Cradily Pokémon

Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Cradily is a dual type rock and grass Pokemon. It is the final evolution of Lileep and is not known to evolve into any other Pokemon. Cradily is classified by the Pokedex as the “Barnacle Pokemon” which indicates its general design. This guide will showcase Cradily’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Cradily.

About Cradily

As a generation three Pokemon, Cradily first appeared in the Ruby and Sapphire season of the anime with the episode Where’s Armaldo?. This episode showcased both the fossil Pokemon of the generation and Cradily was featured alongside Armaldo. It will evolve from Lileep once it reaches level 40, and it is revived from the Root Fossil item. The Pokedex states that it technically resides within oceans, using its tentacles to scavenge for food.

First appearance in anime	Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire Where’s Armaldo?
First appearance in game	Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
Region	Hoenn
Evolution	Final evolution of Lileep, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon
1st Evo level	40
2nd Evo level	N/A
Pokedex Entry	Cradily roams around the ocean floor in search of food. This Pokémon freely extends its tree trunk-like neck and captures unwary prey using its eight tentacles.

Cradily Base Stats

HP	86
ATTACK	81
DEFENCE	97
SP. ATTACK	81
SP. DEFENCE	107
SPEED	43
TOTAL	495

Appearance

Cradily is a plant-like Pokemon with a large bulb on its head and a neck that stems from its main body. There are eight pink appendages that extend around its head like a flower and the markings around its body resembles the ones on a snake. Most of Cradily’s body is green with yellow markings all over its body and it has four stubby legs on the base that will help move it across land. Cradily is 4 feet and 11 inches, or 1.5 meters tall.

Behavior

During Cradily’s appearances in the anime, it is shown to be a shy Pokemon. When a child first spotted Cradily, it panicked and ran before eventually being taken back to a lab. Cradily is also shown to be reliable in battle, showcasing powerful grass type moves. The Pokedex states that it can typically be found in shallow warm seas and it will scavenge for prey along the seafloor. Cradily will use its eight tentacles to ensnare any prey and melt it with acid before eating.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Cradily has relatively balanced stats distributed throughout its total base stats but it does have a below mediocre speed stat. Yet despite that, Cradily will present a problem as it can stall out many strategies and utilizes hazards to extend its own longevity. However, it has a hard time extending battle against purely offensive Pokemon. As a rock and grass type Pokemon, Cradily takes 2x damage from fighting, bug, steel, and ice type moves, has no immunities and will resist normal and electric type moves.

Best Moveset

Since Cradily’s introduction, it has not performed very strongly in competitive battle. It suffers from a poor defensive typing while also not being fast enough to set up hazards or compete offensively. Nevertheless, a defensive strategy with Cradily can stall a game out long enough for Cradily to succeed. Consider running Stealth Rock, Recover, Giga Drain, and Rock Slide/Toxic. Stealth Rock can provide chip damage against the enemy team, Recover can ensure the longevity of your Cradily, Giga Drain benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), and Rock Slide/Toxic are interchangeable as an offensive option or a stalling tactic respectively.

Stealth Rock	Recover
Giga Drain	Rock Slide/Toxic

How to Catch Cradily in Pokemon Go

If you would like to obtain a Cradily in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first obtain a Lileep. Like most final evolutions, the base evolution is a more common spawn to encounter than its final evolution. Lileep will spawn more frequently in the wild near quarries, farmland, parking lots, cities, hiking trails and other grassy or rocky areas. You can also expect to hatch a Lileep from 2, 5, and 7 km eggs. However, while Cradily hasn’t been a raid boss in the past, Lileep has appeared in tier one and two raids. You will need 50 Lileep candies in order to evolve it into Cradily.

Trivia

1. Cradily and Lileep are the only Pokemon in the entire franchise to have the type combination of rock and grass.
2. The inspiration for Cradily’s design likely comes from crinoids (sea lilies).
3. The name Cradily is a combination of the words cradle and lily.

Video

FAQ

Is Cradily any good?

While Cradily’s stats are fairly balanced, it has suffered from its low speed stat and has not been able to get beyond the middle of competitive brackets. Since its inclusion in generation three, it has fallen to the bottom of competitive play as many better defensive options exist. Even though Cradily can function as a defensive wall, it is often outperformed.

Is Cradily or Armaldo better?

Both Pokemon suffer from similar problems. Neither Pokemon has managed to impact the competitive environment very much due to their slow speed. Their general flaws make both of the Pokemon rather unwieldy in competitive battle and it can be difficult for them to fulfill the roles they were given or even find a role for them to begin with.

Can Cradily mega evolve?

In the official mainline Pokemon games, Cradily has no mega evolution. It is not likely that Cradily will receive a mega evolution as the developers have been moving away from mega evolutions entirely. While Cradily would certainly benefit from a mega evolution, it is not likely to receive one in the future.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Barnacle Pokemon”. While Cradily has not had the biggest impact on the competitive battle stage, it is still able to perform the role of a defensive Pokemon. It is relatively straightforward with its strategies and can help players understand how an elongated battle is supposed to go. Consider running Cradily if you want a defensive grass and rock type Pokemon on your team.