During the maingame, Cubone can only be found in the Pokemon Tower and Marowak only in Victory Road; both can be found in Sevault Canyon during the postgame.
Ah, the ever-popular, albeit rare "bonehead". While not as fast as Dugtrio nor as tanky as Golem, it manages to hold the middle ground fairly well.
Gym #3 - Lt. Surge (Vermilion City, Electric-type): Bone Club, Bone Club everywhere! Voltorb shouldn't get more than one SonicBoom off, and while Pikachu and Raichu may be annoying with Double Team, they can't do much damage. They can't keep dodging forever. Keep attacking.
Gym #4 - Erika (Celadon City, Grass-type): STAB Giga Drain on everything makes Cubone/Marowak a sad... whatever it is.
Gym #5 - Koga (Fuchsia City, Poison-type): Not as good as the typing would suggest. With the Koffing twins carrying Selfdestruct, the Weezing's high Defense and all three being immune to Ground, Marowak can't take on any of them. Muk's just begging to be Bonemeranged, though.
Fighting Dojo (Saffron City, Fighting-type): Hitmonlee's Hi Jump Kick'll take a massive bite out of Marowak's health if it crits, though if it doesn't you can take it down fairly easily. Hitmonchan's pretty much a joke, especially since he tends to stick to his running-off-of-35-Special-Attack Ice Punch.
Rival (Silph Co.): Use Rock Slide for Pidgeot, Charizard and Gyarados, Bonemerang for Growlithe and Alakazam and Return for Exeggcute. Avoid Blastoise/Venusaur. (You'll probably have to switch out at some point to clear up the drops from FeatherDance and Intimidate, though.)
Giovanni (Silph Co., Ground-type): Marowak can chuck Bonemerangs at Rhyhorn and the Nidos, but Kangaskhan punches too hard for even Marowak's Defense.
Gym #6 - Sabrina (Saffron City, Psychic-type): Theoretically, Marowak can sweep the whole team via Rock Slide for the Venomoth and Bonemerang for the actual Psychics. In actuality, facing Alakazam's a risky proposition; a crit Psychic will kill Marowak and Bonemerang's not a guaranteed hit.
Gym #7 - Blaine (Cinnabar Island, Fire-type): Bonemerang crushes Growlithe and Ponyta with ease, but avoid Rapidash and Arcanine; their Fire Blasts tear through Marowak's health and are outright lethal when critting.
Gym #8 - Giovanni (Viridian City, Ground-type): 4 out of 5 of his Pokemon have a Ground weakness, the one that doesn't has pitiful Defense and they're all physical attackers. Yup, Marowak has a field day here; still, it'll probably have to heal at some point from sheer attrition.
Rival (Route 22, pre-Elite Four): Rock Slide takes out Pidgeot and Charizard, as always. Alakazam is like Sabrina's; possible but a heavy gamble. The newcomer Rhyhorn falls to Earthquake, as does Growlithe. Venusaur and Blastoise are still off-limits and now Gyarados is as well, having learned Hydro Pump. Exeggcute's SolarBeam is too damaging, though you could simply have Marowak hit it until it starts charging, then switch for something that can take it.
Elite Four Lorelei (Indigo Plateau, Ice-type): This fight has far too many Ice and Water moves flying around for Marowak's taste. Do not attempt.
Elite Four Bruno (Indigo Plateau, Fighting-type): The Onix duo are prime Earthquake targets, but the actual Fighting types should be avoided; Hitmonchan because of the risk of Counter and Hitmonlee and Machamp due to them simply hitting too hard even for Marowak.
Elite Four Agatha (Indigo Plateau, Poison-type): The lead Gengar's trolly movepool is a lesson in frustration for Marowak; the other Gengar is more manageable, but depends a lot on how often it can land Hypnosis. (But that's what the Poké Flute's for, amiright?) The other three are little trouble; Rock Slide Haunter and Golbat and Earthquake Arbok.
Elite Four Lance (Indigo Plateau, Dragon-type): Gyarados (who thankfully lacks Water moves) can be taken down with Rock Slide, though Hyper Beam takes a large chunk out of Marowak's health and you'll be entering with lowered Attack, so healing is likely to be needed. Aerodactyl's even easier to take out with Rock Slide. The Dragonair pair can be Earthquaked; their worst move is Outrage which isn't too threatening coming from those stats. Dragonite, on the other hand, is far too strong with his Outrage.
Champion Rival (Indigo Plateau): Rock Slide for Pidgeot and Charizard; some things never change. Use Earthquake for Rhydon, though be aware that a crit Earthquake from Rhydon will leave a massive hole in Marowak's health. Alakazam's probably too risky now that it doesn't have Calm Mind to waste a turn on. Avoid all Grass and Water types. For that matter, avoid Arcanine as well; Flamethrower's a 2HKO and you won't be able to one-shot it without critting.
Post-Game: Marowak is neither fast nor specially defensive enough to take on this Alakazam-on-steroids.
Moves[]
At its lowest available level, Cubone will have Growl, Tail Whip, Bone Club and Headbutt; those of at least level 17 will have Leer instead of Growl. At level 21 it learns Focus Energy; handy, but not a move to rely on too heavily. At level 25 it learns Bonemerang, which will be your main source of STAB for much of the game. At level 32 it learns Rage; too low in damage to be useful. At level 39 it learns False Swipe; useful for catching at least. At level 46 it learns Thrash; the damage output is nice but being locked into it is risky in a Nuzlocke. At level 53 it learns Bone Rush, but you'll have Earthquake by now (and Bonemerang's generally better anyways, on the chance you taught someone else Earthquake.) Finally, at level 61 it learns Double-Edge but by this point you'll be at or past the League and it's tutorable anyways. (And Lightingrodders won't want to have it at all.)
Marowak's list of viable TMs is a bit lacking. Earthquake is a given. Return, or if it's already used, Strength, provide general power filler. Brick Break is a possibility, though pretty much only for facing Normal-types. Focus Punch exists, though only plausible if combined with Substitute. Finally Hyper Beam, but only for those not using Set Mode.
From tutors, Marowak learns Rock Slide for dealing with pesky Flying types, Double-Edge (for Rock Headers only) and Substitute (for those using Focus Punch).
Recommended moveset: Earthquake, Rock Slide, Double Edge/Return/Strength, Brick Break/Hyper Beam
Other[]
Cubone's stats[]
Stat
Range
At Lv. 50
At Lv. 100
HP:
50
110 - 157
210 - 304
Attack:
50
49 - 112
94 - 218
Defense:
95
90 - 161
175 - 317
Sp.Atk:
40
40 - 101
76 - 196
Sp.Def:
50
49 - 112
94 - 218
Speed:
35
36 - 95
67 - 185
Total:
320
Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.
Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.
Marowak's stats[]
Stat
Range
At Lv. 50
At Lv. 100
HP:
60
120 - 167
230 - 324
Attack:
80
76 - 145
148 - 284
Defense:
110
103 - 178
202 - 350
Sp.Atk:
50
49 - 112
94 - 218
Sp.Def:
80
76 - 145
148 - 284
Speed:
45
45 - 106
85 - 207
Total:
425
Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.
Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.
Cubone Line Ratings
Availability
Matchups
Movepool
Survivability
Type Usefulness
Team Role
Offensive Utility
Defensive Utility
Tankiness
Fun Factor
Overall
What Nature do I want? Adamant and Brave are ideal, though pretty much as long as it doesn't lose from its Attack stat it'll do.
Which Ability do I want? Rock Head, naturally. True, it only has one move that works with it, but Lightningrod is just terrible prior to Gen V.
At what point in the game should I be evolved? Possibly by Erika; Koga at the latest.
How good is the Cubone line in a Nuzlocke? It's decent. Not something to write home about, but not a catch you'll regret either.
