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Starly is a go-to flying-type Pokemon, and that hasn’t changed inPokemon Scarlet & Violet. The starling Pokemon and its final evolution, Staraptor, remain a threat in gen-nine games.Pokemonfans have been getting an awful lot of Staraptor over recent games. The Pokemon was a go-to party member for many in bothPokemon Legends: ArceusandPokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. It’s back for another round inPokemon Scarlet & Violet.
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Even though there are other powerful flying Pokemon likereturning Kalos Pokemon Talonflameand theelectrifying Paldean newcomer Kilowattrel, many players find their way back to Staraptor. Here’s how to catch a Starly and evolve it into its final form.
How to Catch Starly in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Players can catch Starly right at the start ofPokemon Scarlet & Violetin the area southwest of Mesagoza. The Pokemon is a common spawn and can appear in flocks, sometimes surrounding its evolved form, Staravia.
How to Evolve Starly into Staraptor
Starly evolves into Staravia at level 14, which then evolves into Staraptor at level 34.That said, players don’t necessarily need to have Starly on their party to get themselves a Staravia or Staraptor.
Each form of Starly appears somewhere in the western half of Paldea, with its habitat moving north as the Pokemon evolves. The exact habitats for Staravia and Staraptor can be seen here:
Is Staraptor a Good Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?
Staraptor is a solid flying-type Pokemon when playing Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s story and in trainer battles, but can struggle in Tera Raid battles. Mediocre Pokemon are just fine in the story mode, but Staraptor is a step above “fine” as it can hit hard and has respectable bulk. It lacks coverage options but players will be able to hit opponents hard at each stage of the game.
In ranked battles, Staraptor is a generally decent flying-type Pokemon thanks to its access to the moves Brave Bird, Close Combat, and Final Gambit. Brave Bird and Close Combat can be combined with Staraptor’s solid Speed and Attack stats to threaten a wide variety of opponents. And in doubles battles, flying types naturally synergize with Earthquake users like Garchomp.
The one area where Staraptor struggles is in Tera Raid battles. Staraptor’s best offensive attacks have a major drawback with Close Combat dropping defense stats while Brave Bird has recoil damage. That makes Staraptor a bit of a liability infive or six-star Tera Raid battles.
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