Relicanth Best Moveset
100 HP and 130 Defense with AbilityRock Head removing recoil from physical moves. Water/Rock TermStab at 90 Attack gives the moveset some physical output. Hidden AbilitySturdy guarantees one hit survived. Fell from C-tier because 45 Sp. Atk, 65 Sp. Def, and 55 Speed leave too many gaps.
130 Defense and Rock Head in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Double-Edge with no recoil was the trick. Water/Rock provided defensive utility. 55 Speed held it all back.
Best Moves
Best Build
Relicanth best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Double Edge
- Hidden Power Bug
Recommended Teammates
Head Smash arrived in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). 150 power with no recoil from Rock Head. Relicanth hit harder than anything at its tier, but 90 Attack and 55 Speed capped it.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Head Smash
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen V (Black & White). Head Smash was strong but predictable from 55 Speed. Relicanth took a hit before every attack. Stealth Rock support was the fallback role.
Physical Wallbreaker Moveset
- Head Smash
- Waterfall
- Double Edge
- Zen Headbutt
Recommended Teammates
Sturdy guaranteed surviving one hit in Gen VI (X & Y). Head Smash fired back. Water/Rock gave six weaknesses including 4x Grass. A powerful cannon with a cracked barrel.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Zen Headbutt
Recommended Teammates
Head Smash from 90 Attack wasn't strong enough for Gen VII (Sun & Moon) power levels. Faster, harder-hitting Rock-types existed everywhere.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Six gens from interesting to irrelevant in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Head Smash and Rock Head was a good combo on a body that aged out of the format.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Earthquake
- Body Press
- Liquidation
- Head Smash
Recommended Teammates
Relicanth Weakness
Grass, Electric, Fighting, and Ground moves hit Relicanth for super-effective damage. Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Relicanth's physical bulk (base 130 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 |
What is Relicanth Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Relicanth
Breloom's Bullet Seed hits Relicanth for 34-40%. Raikou threatens a KO with Thunderbolt (142-167%). Lucario's Close Combat also KOs at 90-106%.
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemLoaded Dice NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Relicanth View Breloom builds →Mach Punch 2x26-31% Bullet Seed 4x34-40% | ||
 Raikou Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityInnerfocus ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Relicanth View Raikou builds →Scald42-50% Thunderbolt 2x142-167%KO Volt Switch 2x110-130%KO | ||
 Lucario FightingSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityInnerfocus ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Relicanth View Lucario builds →Extreme Speed10-12% Close Combat 2x90-106%KO Aura Sphere 2x80-95% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityRough Skin ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Relicanth View Garchomp builds →Earthquake 2x65-76% | ||
Evolution
What you see is what you get. Relicanth sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and a massive partner pool from two egg groups. Eggs are takes forever to hatch. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Relicanth Locations
Relicanth sits at moderate rates across 2 spots in late-game fishing spots. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.
Best Locations to Catch Relicanth in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
moderate rates is the best you'll get on Relicanth in endgame water routes. Use the sort toggle below. Best shows where the odds peak, Earliest shows where you can access it soonest in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Relicanth in Sword & Shield
Relicanth isn't a quick catch. 6 surfing encounters from Lv. 60-65 with slim rates across the board. Commit to one spot instead of jumping between areas.
moderate rates for Relicanth across 8 locations in early-game fishing spots. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Relicanth in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Bring Super Rod for Relicanth. There are 4 fishing encounters from Lv. 10-49 with no walking alternatives. Pick the spot with the best rate and settle in.
2 encounter spots for Relicanth at moderate rates starting from early-game fishing spots. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Relicanth in Sun & Moon
Base Stats
Relicanth's all-in on Defense at the expense of Sp. Atk. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 HP and Defense EVs and follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
This rare Pokémon was discovered during a deep-sea exploration. It has not changed in over 100 million years.
Relicanth Guide
Don't let Relicanth's 485 base stat total fool you. Swift Swim is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.
Run Swift Swim on Relicanth. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Relicanth also gets Rock Head and Sturdy, but they don't compare.
Relicanth fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 90 Attack. At base 55 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Run Head Smash, Waterfall, Earthquake, and Yawn on Relicanth. Head Smash is the most common pick at 0% usage. Waterfall provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Relicanth first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.
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