Ludicolo Pokémon

Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Ludicolo is a dual type water and grass Pokemon. It is the final evolution of Lotad and evolves from Lombre when a Water Stone is used. Ludicolo is known as the carefree Pokemon and many of its depictions in Pokemon media show it dancing with its wide smile. This guide will showcase Ludicolo’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Ludicolo.

About Ludicolo

Ludicolo’s entire evolution line was introduced in generation three, but it has a unique condition to meet its final evolution. You will need to use a Water Stone on your Lombre once you want it to evolve into Ludicolo. It made its first appearance on screen in an episode of a Pikachu short called Gotta Dance!. Ludicolo was able to get a decent chunk of screen time thanks to its inclusion on Brock’s team. The Pokedex labels Ludicolo as the carefree Pokemon and supports this classification by mentioning its affinity to festive and cheerful music.

Ludicolo Base Stats

Appearance

Ludicolo resembles a pineapple and a duck combined together. Its body is mostly yellow and green with a brown zig-zagging pattern all over and it wears what appears to be a spiky lily pad or a sombrero on its head. Ludicolo is a bipedal Pokemon and thus it stands on two stumps while its two hands appear to be covered with gloves. It is an average height for a Pokemon at 4 feet and 11 inches, or 1.5 meters, tall.

Behavior

Ludicolo spends much of its time dancing, seeking festive music and appears more often in cheerful atmospheres. The Pokedex classifies it as the carefree Pokemon and it is mostly drawn to celebrations and music. Even its idle animation in Pokemon battles shows Ludicolo swaying in a rhythm. Despite its rather carefree attitude, the Pokedex also mentions its capabilities in battle and it is not a Pokemon that shys away from battle. Not only that, festive music can activate a cellular response in Ludicolo which strengthens its capabilities.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Most of Ludicolo’s base stats are somewhat mediocre for a final evolution. Its best stat lies in its special defense but it is not a particularly thick wall nor is it a powerful offensive Pokemon. However, its speed becomes doubled in the rain which makes it capable of outspeeding even the fastest Pokemon. As a grass and water type Pokemon, it is weak to flying, poison, and bug type moves but is resistant to ground, steel and water type moves.

Shiny Ludicolo

This evolution line has quite a striking distinction from its regular counterparts. Shiny ’s entire color palette swaps as its arms, legs, and lily pad change from a green to dark teal. The colors in Shiny Ludicolo’s body also change from light yellow to orange and the stripes mimic a similar color to its lily pad. Even the pineapple on top of Shiny Ludicolo’s head changes color. Shiny Ludicolo is a distinct shiny variation and thus you should have no trouble distinguishing between the regular version and a shiny. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Ludicolo gains a starry animation upon entering battle.

Best Moveset

Since its inclusion in generation three, Ludicolo has not made the biggest impact on competitive battles. Its access to the ability Swift Swim makes it an interesting support potential, but it cannot capitalize on its double speed very well. To have the best odds of succeeding with Ludicolo, in competitive battles, consider running Hydro Pump, Giga Drain, Ice Beam, and Rain Dance. Hydro Pump and Giga Drain both benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) and will function as Ludicolo’s primary sources of damage, Ice Beam is for type coverage and Rain Dance will activate Swift Swim and hopefully support the rest of your team.

How to Catch Ludicolo in Pokemon Go?

If you want to obtain a Ludicolo in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to capture as many Lotad as you can. It will cost 25 Lotad candies to evolve into Lombre and another 100 to evolve into Ludicolo. You can find Lotad in parks, near rivers, farms, gardens, and other bodies of water. If you want to skip all of this work, you can find Ludicolo in tier four raid battles in Pokemon Gyms but tier four battles are difficult to solo so gather a group of trainers if you see one nearby.

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Trivia

1. Ludicolo’s evolution line are the only Pokemon with access to the ability Rain Dish without it being a hidden ability.
2. Ludicolo’s origins are likely traced back to the Kappa; a Japanese yokai that has a dish on its head and a beak that resembles a turtle.
3. The name Ludicolo is a combination of the words ludicrous and an anagram of the Spanish word loco (Spanish for crazy).

FAQ

Is Ludicolo a good Pokemon?

Ludicolo has not made much of an impact on competitive play since its introduction. It has consistently been in the lower brackets of competitive battling. However, it can function very well in these lower brackets thanks to its speed steroid found in Swift Swim. In casual play you can make anything work.

When should you Evolve Lombre?

Like most Pokemon that evolve from use of a stone, you should evolve your Lombre once you are satisfied with its current moveset. If you are planning on tutoring a move or using a TM/HM to replace another move that can also work. Ludicolo will not learn any other move naturally through leveling, so make sure you have an idea of what you want it's moveset to be.

What level does Ludicolo Evolve?

Ludicolo does not evolve further as it is the final evolution of Lotad and evolves from Lombre. You can evolve your Lombre by using a Water Stone on it to get a Ludicolo and there is no other further evolution beyond Ludicolo.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this carefree Pokemon. Ludicolo may not have had the biggest impact on the competitive scene but its inclusion into the game was good enough for it to match the newfound game mechanics of weather in the wild. Even though Ludicolo may not be the most powerful Pokemon, it is hard to forget that wide grin and festive behavior.