Thundurus Best Moveset
Electric/Flying at 125 Sp. Atk and 111 Speed with AbilityPrankster giving priority to MoveThunder Wave and MoveRain Dance. Held ItemHeavy Duty Boots blocks TermEntry Hazards. NatureTimid outspeeds most of the tier. The moveset combines fast special Electric TermStab with priority support. AbilityDefiant is the offensive alternative. B-Tier through versatile support and offense.
Prankster gave priority to Thunder Wave and Taunt in Gen V (Black & White). Paralyzed entire teams before they could move. Banned from standard play for Prankster abuse.
Best Moves
Best Build
Thundurus best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Stallbreaker Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power Ice
- Taunt
- Thunder
Recommended Teammates
Dropped to standard play in Gen VI (X & Y). Prankster Thunder Wave still disrupted teams, but Electric/Flying had answers now. Nasty Plot swept after paralyzing the check.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Hidden Power Ice
- Thunder Wave
- Focus Blast
- Volt Switch
Recommended Teammates
Stuck between tiers in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Prankster was nerfed to fail against Dark-types. Lost the ability to paralyze one of the types it needed to hit most.
Support Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Defog
- Hidden Power Ice
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of decline from the peak in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Prankster utility was less valuable when Heavy-Duty Boots and faster threats dominated the format.
Special Stallbreaker Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Taunt
- Volt Switch
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Four gens since the top. Prankster was still useful but the format had adapted past Thunder Wave disruption.
Special Stallbreaker Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Taunt
Recommended Teammates
Thundurus Weakness
Type-wise, Thundurus takes extra damage from Ice and Rock. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. With 79 HP and balanced defenses, Thundurus can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Flying, Bug, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Thundurus Weak Against
ExcellentBest Pokemon Against Thundurus
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Thundurus View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn15-18% Scald11-14% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Thundurus View Moltres builds →Flamethrower31-37% U Turn10-12% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Thundurus View Corviknight builds →U Turn10-12% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Thundurus View Pelipper builds →Hurricane15-18% U Turn6-8% | ||
Evolution
No breeding, no evolution. Thundurus is a Electric/Flying legendary with 580 base stat total that you obtain once and build around. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Thundurus
Thundurus doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Black & White, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, or Legends: Arceus to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Thundurus is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Thundurus waits at a fixed spot in this game. Head to Coastlands Camp for a one-time encounter. No random spawns or encounter rates involved — it's a set battle at a known location.
How to Get Thundurus in Legends: Arceus
No wild encounters for Thundurus in Sword & Shield. It's available in Black & White, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, or Legends: Arceus and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Thundurus cannot be caught in the wild in Sword & Shield, but you can still get it via these paths:
Obtain and trade from these games:
Then trade to Sword & Shield.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
You'll find Thundurus at Ultra Space Wilds as a set encounter. It's always there at that location, so come prepared for the battle. The location details below cover exact positioning.
How to Get Thundurus in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Base Stats
Thundurus's built around mixed offense. Sp. Atk leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Near-impossible to catch, worth 3 Attack EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Quick as a flash, it materializes out of nowhere. It pulverizes foes into nothingness with showers of devastatingly powerful lightning bolts launched from the string of orbs on its tail.
Thundurus Guide
Thundurus is a Legendary Pokemon rated B-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a sweeper. Base 125 Sp. Atk is where it shines.
Run Prankster on Thundurus. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Thundurus also gets Defiant, but they don't compare. With base 111 Speed, Prankster gives Thundurus an edge before opponents can react.
Thundurus fills the sweeper role. It's a special attacker with base 125 Sp. Atk. Base 111 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
The core moveset is Thunder Wave, Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, and Taunt. Thunder Wave leads at 0% usage. This set covers the sweeper role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Thundurus has appeared in 9 games since Black & White, spanning 6 generations. As a Legendary, it's typically a one-per-save encounter tied to the story or post-game content.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BWDebut
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves