How to Obtain Prinplup in Diamond & Pearl

  1. Piplup
    Step 1Catch Piplup
    Lake Verity
    PearlGift from NPC Lv.5 Water
    LimitedEarly
    Starter choice
    Lake Verity
    DiamondGift from NPC Lv.5 Water
    LimitedEarly
    Starter choice
  2. Prinplup
    Step 2Prinplup ✓

Prinplup Guide

  • Prinplup is meant to evolve into Empoleon. At 405 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.

  • In Diamond & Pearl, Prinplup's biggest threats include Manectric (Electric) and Roserade (Grass), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • In Diamond & Pearl, Piplup evolves into Prinplup at level 16. Prinplup evolves into Empoleon at level 36. Prinplup is a middle-stage evolution in the Piplup line.

  • Torrent is the go-to ability for Prinplup. It strengthens water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less. Its hidden ability Competitive can work in specific setups.

  • Base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Prinplup is a special attacker with base 81 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.

Game Availability

Available in 12 titles since its debut in Diamond & Pearl, Prinplup spans 7 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through catching or hatching as a base form in a solid number of games.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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