Stats & Training
Sp. Atk leads and Defense gets almost nothing. That's Iron Moth's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Sp. Atk EVs.
Iron Moth Weakness
Type-wise, Iron Moth takes extra damage from Ground, Water, Psychic, and Rock. Watch out for Ground attacks, those deal 4x damage. With 8 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Iron Moth's special bulk (base 110 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Psychic, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Bug, Fairy |
 Gastrodon WaterGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Gastrodon builds →Hydro Pump 2x70-83% Muddy Water 2x59-70% Earth Power 4x118-139%KO Surf 2x59-70% | ||
 Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Quagsire builds →Hydro Pump 2x54-64% Earthquake 4x194-228%KO Aqua Tail 2x87-103%KO Muddy Water 2x44-52% | ||
 Camerupt FireGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Camerupt builds →Earthquake 4x223-263%KO Earth Power 4x132-155%KO Bulldoze 4x135-159%KO | ||
 Gabite DragonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Gabite builds →Earth Power 4x75-89% Dig 4x165-194%KO Bulldoze 4x125-147%KO Sand Tomb 4x75-89% | ||
 Pupitar RockGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Pupitar builds →Earthquake 4x194-228%KO Stone Edge 2x97-114%KO Earth Power 4x88-105%KO Rock Slide 2x72-85% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Amoonguss builds →Sludge Bomb13-15% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityEffect Spore ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Vileplume builds →Sludge Bomb16-19% Giga Drain7-8% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityEartheater ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Orthworm builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemRocky Helmet NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Cobalion builds →Volt Switch14-17% | ||
 Spidops Bug | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityStakeout ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Iron Moth View Spidops builds →Knock Off28-33% | ||
Scarlet & Violet Evolution
No chain, no eggs. Iron Moth is a standalone Fire/Poison type with 570 stats that falls outside normal breeding mechanics. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Scarlet & Violet Iron Moth Best Moveset
Nothing fancy here. Iron Moth builds around Booster Energy for a one-time stat boost from its ability, Timid nature for the right stat lean, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Quarkdrive does its job quietly.
Best Build
Iron Moth best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk
Utility Moveset
- Fiery Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Fiery Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Fiery Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Energy Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Utility Moveset
- Fiery Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Moves
TMs carry this one. Iron Moth learns Overheat and Flare Blitz naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Flying and Bug and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Scarlet & Violet Iron Moth Locations
Iron Moth appears at moderate rates across 2 spots in endgame routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Iron Moth in Scarlet & Violet
Iron Moth Guide
For Scarlet & Violet, we rate Iron Moth A-Tier: a strong pick in Scarlet & Violet's competitive scene. At 570 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Fierydance with Booster Energy is the standard set.
Quark Drive is the go-to ability for Iron Moth. It raises highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if holding Booster Energy. It's Iron Moth's only ability.
Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Iron Moth is a special attacker with base 140 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.
In Scarlet & Violet, the best way to handle Iron Moth: Priority moves (Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, Ice Shard) bypass its speed. Bulky walls that resist its STAB also shut it down.
Game Availability
Iron Moth joined the series in Scarlet & Violet and has been available in 1 titles so far. With 2 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SVDebut
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves