Sawsbuck Best Moveset
100 Attack at 95 Speed on Normal/Grass with AbilitySap Sipper granting Grass immunity and boosting Attack. AbilityChlorophyll doubles Speed under sun. Held ItemLife Orb with NatureJolly runs physical dual TermStab. AbilitySerene Grace doubles secondary effect chances for flinch or stat change moves. The moveset has three distinct paths depending on which ability fits the team.
Chlorophyll and 100 Attack in sun in Gen V (Black & White). Swords Dance swept. Normal/Grass coverage was solid when the weather cooperated.
Best Moves
Best Build
Sawsbuck best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Swords Dance
- Jump Kick
- Wild Charge
Recommended Teammates
Sun nerfed to 5 turns in Gen VI (X & Y). Without permanent Chlorophyll, 95 Speed alone wasn't game-breaking. Weather dependency was the ceiling.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Facade
- Double Edge
- Jump Kick
Recommended Teammates
Horn Leech recovery alongside Attack in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Without sun, Sawsbuck was just another 475 BST Pokemon with no identity.
Support Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Headbutt
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
Four gens of sun dependency in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Chlorophyll was the selling point. Without weather, forgettable.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Swords Dance
- Body Slam
- High Horsepower
Recommended Teammates
Sawsbuck Weakness
Type-wise, Sawsbuck takes extra damage from Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Bug. Ghost moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Sap Sipper grants an additional Grass immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground |
| 0x (Immune) | Ghost |
What is Sawsbuck Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Sawsbuck
Kyurem can KO Sawsbuck with Draco Meteor (94-111%). Arcanine threatens a KO with Flare Blitz (156-183%). Conkeldurr's Drain Punch also KOs at 127-150%.
 Kyurem DragonIce | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemLoaded Dice NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Sawsbuck View Kyurem builds →Icicle Spear 2x28-33% Draco Meteor94-111%KO | ||
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Sawsbuck View Arcanine builds →Extreme Speed35-41% Flare Blitz 2x156-183%KO | ||
 Conkeldurr Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGuts ItemFlame Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sawsbuck View Conkeldurr builds →Drain Punch 2x127-150%KO Mach Punch 2x68-81% Knock Off37-44% | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Sawsbuck View Staraptor builds →Close Combat 2x111-130%KO U Turn 2x65-76% Double Edge83-98% | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Sawsbuck View Nidoking builds →Ice Beam 2x85-100%KO Flamethrower 2x85-100%KO | ||
Evolution
Evolved from Deerling. Sawsbuck is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Attack grew the most through evolution (+40 over Deerling), and Sawsbuck peaks at 475 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Sawsbuck to get Deerling eggs easily using 278 partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Sawsbuck
decent spawn rates for Sawsbuck across 32 locations in late-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Where To Catch Sawsbuck in SV
The path to Sawsbuck starts with Deerling at Lv. 16-80 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DeerlingNorth Province (Area One) - MountainLv.16-40OverworldRate 54%Winter FormEast Province (Area One) - GrassLv.16-32OverworldRate 42%Summer FormEast Province (Area Two) - GrassLv.16-32OverworldRate 42%Summer FormWest Province (Area Three) - GrassLv.16-35OverworldRate 42%Select formsWest Province (Area Two) - GrassLv.16-35OverworldRate 42%Select formsSouth Province (Area Five) - GrassLv.16-32OverworldRate 24%Spring FormSouth Province (Area Four) - GrassLv.16-32OverworldRate 24%Spring FormSouth Province (Area One) - GrassLv.16-32OverworldRate 24%Spring FormCasseroya Lake - ForestLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Select formsWest Province (Area Three) - ForestLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Select formsNorth Province (Area One) - SnowLv.34-55OverworldRate 12%Winter FormCanyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCoastal BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.50-80Overworld
Step 2Sawsbuck ✓North Province (Area One) - MountainLv.34-55OverworldRate 24%Winter FormCasseroya Lake - ForestLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Select formsEast Province (Area One) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Summer FormEast Province (Area Two) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Summer FormSouth Province (Area Five) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Spring FormSouth Province (Area Four) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Spring FormSouth Province (Area One) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Spring FormWest Province (Area Three) - ForestLv.34-55OverworldRate 20%Select formsNorth Province (Area One) - SnowLv.34-55OverworldRate 12%Winter FormWest Province (Area Three) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 4%Select formsWest Province (Area Two) - GrassLv.34-55OverworldRate 4%Select formsCanyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCoastal BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCanyon BiomeLv.62Overworldor evolve from Deerling (Step 1)
No wild encounters for Sawsbuck in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Bring Deerling over from Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, or Scarlet & Violet, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.
How to Obtain Sawsbuck in USUM
Step 1Obtain DeerlingLATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Dark grass · Route 6 · Double grass. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black 2 & White 2Not TradeableAppears in Black 2 & White 2 via Walking · Route 6. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Walking · Route 117 · DexNav chain. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Scarlet & VioletNot TradeableAppears in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · North Province (Area One) · Winter Form. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Sawsbuck ✓
Sawsbuck can't be caught in Sun & Moon. Transfer Deerling from Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 2-stage line to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Sawsbuck in SM
- Step 1Obtain DeerlingBREEDINGAvailableLeave Sawsbuck with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Deerling egg.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Dark grass · Route 6 · Double grass. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black 2 & White 2Not TradeableAppears in Black 2 & White 2 via Walking · Route 6. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Walking · Route 117 · DexNav chain. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Scarlet & VioletNot TradeableAppears in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · North Province (Area One) · Winter Form. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
- Step 2Sawsbuck ✓
You're catching Deerling first, not Sawsbuck. Deerling appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Sawsbuck in ORAS
Step 1Catch DeerlingRoute 117Lv.14GrassRate 35%DexNav chain
Step 2Sawsbuck ✓
Base Stats
Attack and Speed carry most of Sawsbuck's stat budget. Sp. Atk's the obvious dump stat. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Attack EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Though there are many enthusiasts for Sawsbuck as a species, this seasonal form in particular is not very popular.
Sawsbuck Guide
Chlorophyll changes the entire equation for Sawsbuck. The 475 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as an attacker.
Chlorophyll is what you want on Sawsbuck. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Sap Sipper, Serene Grace) work on paper but Chlorophyll is what makes Sawsbuck worth using.
Base 95 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Sawsbuck is a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as an attacker.
The core moveset is Horn Leech, Swords Dance, Body Slam, and Highhorsepower. Horn Leech leads at 0% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Sawsbuck joined the series in Black & White and has been available in 7 titles so far. With 6 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 5BWDebut
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