Shiny Victreebel: Blue-Lipped Grass/Poison Pokémon Guide
Shiny Victreebel features distinctive blue lips and a lighter green body compared to its regular form. It was released in Pokémon GO on July 16, 2020, and evolves from Shiny Weepinbell.
What is Shiny Victreebel?
Shiny Victreebel is the alternate colored version of Victreebel, a dual Grass/Poison-type Pokémon first introduced in Generation 1 of the Pokémon games. While the regular Victreebel has a bright yellow-green body with pink lips, the shiny variant sports a more muted green coloration with striking blue lips, giving it a unique appearance that many trainers seek to add to their collection.
As the final evolution in the Bellsprout family, Victreebel represents the culmination of this evolutionary line, evolving from Weepinbell when exposed to a Leaf Stone. The shiny form maintains all the same stats and abilities as the regular form, with the only difference being its distinctive coloration.
Appearance and Design
Victreebel has a bell-shaped body with a gaping mouth featuring prominent lips and two sharp teeth. Its semicircular eyes appear directly under its mouth, and its body is covered with several dark green spots. On either side of its body is a large green leaf, and covering its mouth is another leaf with a long, brown, yellow-tipped vine growing out of it.
The shiny version’s most notable feature is its blue lips, which replace the pink lips of the regular form. The body color is also slightly different, with a more subdued green tone that some fans describe as resembling a wilting plant. This color scheme has divided opinions among Pokémon enthusiasts, with some appreciating the unique blue accent while others feel the colors clash or make the Pokémon appear unhealthy.
Pokédex Information
Victreebel is classified as the Flycatcher Pokémon and is known for its predatory behavior. According to Pokédex entries, Victreebel uses the long vine that extends from its head to attract prey. It waves and flicks this vine about as if it were an animal, and when unsuspecting prey draws near, it swallows them whole.
The Pokémon also produces a sweet scent to further aid in luring victims. Interestingly, the acid inside Victreebel that has dissolved numerous prey animals becomes sweeter over time, making it even more effective at attracting new prey. This carnivorous plant Pokémon is said to live in colonies deep in jungles, though legends suggest that no one who has ventured into these colonies has ever returned.
How to Obtain Shiny Victreebel
Obtaining a Shiny Victreebel requires patience, strategy, and sometimes a bit of luck. There are several methods to acquire this coveted Pokémon, with the most common being through evolution from a Shiny Bellsprout or Shiny Weepinbell.
Catching Shiny Bellsprout
The most reliable way to obtain a Shiny Victreebel is to first catch a Shiny Bellsprout and then evolve it. Shiny Bellsprout has approximately a 1 in 500 chance of appearing in regular gameplay, but these odds can be significantly improved during special events.
Bellsprout Community Day events offer the best opportunity to find a Shiny Bellsprout. During these events, the spawn rate of Bellsprout increases dramatically, and the shiny rate is boosted from the standard 1/500 to approximately 1/25, meaning you might encounter 3-4 shinies during the event period.
The most recent Bellsprout Community Day was scheduled for April 20, 2025, making it an excellent opportunity for trainers to hunt for this shiny Pokémon. During Community Day events, it’s advisable to:
- Spend as much time as possible actively catching Bellsprout
- Use Lures and Incense to increase spawn rates
- Quick-catch to maximize the number of encounters
- Expand your Pokémon storage beforehand to avoid interruptions
- Stock up on Poké Balls and other necessary resources
Participating in Raids
After Community Day events, Weepinbell often appears in four-star raids. Winning these raids causes more Bellsprout to spawn around the gym, and these spawns maintain the increased shiny rates for a limited time. Participating in these raids with friends can help you defeat them more quickly, allowing you to complete more raids within the available time.
Seasonal Events
Seasonal events like the Harvest Festival can also feature increased Bellsprout spawns. For example, the Harvest Festival that ran from October 12 to October 17, 2023, featured Bellsprout as one of the highlighted Pokémon with increased spawn rates.
Evolution Process
Once you’ve caught a Shiny Bellsprout, you’ll need to evolve it into Shiny Victreebel. The evolution process requires:
- 25 Bellsprout Candy to evolve Shiny Bellsprout into Shiny Weepinbell
- 100 Bellsprout Candy plus a Leaf Stone to evolve Shiny Weepinbell into Shiny Victreebel
Collecting sufficient candy can be accelerated by:
- Using Pinap Berries when catching Bellsprout
- Making Bellsprout your buddy Pokémon to earn candy while walking
- Transferring excess Bellsprout for additional candy
- Converting rare candy to Bellsprout candy if necessary
Trading with Other Trainers
If you have friends who play Pokémon GO and have extra Shiny Bellsprout or its evolutions, trading can be another way to obtain a Shiny Victreebel. Trading does not affect the shiny status of a Pokémon, so a shiny will remain shiny after trading. However, keep in mind that special trades (which include shiny Pokémon) are limited to one per day, and they require a significant amount of Stardust, especially if you’re not good friends with the other trainer.
Shiny Victreebel in Pokémon GO
Shiny Victreebel was released in Pokémon GO on July 16, 2020, and has since been a sought-after addition to many trainers’ collections. Understanding its stats, moves, and potential uses in the game can help you decide whether to invest resources in powering up this Pokémon.
Stats and Combat Potential
In Pokémon GO, Victreebel has the following base stats:
- Max CP: 2748
- Attack: 207
- Defense: 135
- Stamina: 190
These stats make Victreebel a glass cannon – it has good offensive capabilities but relatively low defensive stats. Its typing as a Grass/Poison Pokémon gives it strengths against Water, Electric, Grass, Fighting, and Fairy types, but it is weak to Fire, Flying, Ice, and Psychic-type moves.
Best Movesets
Victreebel’s best moves in Pokémon GO depend on how you plan to use it:
For Grass-type attacking:
- Fast Move: Magical Leaf
- Charged Move: Leaf Blade
For Poison-type attacking:
- Fast Move: Acid
- Charged Move: Sludge Bomb
According to tier rankings, Victreebel performs better as a Poison-type attacker (B Tier, #32) than as a Grass-type attacker (F Tier, #65). As a gym defender, it’s rated as F Tier, indicating that it’s not particularly effective in this role.
Shadow Victreebel
It’s worth noting that Shadow Victreebel outperforms its regular form both as a Grass-type and Poison-type raid attacker. If you’re primarily interested in battle performance rather than collection, obtaining and powering up a Shadow Victreebel might be more beneficial than focusing on the shiny variant.
Weather Boost
Victreebel encounters are boosted during Sunny weather (for its Grass typing) and Cloudy weather (for its Poison typing). Planning your hunting sessions during these weather conditions can increase your chances of finding Bellsprout with higher CP and better IVs.
Shiny Victreebel in Main Series Games
While Pokémon GO has introduced many players to Shiny Victreebel, this alternate-colored Pokémon has been available in the main series games for much longer. Understanding its history and characteristics in these games provides a more complete picture of this Pokémon.
Appearance Across Generations
The appearance of Shiny Victreebel has remained relatively consistent across generations, featuring the blue lips and lighter green body that distinguish it from its regular form. However, there have been slight variations in the exact shade and rendering of these colors as the graphics capabilities of Pokémon games have evolved.
Moves and Abilities
In the main series games, Victreebel can learn a variety of moves through level-up, TMs, and breeding. Some of its signature moves include:
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Blade
- Leaf Storm
- Power Whip
- Sludge Bomb
Victreebel has two possible abilities in the main games:
- Chlorophyll – Doubles Speed in sunny weather
- Gluttony (Hidden Ability) – Consumes berries earlier than usual
The Chlorophyll ability can make Victreebel particularly effective in sun-based teams, allowing it to outspeed many opponents and strike first.
Changes Across Generations
Victreebel has seen several stat adjustments across different generations of Pokémon games:
- In Generation 1, Victreebel had a base Special stat of 100
- In Generations 2-5, its base Special Defense was adjusted to 60
- In Generations 1-4, it had a base experience yield of 191
- In Generation 5, this was increased to 216
- In Generations 2-7, it had a base Friendship value of 70
These changes reflect the ongoing balance adjustments that Game Freak makes to Pokémon as the series evolves.
The Cultural Impact of Shiny Victreebel
Shiny Victreebel has developed a unique place in Pokémon culture, with fans having strong and often divided opinions about its design and coloration.
Fan Reception
The reception of Shiny Victreebel’s design has been mixed among fans. Some appreciate the distinctive blue lips and the subtle color shift of the body, seeing it as a unique and interesting design choice. Others feel that the colors clash or that the overall appearance resembles a dying plant rather than an exciting alternative color scheme.
Comments from the Pokémon community include:
- “I like the purple lips! But it could have used some more saturated red in it.”
- “It’s like this shiny evo line is showing the process of a plant dying and rotting.”
- “It’s not horrible, but it’s not great.”
- “The blue lips are funny.”
This diversity of opinions highlights how subjective shiny Pokémon designs can be, with some becoming fan favorites despite (or because of) their unusual color choices.
Appearances in Media
Victreebel has made several notable appearances in Pokémon media, particularly in the anime where James from Team Rocket owned a Victreebel that was known for comically trying to eat his head whenever released from its Poké Ball. While this Victreebel wasn’t shiny, it helped establish the species as a memorable part of the Pokémon franchise.
In more recent games and media, Shiny Victreebel has appeared as a rare collectible, maintaining its status as a desirable but not top-tier shiny Pokémon.
Comparing Shiny Victreebel to Other Grass/Poison Shinies
To better understand Shiny Victreebel’s place among similar Pokémon, it’s helpful to compare it to other Grass/Poison-type shiny Pokémon.
Shiny Vileplume
Shiny Vileplume features a green flower instead of the regular red one, with a blue body instead of the regular dark blue/purple. Many fans consider this a more striking and appealing color change than Victreebel’s.
Shiny Venusaur
Shiny Venusaur has a distinctive green body with a lighter green flower on its back, replacing the regular blue-green body and pink flower. Its shiny form is generally well-received and considered more desirable than Shiny Victreebel.
Shiny Roserade
Shiny Roserade features purple roses instead of red and blue ones, with a slightly different shade of green for its body. This subtle but elegant color change is often ranked higher than Victreebel’s shiny form in fan preferences.
When compared to these other Grass/Poison-type shinies, Victreebel’s blue-lipped design tends to rank lower in popularity, though it still has its dedicated fans who appreciate its unique appearance.
Tips for Showcasing Your Shiny Victreebel
Once you’ve obtained a Shiny Victreebel, there are several ways to showcase and enjoy this rare Pokémon.
In Pokémon GO
- Set it as your buddy Pokémon to display it on your trainer profile
- Place it in gyms where other players can see it
- Use it in PvP battles (though be aware of its limitations in competitive play)
- Take AR photos with it in interesting real-world locations
- Include it in your Pokémon Showcase entries if available
In Main Series Games
- Use it in your main team during gameplay
- Feature it in battles with friends
- Include it in Pokémon contests or similar features
- Display it in features like Pokémon Camp, Amie, or home bases
- Trade it only if receiving something equally valuable in return
Social Media Sharing
Many Pokémon enthusiasts share their rare finds on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and Discord. Posting screenshots or AR photos of your Shiny Victreebel can be a way to connect with other fans and celebrate your achievement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shiny Victreebel
What color is Shiny Victreebel?
Shiny Victreebel has a lighter green body compared to the regular form, with its most distinctive feature being blue lips instead of the regular pink lips.
When was Shiny Victreebel released in Pokémon GO?
Shiny Victreebel was released in Pokémon GO on July 16, 2020.
How rare is Shiny Victreebel?
Outside of special events, the chance of encountering a Shiny Bellsprout (which can be evolved into Victreebel) is approximately 1 in 500. During Community Day events, these odds improve significantly to around 1 in 25.
Is Shiny Victreebel good in battles?
In Pokémon GO, Shiny Victreebel performs better as a Poison-type attacker than as a Grass-type attacker, but it’s not considered a top-tier choice for either role. Its Shadow form outperforms the regular and shiny versions in battle.
How do I evolve Shiny Bellsprout into Shiny Victreebel?
You need 25 Bellsprout Candy to evolve Shiny Bellsprout into Shiny Weepinbell, and then 100 more Bellsprout Candy plus a Leaf Stone to evolve Shiny Weepinbell into Shiny Victreebel.
Can Shiny Victreebel be found in the wild in Pokémon GO?
While technically possible, it’s extremely rare to find a Shiny Victreebel in the wild. The most practical method is to catch a Shiny Bellsprout and evolve it.
What is the best moveset for Shiny Victreebel?
For Grass-type attacking, use Magical Leaf and Leaf Blade. For Poison-type attacking, use Acid and Sludge Bomb.
Does Shiny Victreebel have any special abilities?
In the main series games, Victreebel can have the abilities Chlorophyll (which doubles its Speed in sunny weather) or Gluttony (its hidden ability, which causes it to eat berries earlier than usual). In Pokémon GO, abilities are not implemented.
Samantha Yates is a creative writer and journalist with expertise in content creation and editing. She holds an MA in Creative Writing and brings professional experience from Lionbridge, where she developed engaging content for leading technology companies
