#0348 · Hoenn · Generation 3 · fossil

Armaldo

Plate Pokémon · Rock/Bug-type

Armaldo is a Rock/Bug-type Pokémon, the Plate Pokémon, number 348 (#0348) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 1.5 m tall and weighs 68.2 kg.

Armaldo is the Plate Pokémon, an armoured Rock and Bug type whose claws, the Pokédex says, can punch through a steel slab. It came ashore after evolving, yet still dives into the ocean to hunt.

How to pronounce Armaldo

Armaldo is pronounced ar-MAL-doh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Armaldo said out loud:

In Japanese it is アーマルド.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Armaldo is an amphibious, two-legged Pokémon, 1.5 m tall and 68.2 kg, covered in thick grey-blue plates. Its eyes bulge from the sides of its head, three pairs of wing-like limbs flare from its neck, and two triangular wings extend from under the armour on its back. Each segmented arm ends in a large black claw that the Pokédex says it can extend or contract at will.

Behaviour

Armaldo lives mostly on land, but the Pokédex says it dives into the sea to hunt, swimming with its large wings and taking down prey with sharp claws. After coming ashore its lower body grew stronger, and a swing of its tail does terrible damage. The Pokédex also names it the forebear of certain Bug Pokémon.

Habitat

The Pokédex lists a water's edge habitat: it lived on land beside the sea, and it became extinct in prehistoric times.

Powers

Armaldo's Ability is Battle Armor, which blocks critical hits, with Swift Swim hidden. It strikes with X-Scissor, Crush Claw and Rock Blast, and can be taught Stone Edge, Earthquake, Superpower and Shadow Claw by TM. With base Attack 125 and Defense 100 it is a heavy physical attacker, but its Speed is a sluggish 45.

Name origin

Armaldo may combine armado, Spanish for 'armoured', with Anomalocaris, and possibly 'shield' or ald, Old Saxon for 'old'. The Japanese name is Armaldo (アーマルド), the same as the English.

Design inspiration

Armaldo is based on Anomalocaris, an ancient marine arthropod. Bulbapedia says it somewhat resembles a mantis shrimp and has features in common with theropod dinosaurs, which are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Armaldo evolves from Anorith at level 40 and does not evolve further.

In the games

Armaldo is the evolved form of the revived Anorith, a role it has held since its debut in Ruby and Sapphire. It can be found in the Sword and Shield Expansion Pass, including Ballimere Lake and Max Lair Dynamax Adventures, but Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet and in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Armaldo debuted in 'Lights, Camerupt, Action!', in a movie shown by Elijah, where it defended a castle holding a Kirlia princess. Nando's Armaldo beat Staraptor and then ended in a double knockout with Ash's Quilava in 'League Unleashed!'.

Fun facts

• Armaldo is both the heaviest and the tallest Bug type introduced in Generation III.
• Bulbapedia says an error gave Armaldo Slash twice, at levels 25 and 34, in Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun and Moon; Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon swapped in Bug Bite at 25.
• In 'Where's Armaldo?', a freshly evolved Armaldo captured by Team Rocket went on a rampage.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Armaldo (Pokémon) · Serebii: Armaldo (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 75
• Attack: 125
• Defense: 100
• Sp. Atk: 70
• Sp. Def: 80
• Speed: 45

Armaldo’s base stat total is 495. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Armaldo weak to?

Armaldo takes extra damage from Water (2×), Rock (2×), Steel (2×) moves.

It resists Normal (½×), Poison (½×).

Evolution

What does Armaldo evolve from?

Armaldo evolves from Anorith at level 40.

Armaldo is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Anorith, Armaldo.

Abilities

• Battle Armor: Protects against critical hits.
• Swift Swim (hidden ability): Doubles Speed during rain.

Moves

Moves Armaldo learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (40)

Armaldo can learn 40 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Dig, Screech, Rest, Rock Slide, Snore, Protect, Attract, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Facade, Brick Break, Rock Tomb, Mud Shot, Rock Blast, Brine, Shadow Claw, Cross Poison, Round, Bulldoze, False Swipe, Brutal Swing, Stomping Tantrum, Swords Dance, Body Slam, Low Kick, Earthquake, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Superpower, Iron Defense, X-Scissor, Earth Power, Flash Cannon, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Liquidation.

Egg moves (6), which Anorith can hatch knowing:Aqua Jet, Curse, Knock Off, Rapid Spin, Sand Attack, Water Pulse.

Move tutor moves (1): Meteor Beam.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Water 3.
• Egg cycles: 30 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,840).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow Then Very Fast (600,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Attack effort values.
• Base experience yield: 173.

Pokédex entries

Though it lives on land, it's also a good swimmer. It dives into the ocean in search of prey, using its sharp claws to take down its quarry. (Shield)

After evolution, this Pokémon emerged onto land. Its lower body has become stronger, and blows from its tail are devastating. (Sword)

Armaldo adapted from living in water to living on land. It has been determined that it is the ancestor of some bug Pokémon. (Ultra Moon)

It lived on land and went out into the sea to hunt for prey. Its sharp claws were its greatest weapon. (Ultra Sun)

Armaldo is a Pokémon species that became extinct in prehistoric times. This Pokémon is said to have walked on its hind legs, which would have been more convenient for life on land. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

Armaldo's tough armor makes all attacks bounce off. This Pokémon's two enormous claws can be freely extended or contracted. They have the power to punch right through a steel slab. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Heaviest Bug type in Gen 3: 68.2 kg.
• Tallest Bug type in Gen 3: 1.5 m.
• Highest HP among Bug types in Gen 3: 75.
• Highest Attack among Bug types in Gen 3: 125.
• Highest Defense among Bug types in Gen 3: 100.
• Highest base stat total among Bug types in Gen 3: 495.
• Highest Attack among Rock types in Gen 3: 125.
• Taller than 72% of all Pokémon (1.5 m).
• Heavier than 75% of all Pokémon (68.2 kg).
• Base stat total 495, ranked #317 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Attack, ranked #65 of 1,025.
• One of 6 Pokémon that are both Rock and Bug.
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 97 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 56 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 10 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Armaldo (Pokémon), Serebii: Armaldo (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ar-MAL-doh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Rock-type Pokémon · Bug-type Pokémon · Rock/Bug weaknesses and matchups · Hoenn region guide · Battle Armor ability · Swift Swim ability · Compare Armaldo · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Rock-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Water 3 egg group · Pokémon that start with A · Crab and Crustacean Pokémon

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