Cutiefly

It looks like a tiny bee, but its design is based on the bee fly, an insect that mimics the appearance of other hymenopterans. Its body measures 0.1 m and weighs 0.2 kg, so it goes unnoticed among flowers until it starts fluttering around someone.

It feeds on nectar and pollen, and detects buds that are about to bloom. It can also sense the aura of living things: it uses it to anticipate an opponent’s movements, play at dodging them, and launch its counterattack. This sensitivity explains why it approaches people whose aura resembles that of flowers and why it seeks out Gossifleur for its pollen. Pokédex entries also show it competing with Butterfree for food.

It occupies the first place in a two-species evolutionary line. At level 25, it evolves into Ribombee, which keeps the Bug and Fairy types but leaves behind the winged-larva appearance of its pre-evolution. Its Japanese name is Abuly, while Cutiefly combines “cutie” and “fly”, with a possible sound-based pun on “cutie pie”.

Outside Little Cup, it is not a serious competitive choice. Its stats add up to 304: it has 84 Speed and 55 Special Attack, but only 40 HP, 40 Defense, and 40 Special Defense. It moves before many opponents, although it goes down easily to any powerful hit. Its Attack, at 45, does not justify a physical approach either.

Its Bug and Fairy typing gives it an immunity to Dragon and resistances to Fighting, Bug, Dark, Grass, and Ground. In return, it takes super effective damage from Fire, Flying, Poison, Rock, and Steel. The Fairy type provides useful offensive pressure against Dragon, Fighting, and Dark, while the Bug type lets it make use of Bug Buzz or Struggle Bug. Dazzling Gleam offers a reliable special attack, and Energy Ball covers Ground, Rock, and Water.

The most practical Ability is Shield Dust, which negates the secondary effect of the attack it suffers. Sweet Veil has value in double battles because it prevents your Pokémon team from falling asleep; Honey Gather contributes nothing in battle. Quiver Dance can raise Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, and Tailwind helps the entire team, but its defenses and HP leave little room to set up.

In Little Cup, it had a much more relevant role thanks to its Speed, access to Sticky Web, and special movepool, although it is banned from the current Scarlet and Violet format. In a normal playthrough, its usefulness is tied to setting up support or finishing off weakened targets.

It belongs to the Bug and Fairy Egg Groups, so it can breed with compatible species from either group. The gender ratio is 50% for each sex. It has 20 Egg cycles, equivalent to approximately 5355 steps.

Notable Egg Moves include Sticky Web, which slows the opposing team when it enters battle, and Moonblast, a Fairy-type special attack with 95 power. Aromatic Mist completes the list and raises an ally’s Special Defense. These are useful options for shaping its breeding towards a support role or a special offensive role.

Its catch rate is 190, so finding and catching it usually does not require as many attempts as a species with a low catch rate. It can also hold Honey as a wild item, which fits its diet.

The evolution is straightforward: Cutiefly evolves into Ribombee when it levels up to level 25. Its experience growth rate is Medium, and its base friendship is 70. The line can be obtained in Scarlet and Violet, where breeding allows the chosen Egg Moves to be kept from the start.