Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Gabite is a dual type ground and dragon Pokemon. It is the middle evolution in its line as it evolves from Gible and then evolves into Garchomp upon reaching the level thresholds. Gabite is classified by the Pokedex as the “Cave Pokemon” which is a nod to its general habitat. This guide will showcase Gabite’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Gabite.
About Gabite
As a generation four Pokemon, Gabite first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime with the episode Another One Gabites the Dust!. It played a role as one of Ursula’s ace Pokemon and showcased its prowess in battle. Gabite is the middle evolution of its line and evolves form Gible at level 24, and evolves into Garchomp at level 48. The Pokedex states that within the Pokemon universe, there is an old belief that Gabite’s scales can cure illness.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Another One Gabites the Dust! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Evolves from Gible, evolves into Garchomp |
| 1st Evo level | 24 |
| 2nd Evo level | 48 |
| Pokedex Entry | There is a long-held belief that medicine made from its scales will heal even incurable illnesses. |
Gabite Base Stats
| HP | 68 |
| ATTACK | 90 |
| DEFENCE | 65 |
| SP. ATTACK | 50 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 55 |
| SPEED | 82 |
| TOTAL | 410 |
Appearance
Gabite is a bipedal, dragon-like Pokemon with a shark-like appearance. Its two arms extend outwards into pointed fins and claws with there also a large dorsal fin on its back. Gabite’s jaw is lined with pointed teeth and there are torpedo-shaped ornaments on the side of its head. There are pointed claws on its feet and jagged blades on its thighs while most of its body is blue but it has a red underbelly. Gabite is an average sized Pokemon at 4 feet and 7 inches, or 1.4 meters, tall.
Behavior
Gabite is known to be a fierce and predatory Pokemon as throughout its appearances in the anime, it is often used in battle against other trainers. The final evolution of its line is also featured in generation four champion Cynthia’s team. The Pokedex mentions that Gabite loves shiny things and will hoard any treasure it finds and store it near its nest. Its scales have some moderate healing capabilities and are thought to cure illnesses.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While Gabite still has a ways to go before it reaches the peaks of Garchomp, it still manages to represent a threat through its powerful physical attack coupled with its good speed stat. The rest of its stats are somewhat mediocre, but for a middle evolution, Gabite can pose a serious threat. As a dual ground and dragon type Pokemon, Gabite takes 4x damage from ice type moves and 2x damage from dragon and fairy type moves. It is immune to electric type moves and will resist poison, rock, and fire type moves.
Best Moveset
Since Gabite is not fully evolved, it is typically reserved for the NFE (Not Fully Evolved) bracket of competitive play. In this format, it will only face other Pokemon that have not reached their final evolution, making its generally high base stats seem more impactful. With an Eviolite held item, Gabite is capable of taking hits while also dishing out damage. Consider running Stealth Rock, Earthquake, Roar/Protect, and Toxic. Stealth Rock is a powerful move to provide chip damage against the enemy team, Earthquake benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Roar/Protect can be interchangeable depending on whether you want to capitalize off of Stealth Rock or be more defensive, and finally Toxic can give you inevitability against prolonged battle strategies.
| Stealth Rock | Earthquake |
| Roar/Protect | Toxic |
How to Catch Gabite in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Gabite in Pokemon Go, the easiest way would be to first obtain a Gible to eventually evolve into Gabite. Like most Pokemon, the base evolution is much easier to encounter as compared to the other Pokemon in its line. You can hatch a Gible from 7 or 10 km eggs as well, and it can also be found in tier one and two raid battles at. Furthermore, while dragon type Pokemon are rare to encounter in the wild, you can expect boosted spawn rates in windy weather and near landmarks. In order to evolve Gible, you will need 25 candies to evolve it into Gabite, and another 100 to evolve it into Garchomp.
Trivia
- Gabite cannot be traded regularly on the Global Trade System due to the GTS censor, you will need to nickname your Gabite first.
- The inspiration for Gabite’s design is likely based on a combination of a theropod dinosaur and a shark.
- The name Gabite is a combination of the Japanese word gabugabu (to gobble down or gulp) and the word bite.
Video
FAQ
What does a Gible do?
As a base evolution Pokemon, Gible is not capable of accomplishing much on its own. The biggest selling point of Gible is that it eventually evolves into Garchomp. Like many other three stage evolution dragon type Pokemon, the base evolution and middle evolution are not particularly powerful, but the final evolution makes the time investment well worth it.
How does Gabite evolve?
You can evolve your Gabite by simply having it reach level 48. There are no special conditions to fulfill and you can evolve your Gabite by having it reach the level threshold. Once Gabite has reached level 48, you just need to allow the evolution animation to play without pressing the “B” button. Afterwards, you will have a Garchomp to use in battle.
Is Gabite any good?
Like its pre-evolution, the best selling point of Gabite is its evolving into Garchomp. While Gabite manages to hold its own against many other Pokemon in the early stages of the game, it is nothing compared to the potential of the final evolution. Running Gabite is more of a self-imposed challenge, and there aren’t too many reasons to consider using Gabite over Garchomp.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Cave Pokemon”. While Gabite is often overshadowed by its final evolution, it is one of the most powerful dragon type Pokemon you can get your hands on. To this day, Garchomp remains near the top of competitive tier lists and it even received a mega evolution in generation six, making an already powerful Pokemon even stronger. Reserve a slot on your team for Gabite if you want one of the strongest dragon type Pokemon in the entire franchise.
