Shadow Cacturne

PVE Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Sucker Punch	Dark Pulse	A	B
Sucker Punch	Grass Knot	A-	B
Poison Jab	Dark Pulse	X	A
Poison Jab	Grass Knot	X	A-
Poison Jab	Dynamic Punch	X	A
Sucker Punch	Dynamic Punch	X	B
Sucker Punch	Payback	B	D

Quick	Charge	ATK	DEF
Poison Jab	Payback	X	C
Poison Jab	Trailblaze	X	C
Sucker Punch	Trailblaze	X	C
Sand Attack	Grass Knot	X	X
Sand Attack	Dynamic Punch	X	X
Sand Attack	Dark Pulse	X	X
Sand Attack	Payback	X	X

PVE Offensive Moves Explanation

• You almost always want Sucker Punch in any situation that you’d use Shadow Cacturne.
• Sand Attack and Poison Jab are good, but not really on Shadow Cacturne. 
• Dark Pulse shares typing with Sucker Punch to make a decent Dark-type moveset.
• Payback is a step down.
• Grass Knot is one of the better generally available charge moves in the game, compensating for lack of fast move synergy.
• Trailblaze is basically Grass Knot but worse.
• Dynamic Punch is great, but best left to Fighting-types.

PVE Defensive Moves Explanation

• Poison Jab slightly outdamages Sucker Punch, but the latter gains energy faster.
• Sand Atack falls behind on Defense.
• Dark Pulse and Grass Knot both get STAB, but are more likely to be resisted by many attackers.
• Trailblaze is basically Grass Knot but worse.
• Dynamic Punch is less likely to be resisted and has wide coverage. 
• Payback is undesirable for defense due to it being a 1-bar move. 

PVE Overview

PVP Movesets Grades

Quick	Charge	ATK
Poison Jab	Grass Knot Dark Pulse	A-
Sucker Punch	Grass Knot Dark Pulse	A-
Sand Attack	Grass Knot Dark Pulse	A

PvP Moveset Explanation

Sand Attack or Poison Jab Or Sucker Punch + Grass Knot and Dark Pulse 

Sand Attack is generally the Fast Move of choice for Shadow Cacturne thanks to its high Energy Generation. Poison Jab has superior stats compared to Sucker Punch, but the differences are minor and their typing coverage would be more of a priority for consideration. 

Grass Knot and Dark Pulse are recommended for their moderate energy cost and dual STAB coverage options. Dynamic Punch can be used if you really need that Fighting coverage, and Payback is generally just worse than Dark Pulse due to its higher energy cost.

PvP Rating Explanation

Great League: 1 / 5

Cacturne is more-or-less a worse Shiftry in the Great League, and it sadly has no real utility in the tier.

Ultra League: 1.5 / 5

Still not a good Pokemon, Cacturne at least has a few notable wins in the Ultra League. However, everything that it does can be done better by other Pokemon.

Master League: 0 / 5

Cacturne is entirely outclassed in the Master League.

Fast Moves

10

Poison Jab

More Info

Poison

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.80	0.60	8.75		12.50	15.63

7

Sucker Punch

More Info

Dark

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.70	0.40	11.43		10.00	12.50

4

Sand Attack

More Info

Ground

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	EPU	DPS	DPS w/STAB	True DPS
0.50	0.30	14.00		8.00	10.00

Charge Moves

90

Grass Knot

2 Energy

More Info

Grass

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.60	0.90	0.00	1.80	34.62	43.27		62.31

90

Dynamic Punch

2 Energy

More Info

Fighting

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.70	1.50	0.00	1.80	33.33	41.67		60.00

80

Dark Pulse

2 Energy

More Info

Dark

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
3.00	0.90	0.00	1.60	26.67	33.33		42.67

100

Payback

1 Energy

More Info

Dark

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.20	0.90	0.00	1.00	45.45	56.82		45.45

65

Trailblaze

2 Energy

More Info

Grass

1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
1.6x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.00	0.70	0.00	1.30	32.50	40.63		42.25

Exclusive Charge Moves

10

Frustration

3 Energy

More Info

Normal

.714x Damage	VS
.714x Damage	VS
.51x Damage	VS

0.7 secs

CD	DW	EPS	DPE	DPS	DPS w/STAB	DPE*DPS
2.00	0.80	0.00	0.30	5.00	6.25		1.52

Purification Cost

Pokemon Type Chart

Vulnerable

	256% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage
	160% damage

Resistant

	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage
	62.5% damage
	39.1% damage
	62.5% damage

Related Articles

Shadow Pokemon List