basculin-white-striped #10247
Type Matchups
Weak to (2x damage):
Resistant to (½x damage):
basculin-white-striped
Generation V · #10247 — Hostile Pokémon
Basculin (white-striped form) is a Water-type Pokémon introduced in Generation V, standing as National Pokédex entry #550. This particular form represents a unique variant of Basculin that was later expanded upon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, where it became known as the Hisuian form. With a base stat total of 460, Basculin white-striped possesses a notably higher Speed stat of 98, allowing it to outpace many opponents in battle despite its relatively modest defensive capabilities. The white-striped form is sometimes referred to as the "Mellow Pokémon," a distinct contrast to the red and blue-striped forms which are classified as "Hostile Pokémon," reflecting a fundamental difference in temperament and behavioral patterns between the forms.
Base Stats
Height
1.0m
Weight
18.0kg
Category
Hostile Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
green
Shape
fish
Abilities
Raises Speed one stage upon being hit by a dark, ghost, or bug move.
Increases the same-type attack bonus from 1.5× to 2×.
Bypasses targets' abilities if they could hinder or prevent a move.
Basculin-white-striped Biology & Physical Characteristics
White-striped Basculin maintains the same physical dimensions as its red and blue counterparts, measuring 1.0 meters in height and weighing 18.0 kilograms, giving it a compact yet athletic build suited for aquatic environments. The most distinctive biological feature of this form is its white striping pattern, which sets it apart visually from the more common red and blue variants found in other regions. Its biological stat distribution reveals a creature optimized for speed and offensive capability, with Attack reaching 92 and Speed an impressive 98, while defensive stats remain relatively modest at 65 Defense and 55 Special Defense. This form possesses either the Rattled ability, which raises Speed when hit by Dark, Ghost, or Bug-type moves, or Adaptability, which increases the same-type attack bonus from 1.5× to 2×, providing two distinct strategic pathways in competitive play. The hidden ability Mold Breaker offers a third option, allowing it to bypass opponents' abilities that might hinder or prevent its moves.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Basculin-white-striped Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
White-striped Basculin maintains a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male to 50% female, allowing for equal breeding opportunities regardless of the parent's sex when used in compatible breeding combinations. This Pokémon belongs to the Water 2 egg group, meaning it can breed with other Pokémon sharing this classification, including Water-type species and certain other aquatic-themed creatures. The breeding process requires 40 egg cycles to produce a Basculin egg, approximately 10,024 to 10,280 steps of in-game travel, making it a moderately accessible Pokémon for breeders seeking specific movesets or individual values through competitive breeding programs. White-striped Basculin's base friendship of 70 indicates moderate ease of building trainer bonds, though dedicated players can increase this through various in-game activities. When breeding white-striped Basculin, offspring will inherit the white-striped form from the mother, and moves can be passed down from either parent if they are in the Water 2 egg group, providing strategic advantages for competitive players seeking optimized movesets.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm03
ruby sapphire
tm03
platinum
tm03
firered leafgreen
tm03
heartgold soulsilver
tm03
diamond pearl
tm03
emerald
tm03
xd
tm03
colosseum
tm05
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm07
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm08
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm09
yellow
tm09
red blue
tm98
sun moon
hm03
ruby sapphire
hm03
platinum
hm03
omega ruby alpha sapphire
+273 more TMs/HMs
basculin-white-striped's Evolution Chain
Basculin-white-striped Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
White-striped Basculin holds the distinction of being the only form capable of evolution, transforming into the powerful Basculegion under specific conditions introduced in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This evolution requires white-striped Basculin to be leveled up after accumulating at least 294 HP of recoil damage throughout its encounters without fainting, a unique evolutionary mechanic that represents a physical and spiritual transformation rather than a simple level threshold. This condition reflects the lore established in Legends: Arceus, where the hardship and struggle experienced by Basculin creates a spiritual connection that allows it to evolve into Basculegion, a much more formidable Water and Ghost-type Pokémon. The red and blue-striped forms of Basculin remain unable to evolve, making white-striped Basculin's access to evolution another factor that distinguishes it as a unique variant with greater potential for growth and development in battle scenarios.
Where to Find
Location data not available for this Pokémon in the database.
Basculin-white-striped Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Unlike the red and blue-striped Basculin forms, which are characterized by constant aggression and immediate conflict when their territories overlap, the white-striped form displays notably different social behavior. Pokédex entries for white-striped Basculin indicate that members of this form "usually do not get along," but "sometimes members of one school mingle with the other's school," suggesting a more temperate disposition compared to their red and blue cousins. This behavioral distinction is significant enough that white-striped Basculin earned the separate genus designation of "Mellow Pokémon," indicating a calmer, more peaceful nature. White-striped Basculin inhabit freshwater bodies and can be found in rivers and streams where they can utilize their exceptional speed of 98 to navigate currents and pursue prey. Their willingness to occasionally associate with other Basculin schools suggests a more gregarious nature than their strictly territorial counterparts, making them more adaptable to varying social environments within their ecosystems.
Pokedex Entries
Generation V
Red and blue Basculin get along so poorly, they’ll start fighting instantly. These Pokémon are very hostile.
Red- and blue-striped Basculin are very violent and always fighting. They are also remarkably tasty.
Red and blue Basculin usually do not get along, but sometimes members of one school mingle with the other’s school.
Generation VI
Red- and blue-striped Basculin are very violent and always fighting. They are also remarkably tasty.
Red and blue Basculin usually do not get along, but sometimes members of one school mingle with the other’s school.
Red- and blue-striped Basculin are very violent and always fighting. They are also remarkably tasty.
Red and blue Basculin usually do not get along, but sometimes members of one school mingle with the other’s school.
Generation VII
Savage, violent Pokémon, red and blue Basculin are always fighting each other over territory.
When a school of Basculin appears in a lake, everything else disappears, except for Corphish and Crawdaunt. That’s how violent Basculin are.
Generation VIII
Anglers love the fight this Pokémon puts up on the hook. And there are always more to catch— many people release them into lakes illicitly.
In the past, it often appeared on the dinner table. The meat of red-striped Basculin is on the fatty side, and it’s more popular with the youth.
Though it differs from other Basculin in several respects, including demeanor—this one is gentle—I have categorized it as a regional form given the vast array of shared qualities.
Basculin-white-striped Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Basculin derives from the words "bass" and "masculine" or "masculine" in the Romance languages, reflecting its design as an aggressive, predatory fish Pokémon. The white-striped variant appears to be inspired by real-world fish species that exhibit color polymorphism, where populations display different pigmentation patterns despite belonging to the same species. The white striping pattern contrasts sharply with the red and blue variants, perhaps referencing the regional or ecological differences that lead to color variation in actual fish populations. The Japanese name Bassrao combines "bass" with "rao," creating a straightforward designation that emphasizes the predatory fish identity. The design process for white-striped Basculin likely involved creating a visually distinct variant that could serve as the Hisuian representation of the species, allowing Game Freak to introduce regional form mechanics to an existing Generation V Pokémon and expand its narrative relevance to newer games and regions.
Learnable Moves
Basculin-white-striped can learn 47 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| agility | psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| aqua jet | water | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| aqua tail | water | Physical | 90 | 90 | 10 |
| bite | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| blizzard | ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| chilling water | water | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| crunch | dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| endeavor | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 5 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| flail | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| flip turn | water | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| head smash | rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| hydro pump | water | Special | 110 | 80 | 5 |
| ice beam | ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| ice fang | ice | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| last respects | ghost | Physical | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| liquidation | water | Physical | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| mud shot | ground | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| muddy water | water | Special | 90 | 85 | 10 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psychic fangs | psychic | Physical | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| scale shot | dragon | Physical | 25 | 90 | 20 |
| scary face | normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snowscape | ice | Status | 0 | — | 10 |
| soak | water | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| surf | water | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| swift | normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| tackle | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| tail whip | normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thrash | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| uproar | normal | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| water gun | water | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| water pulse | water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| waterfall | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| wave crash | water | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| whirlpool | water | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| zen headbutt | psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
Basculin-white-striped Competitive Battle Guide
White-striped Basculin occupies an interesting niche in competitive battling with its exceptional Speed stat of 98, allowing it to outspeed many common threats and operate as a speed-focused Water-type attacker. Its Attack stat of 92 combines reasonably well with Water-type moves like Waterfall and Crunch to deliver respectable damage output, though its 80 Special Attack limits its reliance on special Water-type moves like Hydro Pump. The Adaptability ability provides white-striped Basculin with a significant damage multiplier for same-type attack bonus moves, increasing the 1.5× modifier to 2×, making its Water-type attacks considerably more threatening than they would otherwise be. Alternatively, the Rattled ability offers utility by raising Speed when targeted by Dark, Ghost, or Bug-type moves, turning common coverage moves into setup opportunities. However, white-striped Basculin's defensive shortcomings, with only 65 Defense and 55 Special Defense complemented by a moderate 70 HP, limit its staying power in competitive formats. The hidden ability Mold Breaker provides flexibility for teams seeking to bypass defensive abilities like Water Absorb or Storm Drain on opposing Pokémon, though this requires breeding for hidden ability individuals.
Commonly Asked Questions About Basculin-white-striped
What type is Basculin-white-striped?
Basculin-white-striped is a water type Pokemon.
What does Basculin-white-striped evolve into?
Basculin-white-striped does not evolve into any other Pokemon. It is the final form in its evolution line.
What are Basculin-white-striped's weaknesses?
Basculin-white-striped is weak to grass and electric type moves.
Basculin-white-striped Cultural Impact & Franchise History
White-striped Basculin remains a relatively underrepresented variant in broader Pokémon media and culture compared to the more visually striking red and blue-striped forms, which emphasize conflict and aggression that resonates with traditional competitive Pokémon narratives. The introduction of white-striped Basculin through Pokémon Legends: Arceus gave the form narrative significance by establishing it as the Hisuian variant capable of evolution, though its reception has been moderate within the community. The distinction between the hostile red and blue forms and the mellow white-striped form creates interesting thematic diversity, with the white-striped form appealing to players who prefer less aggressive Pokémon designs and storylines emphasizing cooperation over conflict. In competitive circles, white-striped Basculin is occasionally used in specific metagames, particularly in formats where speed-based Water-type attackers are valuable, though it rarely achieves mainstream tournament success. The Pokédex entry noting that white-striped Basculin are "remarkably tasty" has occasionally attracted humorous commentary from players, though this culinary observation applies equally to all Basculin forms.
Where to Find Basculin-white-striped in Every Pokémon Game
White-striped Basculin availability varies significantly across different Pokémon games and regions, with the form being most readily accessible in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, where it serves as a primary Water-type encounter and holds direct narrative significance through its evolution mechanic. In earlier generations where only red and blue-striped forms existed, white-striped Basculin simply was not available, making it exclusive to titles released after Pokémon Legends: Arceus's 2022 launch. The form can be encountered in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Paldea region, with specific location availability varying by version exclusivity and in-game area access. When available, Basculin can be found in freshwater environments such as rivers and lakes, with encounters typically requiring Water-type Pokédex completion tasks or specific environmental conditions. The base capture rate of 25 indicates moderate difficulty in catching wild specimens, requiring persistence and appropriate Poké Balls for reliable capture, though players can obtain Basculin more readily through breeding once they have acquired a parent specimen. Players seeking white-striped Basculin specifically should note regional and version-based availability differences, as not all games containing Basculin necessarily feature all three forms with equal prevalence.