Stats & Training
You won't find a real weakness in Sunkern's stat line. It's well-rounded for the Seed Pokemon, and what it does with that depends on moveset and items. Yields 1 Sp. Atk EV, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
SUNKERN try to minimize movement to conserve the nutrients they have stored in their bodies for evolution. They will not eat, subsisting only on morning dew.
Sunkern Weakness
Sunkern's Grass typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug. The Grass typing picks up 4 resistances to work with.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
 Torchic Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodRoute 101 Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torchic builds →Ember 2x76-91% Peck 2x39-48% | ||
 Cyndaquil Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodLittleroot Town Gift | ||
 Taillow Normal | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Taillow builds →Wing Attack 2x93-111%KO Peck 2x54-65% | ||
 Wingull Water | D | |
 Nincada BugGround | D | |
 Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Oddish builds →Sludge Bomb 2x133-158%KO Acid 2x64-76% | ||
Torchic Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodRoute 101 Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torchic builds →Ember 2x78-93% Peck 2x42-51% | ||
Cyndaquil Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodLittleroot Town Gift | ||
 Gulpin Poison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Gulpin builds →Sludge Bomb 2x124-147%KO Sludge 2x93-109%KO | ||
Taillow Normal | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Taillow builds →Wing Attack 2x96-115%KO Peck 2x60-71% | ||
 Skarmory Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Skarmory builds →Air Cutter 2x125-148%KO Peck 2x74-88% | ||
 Torkoal Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torkoal builds →Flamethrower 2x191-226%KO Sludge Bomb 2x128-151%KO Ember 2x89-106%KO Fire Spin 2x78-92% | ||
 Seviper Poison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Seviper builds →Sludge Bomb 2x215-254%KO Flamethrower 2x143-169%KO Poison Tail 2x122-143%KO | ||
 Swellow Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Swellow builds →Wing Attack 2x129-152%KO Peck 2x78-92% | ||
 Golbat Poison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Golbat builds →Sludge Bomb 2x183-217%KO Leech Life 2x109-129%KO Wing Attack 2x125-148%KO | ||
Skarmory Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Skarmory builds →Air Cutter 2x125-148%KO Peck 2x77-91% | ||
Torkoal Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torkoal builds →Overheat 2x277-326%KO Flamethrower 2x196-230%KO Sludge Bomb 2x130-154%KO Ember 2x88-104%KO | ||
Seviper Poison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Seviper builds →Sludge Bomb 2x222-261%KO Flamethrower 2x148-174%KO Poison Tail 2x125-148%KO | ||
Swellow Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Swellow builds →Wing Attack 2x132-157%KO Peck 2x77-91% | ||
Golbat Poison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Golbat builds →Sludge Bomb 2x184-217%KO Leech Life 2x110-130%KO Wing Attack 2x125-148%KO | ||
Skarmory Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Skarmory builds →Fly 2x188-222%KO Air Cutter 2x125-148%KO Aerial Ace 2x125-148%KO Peck 2x77-90% | ||
Torkoal Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torkoal builds →Overheat 2x282-333%KO Flamethrower 2x195-230%KO Sludge Bomb 2x130-153%KO Ember 2x90-107%KO | ||
 Tropius Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Tropius builds →Fly 2x167-197%KO Aerial Ace 2x111-132%KO Gust 2x77-90% | ||
Seviper Poison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Seviper builds →Sludge Bomb 2x223-263%KO Flamethrower 2x148-175%KO Poison Tail 2x125-148%KO | ||
Golbat Poison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Golbat builds →Sludge Bomb 2x188-222%KO Leech Life 2x111-132%KO Wing Attack 2x125-148%KO Aerial Ace 2x125-148%KO | ||
Skarmory Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Skarmory builds →Fly 2x195-230%KO Air Cutter 2x130-153%KO Aerial Ace 2x130-153%KO Peck 2x77-91% | ||
 Dodrio Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Dodrio builds →Fly 2x249-293%KO Aerial Ace 2x169-199%KO Peck 2x100-119%KO | ||
 Xatu Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Xatu builds →Fly 2x184-216%KO Aerial Ace 2x124-147%KO Peck 2x73-87% | ||
Torkoal Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torkoal builds →Overheat 2x293-345%KO Fire Blast 2x249-293%KO Flamethrower 2x203-241%KO Sludge Bomb 2x136-160%KO | ||
Tropius Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Tropius builds →Fly 2x171-202%KO Aerial Ace 2x115-136%KO Gust 2x77-91% | ||
Skarmory Steel | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Skarmory builds →Fly 2x195-230%KO Air Cutter 2x130-153%KO Aerial Ace 2x130-153%KO Peck 2x77-91% | ||
Dodrio Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Dodrio builds →Fly 2x249-293%KO Aerial Ace 2x169-199%KO Peck 2x100-119%KO | ||
Xatu Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Xatu builds →Fly 2x184-216%KO Aerial Ace 2x124-147%KO Peck 2x73-87% | ||
Torkoal Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Torkoal builds →Overheat 2x293-345%KO Fire Blast 2x249-293%KO Flamethrower 2x203-241%KO Sludge Bomb 2x136-160%KO | ||
Tropius Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Tropius builds →Fly 2x171-202%KO Aerial Ace 2x115-136%KO Gust 2x77-91% | ||
In Emerald, Forretress can KO Sunkern with Explosion (198-233%). Charizard threatens a KO with Fire Blast (236-278%). Gyarados deals 70-83% with Earthquake.
 Forretress BugSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin40-47% Explosion198-233%KO Earthquake40-47% | ||
 Charizard Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemLeftovers NatureHasty Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Charizard builds →Fire Blast 2x236-278%KO | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Gyarados builds →Earthquake70-83% | ||
 Regice Ice | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemLeftovers NatureQuiet Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Regice builds →Ice Beam 2x184-216%KO Thunderbolt30-36% Explosion149-175%KO | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityOvergrow ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Sunkern View Venusaur builds →Giga Drain36-42% Sludge Bomb 2x180-212%KO | ||
Emerald Evolution
To get Sunflora from Sunkern, you need an evolution item. The evolution method matters here. The evolved forms gain up to 245 total stats over Sunkern. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Sunkern easily with 35 breeding partners from the Plant egg group. Pass egg moves like Curse, Encore, Grass Whistle and 3 more to offspring.
Emerald Sunkern Best Moveset
Chlorophyll isn't flashy, but it matters. Combined with Shellbell for extra utility and max Sp. Def and Speed EVs, Sunkern fills the special attacker slot reliably. Timid nature finishes the spread.
Best Build
Sunkern best EVs are Sp. Def and Speed
Wall Moveset
- Leech Seed
- Endeavor
- Encore
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The natural movepool does the job, but Curse and Encore from the egg pool give Sunkern something extra. Pair those with Solar Beam and Giga Drain for STAB and Normal and Poison coverage for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Emerald Sunkern Locations
Sunkern starts showing up in late-game routes at high spawn rates across 2 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Sunkern in Emerald
Sunkern Guide
Get Sunkern to Sunflora using a Sun Stone. At 180 BST, Sunkern is just the starting point.
In Emerald, For a casual playthrough, Sunkern works as a placeholder. Grass coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Sunflora. That's where the stats start mattering.
You can find Sunkern in Emerald. The Locations section has the full breakdown of routes and encounter details. It also appears in 15 other games across the series.
Yes, Sunkern is in Emerald. It shows up in 16 games across the series.
Game Availability
Since Gold & Silver, Sunkern has been in 16 games. Requiring an item-based evolution to obtain means it's consistently available but requires more effort than simply catching it in the wild.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
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