Introducing Drilbur, the Mole Pokémon
Drilbur is a mole-like Pokémon that has a short, wide body with two small, ovoid feet with three toes each. Its body is mostly black, but has a jagged, navy blue stripe that runs vertically along its torso. Drilbur has large, round, red eyes and a pink, mask-like pattern covering its nose. Its hands have two large claws used for digging tunnels underground. According to the Pokédex, Drilbur can dig through the ground at speeds of up to 30 mph (from https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Drilbur_(Pok%C3%A9mon)).
Drilbur is a pure Ground-type Pokémon. This gives it immunity against Electric attacks and makes it strong against Poison, Rock, and Steel opponents. However, Drilbur is weak against Water, Grass, and Ice moves. It has the abilities Sand Rush, which boosts its Speed in a sandstorm, and Mold Breaker, which allows its moves to hit regardless of abilities like Levitate. In the wild, Drilbur are known to rapidly dig maze-like nests and tunnels underground.
How Drilbur Evolves into Excadrill
Drilbur evolves into Excadrill when it reaches level 31. This evolution can happen through normal leveling up. Drilbur does not have any special evolution conditions or methods – simply leveling it up to 31 will cause it to evolve into Excadrill.
According to Bulbapedia, “Due to its evolution, Excadrill’s drill has turned into steel. Excadrill can straighten its entire body, allowing it to spin like a drill. It can cut through iron plates using its sharp claws” (https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Excadrill_(Pok%C3%A9mon)). So when Drilbur evolves into Excadrill at level 31, its body and drill undergo changes to become more powerful.
In summary, Drilbur simply needs to reach level 31 through normal leveling up and gameplay in order to evolve into the mighty Excadrill.
Introducing Excadrill, the Subterrene Pokémon
Excadrill is a bipedal, mole-like Pokémon with a dark brown body with diagonal, red splotches. Three markings resemble scratch marks on its front. It has a large, rounded head with a tapering snout and red eyes. It has large, gray claws and cylindrical feet with three claws. A drill-like appendage extends from its forehead and contains powerful claws. These claws allow it to dig tunnels through subterranean terrain at high speeds. According to Bulbapedia, Excadrill can tunnel through the terrain at speeds over 90 mph.
Excadrill is a dual Ground/Steel-type Pokémon. This gives it resistances to Poison, Rock, Bug, Steel, Fire, Electric, and other Ground-type moves. Its abilities are Sand Rush, which doubles its Speed stat during sandstorms, and Mold Breaker, which allows its moves to hit regardless of abilities like Levitate. In the wild, Excadrill are mostly solitary and prefer to live underground in tunnels and caves they dig themselves. They will fiercely protect their lairs from intruders.
Excadrill’s Powerful Capabilities
As an evolved form of Drilbur, Excadrill gains immense power and battle capabilities. With a Ground/Steel typing, Excadrill boasts a number of strengths that make it a formidable Pokémon in battles.
Some of Excadrill’s key strengths in battle include:
- Resistance to Poison, Electric, Rock, Normal, Flying, Bug, Steel, Psychic type moveshttps://pokestop.io/pokemon/excadrill
- Powerful STAB attacks like Drill Run, Earthquake, Iron Headhttps://pokemon.gameinfo.io/en/pokemon/530-excadrill
- High Attack and Speed stats
- Ability Sand Rush doubles Speed in sandstorm
Some recommended movesets for Excadrill include Earthquake, Iron Head, Swords Dance, Rock Slide. Focusing on Ground and Steel type attacks like Drill Run and Iron Head can enable Excadrill to deal massive damage.https://www.smogon.com/dex/sm/pokemon/excadrill/
With proper training and moveset selection, Excadrill’s immense power can overwhelm opponents and make it a dominating force in battle.
Where to Find Drilbur and Excadrill
Drilbur and its evolved form Excadrill can be found in various locations across the different Pokémon games:
In Pokémon Black and White, Drilbur can be found in Dust Cloud encounters inside Wellspring Cave, Chargestone Cave, Mistralton Cave, Twist Mountain, and Clay Tunnel. It has a 5% chance of appearing in dust clouds in caves. Excadrill is only obtainable through evolving Drilbur in these games.
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Drilbur can again be found in Dust Cloud encounters inside Relic Passage, Relic Castle, Clay Tunnel, Underground Ruins, Twist Mountain, Reversal Mountain, and Seaside Cave. Excadrill can be found in the Giant Chasm.
In Pokémon X and Y, Drilbur can be found on Route 6, in the Glittering Cave, and in the Frost Cavern. Excadrill can be found in the same areas through evolving Drilbur.
In Pokémon Sun and Moon, Drilbur can be found on Route 12 and in Diglett’s Tunnel. Excadrill can be found on Route 12 and in the Haina Desert.
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Drilbur has a chance of spawning during Overcast weather in the Dusty Bowl and Giant’s Cap areas of the Wild Area. Excadrill can also be found in the same areas.
Overall, Drilbur and Excadrill tend to appear in caves, tunnels, mountains, and other rocky or underground areas across the Pokémon world.
How to Obtain a Drilbur
Drilbur can be found in a few different locations across the Pokémon games. In Pokémon Black and White, Drilbur can be encountered in Dust Clouds in Wellspring Cave, Mistralton Cave, Chargestone Cave, and Twist Mountain (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/995081-pokemon-white-version/58361374). The player simply needs to run around in areas with swirling dust until a Dust Cloud appears, indicating a Drilbur encounter.
Drilbur can also be found through normal Grass encounters on Routes 6, 7, and 8 in Black and White. Players can increase their chances by using Repels to reduce weaker spawns (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ds/989552-pokemon-black-version/answers/259409). In later games like Pokémon Sword and Shield, Drilbur can be found through random encounters in the Dusty Bowl and Stony Wilderness areas.
Other methods include receiving one as a gift, trading with NPCs or other players, transferring from past games, or catching one in Max Raid Battles. With some persistence and careful searching, players should be able to add Drilbur to their party.
How to Train a Drilbur or Excadrill
Drilbur and its evolution Excadrill are powerful Ground-type Pokémon that can be tricky to train, but also very rewarding if raised properly. Here are some tips for training them to their full potential:
For Drilbur, focus on attacks like Scratch, Mud Sport, Rapid Spin, and Mud Slap early on. Make sure to keep its Attack stat high by using Protein or training against Rock-types. Once it evolves into Excadrill at level 31, start teaching strong Ground moves like Dig, Earthquake, and Drill Run.
According to competitive guides on Smogon, some of the best movesets for Excadrill are:
- Swords Dance, Earthquake, Iron Head, Rock Slide
- Hone Claws, Earthquake, Iron Head, Rock Slide
- Earthquake, Iron Head, Rapid Spin, Toxic
For PvP battles in Pokémon GO, some ideal moves are Mud-Slap and Drill Run. Earthquake, Rock Slide, and Iron Head are also good charge moves. Make sure to pair Excadrill with Pokémon that can set up sandstorms for its Sand Rush ability.
The key is teaching Excadrill powerful Ground-type attacks like Earthquake to take advantage of STAB (same-type attack bonus), while rounding out coverage with Rock, Steel and Poison moves. With the right moveset, training, and ability boosts, Excadrill can sweep unprepared teams.
Using Excadrill Effectively in Battle
Excadrill is one of the top Ground-type attackers in the competitive battling scene, thanks to its great offensive stats and powerful STAB moves like Earthquake. According to Smogon, some effective strategies for using Excadrill in battle include:
Setting up with Swords Dance or Rock Polish to boost its Attack or Speed, allowing it to sweep teams late-game. Common sets utilize Life Orb to boost its attacks. Sand Rush is often the preferred ability, doubling Excadrill’s speed in Sandstorm.
Targeting Flying, Fire, Electric and Rock-types like Charizard, Rotom-Heat, and Tyranitar which are weak to its STAB Ground moves. It can also threaten Steel-types with Fighting coverage.
Baiting in and eliminating Grass-types like Ferrothorn who wall it. This is done by carrying coverage moves like Iron Head. Once removed, Excadrill has much more room to sweep.
According to Game8, pairing Excadrill with Tyranitar or Hippowdon is recommended, as they can set up Sandstorm which powers up Excadrill’s Sand Rush and Sand Force abilities.
Excadrill in the Pokémon Anime
Excadrill has made several notable appearances in the Pokémon anime series. The most prominent Excadrill is the one owned by Iris, which she obtained as a Drilbur and evolved into Excadrill.
Iris’s Excadrill first appeared as a Drilbur in the episode “The Bloom Is on Axew!” where it helped rescue Axew from a wild Scolipede. Drilbur evolved into Excadrill in “The Battle Club and Tepig’s Choice!” during a battle with Ash’s Oshawott. Iris’s Excadrill originally had trouble obeying her after evolving, but they eventually overcame this issue.
Some key scenes involving Iris’s Excadrill include:
- Battling and losing to Ash’s Krokorok (before it evolved into Krookodile) in “Dancing With the Ducklett Trio!”
- Battling Ash’s Pikachu to a draw in “The Club Battle Hearts of Fury: Emolga Versus Sawk!”
- Defeating Ash’s Boldore and losing to his Palpitoad in “Climbing the Tower of Success!”
- Helping to stop Team Rocket from capturing the Kami trio in the “M15” movie.
- Battling Cynthia’s Garchomp to a draw in “All for the Love of Meloetta!”
Overall, Iris’s Excadrill demonstrated its power but also its difficulty in obeying Iris initially. It played an important role for her team in the Unova region.
Fun Facts About Excadrill
Excadrill has some fascinating facts and interesting trivia behind it. Here are some fun things to know about this Pokemon:
Excadrill’s claws are made of steel and can dig tunnels through solid bedrock at speeds of over 90 mph, according to the Pokedex. This makes Excadrill an adept digger and miner.
With its high Attack stat, Excadrill is one of the most powerful physical attackers in the game. Its signature move, Drill Run, takes advantage of this Attack power.
Excadrill is the only Pokemon that can legally learn more than one one-hit KO move by leveling up – Horn Drill and Fissure. This makes it a formidable opponent.
Its Japanese name, Doryuzu, combines the words for ‘drill’ and ‘mole.’ This reflects Excadrill’s design as a mole-like Pokemon with drill-like claws.
Excadrill is the only Pokemon to have Mold Breaker as its hidden ability. This allows its moves to damage opponents regardless of their abilities.
In the anime, Iris owns an Excadrill which she befriended as a Drilbur when she was young. It sometimes refuses to listen to her in battle.
Excadrill’s claws resemble drill bits or excavation equipment. This suits its role as a miner and digger hunting for treasures underground.
Its Pokedex entries mention that it helped with subway and tunnel construction. Its digging abilities are put to good human use.
Excadrill lives in maze-like tunnels and caves it digs underground. It uses its claws to carve through the walls at high speeds.