Wurmple

Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Wurmple is a monotype bug Pokemon. It is the base evolution of two final evolutions, Beautifly and Dustox and Wurmple will evolve into either Silcoon or Cascoon. Wurmple is classified by the Pokedex as the “Worm Pokemon” which may be a nod to its general design. This guide will showcase Wurmple’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Wurmple.

About Wurmple

As a generation three Pokemon, Wurmple first appeared in the Ruby and Sapphire season of the anime with the episode All in a Day’s Wurmple. In this episode a Wurmple was caught by May which she eventually evolved into Beautifly. Wurmple has a unique evolution line as it can evolve into either Silcoon or Cascoon depending on its personality value. This value is essentially random and is difficult to narrow down to one particular influence. Wurmple will evolve into Silcoon or Cascoon at level 7 and into Beautifly or Dustox at level 10. The Pokedex mentions how Wurmple can stick to surfaces with its sanctions pads.

First appearance in anime	Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire All in a Day’s Wurmple
First appearance in game	Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire
Region	Hoenn
Evolution	Base evolution of Beautifly and Dustox, evolves into Silkcoon or Cascoon depending on its Personality Value.
1st Evo level	7
2nd Evo level	10
Pokedex Entry	Using the spikes on its rear end, Wurmple peels the bark off trees and feeds on the sap that oozes out. This Pokémon's feet are tipped with suction pads that allow it to cling to glass without slipping.

Wurmple Base Stats

HP	45
ATTACK	45
DEFENCE	35
SP. ATTACK	20
SP. DEFENCE	30
SPEED	20
TOTAL	195

Appearance

Wurmple appears to be a giant red caterpillar-like Pokemon with two spikes at its base, small segmented legs running along its body, and a pointed horn on top of its head. While most of Wurmple’s body is red, its underside is cream colored. It has two yellow eyes with black pupils and a sharp yellow stinger on its head. Wurmple is small for a Pokemon at 1 foot, or 0.3 meters, tall.

Behavior

Wurmple has a relatively timid behavior throughout its appearances in the anime. It typically attempts to stick to itself and eat its fill in order to reach its cocoon phase in evolution. When Wurmple is threatened, it will spray white silk to trap and slow down its opponents. It is also venomous and can poison foes with the spikes on its tail. The Pokedex simply mentions how Wurmple will stick to trees and eat leaves.

Strengths and Weaknesses

As the base evolution of a fast evolving but type evolution line, Wurmple does not have many strengths at all. Even its best stats are mediocre even by base evolution Pokemon status. There is not much that is threatening about a Wurmple. As a monotype bug Pokemon, Wurmple takes 2x damage from flying, rock, and fire type moves. It is immune to no types, but will resist fighting, ground, and grass type moves.

Best Moveset

Unfortunately for Wurmple, there is next to no reason to utilize Wurmple in competitive play. Even in LC (Little Cup) formats, where it only has to face base evolution Pokemon, Wurmple struggles to compete. It is only capable of learning three moves and its moves does not warrant its weak capabilities. Instead, it is best to consider running Dustox or Beautifly if you are interested in this evolution line. Dustox performs as a defensive Pokemon and Beautifly has a more offensive statline. For Dustox, it wants a purely disruptive and defensive moveset. Consider running Light Screen, Moonlight, Whirlwind, and Sludge Bomb. For Beautifly, it does not have a large selection of moves in terms of offensive capability. You will want Stun Spore, Substitute, Morning Sun/Hidden Power Bug depending on how offensive you want it to be, and Hidden Power Flying.

(Dustox)

Light Screen	Moonlight
Whirlwind	Sludge Bomb

(Beautifly)

Stun Spore	Substitute
Morning Sun/Hidden Power Bug	Hidden Power Flying

How to Catch Wurmple in Pokemon Go

If you would like to obtain a Wurmple in Pokemon Go, there are many different ways of doing so. Wurmple will spawn in the wild at a boosted rate near parks, farmlands, forests, gardens, and other grassy areas. You can also hatch a Wurmple from 2 and 7 km eggs plus it has also been featured as a tier one raid boss at Pokemon Gyms. In order to evolve a Wurmple, it has a random chance to evolve into Silcoon or Cascoon with 12 candies. After you obtain a Silcoon or Cascoon, it will take 50 candies to evolve it into Beautifly or Dustox respectively. There are many different ways to obtain a Wurmple in Pokemon Go, you will just need to take the first opportunity that comes your way.

Trivia

1. Wurmple is the only Pokemon that evolves through its Personality Value.
2. The inspiration for Wurmple’s design seems to be based on the pipevine swallowtail larva.
3. The name Wurmple is a combination of the words worm and rumple.

Explainer Video

FAQ

What determines Wurmple’s Evolution?

While it is mostly random, it falls to a value assigned to the Pokemon called personality value. This value cannot be seen or influenced by the player, so it is essentially a random value that is assigned the Wurmple once you encounter it. The only way to know for sure what Wurmple evolves into is to raise its level to 7 and see for yourself.

How big is a Wurmple?

While it is large for a caterpillar’s standards, Wurmple is a small Pokemon at only 1 foot, or 0.3 meters, tall. It often seems larger in comparison to other objects, especially for a caterpillar, but it is much smaller than most other Pokemon. For a base evolution bug type Pokemon, it is somewhat standard for these Pokemon to start small.

What Pokemon Number is Wurmple?

Wurmple is the 265th Pokemon in the Pokedex. The Pokedex will label every Pokemon with a number typically sequentially with its evolutions. However, Pokemon that were released in a prior generation will gain priority over sequential order with evolutions. Therefore, you can use this number to remind yourself which generation a Pokemon was released in.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Worm Pokemon”. While Wurmple and its evolution line are not the most impressive Pokemon in terms of competitive play, it has one of the most unique evolution lines in the entire franchise. It can be a source of frustration for players as they do not have control over what Wurmple evolves into, but it is nice to see a simple bug type Pokemon receive a unique mechanic. Reserve a slot on your team for Wurmple if you want a bug type with a split evolution line.