Introduced in generation seven, with the Pokemon Sun and Moon games, Dartrix is a dual type grass and flying Pokemon. It is the second stage evolution of its three stage evolution line, and evolves from Rowlet and into Decidueye once it reaches the level thresholds. Dartrix is classified by the Pokedex as the “Blade Quill Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design and behavior. This guide will showcase Dartrix’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Dartrix.
About Dartrix
As a generation seven Pokemon, Dartrix first made an appearance in the Sun and Moon season of the anime in the episode No Stone Unturned!. In this episode, a trainer named Hau uses a Dartrix against Ash and his Rowlet. As a generation seven Pokemon, it comes from Alola and the Pokedex mentions that Dartrix spends much of its time concerned over its appearance.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon No Stone Unturned! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Sun and Moon |
| Region | Alola |
| Evolution | Evolves from Rowlet, evolves into Decidueye |
| 1st Evo level | 17 |
| 2nd Evo level | 34 |
| Pokedex Entry | A bit of a dandy, it spends its free time preening its wings. Its preoccupation with any dirt on its plumage can leave it unable to battle. |
Dartrix Base Stats
| HP | 78 |
| ATTACK | 75 |
| DEFENCE | 75 |
| SP. ATTACK | 70 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 70 |
| SPEED | 52 |
| TOTAL | 420 |
Appearance
Dartrix is a small, white and green Pokemon that resembles a barn owl. Most of Dartrix’s body is white, but there are small accents of green and its head is surrounded by a plume of brown feathers. There seems to be a bowtie made from leaves on Dartrix’s chin and the green plumage around its head resembles a hairstyle. Dartrix is a small Pokemon at only 2 feet and 4 inches, or 0.7 meters, tall.
Behavior
In the wild, Dartrix is an alert and cautious Pokemon. It is very sensitive to the environment around it, and any little disturbance can alert Dartrix. In battle, Dartrix is known to be quick and tries to outmaneuver its opponents. It stores razor sharp quills inside of its wings and will launch stealth attacks against its opponents. Dartrix is deft with its projectiles and rather vain about its appearance. The Pokedex mentions that Dartrix will spend hours cleaning itself. If Dartrix has dirt on its plumage, it will refuse to battle and instead focuses on cleaning itself.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Dartrix has a balanced distribution of base stats and only its speed is significantly lower than its other stats. Since Dartrix is not fully evolved, it has yet to reach its full potential and overall, Dartrix is weak that can struggle to fulfill particular roles on your team. As a dual type grass and flying Pokemon, Datrix takes 2x damage from flying, poison, rock, and fire type moves. It also takes 4x damage from ice type moves. It is immune to ground type moves, but will resist fighting, water, and grass type moves.
Best Moveset
There is little reason to consider Dartrix for competitive play. Even in unique formats like NFE (Not Fully Evolved), it can be difficult for Dartrix to perform successfully. Instead, it is best to consider Decidueye as it can be a much more threatening Pokemon. Decidueye has access to scaling moves and has relatively high bulk for an aggressive Pokemon. Consider running Nasty Plot, Shadow Ball, Leaf Storm, and Roost.
Set up Decidueye’s stats with Nasty Plot then use Shadow Ball and Leaf Storm to finish off your opponent’s Pokemon. Use Roost to keep Decidueye’s health high. Remember that Decidueye is a slow Pokemon so it can struggle against other aggressive Pokemon.
| Nasty Plot | Shadow Ball |
| Leaf Storm | Roost |
How to Catch Dartrix in Pokemon Go
Unfortunately, Dartrix is currently unobtainable in Pokemon Go. The developers are currently releasing generation six Pokemon, so the generation seven Pokemon should be soon after. The majority of the Pokemon from the Alola region have yet to be added to Pokemon Go, though it will certainly join the roster eventually.
As a water and psychic type Pokemon, it will likely be found near docks, harbors, canals, lakes, rivers, oceans, and other watery areas. Until it is released we will not know for sure if Dartrix can be hatched from eggs or if it can be found in raid battles at Pokemon Gyms.
Trivia
- Dartrix is the only starter Pokemon to receive its secondary type during the second evolution rather than the final evolution.
- The inspiration for Dartrix’s design is based on owls, specifically the barn owl.
- The name Dartrix is a combination of the words dart and the genus Strix (the genus for owls).
FAQ
What is the evolution of Dartrix?
Dartrix will evolve into Decidueye once it reaches level 34. It evolves from Rowlet once it reaches level 17. There are no unique conditions to fulfill with Dartrix’s evolution and it will evolve naturally as long as you level it up. Once Rowlet evolves into Decidueye, you have finished the Pokemon’s evolution line and can move on to collecting other Pokemon.
Why is Decidueye a ghost type?
While Dartrix resembles a barn owl, Decidueye is meant to resemble a Stilt-owl. They were originally capable of flight, but they evolved to be mostly terrestrial. As such, the Pokemon developers likely wanted to mimic its lack of flight by removing the flying subtype. The type of ghost type
Is Dartrix a good Pokemon?
As a not fully evolved Pokemon, Dartrix can hold its own against other Pokemon of a similar caliber. Unfortunately, it has a slow speed and a fairly weak defensive type. It can be difficult to keep Dartrix healthy in battle. Thanks to its slow speed, it can be hard for Dartrix to get value during battle.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Blade Quill Pokemon”. Since Dartrix’s introduction in generation seven, it has not made the biggest impact on competitive play. While its base stats are fairly balanced, it can be hard for Dartrix to perform in battle due to its slow speed. However, it eventually evolves into a well-rounded offensive Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Dartrix if you want an aggressive grass and flying type Pokemon.
