Rillaboom Pokémon GO is the final evolution of Grookey and one of the strongest pure Grass-type starter Pokémon available in the game. It has a high Attack stat, access to the powerful Frenzy Plant Charged Attack and enough bulk to provide useful Grass-type damage in raids.
The standard version of Rillaboom can be used in raids, Gym battles and the GO Battle League. It is separate from Gigantamax Rillaboom, although a Gigantamax-capable Rillaboom can also be used in ordinary Pokémon GO battles outside Max Battles.
This guide explains how to get Rillaboom Pokémon GO, its best moveset, weaknesses, shiny availability, evolution cost and whether it is worth investing Stardust and Candy into.
Rillaboom Pokémon GO Details
| Rillaboom details | Information |
|---|---|
| Pokédex number | #0812 |
| Name | Rillaboom |
| Category | Drummer Pokémon |
| Generation | Generation VIII |
| Region | Galar |
| Type | Grass |
| Evolves from | Thwackey |
| Evolution cost | 100 Grookey Candy |
| Shiny available | Yes |
| Best Fast Attack | Razor Leaf |
| Best Charged Attack | Frenzy Plant |
| Maximum CP | Approximately 3,758 |
Rillaboom is a pure Grass-type Pokémon introduced as the final stage of the Grookey evolutionary family. Its Pokémon GO stats favour offence, giving it considerably more attacking power than many other fully evolved Grass-type starters.
How to Get Rillaboom in Pokémon GO
The most common way to get Rillaboom Pokémon GO is by evolving Grookey twice.
The full evolution line is:
| Evolution | Candy required |
|---|---|
| Grookey into Thwackey | 25 Grookey Candy |
| Thwackey into Rillaboom | 100 Grookey Candy |
| Total cost | 125 Grookey Candy |
No special item, Buddy task or daytime requirement is needed. Once you have collected 125 Grookey Candy, you can evolve Grookey into Thwackey and then into Rillaboom.
Grookey may appear during selected events, in the wild, through Research encounters or from Eggs. Its normal availability can change between Pokémon GO seasons.
Using Pinap Berries when catching Grookey will increase the amount of Candy received. Players can also make Grookey their Buddy, transfer unwanted Grookey or use Rare Candy if they need additional Candy quickly.
Rillaboom itself may occasionally appear as an event encounter, reward or battle boss, but evolving Grookey remains the most reliable long-term method.
Can Rillaboom Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Shiny Rillaboom is available in Pokémon GO.
Players can obtain one by catching a Shiny Grookey and evolving it into Shiny Thwackey and then Shiny Rillaboom. Evolving a shiny Pokémon does not remove its shiny status.
Shiny Rillaboom uses a noticeably different colour palette from its normal form. However, shiny encounters are never guaranteed unless an event specifically states otherwise.
The normal shiny version and Shiny Gigantamax Rillaboom are related but not identical collection entries. A standard shiny Rillaboom cannot automatically gain the ability to Gigantamax.
Players who want the Gigantamax version must obtain a Rillaboom that is specifically capable of Gigantamaxing through the relevant Pokémon GO Max Battle content.
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Rillaboom Pokémon GO Best Moveset
The best Rillaboom Pokémon GO moveset for raids and Gym battles is:
- Fast Attack: Razor Leaf
- Charged Attack: Frenzy Plant
Frenzy Plant is an exceptionally strong Grass-type Charged Attack and gives Rillaboom its best overall raid performance.
However, Frenzy Plant is an event-exclusive move. A Rillaboom evolved outside an eligible event may not learn it normally.
Players who already have a Rillaboom without Frenzy Plant can obtain the move using an Elite Charged TM, provided Frenzy Plant remains available in its Elite TM move pool.
Drum Beating is the strongest regular alternative when Frenzy Plant is unavailable.
| Attack type | Recommended move |
|---|---|
| Fast Attack | Razor Leaf |
| Best Charged Attack | Frenzy Plant |
| Best non-exclusive Charged Attack | Drum Beating |
| Coverage option | Earth Power |
Grass Knot and Energy Ball may also be available, but they are generally less valuable than Frenzy Plant or Drum Beating.
Is Frenzy Plant Worth Using on Rillaboom?
Yes, Frenzy Plant is the most important move for players who want to use Rillaboom as a Grass-type raid attacker.
Rillaboom has a naturally high Attack stat, and Frenzy Plant gives it the efficient Grass-type damage needed to compete with other starter Pokémon and several non-Legendary Grass attackers.
An Elite Charged TM is valuable, though, so players should avoid using one immediately on a poor-IV Rillaboom unless they urgently need another Grass attacker.
A better approach is to evolve a strong Grookey during an event that awards Frenzy Plant or save the Elite Charged TM for a high-IV, shiny, Dynamax or Gigantamax-capable Rillaboom.
Rillaboom Pokémon GO Weaknesses
As a pure Grass-type Pokémon, Rillaboom is weak against five attack types:
- Bug
- Fire
- Flying
- Ice
- Poison
Each of these deals super-effective damage against Rillaboom.
Fire and Flying Pokémon are usually among the easiest counters to use if Rillaboom appears as a raid, Gym defender or Max Battle opponent.
Strong options may include powerful Fire-type Pokémon such as Reshiram, Mega Blaziken, Mega Charizard Y and Shadow Chandelure, or Flying attackers such as Mega Rayquaza.
The best counter will depend on the battle format, weather boost, available Mega Evolution and the current Pokémon GO move pool.
Rillaboom Resistances
Rillaboom resists attacks from:
- Electric
- Grass
- Ground
- Water
Damage taken when Rillaboom is hit by each type:
Weak to
Resists
Based on Grass typing. Abilities may modify these matchups.
These resistances make Rillaboom particularly useful against Water-type raid bosses. It can also perform well when battling Pokémon that rely heavily on Ground or Electric attacks.
However, Rillaboom’s pure Grass typing means it does not gain the additional resistances or weaknesses that a dual-type Pokémon might have.
Rillaboom Pokémon GO Stats
Rillaboom has the following approximate Pokémon GO base stats:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 239 |
| Defence | 168 |
| Stamina | 225 |
| Maximum CP | Approximately 3,758 |
Its greatest strength is its Attack stat. Rillaboom can deal strong Grass-type damage while still having enough Stamina to remain active longer than frailer glass-cannon attackers.
Its Defence is less impressive, so Rillaboom should not be expected to survive indefinitely against powerful raid attacks.
Is Rillaboom Good in Pokémon GO Raids?
Rillaboom is a good Grass-type raid attacker, particularly when it has Razor Leaf and Frenzy Plant.
It performs best against raid bosses that are weak to Grass attacks, including many:
- Water types
- Ground types
- Rock types
Grass-type attackers face heavy competition, however. Pokémon such as Kartana, Mega Sceptile, Mega Venusaur and strong Shadow Pokémon may deal more damage in certain situations.
Rillaboom remains useful because Grookey Candy is generally easier to obtain than Candy or XL Candy for many Legendary, Ultra Beast or Shadow alternatives.
A high-level Rillaboom with Frenzy Plant can therefore provide reliable raid damage without requiring a team built entirely from rare Pokémon.
Is Rillaboom Good in PvP?
Rillaboom has some potential in Pokémon GO PvP but is not consistently one of the safest choices across the major leagues.
Razor Leaf deals heavy Fast Attack damage but generates energy slowly. This can make Rillaboom threatening against Pokémon weak to Grass while leaving it vulnerable when facing poor matchups.
A possible PvP moveset is:
- Razor Leaf
- Drum Beating
- Frenzy Plant or Earth Power
Drum Beating provides a lower-energy Charged Attack and can reduce the opponent’s Attack, while Frenzy Plant delivers strong Grass-type damage.
Earth Power gives Rillaboom coverage against some Fire, Poison and Steel Pokémon, although Razor Leaf’s slower energy generation can make it difficult to reach expensive Charged Attacks.
Rillaboom is usually better treated as a specialist or limited-cup option than a universally safe PvP investment.
Standard Rillaboom vs Gigantamax Rillaboom
Standard Rillaboom and Gigantamax Rillaboom use the same basic species stats in ordinary battles, but only a specially obtained Gigantamax-capable Rillaboom can transform into its Gigantamax form during Max Battles.
| Feature | Standard Rillaboom | Gigantamax Rillaboom |
|---|---|---|
| Can be evolved from Grookey | Yes | Not automatically |
| Can battle in raids | Yes | Yes |
| Can battle in PvP | Yes | Yes |
| Can enter Max Battles | Only if Dynamax-capable | Yes |
| Can Gigantamax | No | Yes |
| Uses G-Max Drum Solo | No | Yes |
Players who already have a strong standard Rillaboom do not need to replace it for ordinary raids. However, Gigantamax Rillaboom is the more flexible long-term option because it can participate in both regular battles and Gigantamax content.
What Is the Best IV Rillaboom?
A perfect Rillaboom has 15 Attack, 15 Defence and 15 Stamina IVs.
A 100% IV Rillaboom is the ideal choice for:
- Raids
- Max Battles, if it is Dynamax or Gigantamax capable
- Master League investment
- Powering up beyond level 40
- Using an Elite Charged TM
For Great League or Ultra League, the best PvP IV combination may use lower Attack and higher Defence and Stamina to fit more overall stats under the CP limit.
Players should use an IV-ranking tool before transferring low-Attack Rillaboom if they are interested in PvP.
Should You Power Up Rillaboom in Pokémon GO?
Rillaboom is worth powering up if you need an accessible Grass-type attacker and have one with Frenzy Plant.
It is particularly valuable for newer players who do not have complete teams of Kartana, Shadow Grass Pokémon or powered-up Mega Evolutions.
The best Rillaboom to invest in would ideally have one or more of the following:
- High IVs
- Frenzy Plant
- Shiny status
- Dynamax capability
- Gigantamax capability
- Enough Grookey Candy XL to reach a high level
Players with limited Stardust should prioritise the version that can serve the greatest number of roles.
A Gigantamax-capable Rillaboom with strong IVs and Frenzy Plant would generally offer more long-term usefulness than an ordinary Rillaboom with similar IVs.
Rillaboom Pokédex Description
By drumming, it taps into the power of its special tree stump. The roots of the stump follow its direction in battle.
Rillaboom is known as the Drummer Pokémon. It controls the roots of its tree-stump drum through its powerful drumming, using rhythm and sound to direct them during battle.
Is Rillaboom Pokémon GO Worth Getting?
Rillaboom Pokémon GO is worth adding to your collection, especially when it has Frenzy Plant.
Its high Attack stat makes it a capable Grass-type raid attacker, while its straightforward Grookey evolution path makes it more accessible than many Legendary or Ultra Beast alternatives.
It is not the strongest Grass Pokémon in every situation, and its PvP performance can be inconsistent. However, it remains an effective and relatively accessible choice for raids against Water, Ground and Rock-type Pokémon.
Players should keep their strongest Grookey, look for opportunities to obtain Frenzy Plant and prioritise a Gigantamax-capable version if they want a Rillaboom that can also compete in Max Battles.
