In Sword & Shield, Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated A-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a support. Roost with Heavy-Duty Boots is the standard set.

What is Moltres weak to?

In Sword & Shield, 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 support role.

What counters Moltres?

In Sword & Shield, the best way to handle Moltres: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Rock, Water, and Electric-type attackers hit hardest.

Moltres - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Special

Support

ATier

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

PressureRare

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

Flame BodyHATop Pick

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

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+3SpDSpe

Strong Special Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

This Pokémon’s sinister, flame-like aura will consume the spirit of any creature it hits. Victims become burned-out shadows of themselves.

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. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. 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, Fairy
0.25x (Resist)	Grass, Bug
0x (Immune)	Ground

Type ChartExcellent

3Weak

6Resist

1Immune

Score+3

4xCritical

Rock

2xWeak

Water Electric

½xResist

Fire Fighting Steel Fairy

¼xResist

Grass Bug

0xImmune

Ground

STAB (5)

Grass Ice Bug Steel Fighting

How to Beat Moltres in Sword & Shield (Best Counters)

In Sword & Shield, Lunatone deals 46-55% with Psychic.

FerrothornExcellent bulk GrassSteel	A
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves Leech Seed Knock Off SpikesHazard Gyro Ball Damage vs Moltres Knock Off 15-18% View Ferrothorn builds →
CorviknightResists Flying, recovers with Roost FlyingSteel	A
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves RoostRecovery DefogUtility U Turn Body Press Damage vs Moltres U Turn 4-4% View Corviknight builds →
Lunatone RockPsychic	A
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemPower Herb NatureModest Moves Ice Beam Moonblast PsychicSTAB Meteor Beam Damage vs Moltres Ice Beam 31-36% Moonblast 16-19% Psychic 46-55% View Lunatone builds →
Stunfisk GroundElectric	A
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves Stealth Rock Foul Play Earth Power ToxicUtility View Stunfisk builds →
Slowking WaterPsychic	A
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemColbur Berry NatureRelaxed Moves ScaldSTAB TeleportUtility Slack Off Future Sight Damage vs Moltres Scald 2x 62-73% View Slowking builds →

Sword & Shield 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

Sword & Shield Moltres Best Moveset

Click U-turn, bring in a teammate, repeat. Moltres's pivot game is backed by Heavy-Duty Boots for hazard immunity on every switch-in and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Flame Body works in the background while double STAB covers bad matchups.

Best Build

Experimental

Ability

Flame Body

Item

Heavy Duty Boots

Best Nature for Moltres

Timid+SPE

Moltres best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed

EVs

SpA

SpD

Spe

Special Sweeper Moveset

RoostRecovery
FlamethrowerSTAB
U Turn
HurricaneSTAB

Recommended Teammates

CobalionDecent

ConkeldurrDecent

DiggersbyDecent

Moves

The level-up pool tells the story here. Moltres learns Heat Wave and Hurricane naturally, plus enough variety that TMs feel like bonuses. Rock and Normal coverage and more extends the reach beyond that.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Gust

C4010035Flying

Lv 1

Leer

D—10030Normal

Lv 5

Ember

C4010025Fire

Lv 10

Safeguard

C——25Normal

Lv 15

Wing Attack

—6010035Flying

Lv 20

Agility

C——30Psychic

Lv 25

Ancient Power

C601005Rock

Lv 30

Incinerate

C6010015Fire

Lv 35

Air Slash

B759515Flying

Lv 40

Roost

S——10Flying

Lv 45

Heat Wave

A959010Fire

Lv 50

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

Lv 55

Hurricane

A1107010Flying

Lv 60

Endure+4

C——10Normal

Lv 65

Burn Up

A1301005Fire

Lv 70

Sky Attack

B140905Flying

TM Moves

TR12

Agility

C——30Psychic

TM95

Air Slash

B759515Flying

TR66

Brave Bird

A12010015Flying

TR26

Endure+4

C——10Normal

TM39

Facade

C7010020Normal

TR15

Fire Blast

B110855Fire

TM13

Fire Spin

D358515Fire

TR02

Flamethrower

S9010015Fire

TR55

Flare Blitz

B12010015Fire

TM06

Fly

B909515Flying

TM09

Giga Impact

B150905Normal

TR36

Heat Wave

A959010Fire

TR89

Hurricane

A1107010Flying

TM08

Hyper Beam

B150905Normal

TM92

Mystical Fire

B7510010Fire

TR43

Overheat

B130905Fire

TM25

Protect+4

A——10Normal

TM33

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM21

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM76

Round

C6010015Normal

TM19

Safeguard

C——25Normal

TM32

Sandstorm

D——10Rock

TR27

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

TM24

Snore

—5010015Normal

TM11

Solar Beam

B12010010Grass

TM30

Steel Wing

C709025Steel

TR20

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM34

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM40

Swift

C60—20Normal

TM56

U-turn

S7010020Bug

TM46

Weather Ball

C5010010Normal

TM38

Will-O-Wisp

C—8515Fire

Egg Moves

Moltres doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Tut

Tutor

Burning Jealousy

B701005Fire

Tutor

Dual Wingbeat

D409010Flying

Tutor

Scorching Sands

S7010010Ground

How to Get Moltres in Sword & Shield

Moltres doesn't appear in Sword & Shield. Transfer it from Red, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.

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

Also found in:

Red Yellow FireRed Platinum HeartGold X

Moltres Guide

In Sword & Shield, Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated A-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a support. Roost with Heavy-Duty Boots is the standard set.
In Sword & Shield, 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 support role.
In Sword & Shield, the best way to handle Moltres: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Rock, Water, and Electric-type attackers hit hardest.

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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