#0867 · Galar · Generation 8

Runerigus

Grudge Pokémon · Ground/Ghost-type

Runerigus is a Ground/Ghost-type Pokémon, the Grudge Pokémon, number 867 (#0867) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 8 and comes from the Galar region. It is 1.6 m tall and weighs 66.6 kg.

Runerigus is the Grudge Pokémon, a Ground and Ghost type that began as a cursed ancient painting and came to life after absorbing a Yamask's spirit. The Pokédex warns you never to touch its shadowy body, because it forces the painting's horrific memories on whoever does.

How to pronounce Runerigus

Runerigus is pronounced roon-uh-REE-gus. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Runerigus said out loud:

In Japanese it is デスバーン (Deathbarn).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Runerigus is a clay slab with a red, sharp-toothed serpent painted on it. Broken fragments of the slab hang together on shadowy black tendrils that serve as its arms, neck and tail, and a single purple eye sits where the painting's eye was. It is 1.6 m tall and weighs 66.6 kg.

Behaviour

The Pokédex says little about Runerigus's habits and a lot about its curse. The Legends: Z-A entry says the scattered pieces of its slab have been reassembled, letting the malicious power inside be fully unleashed. Bulbapedia says it seems to be a distant relative of Cofagrigus.

Habitat

The Pokédex names no habitat. Bulbapedia lists Wild Area spots such as Dusty Bowl and Stony Wilderness for it in Sword and Shield. It is not in Scarlet and Violet. In Legends: Z-A Bulbapedia lists it as a trade, and Serebii lists evolving a Galarian Yamask in the Mega Dimension DLC.

Powers

Runerigus has the Ability Wandering Spirit, which swaps Abilities with any Pokémon that hits it with a contact move. It fights with Shadow Claw, Shadow Ball, Earthquake and Hex, and sets up Destiny Bond. With 95 base Attack, 145 Defense and 105 Special Defense but a Speed of 30, it is a slow wall that hits back.

Name origin

Runerigus may combine 'rune' with 'egregious' or with Cofagrigus. The Japanese name is Deathbarn (デスバーン), which may blend 'death', ban ('slab') and Cofagrigus.

Design inspiration

Runerigus may be based on Viking runestones, many of which carry serpent designs, perhaps recalling Jörmungandr, the Norse World Serpent. Bulbapedia also floats that the 49 HP needed to evolve Galarian Yamask nods to a Buddhist idea of 49 days between death and rebirth. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Galarian Yamask evolves into Runerigus after it has lost at least 49 HP to attacks without fainting and then passes under the rock arch in Dusty Bowl in Sword and Shield.

In the games

Runerigus is the Galarian counterpart of Cofagrigus, and Max Raid Battles against it are held at Dusty Bowl in Sword and Shield, the games that introduced it.

In the anime

Runerigus debuted in 'Chasing to the Finish!' as Sterling's Pokémon, battling Goh and Gary alongside Lyla's Sandaconda. In 'Reunion at the Ancient Castle!' one is among the castle's residents.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Galarian Yamask's is the only evolution that depends on a place in Sword and Shield and Legends: Z-A, because every other location-based evolution there is unobtainable or uses an evolution stone.
• Bulbapedia says no other known Pokémon besides Runerigus and Galarian Yamask can have Wandering Spirit.
• At the 2023 Pokémon World Championships, a livestream segment gave the pronunciation as ROON-uh-REE-guhs.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Runerigus (Pokémon) · Serebii: Runerigus (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 58
• Attack: 95
• Defense: 145
• Sp. Atk: 50
• Sp. Def: 105
• Speed: 30

Runerigus’s base stat total is 483. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Runerigus weak to?

Runerigus takes extra damage from Water (2×), Grass (2×), Ice (2×), Ghost (2×), Dark (2×) moves.

It resists Poison (¼×), Bug (½×), Rock (½×).

It is immune to Normal, Electric, Fighting moves.

Evolution

What does Runerigus evolve from?

Runerigus evolves from Yamask (Galarian Yamask: Take 49 damage, then walk under the rock arch, at Dusty Bowl).

Runerigus is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Yamask, Cofagrigus, Runerigus.

• Yamask evolves into Cofagrigus at level 34.

Abilities

• Wandering Spirit: Swaps abilities with opponents on contact.

Moves

Moves Runerigus learns by level up in Sword / Shield

“Evo” means Runerigus learns the move the moment it evolves: Shadow Claw.

TM moves (55)

Runerigus can learn 55 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Safeguard, Rest, Rock Slide, Thief, Snore, Protect, Scary Face, Attract, Sandstorm, Rain Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Facade, Revenge, Imprison, Fake Tears, Rock Tomb, Sand Tomb, Rock Blast, Payback, Power Swap, Guard Swap, Shadow Claw, Trick Room, Wonder Room, Round, Hex, Bulldoze, Phantom Force, Brutal Swing, Earthquake, Psychic, Amnesia, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Taunt, Trick, Skill Swap, Iron Defense, Calm Mind, Toxic Spikes, Dark Pulse, Dragon Pulse, Energy Ball, Earth Power, Nasty Plot, Zen Headbutt, Stone Edge, Stealth Rock, Grass Knot, Ally Switch, Body Press.

Egg moves (1), which Yamask can hatch knowing:Memento.

Move tutor moves (1): Poltergeist.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Mineral, Amorphous.
• Egg cycles: 25 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,200).
• Catch rate: 90 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Defense effort values.
• Base experience yield: 169.

Pokédex entries

Never touch its shadowlike body, or you'll be shown the horrific memories behind the picture carved into it. (Shield)

A powerful curse was woven into an ancient painting. After absorbing the spirit of a Yamask, the painting began to move. (Sword)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Defense among Gen 8 Pokémon: 145.
• Shortest Ground type in Gen 8: 1.6 m.
• Slowest Ground type in Gen 8: 30 Speed.
• Highest Defense among Ground types in Gen 8: 145.
• Highest Sp. Def among Ground types in Gen 8: 105.
• Slowest Ghost type in Gen 8: 30 Speed, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Defense among Ghost types in Gen 8: 145.
• Taller than 77% of all Pokémon (1.6 m).
• Heavier than 74% of all Pokémon (66.6 kg).
• Base stat total 483, ranked #396 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Defense, ranked #16 of 1,025.
• One of 5 Pokémon that are both Ground and Ghost.
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 58 of 96 Pokémon introduced in Generation 8 (Galar).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 68 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 90: about 11.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 2 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: Runerigus (Pokémon), Serebii: Runerigus (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (roon-uh-REE-gus): 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

Ground-type Pokémon · Ghost-type Pokémon · Ground/Ghost weaknesses and matchups · Galar region guide · Wandering Spirit ability · Compare Runerigus · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 8 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 8 Ghost-type Pokémon · Gen 8 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Mineral egg group · Amorphous egg group · Pokémon that start with R

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