Is Grubbin Good in Sword & Shield Playthrough?
Grubbin shows up on Route 1 and the Wild Area. Bug type heading toward Vikavolt at level 20 via Charjabug. AbilitySwarm boosts Bug at low HP. Vikavolt's Bug/Electric coverage is strong. Worth the early catch.
Grubbin has the type edge here and should clean up Milo's team.
Charjabug trades roughly evenly with Nessa's team.
Kabu's team hits Charjabug's weaknesses hard.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Bea's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Opal's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Gordie's team.
Vikavolt has the type edge here and should clean up Piers's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Raihan's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Bede's team.
Leon's team hits Vikavolt's weaknesses hard.
Catch Grubbin on Route 1 (walking, Lv 2-5). All Weather.
Your Grubbin should hit Level 20 before you reach Nessa, at typical leveling pace.
Usually ready to evolve before you reach Bea, at typical party pace.
How to Get Grubbin in Sword & Shield
Easy grab on Grubbin with high spawn rates across 20 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Where To Catch Grubbin in SwSh
Grubbin is your first catch on the way to Grubbin. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 2-45 across 26 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Grubbin ✓North Lake MilochLv.14-16GrassRate 40%ThunderstormDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassRate 35%RainingDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassRate 35%ThunderstormEast Lake AxewellLv.8-12CaveRate 30%RainingWatchtower RuinsLv.11-14FloorRate 30%ThunderstormNorth Lake MilochLv.14-16GrassRate 30%RainingEast Lake AxewellLv.10-15OverworldRate 15%RainingRoute 1Lv.2-5GrassRate 10%All WeatherSlumbering Weald - Low LevelLv.2-3OverworldRate 10%All WeatherSlumbering WealdLv.2-3GrassRate 5%All Weather
Step 2Catch or Evolve into CharjabugHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassRate 25%ThunderstormAxew's EyeLv.35-40GrassRate 30%RainingDusty BowlLv.40-45GrassRate 20%Thunderstormor evolve from Grubbin (Step 1)
Step 3Evolve into VikavoltBREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Vikavolt egg.
Grubbin Weakness
Grubbin is weak to 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 |
What is Grubbin Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Grubbin
 Growlithe Fire | C | |
 Butterfree Bug | C | |
 Drifloon Ghost | C | |
Obtain MethodChallenge Beach Surfing | ||
 Sizzlipede FireBug | C | |
C | ||
 Noctowl Normal | C | |
 Drednaw WaterRock | C | |
Butterfree Bug | C | |
 Farfetch'd Normal | C | |
C | ||
 Corviknight Steel | A | |
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
 Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
 Ninetales Fire | C | |
 Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Salazzle builds →Incinerate 2x115-136%KO Acrobatics 2x46-55% | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
 Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Ninetales Fire | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x261-308%KO Rock Slide 2x110-130%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x140-165%KO Rock Slide 2x78-92% | ||
 Drifblim Ghost | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x269-318%KO Rock Slide 2x114-134%KO | ||
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Corviknight Steel | A | |
 Togekiss Fairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Togekiss builds →Air Slash 2x148-175%KO Ancient Power 2x81-95% | ||
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x276-325%KO Rock Slide 2x116-137%KO | ||
 Braviary Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Braviary builds →Sky Attack 2x287-338%KO Rock Slide 2x104-122%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Corviknight builds →Brave Bird 2x184-217%KO | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Hawlucha builds →Sky Attack 2x226-266%KO Fire Punch 2x81-96% Rock Slide 2x81-96% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x276-325%KO Rock Slide 2x116-137%KO | ||
Braviary Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Braviary builds →Sky Attack 2x287-338%KO Rock Slide 2x104-122%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Hawlucha builds →Sky Attack 2x226-266%KO Fire Punch 2x81-96% Rock Slide 2x81-96% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x276-325%KO Rock Slide 2x116-137%KO | ||
Braviary Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Braviary builds →Sky Attack 2x287-338%KO Rock Slide 2x104-122%KO | ||
Corviknight Steel | A | |
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Hawlucha builds →Sky Attack 2x226-266%KO Fire Punch 2x81-96% Rock Slide 2x81-96% | ||
In Sword & Shield, Arcanine can KO Grubbin with Flare Blitz (221-260%). Rhyperior's Earthquake hits Grubbin for 46-54%.
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureHasty Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Arcanine builds →Extreme Speed49-58% Flare Blitz 2x221-260%KO Flamethrower 2x126-148%KO | ||
 Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemWeakness Policy NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Grubbin View Rhyperior builds →Earthquake46-54% Avalanche37-43% | ||
Grubbin Evolutions
Three stages ahead. Grubbin grows into Charjabug, then pushes on to Vikavolt. 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
SwSh Grubbin Best Moveset
Nothing competitive at this stage. Bug pre-evo with 62 Attack at 46 Speed and no notable abilities for competitive play. The moveset is a placeholder. Two evolutions from Vikavolt, where 145 Sp. Atk creates one of the hardest-hitting Bug-types.
Best Build
Grubbin best EVs are Speed and Defense
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Sticky Web
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
TMs carry this one. Grubbin learns X-Scissor and Skitter Smack naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Ground and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
Its natural enemies, like Rookidee, may flee rather than risk getting caught in its large mandibles that can snap thick tree branches.
It uses its big jaws to dig nests into the forest floor, and it loves to feed on sweet tree sap.
Grubbin Sword & Shield Guide
For Sword & Shield, you can run Grubbin through the first few routes without issues. 300 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Charjabug as fast as you can.
Game Availability
Grubbin joined the series in Sun & Moon and has been available in 4 titles so far. With 4 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMDebut
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves