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#332
Default
221
ATK
115
DEF
172
STA
Lvl 50Max CP
2598
Lvl 40
2298
Lvl 25Weather Boost
1641
Lvl 20Raids/Eggs
1313
Lvl 15Research
985

PvE Analysis

Gen 3 introduced not one, but two Grass / Dark type Pokemon. Cacturne is strictly worse than Shiftry, having lower DPS movesets despite higher Atk and somehow even less bulk. 

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

Sucker Punch + Dark PulseBest
  • You almost always want Sucker Punch in any situation that you’d use Cacturne.
  • Sand Attack and Poison Jab are good, but not really on Cacturne. 
  • Dark Pulse shares typing with Sucker Punch to make a decent Dark-type moveset.
  • Payback is a step down.
  • Grass Knot is one of the better generally available charge moves in the game, compensating for lack of fast move synergy.
  • Trailblaze is basically Grass Knot but worse.
  • Dynamic Punch is great, but best left to Fighting-types.

Best PvE Defensive Moveset

Poison Jab or Sucker Punch + Dark Pulse, Grass Knot, or Dynamic PunchBest
  • Poison Jab slightly outdamages Sucker Punch, but the latter gains energy faster.
  • Sand Atack falls behind on Defense.
  • Dark Pulse and Grass Knot both get STAB, but are more likely to be resisted by many attackers.
  • Trailblaze is basically Grass Knot but worse.
  • Dynamic Punch is less likely to be resisted and has wide coverage. 
  • Payback is undesirable for defense due to it being a 1-bar move. 

PvP Analysis

Sucker Punch + Trailblaze and Dark Pulse or Dynamic Punch

Sucker Punch is the preferred Fast Attack, boasting STAB and the highest damage output compared to its other Fast Attacks while still having above energy generation.

Trailblaze is Cacturne's lowest cost Charged Attack; it also benefits from STAB, does decent damage, and boosts Cacturne's Attack after each use. Dark Pulse can help increase the reliability of Cacturne's Dark-type damage, while Dynamic Punch offers improved coverage against Steel-, Normal-, Ice-, and Dark-type Pokemon. Payback is too expensive.

Great League3 / 5

Cacturne is a terrifying glass cannon sweeper. Thanks to Sucker Punch's consistent and high damage output combined with boosts from Trailblaze, Cacturne can easily flatten teams. Its severe frailty means that it is highly reliant on its resistances and shields to really get going. Though its typing does suffer from many weaknesses, it has plenty of notable resistances as well. Most notably, Cacturne's resistances to Ground, Water, Dark, and Ghost will let it find play against many Great League threats.

As with many glass cannons, strong Fast Attack pressure is Cacturne's bane as it cannot protect itself with shields. Its typing unfortunately does mean that there are plenty of Fast Attacks that can shred through it.

Ultra League3 / 5

Cacturne more or less does the same thing that it does in Great League; clean up teams with Sucker Punch and Trailblaze. It's more bulky but it's still incredibly fragile, so its need for shields still remains. The presence of Giratina offers an additional target, but Cacturne also has to deal with Virizion and Cobalion hard countering it.

Master League0 / 5

Cacturne is entirely outclassed in the Master League.

Purification Cost
3 Candy + 3,000 Stardust
Second Charge Move Cost
50,000 Stardust + 50 Candy
Flee Rate
6 %
Buddy Distance
3 KM
Catch Rate
20 %
Female Ratio
50 %
Male Ratio
50 %