Is Cubone Good?

No, Cubone is generally not good on its own unless equipped with its rare signature item, the Thick Club, which doubles its Attack stat. Without it, its base stats are too low to be viable. It serves strictly as an early-game placeholder until it reaches level 28 to evolve into Marowak.

Cubone is entirely dependent on farming a 5% drop-rate item to deal damage and must evolve to survive.

Rating 4/10 · Tier D-(In-Game) · Role : Early-game Physical Wallbreaker

Strengths

• Massive physical damage output when holding a Thick Club.
• Learns reliable Ground-type STAB moves early, like Bone Club and Bonemerang.
• Complete immunity to Electric-type attacks and paralysis from Thunder Wave.
• Evolves into the significantly bulkier Marowak (or Alolan Marowak depending on the game).

Weaknesses

• Abysmal base 35 Speed guarantees it will take a hit before attacking.
• Very fragile Special Defense makes it an easy target for Water and Grass moves.
• Completely useless offensively without its signature item.
• Absent from Pokémon Scarlet & Violet base game and DLCs.

Cubone sits firmly in the lower D-Tier for standard playthroughs. As an unevolved Pokémon, its base stat total of 320 is inherently limited, making it a liability as you progress past the early game. Its primary role is a slow, physical wallbreaker. You send it in against a favorable matchup, hit something very hard with a Ground-type move, and switch it out before it takes a super-effective hit.

You cannot evaluate Cubone without discussing the Thick Club. This signature item doubles its physical Attack stat. If you manage to steal one from a wild Cubone, its damage output suddenly rivals fully evolved Pokémon in the early game. A level 15 Cubone with a Thick Club will easily one-shot most neutral targets with Headbutt or Bone Club.

However, farming this item is a tedious process. Wild Cubone typically have a mere 5% chance of holding a Thick Club. Spending hours using Thief or catching wild Cubone just to make the Pokémon viable is a massive time sink for a casual playthrough. Without this item, Cubone hits like a wet noodle and has no redeeming qualities.

Cubone does not exist in the current Pokémon Scarlet & Violet competitive meta. Historically, its only viable PvP format has been Smogon's Little Cup (LC), where only unevolved Pokémon are allowed. Even in LC, it is considered a niche pick rather than a meta staple.

The Classic LC Wallbreaker Set

• Item: Thick Club (Mandatory)
• Ability: Rock Head or Lightning Rod
• Moves: Bonemerang / Knock Off / Rock Slide / Substitute
• EVs: 196 Atk / 116 Def / 196 Spe (Adamant Nature)

In past generations, this set was designed to force switches. You bring Cubone in on an Electric-type attack using Lightning Rod, set up a Substitute on the forced switch, and fire off massive attacks. Bonemerang breaks Focus Sashes and Sturdy, while Knock Off removes crucial items from opposing walls.

Despite this massive power, Cubone struggles heavily in LC because of its base 35 Speed. Faster Ground-types like Mudbray or Drilbur are almost always preferred because they do not rely on a specific item to deal damage and can actually outspeed threats.

Cubone excels in the first third of any Pokémon game where it is available. Its Ground typing gives it a complete immunity to Electric-type attacks, making it a perfect counter to early-game Electric gyms or trainers spamming Thunder Wave.

It performs exceptionally well against specific early-game typings. Rock, Poison, and Fire-types will take massive damage from its STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves. Moves like Bone Club, acquired early, provide solid base power and a chance to flinch, though Cubone will rarely trigger the flinch due to moving last.

Ideal Teammates

Because Cubone is so slow and vulnerable, it requires specific team support to function even in a playthrough:

• Flying-types (e.g., Corviknight, Staraptor): They provide an essential immunity to Ground-type moves and resist the Grass and Bug-type attacks that threaten Cubone.
• Water-types (e.g., Gyarados, Azumarill): They cover Cubone's Ice and Water weaknesses while baiting Electric attacks that Cubone can absorb if it runs Lightning Rod.
• Paralysis spreaders: Pokémon that can use Thunder Wave or Glare are vital to halve the opponent's Speed, allowing Cubone to actually attack first and utilize the flinch chance on Bone Club.

Speed is Cubone's fatal flaw. With a base Speed in the mid-30s, almost every enemy Pokémon will attack it first. In a playthrough, taking damage every single turn means you will constantly be burning through Potions and healing items to keep Cubone alive.

Its defenses do not justify its low speed. While a base 85 physical Defense is decent for an unevolved Pokémon, its base 50 Special Defense is abysmal. Common Water, Grass, and Ice-type special attacks will easily one-shot it before it ever gets a chance to swing its bone.

Furthermore, taking up the item slot with the Thick Club means Cubone cannot hold an Eviolite. Eviolite is the standard item used to make unevolved Pokémon viable by boosting their defenses by 50%. You are forced to choose between dealing actual damage (Thick Club) or surviving a hit (Eviolite), making Cubone strictly inferior to Pokémon that naturally have high stats.

Do not use Cubone if you refuse to grind for a Thick Club. Playing through a game with an itemless Cubone is an exercise in frustration. You should also avoid it if you prefer fast, sweeping teams that aim to clear battles quickly without taking damage.

Looking ahead to upcoming titles like Pokémon Legends: Z-A, if Cubone returns to the Kalos region, its viability will depend entirely on how easily the Thick Club can be obtained. If it requires a massive grind, leave it in the PC.

Superior Alternatives

• Sandile / Krookodile: Offers Ground/Dark typing, excellent Speed, and the Moxie ability to snowball through enemy teams without needing a specific item.
• Drilbur / Excadrill: Provides a phenomenal Ground/Steel typing, hits incredibly hard naturally, and outspeeds most playthrough opponents.
• Hippopotas: If you want a slow, bulky Ground-type, Hippopotas sets up Sandstorm automatically and has the natural bulk to survive hits without sacrificing its item slot.