Is Kabuto Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Dome Fossil revival. Rock/Water with AbilitySwift Swim in rain or AbilityBattle Armor blocking crits. Kabutops at level 40 benefits enormously from the physical/special split matching its strong Attack with physical Water and Rock moves.
Kabuto resists most of Falkner's coverage and hits back hard.
Kabuto resists most of Bugsy's coverage and hits back hard.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Whitney's team.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Chuck's Pokemon outpace and outclass Kabuto here.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Kabuto trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Kabuto trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Kabuto trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Kabuto trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.
Kabuto has the type edge here and should clean up Janine's team.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Kabutops resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Kabutops has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Kabuto can be revived from a fossil obtained on Pewter City. Revive Dome Fossil. Revive a Dome Fossil at the Pewter Museum of Science
- After Falkner
- TM39RockRock Tomb9095%15
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Whitney
- TM14IceBlizzard11070%5
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
- After Morty
- HM03WaterSurf135100%15
- After Clair
- HM07WaterWaterfall120100%15
- LV 46RockAncient Power90100%5
- After Brock
- TM13IceIce Beam90100%10
Your Kabuto should hit Level 40 before you reach Sabrina, at typical leveling pace.
- After Falkner
- TM39RockRock Tomb9095%15
- After Bugsy
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Whitney
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- TM75NormalSwords Dance—100%20
- After Morty
- HM03WaterSurf135100%15
- After Clair
- HM07WaterWaterfall120100%15
- LV 54RockAncient Power90100%5
- After Brock
- TM13IceIce Beam90100%10
How to Get Kabuto in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Kabuto is a gift in this game. Pick it up at Pewter City — no wild encounters or spawn rates to deal with. The details below cover exactly when it becomes available.
How to Obtain Kabuto in HGSS
Step 1Kabuto ✓Pewter City - Museum of ScienceLv.20Gift from NPCLimitedRevive Dome Fossil
Step 2Evolve into Kabutops
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)
What is Kabuto Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Kabuto
 Chikorita Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodNew Bark Town Gift | ||
 Bellsprout GrassPoison | C | |
 Minun Electric | C | |
 Plusle Electric | B | |
 Shinx Electric | C | |
 Carnivine Grass | C | |
 Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
 Whiscash WaterGround | C | |
 Luxio Electric | C | |
Bellsprout GrassPoison | C | |
Carnivine Grass | C | |
 Leafeon Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) | ||
 Oddish GrassPoison | C | |
Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | C | |
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x509-600%KO Drain Punch 2x44-53% | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Carnivine Grass | C | |
Leafeon Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Leafeon builds →Solar Beam 4x321-379%KO Dig 2x70-84% Rock Smash 2x39-46% | ||
Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Bayleef builds →Solar Beam 4x339-400%KO Rock Smash 2x26-32% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x494-583%KO Drain Punch 2x41-49% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Carnivine Grass | C | |
 Hariyama Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Hariyama builds →Focus Punch 2x203-239%KO Dig 2x74-87% | ||
Leafeon Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Leafeon builds →Solar Beam 4x310-365%KO Dig 2x68-81% Rock Smash 2x36-43% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x516-608%KO Drain Punch 2x42-50% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Meganium builds →Solar Beam 4x409-482%KO Rock Smash 2x29-34% | ||
Carnivine Grass | C | |
Hariyama Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Hariyama builds →Focus Punch 2x208-245%KO Dig 2x75-89% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x496-584%KO Drain Punch 2x41-49% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Meganium builds →Solar Beam 4x392-462%KO Rock Smash 2x30-35% | ||
Carnivine Grass | C | |
Hariyama Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Hariyama builds →Focus Punch 2x203-239%KO Dig 2x73-86% | ||
 Tangrowth Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Tangrowth builds →Solar Beam 4x515-607%KO Focus Blast 2x171-202%KO | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x515-607%KO Drain Punch 2x41-49% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Meganium builds →Solar Beam 4x408-481%KO Rock Smash 2x29-35% | ||
Carnivine Grass | C | |
Tangrowth Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Tangrowth builds →Solar Beam 4x524-617%KO Earthquake 2x79-94% Focus Blast 2x174-206%KO Shock Wave 2x87-103%KO | ||
 Sceptile Grass | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Treecko (Silph Co Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Sceptile builds →Leaf Storm 4x588-692%KO Focus Punch 2x103-122%KO Earthquake 2x70-83% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Vileplume builds →Solar Beam 4x524-617%KO Drain Punch 2x40-48% | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 4x485-571%KO Earthquake 2x67-80% Rock Smash 2x28-34% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Jolteon can KO Kabuto with Thunderbolt (278-327%). Venusaur threatens a KO with Giga Drain (238-280%).
 Jolteon Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityVoltabsorb ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Jolteon builds →Thunderbolt 2x278-327%KO Shadow Ball82-97% | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityOvergrow ItemBlack Sludge NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Venusaur builds →Giga Drain 4x238-280%KO Sludge Bomb35-42% | ||
 Machamp Fighting | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityNoguard ItemLum Berry NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Kabuto View Machamp builds →Payback18-21% Bullet Punch14-17% | ||
Kabuto Evolutions
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 69 breeding partners from the Water1 and Water3 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Aurora Beam, Bubble Beam, Confuse Ray and 7 more to offspring.
HGSS Kabuto Best Moveset
Rock/Water with 80 Attack and 90 Defense at the first stage. AbilitySwift Swim doubles 55 Speed in rain. The moveset has physical Rock and Water coverage. Evolve to Kabutops for competitive function.
Best Build
Kabuto best EVs are HP and Defense
Bulky Support Moveset
- Aqua Jet
- Rock Slide
- Absorb
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
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. Normal and Grass coverage and more rounds out the picture alongside Surf and Waterfall.
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
On rare occasions, some have been found as fossils which they became while hiding on the ocean floor.
This Pokémon lived in ancient times. On rare occasions, it has been discovered as a living fossil.
Kabuto HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
At 355 BST, Kabuto is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Kabutops before bringing it to any serious fight.
Revive a Dome Fossil at the Pewter Museum of Science. Kabuto is revived at level 5. Give it Rare Candies or experience-share if you want it ready for the late-game.
Kabuto gets Swift Swim and Battle Armor. But Swift Swim is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Kabuto is a mixed attacker with base 80 Attack and 55 Sp. Atk. 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.
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 1RBDebut
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 7SM
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