#0246 · Johto · Generation 2

Larvitar

Rock Skin Pokémon · Rock/Ground-type

Larvitar is a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon, the Rock Skin Pokémon, number 246 (#0246) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 72 kg.

Larvitar is the Rock Skin Pokémon, born so deep underground that it cannot see its parents until it has eaten its way up to the surface. The Pokédex says it swallows soil until it has eaten a mountain's worth, then sleeps to grow.

How to pronounce Larvitar

Larvitar is pronounced LAR-vih-tar. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Larvitar said out loud:

In Japanese it is ヨーギラス (Yogiras).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Larvitar is a small green reptile with rocky skin, 0.6 m tall and 72 kg. It has a blunt spike on its head, red scales on a diamond-shaped belly and short arms without fingers. Its tail is a cone ringed with plates, which makes it look like a tunnelling machine.

Behaviour

Larvitar hatches far from its parents and tunnels upwards by eating the soil above it. It copes poorly with bright light once it reaches the surface. Bulbapedia says in Pokémon Sleep it may be found dozing with a half-eaten clump of earth, probably after a full belly.

Habitat

Bulbapedia places it in mountains, hills and caves. In Scarlet it turns up in spots such as Alfornada Cavern, Asado Desert and Dalizapa Passage and in 3-star Tera Raids, while Violet players must trade for it.

Diet

The Pokédex says it feeds on soil.

Powers

Larvitar's Ability Guts boosts its Attack while it has a status condition, and its hidden Ability Sand Veil raises evasion in a sandstorm. It learns Rock Throw, Bite, Rock Slide, Crunch, Earthquake and Stone Edge. With a base stat total of just 300, its job is to survive long enough to evolve.

Name origin

Larvitar may blend 'larva' with 'tar', a nod to the old mistaken idea that petroleum and tar come from dinosaurs, and may also touch on Reptar. The Japanese name is Yogiras (ヨーギラス), which may combine 幼児 yōji ('child') or 幼生 yōsei ('larva') with 'saurus', the dinosaur suffix.

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia says Larvitar appears to share traits with dinosaurs and kaiju. Its appetite for devouring mountains may echo the Tarasque, a monster of French folklore. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Larvitar evolves into Pupitar at level 30.

In the games

Larvitar lives in Mt. Silver Cave in Gold and Silver, where it debuted, and Crystal also offers it at the Celadon Game Corner. In Legends: Z-A it is found across five Lumiose districts and in the Mega Dimension DLC's Hyperspace Lumiose.

In the anime

Ash's Larvitar debuted in 'Hatch Me If You Can', hatched from an Egg Professor Elm gave him to deliver to its mother on Mt. Silver. It froze with shyness around anyone but Ash and Pikachu.

Fun facts

• In Pokémon XD, Duking in Pyrite Town will trade you a Larvitar for a Wooper.
• In 'Pinch Healing', a shy Larvitar being babysat by a Poké-Sitter uses Sandstorm whenever it is confronted.
• A level 5 'Rage Larvitar' was distributed to Gold, Silver and Crystal players at a US Gotta Catch 'Em All Station event in November 2002.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Larvitar · Serebii: Larvitar (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 50
• Attack: 64
• Defense: 50
• Sp. Atk: 45
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 41

Larvitar’s base stat total is 300. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Larvitar weak to?

Larvitar takes extra damage from Water (4×), Grass (4×), Ice (2×), Fighting (2×), Ground (2×), Steel (2×) moves.

It resists Poison (¼×), Normal (½×), Fire (½×), Flying (½×), Rock (½×).

It is immune to Electric moves.

Evolution

How does Larvitar evolve?

Larvitar evolves into Pupitar at level 30.

The whole family: Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar.

• Pupitar evolves into Tyranitar at level 55.

Abilities

• Guts: Increases Attack to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
• Sand Veil (hidden ability): Increases evasion to 1.25× during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.

Moves

Moves Larvitar learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (42)

Larvitar can learn 42 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Facade, Bulldoze, Snarl, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Dig, Brick Break, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Rock Blast, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Taunt, Dark Pulse, Iron Head, Dragon Dance, Substitute, Iron Defense, Crunch, Stealth Rock, Helping Hand, Earth Power, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Giga Impact, Outrage, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Sand Tomb, Spite, Smack Down, Double-Edge, Curse.

Egg moves (9):Ancient Power, Assurance, Curse, Dragon Dance, Focus Energy, Iron Defense, Iron Head, Outrage, Stomp.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Monster.
• Egg cycles: 40 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 5,120).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 35.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 60.

Pokédex entries

Born deep underground, it comes aboveground and becomes a pupa once it has finished eating the surrounding soil. (Black 2, White 2, Y, Sword)

It feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it will fall asleep so it can grow. (Gold, LeafGreen, Shield)

Raised on nutrients it finds in the dirt, it eats roughly a mountain's worth of dirt before it becomes a pupa. (Ultra Moon)

Born underground, it eats its way through dirt to the surface, where its parents are. It doesn't deal well with the bright light it finds there. (Ultra Sun)

Larvitar is born deep under the ground. To come up to the surface, this Pokémon must eat its way through the soil above. Until it does so, Larvitar cannot see its parents. (Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

It feeds on soil. After it has eaten a large mountain, it falls asleep so it can grow. (HeartGold, X)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Shortest Rock type in Gen 2: 0.6 m, shared with 2 others.
• Lowest base stat total among Rock types in Gen 2: 300.
• Taller than 25% of all Pokémon (0.6 m).
• Heavier than 75% of all Pokémon (72 kg).
• Base stat total 300, ranked #856 of 1,025.
• One of 9 Pokémon that are both Rock and Ground.
• One of 130 green Pokémon.
• Number 95 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 53 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 11 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: Larvitar, Serebii: Larvitar (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (LAR-vih-tar): 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 · Ground-type Pokémon · Rock/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Johto region guide · Guts ability · Sand Veil ability · Compare Larvitar · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 2 Rock-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Pokémon that start with L · Dinosaur Pokémon

← Suicune | Pupitar →