Kecleon Best Moveset
Oddly durable against special attacks at 120 Sp. Def. 90 Attack fires Normal TermStab with decent force, but 40 Speed drags cooldowns to a crawl. The moveset absorbs special hits and retaliates at a glacial pace. No Mega access, no evolution path forward.
Color Change switched Kecleon's type to match the last move that hit it in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Defensive gimmick that made type matchups unpredictable. 120 Sp. Def was real.
Best Moves
Best Build
Kecleon best EVs are HP and Attack
Physical Wallbreaker Moveset
- Trick
- Thunder Wave
- Double Edge
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Same Color Change in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). 120 Sp. Def tanked hits, but 40 Speed meant Kecleon always took the hit before its type changed.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Toxic
- Sucker Punch
- Recover
- Fake Out
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen V (Black & White). Color Change was too reactive. Opponents just hit Kecleon twice with the same move. The gimmick collapsed under pressure.
Wall Moveset
- Magic Coat
- Foul Play
- Counter
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Protean as a hidden ability gave STAB on every move in Gen VI (X & Y). The same ability that made Greninja dominant. On 40 Speed and 90 Attack, it was wasted.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Shadow Sneak
- Drain Punch
- Fake Out
- Power Up Punch
Recommended Teammates
Five gens and two gimmicks in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Color Change was bad. Protean was great on the wrong body. 40 Speed answered every question.
Wall Moveset
- Power Up Punch
- Shadow Sneak
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
Kecleon Weakness
Kecleon is weak to Fighting. On the flip side, it's immune to Ghost-type moves entirely. Kecleon's special bulk (base 120 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fighting |
| 0x (Immune) | Ghost |
What is Kecleon Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Kecleon
Machamp can KO Kecleon with Close Combat (134-158%).
 Machamp Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNoguard ItemFlame Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Kecleon View Machamp builds →Bullet Punch15-18% Close Combat 2x134-158%KO Stone Edge37-44% | ||
Evolution
Kecleon is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with a massive partner pool. Hatching is average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Kecleon easily with 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Kecleon
No wild encounters for Kecleon in Legends: Z-A. It's available in Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Kecleon is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
decent spawn rates across 5 locations for Kecleon in mid-game routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Best Locations to Catch Kecleon in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
5 walking and special spots from Lv. 25-63 for Kecleon. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
Kecleon's scattered across 2 spots in mid-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations to Catch Kecleon in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Kecleon doesn't appear in Sun & Moon. Transfer it from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Kecleon is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Base Stats
Sp. Def leads and Speed gets almost nothing. That's Kecleon's stat line in a nutshell. 2 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Easy to catch and yields 1 Sp. Def EV.
It can freely change its body’s color. The zigzag pattern on its belly doesn’t change, however.
Kecleon Guide
Kecleon's biggest threats include Hitmonlee (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. At base 40 Speed, Kecleon won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Kecleon can work for a story run. 440 BST is average, but Normal typing fills a niche depending on your team composition.
Protean changes the entire equation for Kecleon. The 440 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a trick room.
Protean is what you want on Kecleon. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Color Change) work on paper but Protean is what makes Kecleon worth using.
Protean is the hidden ability. It changes the bearer's type to match each move it uses. Worth hunting for if you want Kecleon to compete at a higher level.
Game Availability
Available in 14 titles since its debut in Ruby & Sapphire, Kecleon spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in a solid number of games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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