In Sword & Shield, Don't let Torkoal's 470 base stat total fool you. Drought is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier as a trick room. Eruption with Heatrock is the standard set.

What is Torkoal weak to?

In Sword & Shield, Torkoal's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Rhydon (Ground), and Tyranitar (Rock), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. At base 20 Speed, Torkoal won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.

What is the best ability for Torkoal?

In Sword & Shield, Run Drought on Torkoal. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Torkoal also gets White Smoke and Shell Armor, but they don't compare.

What role does Torkoal play in battle?

In Sword & Shield, Torkoal fills the trick room role. It's a special attacker with base 85 Sp. Atk. Base 20 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.

What counters Torkoal?

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

Torkoal - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Special

Trick Room

BTier

20Speed · Very Slow

Stats & Training

Torkoal's all-in on Defense at the expense of Speed. The mixed lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Defense EVs and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats

Above

HP70

Attack85

Defense140

Sp. Atk85

Sp. Def70

Speed20

Total470

Details

Catch Rate

Challenging90 / 255

Growth Rate

Medium Fast1M XP

Height0.5 m

Weight80.4 kg

Base XP165

Abilities

White SmokeRare

Prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon.

DroughtTop Pick

Summons strong sunlight that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.

Shell ArmorHA

Protects against critical hits.

EV Yield

HPAtkDef+2SpASpDSpe

Defense training target

Pokedex Entries

It burns coal inside its shell for energy. It blows out black soot if it is endangered.

Torkoal Weakness

Torkoal is weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. 6 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Torkoal's physical bulk (base 140 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Torkoal Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
2x (Weak)	Water, Ground, Rock
0.5x (Resist)	Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy

Type ChartAvg

3Weak

6Resist

0Immune

Score0

4xCritical

None

2xWeak

Water Ground Rock

½xResist

Fire Grass Ice Bug Steel Fairy

¼xResist

None

0xImmune

None

STAB (4)

Grass Ice Bug Steel

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

Lunatone RockPsychic	A
Available Moves Moves Stone EdgeLv. 35 Rock SlideLv. 15 Rock ThrowLv. 1 Sand TombTM49 Damage vs Torkoal Stone Edge 2x 40-48% Rock Slide 2x 31-36% Rock Throw 2x 21-25% Sand Tomb 2x 10-13% View Lunatone builds →
Pelipper WaterFlying	B
Available Moves Moves Water PulseLv. 20 Water GunLv. 1 WhirlpoolTM36 Damage vs Torkoal Water Pulse 2x 62-73% Water Gun 2x 42-50% Whirlpool 2x 37-45% View Pelipper builds →
Cramorant FlyingWater	C
Available Moves Moves DiveLv. 28 Water GunLv. 7 WhirlpoolTM36 Damage vs Torkoal Dive 2x 42-50% Water Gun 2x 37-45% Whirlpool 2x 36-42% View Cramorant builds →
Solrock RockPsychic	C
Available Moves Moves Stone EdgeLv. 35 Rock SlideLv. 15 Rock ThrowLv. 1 Sand TombTM49 Damage vs Torkoal Stone Edge 2x 59-70% Rock Slide 2x 45-53% Rock Throw 2x 31-36% Sand Tomb 2x 16-19% View Solrock builds →
Quagsire WaterGround	C
Available Moves Moves Aqua TailLv. 28 Muddy WaterLv. 34 DigTM15 Mud ShotTM53 Damage vs Torkoal Aqua Tail 2x 50-59% Muddy Water 2x 68-81% Dig 2x 42-50% Mud Shot 2x 42-50% View Quagsire builds →

Sword & Shield Evolution

What you see is what you get. Torkoal sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and a massive partner pool from one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution

#324TorkoalDoes not evolve

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed Torkoal easily with 152 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Ancient Power, Fissure, Flail and 2 more to offspring.

Egg Groups

Ground

Gender

♂50.0%♀50.0%

Hatch Time

20 cycles·5,140 steps

Quick~5 min with Flame Body

Egg Moves

5moves

Breed With (best first)

Sword & Shield Torkoal Best Moveset

For a special attacker, Torkoal wants max HP and Sp. Atk EVs and Heatrock. The Modest nature tilts toward special duty, and Drought contributes without taking a move slot.

Best Build

Experimental

Ability

Drought

Item

Heat Rock

Best Nature for Torkoal

Modest+SPA

Torkoal best EVs are Sp. Atk and HP

EVs

SpA

SpD

Doubles Special Tank Moveset

EruptionSTAB
Solar Beam
ProtectFAST +4
FlamethrowerSTAB

Recommended Teammates

HattereneDecent

VenusaurDecent

Moves

Egg moves make a real difference. Torkoal gets Ancient Power and Fissure exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 7 types rounds out the picture alongside Eruption and Overheat.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Ember

D4010025Fire

Lv 1

Smog

—307020Poison

Lv 4

Withdraw

———40Water

Lv 8

Rapid Spin

S5010040Normal

Lv 12

Smokescreen

D—10020Normal

Lv 16

Clear Smog

D50—15Poison

Lv 20

Flame Wheel

C6010025Fire

Lv 24

Protect+4

S——10Normal

Lv 28

Lava Plume

S8010015Fire

Lv 32

Body Slam

C8510015Normal

Lv 36

Iron Defense

C——15Steel

Lv 40

Flamethrower

A9010015Fire

Lv 44

Curse

C——10Ghost

Lv 48

Heat Wave

B959010Fire

Lv 52

Amnesia

C——20Psychic

Lv 56

Inferno

—100505Fire

Lv 60

Shell Smash

C——15Normal

Lv 64

Eruption

S1501005Fire

TM Moves

TR17

Amnesia

C——20Psychic

TM31

Attract

C—10015Normal

TR99

Body Press

A8010010Fighting

TR01

Body Slam

C8510015Normal

TM81

Bulldoze

D6010020Ground

TR67

Earth Power

A9010010Ground

TR10

Earthquake

C10010010Ground

TR26

Endure+4

C——10Normal

TM39

Facade

D7010020Normal

TR15

Fire Blast

C110855Fire

TM13

Fire Spin

D358515Fire

TR02

Flamethrower

A9010015Fire

TM09

Giga Impact

C150905Normal

TR52

Gyro Ball

D—1005Steel

TR88

Heat Crash

D—10010Fire

TR36

Heat Wave

B959010Fire

TM08

Hyper Beam

C150905Normal

TR46

Iron Defense

C——15Steel

TR31

Iron Tail

C1007515Steel

TR43

Overheat

B130905Fire

TM25

Protect+4

S——10Normal

TM21

Rest

B——10Psychic

TM22

Rock Slide

D759010Rock

TM48

Rock Tomb

D609515Rock

TM76

Round

D6010015Normal

TM20

Self-Destruct

B2001005Normal

TR27

Sleep Talk

B——10Normal

TR22

Sludge Bomb

C9010010Poison

TM24

Snore

—5010015Normal

TM11

Solar Beam

S12010010Grass

TR76

Stealth Rock

S——20Rock

TM98

Stomping Tantrum

C7510010Ground

TR75

Stone Edge

C100805Rock

TR20

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM34

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TR39

Superpower

C1201005Fighting

TM46

Weather Ball

D5010010Normal

TM38

Will-O-Wisp

C—8515Fire

Egg Moves

Egg

Ancient Power

D601005Rock

Egg

Fissure

——305Ground

Egg

Flail

D—10015Normal

Egg

Skull Bash

—13010010Normal

Egg

Yawn

B——10Normal

Tutor Moves

Tut

Tutor

Burning Jealousy

C701005Fire

Tutor

Scorching Sands

D7010010Ground

Sword & Shield Torkoal Locations

Torkoal appears at decent spawn rates across 48 spots in early-game 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 Torkoal in Sword & Shield

walking encounters for Torkoal across 48 spots at Lv. 10-32. The catch is that Shield and Sword don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Intense Sun

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Snowing

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Sandstorm

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Raining

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Heavy Fog

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Overcast

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Normal Weather

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Snowstorm

Potbottom Desert

ShieldOverworld Lv.10-15 Desert

5%Early

Thunderstorm

Motostoke Riverbank

ShieldOverworld Lv.28-30

20%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Mirror

SwordGrass Lv.26-28

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Mirror

ShieldGrass Lv.26-28

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Motostoke Riverbank

SwordOverworld Lv.26-28

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap

ShieldOverworld Lv.28-30

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap

SwordOverworld Lv.28-30

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap - 2

ShieldOverworld Lv.28-30

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap - 2

SwordOverworld Lv.28-30

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap - 3

SwordOverworld Lv.29-32

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Giant's Cap - 3

ShieldOverworld Lv.29-32

10%Mid

Intense Sun

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Thunderstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Sandstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Intense Sun

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Raining

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Snowing

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Heavy Fog

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Sandstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Overcast

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Raining

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Normal Weather

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Heavy Fog

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Snowstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Overcast

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Normal Weather

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Thunderstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

ShieldOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Snowstorm

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Intense Sun

Warm-Up Tunnel

SwordOverworld Lv.16-21 Cave

5%Mid

Snowing

Potbottom Desert