In Black & White, Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated C-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a wallbreaker. Hurricane with Sitrus Berry is the standard set.

What is Moltres weak to?

In Black & White, Moltres's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Gyarados (Water), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage.

What is the best ability for Moltres?

Pressure is the go-to ability for Moltres. It increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. Its hidden ability Flame Body can work in specific setups.

What role does Moltres play in battle?

Moltres is a special attacker with base 125 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.

What counters Moltres?

In Black & White, the best way to handle Moltres: Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Physical attackers can break through.

Moltres - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Special

Wallbreaker

CTier

90Speed · Above Avg

Stats & Training

Everything pushes toward special damage here. Moltres's Sp. Atk does the work, Sp. Def pays the price. But you're still getting 3 Sp. Atk EVs per KO. Near-impossible to catch, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.

Base Stats

Pseudo

HP90

Attack100

Defense90

Sp. Atk125

Sp. Def85

Speed90

Total580

Details

Catch Rate

Legendary3 / 255

Growth Rate

Slow1.25M XP

Height2.0 m

Weight60.0 kg

Base XP290

Abilities

PressureTop Pick

Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.

Flame BodyHA

Has a 30% chance of burning attacking Pokémon on contact.

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+3SpDSpe

Strong Special Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

One of the legendary bird Pokémon. It is said that its appearance indicates the coming of spring.

Moltres Weakness

Type-wise, Moltres takes extra damage from Rock, Water, and Electric. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. The Fire/Flying typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. With 90 HP and balanced defenses, Moltres can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Moltres Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
4x (Critical)	Rock
2x (Weak)	Water, Electric
0.5x (Resist)	Fire, Fighting, Steel
0.25x (Resist)	Grass, Bug
0x (Immune)	Ground

Type ChartGood

3Weak

5Resist

1Immune

Score+2

Gen V Type Chart

Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)

4xCritical

2xWeak

½xResist

¼xResist

0xImmune

STAB (5)

Grass Ice Bug Steel Fighting

How to Beat Moltres in Black & White (Best Counters)

In Black & White, Terrakion can KO Moltres with Stone Edge (133-156%). Starmie threatens a KO with Hydro Pump (90-106%). Politoed deals 48-56% with Scald.

Terrakion RockFighting	A
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves Close Combat Stone Edge Quick Attack X Scissor Damage vs Moltres Close Combat 20-23% Stone Edge 4x 133-156%KO View Terrakion builds →
Starmie WaterPsychic	A
Recommended Build AbilityAnalytic ItemAir Balloon NatureTimid Moves Rapid Spin Ice Beam Hydro Pump Thunderbolt Damage vs Moltres Rapid Spin 5-7% Ice Beam 24-29% Hydro Pump 2x 90-106%KO Thunderbolt 2x 49-58% View Starmie builds →
Politoed Water	B
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves ScaldSTAB EncoreUtility ProtectPriority ToxicUtility Damage vs Moltres Scald 2x 48-56% View Politoed builds →
Magnezone ElectricSteel	B
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemAir Balloon NatureModest Moves Hidden Power Fire ThunderboltSTAB Flash Cannon Volt Switch Damage vs Moltres Thunderbolt 2x 97-114%KO Flash Cannon 21-25% Volt Switch 2x 76-89% View Magnezone builds →
Rotom ElectricGhost	C
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves Volt Switch Shadow Ball TrickUtility ThunderboltSTAB Damage vs Moltres Volt Switch 2x 56-66% Shadow Ball 32-38% Thunderbolt 2x 72-84% View Rotom builds →

Black & White Evolution

No breeding, no evolution. Moltres is a Fire/Flying legendary with 580 base stat total that you obtain once and build around. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution

#146MoltresDoes not evolve

Breeding

Unavailable

Undiscovered egg group

Black & White Moltres Best Moveset

This is a pure walling set. Sitrus Berry provides a one-time health recovery at low HP so Moltres sticks around, and the Bold nature reinforces physical wall. Roost handles sustain while Pressure does work passively.

Best Build

Experimental

Wall

Ability

Pressure

Item

Sitrus BerryRECOVERY

Best Nature for Moltres

Bold+DEF

Moltres best EVs are HP and Defense

EVs

Def

SpA

Wall Moveset

HurricaneSTAB
RoostRecovery
Ancient Power
FlamethrowerSTAB

Recommended Teammates

PolitoedGood

ExcadrillDecent

ZapdosDecent

Moves

Most of Moltres's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Sky Attack and Overheat, but Rock and Grass and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Ember

—4010025Fire

Lv 1

Wing Attack

C6010035Flying

Lv 8

Fire Spin

D358515Fire

Lv 15

Agility

C——30Psychic

Lv 22

Endure+4

D——10Normal

Lv 29

Ancient Power

A601005Rock

Lv 36

Flamethrower

A9510015Fire

Lv 43

Safeguard

D——25Normal

Lv 50

Air Slash

B759520Flying

Lv 57

Roost

S——10Flying

Lv 64

Heat Wave

B1009010Fire

Lv 71

Solar Beam

B12010010Grass

Lv 78

Sky Attack

B140905Flying

Lv 85

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM Moves

TM40

Aerial Ace

C60—20Flying

TM32

Double Team

———15Normal

TM42

Facade

C7010020Normal

TM38

Fire Blast

A120855Fire

TM43

Flame Charge

C5010020Fire

TM35

Flamethrower

A9510015Fire

HM02

Fly

B909515Flying

TM21

Frustration

——10020Normal

TM68

Giga Impact

B150905Normal

TM10

Hidden Power

—6010015Normal

TM15

Hyper Beam

B150905Normal

TM59

Incinerate

—3010015Fire

TM50

Overheat

B140905Fire

TM88

Pluck

—6010020Flying

TM17

Protect+4

C——10Normal

TM18

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM44

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM27

Return

D—10020Normal

TM05

Roar-6

C—10020Normal

TM94

Rock Smash

D4010015Fighting

TM48

Round

—6010015Normal

TM20

Safeguard

D——25Normal

TM37

Sandstorm

D——10Rock

TM58

Sky Drop

—6010010Flying

TM22

Solar Beam

B12010010Grass

TM90

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM11

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM87

Swagger

——9015Normal

TM06

Toxic

C—9010Poison

TM89

U-turn

A7010020Bug

TM61

Will-O-Wisp

C—7515Fire

Egg Moves

Moltres doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Moltres can't learn any Tutor moves

Transfer Moves

Gen

Gen 4

Air Cutter

C559525Flying

Gen 4

Defog

D——15Flying

Gen 3

Double-Edge

B12010015Normal

Gen 3

Mimic

———10Normal

Gen 4

Mud-Slap

D2010010Ground

Gen 4

Natural Gift

——10015Normal

Gen 4

Ominous Wind

—601005Ghost

Gen 4

Secret Power

—7010020Normal

Gen 4

Steel Wing

—709025Steel

Gen 4

Swift

—60—20Normal

Gen 4

Twister

—4010020Dragon

How to Get Moltres in Black & White

Moltres can't be caught in Black & White. Bring it over from Red, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.

Moltres is not available as a wild encounter in this game.

Also found in:

Red Yellow FireRed Platinum HeartGold X

Moltres Guide

In Black & White, Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated C-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a wallbreaker. Hurricane with Sitrus Berry is the standard set.
In Black & White, Moltres's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Gyarados (Water), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage.
Pressure is the go-to ability for Moltres. It increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. Its hidden ability Flame Body can work in specific setups.
Moltres is a special attacker with base 125 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.
In Black & White, the best way to handle Moltres: Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Physical attackers can break through.

Game Availability

Since Red & Blue, Moltres has appeared in 20 games. Legendary Pokemon like Moltres are usually found through story events or special post-game areas rather than random encounters.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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