Chances are you didn’t choose a Grass-type starter when you started your Pokemon game. Bulbasaur, Chikorita, Treecko, Turtwig, and others were among the least likely starter picks. We were tantalized by thoughts of eventually having a Charizard, a Feraligator, or even an Infernape. So, in order to fill out our teams with a Grass-type Pokemon, we had to look elsewhere.
In Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, I tried to go with a tiny Pokemon called Budew. This Grass and Poison dual-type Pokemon and its evolutions filled a niche in my party with skills like Stun Spore and Toxic. This Pokemon played the role of a hassler for me, inflicting enemy Pokemon with different status effects. Others use Budew to set hazards for Pokemon entering battle, which is also a good use for this baby Pokemon.
Since it’s a fairly common Pokemon, Budew is a monster that’s easy enough to catch and raise. After evolving it, it will even be a powerful addition to your team. This guide will show you all you need to know about this Pokemon.
What is Budew?
Budew is a Grass/Poison dual-type baby Pokemon that first appeared in Generation IV, which is the generation of Pokemon introduced in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. It is the pre-evolved form of Roselia, a Pokemon that was a member of the Generation III set of Pokemon.
Budew evolves into Roselia if it has a high enough Friendship stat and levels up during the daytime. Its final evolved form is Roserade. Small in stature like another baby Pokemon, Budew is only 8 inches tall and weighs just 2.6 lbs.
According to the official Pokedex, Budew can be a very toxic Pokemon, the pollen it releases contains poison. If this Pokemon is raised on clean water, the poison’s toxicity is increased.”
Baby Pokemon generally don’t fare well in battle, but Budew has three abilities that help it out a little: Natural Cure, Poison Point, and a hidden ability called Leaf Guard. Natural Cure removes all status effects from Budew either when it is switched out from battle or the battle ends.
Poison Point has a 30 percent chance of poisoning an enemy that makes contact with Budew. Lastly, Leaf Guard keeps this Pokemon from taking on any non-volatile status effects or Yawn during harsh sunlight.
Budew Stats
| stat | Base | Min (Lvl 100) | Max (Lvl 100) |
| HP | 40 | 190 | 284 |
| attack | 30 | 58 | 174 |
| defense | 35 | 67 | 185 |
| Special Attack | 50 | 94 | 218 |
| Special Defense | 70 | 130 | 262 |
| speed | 55 | 103 | 229 |
Budew in the Games
Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Budew makes its first appearance in the world of Pokemon games in this Nintendo DS trilogy. In Diamond and Pearl, it can be found on Routes 204 and 212, as well as in Eterna Forest and Great Marsh. These locations change in Pokemon Platinum.
While it can still be found in Eterna Forest and on Route 204, Routes 205 and 208 replace Routh 212 and Great Marsh.
The following moves can be learned by leveling up Budew:
- Absorb (Level 1)
- Growth (Level 4)
- Water Sport (Level 7)
- Stun Spore (Level 10)
- Mega Drain (Level 13)
- Worry Seed (Level 16)
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Budew is a fairly common sight in Pokemon Sword and Shield, as it can be found in a total of 8 locations:
- Route 4
- Rolling Fields
- Dappled Grove
- West Lake Axewell
- East Lake Axewell
- Giant’s Mirror
- Bridge Field
- Stony Wilderness (Max Raid Battle)
Budew is only capable of learning four moves by leveling in Sword and Shield, all of which are learned at Level 1.
- Absorb
- growth
- Stun Spore
- Worry Seed
Though this list is limited, Budew can learn more moves through breeding, the Move Tutor, TMs, and TRs. The following list shows the moves that Budew is capable of learning from TMs:
- Pin Missile (TM 07)
- Solar Beam (TM 11)
- Rest (TM 21)
- Snore (TM 24)
- Protect (TM 25)
- Giga Drain (TM 28)
- Attract (TM 31)
- Rain Dance (TM 33)
- Sunny Day (TM 34)
- Facade (TM 39)
- Swift (TM 40)
- Weather Ball (TM 46)
- Bullet Seed (TM 50)
- Venoshock (TM 74)
- Round (TM 76)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
Budew appears as an NPC in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, the fifth game in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. It can be seen in the Special Episode Igglybuff the Prodigy as an old friend of Guildmaster Wigglytuff.
Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon
In Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, Budew again appears as an NPC, this time as a child. She lives in Serene Village and is too young for school. Because she is worried about her mother Roselia, she starts to feel sick and has to go on a search for honey to feel better.
Pokemon Go
Budew can be found in Pokemon Go as well, topping out at a max CP of 865 at Level 40. You can hatch one from 7km eggs. Its moves are Razor Leaf, Hidden Power, Grass Knot, and Energy Ball. Budew can be evolved to Roselia by using 25 candies and then to Roserade by using 100 candies and a Sinnoh Stone.
There is also a shiny version of Budew that can be caught. Shiny Budew differs in appearance from regular Budew in two ways : it has a yellow rosebud on top of its head instead of a green one, and it has a purple petal under its face instead of a green one.
Budew in the Anime and Movies
Budew makes many appearances in the anime, though most of those appearances aren’t of any real consequence. The most important Budew is perhaps Nando’s Budew, which is featured in Diamond and Pearl.
Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
Budew appears in the fourth episode of the Diamond and Pearl arc of the anime, Dawn Of A New Era! . This Budew is owned by Nando, a trainer that makes multiple appearances over the course of the series. In the episode, Nando’s Budew first battles Dawn’s Piplup, emerging victorious.
Ash later challenges Nando to a battle, pitting Budew against Pikachu. During the battle, Budew evolves into Roselia, but is ultimately defeated by a powerful Iron Tail from Pikachu. Nando’s Roselia later finished the evolution chain by evolving into Roserade.
Later in the series, Ash encounters the flower shop owner Forsythia. In a flashback during the episode Oh Do You Know The Poffin Plan! , Forsythia encountered a Budew in a Pokemon Center. That Budew eventually became Forsythia’s, evolving later into Roselia and then Roserade.
Other Budew appear at various points in the anime, some owned by trainers and some wild. Here’s a list of the episodes in which Budew can be seen in a minor capacity:
- Following A Maiden’s Voyage! (DP001)
- The Champ Twins! (DP029)
- Lost Leader Strategy (DP066)
- Enter Galactic! (DP069)
- Pokemon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1 & 2) (DP071 & DP072)
- Stopped in the Name of Love! (DP122)
- Sliding into Seventh! (DP127)
Pokemon the Series: XY
Budew appears in the following episodes of the XY portion of the anime:
- Thawing an Icy Panic! (XY057)
- Under the Pledging Tree! (XY059)
- A Frolicking Find in the Flowers! (XY089)
- Seeing the Forest for the Trees! (XY121)
- Till We Compete Again (XY140)
Pokemon Journeys: The Series
Budew appears in the following episodes of Pokemon Journeys:
- The Little Rocket R&R! (JN024)
- A Pinch of This, a Pinch of That! (JN050)
Pokemon: Twilight Wings
Pokemon: Twilight Wings is a YouTube anime series released by The Pokemon Company, but it isn’t part of the main anime series. Here a Budew appears in the office of Macro Cosmos, a large business organization located in the Galar region.
Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai
Multiple Budew appeared in Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai, though none were integral to the plot.
Pokemon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life
In this movie, Budew can be seen in the opening sequence in an Aroma Lady’s flower field.
Pokemon – Zoroark: Master of Illusions
Budew also makes a cameo in this Diamond and Pearl-based movie. Like its appearance in other movies, Budew’s appearance in Zoroark: Master of Illusions is brief and inconsequential.
Budew in the Trading Card Game
Budew debuted in the Diamond and Pearl expansion of the Pokemon Trading Card Game, similar to how it arrived in the games.
There have been two Budew cards in total: the original card in Diamond and Pearl, and another released in the Stormfront expansion. In the Diamond and Pearl expansion, Budew appears as a Grass-type card, while in Stormfront the Pokemon is a Psychic-type.
When Does Budew Evolve?
There are no set level requirements on when Budew evolves. To evolve this Pokemon, you must reach the required Friendship level first. Then, after leveling up during the daytime, Budew will evolve into Roselia. To evolve Roselia into Roserade, simply use the Shiny Stone.
Budew Strengths
Most of Budew’s strengths come from the Grass side of its dual-type abilities. It is resistant to Fighting, Water, Electric, Fairy, and Grass-type moves.
Its own Grass-type moves will do extra damage to Water, Rock, and Ground-type Pokemon. Its Poison-type moves help Budew fair well against Grass and Fairy-type Pokemon as well.
While most of Budew’s stats are fairly low due to it being a baby Pokemon, it does have a decent Special Defense and HP stats that can help it out in battle.
Budew Weaknesses
As a Grass/Poison dual-type Pokemon, you’ll have to exercise more caution if you decide to use Budew in battle. Its Poison-type makes it weak to Ground and Psychic-type attacks, while its Grass-type makes it weak to Fire, Ice, and Flying attacks.
Bug-type attacks normally do more damage to Grass Pokemon, but Budew’s dual-type designation makes Bug Pokemon less of a problem.
Baby Pokemon don’t have the best stats in the game and Budew is no exception. Other than its Special Defense and HP, Budew’s stats are below average and you can’t expect it to put up much of a fight against Stronger Pokemon that have already been evolved once or twice.
Budew Best Moveset
Because Budew only learns a limited set of moves from leveling up, getting other moves requires the use of TMs or TRs. Budew is used mainly as an entry hazard setter. According to Smogon, a good moveset to use with Budew includes the following moves in Diamond and Pearl:
- Spikes (Egg)
- Energy Ball (TM 53)
- Stun Spore (Learned at Level 1)
- Rest (TM 44)
The ideal moveset is slightly different in Black and White:
- Spikes (Egg)
- Giga Drain (Egg)
- Sludge Bomb (TM 36)
- Rest (TM 44)
In Pokemon X and Y, the moveset again changes slightly:
- Spikes (Egg)
- Synthesis/Rest (Egg/TM 44)
- Sludge Bomb (TM 36)
- Giga Drain/Hidden Power (Egg/TM 10)
The key moves in all of these movesets is Spikes, which lays thorns on the ground that damages any grounded Pokemon that enter the battle.
You probably won’t be using Budew in battle much, but these are moves that could possibly work well with Roselia or Roserade, too. There are also bulkier Pokemon with better stats and HP that can be used in place of Budew.
Nando’s Budew Evolves into Roselia
FAQs
Question: Can I Catch a Budew in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire?
Answer: While it’s true that Budew is the pre-evolved form of Roselia, the Pokemon that appears in the Ruby and Sapphire games, you aren’t able to catch it in those titles. Budew didn’t debut until Generation IV, the games better known as Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire.
Question: What Level Does Budew Evolve at?
Answer: Budew doesn’t evolve at a certain level. Rather, when your Budew’s Happiness reaches high enough number and your Budew levels up during daytime, it will evolve into Roselia.
Question: When Should I Evolve my Budew?
Since Budew doesn’t have a large moveset learned from leveling up, the decision is really up to each individual trainer. Budew will evolve on its own after its Friendship reaches a certain point and it levels up during the day.
Question: What is Budew’s Best Move?
Answer: Budew is mainly used as a hazard setter as mentioned before. Given this fact, Spikes is easily the best move that Budew has to offer your team.
Question: How does Budew learn Spikes?
Answer: Unlike a move that can be learned by leveling up or by using a TM/TR item, getting Budew to learn Spikes might take some time. Budew learns this move through breeding, meaning that you’ll have to hatch a new Budew that has inherited Spikes from one of its parents.
Question: Why does Budew Learn so Few Moves From Leveling Up?
Answer: It’s because Budew is a baby Pokemon. According to Bulbapedia , three specific criteria apply to baby Pokemon:
• It must be obtainable by breeding.
• It must be the lowest stage of evolution in a Pokemon’s evolution chain and it must be able to evolve at least once.
• It must be part of the Undiscovered Egg Group.
There are a number of baby Pokemon now, all of them cute and cuddly:
• Pichu (evolves into Pikachu)
• Cleffa (evolves into Clefairy)
• Igglybuff (evolves into Jigglypuff)
• Togepi (evolves into Togetic)
• Tyrogue (evolves into Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, or Hitmontop)
• Smoochum (evolves into Jynx)
• Elekid (evolves into Electabuzz)
• Magby (evolves into Magmar)
• Azurill (evolves into Marill)
• Wynaut (evolves into Wobbuffet)
• Budew (evolves into Roselia)
• Chingling (evolves into Chimecho)
• Bonsly (evolves into Sudowoodo)
• Mime Jr. (evolves into Mr. Mime)
• Happiny (evolves into Chansey)
• Munchlax (evolves into Snorlax)
• Riolu (evolves into Lucario)
• Mantyke (evolves into Mantine)
• Toxel (evolves into Toxtricity)
All baby Pokemon other than Toxel have appeared in the anime, with the most famous perhaps being Misty’s Togepi.
Question: What is the Best Baby Pokemon?
Answer: Togepi could be considered the best. According to Gamerant , “…this Pokemon is a fan-favorite.
Togepi is a frequent Metronome user, and would use this move often to get the gang out of trouble, even if they didn’t quite know it was him using the move.”
Question: How do I Breed a Budew?
Answer: You can breed a Budew by putting a male Roselia or Roserade in the Pokemon Day Care with a female Roselia or Roserade. The female Roselia or Roserade must also be holding the Rose Incense item. You can also use a Ditto in place of the male Roselia or Roserade.
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