Stats & Training
Rufflet's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, Sp. Atk trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 1 Attack EV, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
They crush berries with their talons. They bravely stand up to any opponent, no matter how strong it is.
They will challenge anything, even strong opponents, without fear. Their frequent fights help them become stronger.
Rufflet Weakness
Rufflet's Normal/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric, Ice, and Rock. It shrugs off Ground and Ghost-type attacks completely.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground, Ghost |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
 Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Slide 2x106-124%KO Thunder Fang 2x62-73% Ice Fang 2x62-73% Ancient Power 2x56-66% | ||
 Archeops Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Archen (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archeops builds →Rock Slide 2x135-159%KO Ancient Power 2x90-106%KO Rock Tomb 2x109-128%KO Rock Throw 2x91-108%KO | ||
 Cradily RockGrass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Lileep (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Cradily builds →Rock Slide 2x86-101%KO Ancient Power 2x70-83% Rock Tomb 2x70-83% | ||
 Armaldo RockBug | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Anorith (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Armaldo builds →Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO Ancient Power 2x61-72% Rock Tomb 2x98-116%KO Rock Blast 2x42-50% | ||
 Rampardos Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Nacrene City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x309-364%KO Thunder 2x70-83% Blizzard 2x70-83% Thunderbolt 2x59-69% | ||
 Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Ancient Power 2x67-80% Rock Throw 2x80-94% | ||
 Tirtouga WaterRock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Tirtouga builds →Ancient Power 2x55-66% Rollout 2x39-47% | ||
 Roggenrola Rock | C | |
Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Aerodactyl builds →Thunder Fang 2x63-75% Ice Fang 2x63-75% | ||
 Omanyte RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Ancient Power 2x67-79% Rock Throw 2x74-88% | ||
Tirtouga WaterRock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Tirtouga builds →Ancient Power 2x53-63% Rollout 2x39-46% | ||
Roggenrola Rock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Roggenrola builds →Smack Down 2x56-67% Rock Blast 2x31-38% | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Aerodactyl builds →Thunder Fang 2x61-72% Ice Fang 2x61-72% | ||
Omanyte RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Ancient Power 2x64-76% Rock Tomb 2x86-101%KO Rock Throw 2x70-83% | ||
Omanyte RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Omanyte builds →Rock Tomb 2x42-51% Rollout 2x24-29% | ||
 Kabuto RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
 Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
 Anorith RockBug | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Ancient Power 2x65-77% Rock Tomb 2x89-105%KO Rock Throw 2x76-89% | ||
Omanyte RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Omanyte builds →Rock Tomb 2x43-51% Rollout 2x23-29% | ||
Kabuto RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Anorith RockBug | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Anorith builds →Ancient Power 2x43-51% Rock Tomb 2x78-93% | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Ancient Power 2x65-78% Rock Tomb 2x92-110%KO Rock Throw 2x78-92% | ||
 Boldore Rock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Boldore builds →Power Gem 2x65-78% Rock Slide 2x108-127%KO Rock Tomb 2x88-104%KO Smack Down 2x73-87% | ||
Omanyte RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Omanyte builds →Rock Tomb 2x43-52% Rollout 2x24-29% | ||
Kabuto RockWater | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Slide 2x102-120%KO Thunder Fang 2x59-70% Ice Fang 2x59-70% Ancient Power 2x53-63% | ||
 Crustle BugRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Crustle builds →Rock Slide 2x102-120%KO Rock Tomb 2x82-97% Smack Down 2x69-81% Rock Blast 2x35-42% | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Rock Slide 2x108-128%KO Ancient Power 2x62-73% Rock Tomb 2x86-102%KO Rock Throw 2x73-86% | ||
Boldore Rock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Boldore builds →Power Gem 2x63-76% Rock Slide 2x102-120%KO Rock Tomb 2x82-97% Smack Down 2x69-81% | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Lileep builds →Rock Slide 2x53-63% Rock Tomb 2x42-50% | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Aerodactyl builds →Rock Slide 2x105-124%KO Thunder Fang 2x60-71% Ice Fang 2x60-71% Ancient Power 2x54-64% | ||
Crustle BugRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Crustle builds →Rock Slide 2x105-124%KO Rock Tomb 2x85-100%KO Smack Down 2x71-83% Rock Blast 2x36-43% | ||
Archen Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Archen builds →Rock Slide 2x111-131%KO Ancient Power 2x64-76% Rock Tomb 2x89-105%KO Rock Throw 2x75-88% | ||
Boldore Rock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Boldore builds →Power Gem 2x64-76% Rock Slide 2x105-124%KO Rock Tomb 2x85-100%KO Smack Down 2x71-83% | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Lileep builds →Rock Slide 2x52-62% Ancient Power 2x56-67% Rock Tomb 2x42-50% | ||
In Black & White, Terrakion can KO Rufflet with Stone Edge (201-237%). Magnezone threatens a KO with Thunderbolt (200-236%). Mamoswine's Ice Shard also KOs at 134-158%.
 Terrakion RockFighting | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Terrakion builds →Close Combat121-142%KO Stone Edge 2x201-237%KO | ||
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemAir Balloon NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Magnezone builds →Thunderbolt 2x200-236%KO Flash Cannon89-105%KO Volt Switch 2x156-184%KO | ||
 Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityThickfat ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Rufflet View Mamoswine builds →Ice Shard 2x134-158%KO Superpower133-157%KO | ||
Black & White Evolution
Rufflet evolves into Braviary. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 160 total stats over Rufflet. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Rufflet with 45 breeding partners from the Flying egg group.
Black & White Rufflet 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
Rufflet develops a solid moveset just through leveling. Brave Bird and Thrash show up naturally, and the progression handles both STAB and utility without leaning on TMs for the core attacks.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Black & White Rufflet Locations
A handful of locations for Rufflet with high spawn rates across late-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations to Catch Rufflet in Black & White
You can find Rufflet through 5 walking encounters at Lv. 34-50. The list is sorted by game progression, so the earliest accessible spots show up first.
Rufflet Guide
In Black & White, Rufflet isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Braviary to unlock its full potential. At 350 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
In Black & White, Run Sheer Force on Rufflet. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Rufflet also gets Keen Eye and Hustle, but they don't compare.
In Black & White, Rufflet fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 83 Attack. At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often.
In Black & White, Rufflet does the job early-game if you need a Normal/Flying type on your team. Evolve it into Braviary before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Game Availability
Introduced in Black & White, Rufflet has appeared in 9 games across 6 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
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 5BWDebut
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