How to get Cranidos in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk

Cranidos charged headfirst into Pokémon Scarlet and Violet with the release of The Indigo Disk DLC. While other species are easier to find, the Head Butt Pokémon can be found only in a small, remote area of Blueberry Academy’s Terarium, making it a tough one to locate.

The Gen IV fossil Pokémon is a version exclusively found only in copies of Scarlet. If you own Violet, you’ll either need to trade online or with a friend or look for one in a Tera Raid using the Poké Portal.

Where to find Cranidos in the wild in Pokémon Scarlet: The Indigo Disk

Cranidos can be found in the Canyon Biome, on a flat hilltop overlooking several waterfalls. This location is tucked away in the mountains southeast of the Canyon Plaza, so refer to the map below to know exactly where to find the Gen IV Pokémon.

In this same area, you’ll find Skarmory, Axew, Altaria, and Minncino, among other species. Once you’ve found a Cranidos, approach it to begin a battle. Whittle its health down like you would any other wild Pokémon, and chuck a Poké Ball at it to catch it.

How to get Cranidos if you own Pokémon Violet

Since Cranidos is a version exclusive in Scarlet, players who own Violet won’t be able to find this Rock type in the wild. One option you have for obtaining this creature if you own Violet is to trade with a friend or use one of the trade codes for The Indigo Disk DLC. Be sure to bring a Shieldon if you’re using a trade code, however; whoever you end up linking with will be expecting the Violet version counterpart.

Another method for getting Cranidos is to look for it in the Tera Raid Battle search board. This method might take some time, but if you periodically check in, you should be able to find one sooner or later.

What level does Cranidos evolve in Pokémon SV?

Once you’ve caught your Cranidos, you’re likely going to want to evolve it into Rampardos. If you’re further into the game, you’ll have an easier time; Cranidos evolves at level 30, so if you find it in the wild at a higher level, all you need to do is level it up once, and it will evolve into Rampardos.

Best nature for Cranidos and Rampardos in Pokémon SV

Those of you who want to add Cranidos and its evolution as a permanent member to your team will likely want to find the strongest specimen you can find. This means you’ll need to keep catching (or breeding) Cranidos until you find one with an ideal nature.

Rampardos boasts a high Attack stat and decent health but very low numbers in every other stat. Given that its move pool is mostly Physical attacks, you’ll want a nature that lowers its Special Attack stat while upping another. Here are the best natures for Rampardos in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

• Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack): The Jolly nature allows Rampardos to be a bit quicker on its feet while lowering its Special Attack. This helps it outspeed other Pokémon in its speed range, letting it land the first blow in a fight and (hopefully) KO your opponent before they have time to take their attack.
• Naive (+Speed, -Special Defense): While most of Rampardos’s move pool is comprised of Physical attacks, the Rock type also gets access to Ice Beam, which can come in clutch in certain matchups. If you plan to teach your Rampardos this move, you might prefer to keep a bit of power in its Special Attack stat. The Naive nature lowers the Special Defense stat—which, on Rampardos, is its lowest stat anyway—while boosting its Speed.