Is Vikavolt Good in Sword & Shield Playthrough?
Vikavolt at 145 Special Attack is one of the strongest special attackers among Bug types. Bug/Electric handles Nessa and contributes against Gordie with Bug coverage. AbilityLevitate gives Ground immunity. 43 Speed is brutal, but the raw power compensates. A slow cannon that hits like nothing else.
Grubbin has the type edge here and should clean up Milo's team.
Charjabug trades roughly evenly with Nessa's team.
Kabu's team hits Charjabug's weaknesses hard.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Bea's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Opal's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Gordie's team.
Vikavolt has the type edge here and should clean up Piers's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Raihan's team.
Vikavolt trades roughly evenly with Bede's team.
Leon's team hits Vikavolt's weaknesses hard.
Catch Grubbin on Route 1 (walking, Lv 2-5). All Weather.
Your Grubbin should hit Level 20 before you reach Nessa, at typical leveling pace.
Usually ready to evolve before you reach Bea, at typical party pace.
How to Get Vikavolt in Sword & Shield
You're catching Grubbin first, not Vikavolt. Grubbin appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Vikavolt in SwSh
To get Vikavolt, start by catching Grubbin through walking encounters at Lv. 2-45. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch GrubbinNorth Lake MilochLv.14-16GrassRate 40%ThunderstormDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassRate 35%RainingDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassRate 35%ThunderstormEast Lake AxewellLv.8-12CaveRate 30%RainingWatchtower RuinsLv.11-14FloorRate 30%ThunderstormNorth Lake MilochLv.14-16GrassRate 30%RainingEast Lake AxewellLv.10-15OverworldRate 15%RainingRoute 1Lv.2-5GrassRate 10%All WeatherSlumbering Weald - Low LevelLv.2-3OverworldRate 10%All WeatherSlumbering WealdLv.2-3GrassRate 5%All Weather
Step 2Catch or Evolve CharjabugHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassRate 25%ThunderstormAxew's EyeLv.35-40GrassRate 30%RainingDusty BowlLv.40-45GrassRate 20%Thunderstormor evolve from Grubbin (Step 1)
Step 3Vikavolt ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Vikavolt egg.
Vikavolt Weakness
Type-wise, Vikavolt takes extra damage from Fire and Rock. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Levitate grants an additional Ground immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. With 77 HP and balanced defenses, Vikavolt can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Electric, Grass, Fighting, Steel |
What is Vikavolt Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Vikavolt
 Growlithe Fire | C | |
 Sizzlipede FireBug | C | |
 Vulpix Fire | D | |
 Dwebble BugRock | C | |
 Roggenrola Rock | C | |
 Drednaw WaterRock | C | |
 Carkol RockFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Carkol builds →Ancient Power 2x42-50% Flame Charge 2x32-38% | ||
Growlithe Fire | C | |
Dwebble BugRock | C | |
Sizzlipede FireBug | C | |
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Drednaw WaterRock | C | |
Carkol RockFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Carkol builds →Incinerate 2x41-49% Ancient Power 2x41-49% | ||
Sizzlipede FireBug | C | |
Growlithe Fire | C | |
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
 Ninetales Fire | C | |
 Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
 Flareon Fire | C | |
 Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Ninetales Fire | C | |
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
 Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Ninetales Fire | C | |
 Heatmor Fire | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x128-151%KO Rock Slide 2x54-64% | ||
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Ninetales Fire | C | |
Heatmor Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Heatmor builds →Fire Lash 2x64-76% Rock Tomb 2x33-39% | ||
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x131-154%KO Rock Slide 2x54-64% | ||
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Ninetales Fire | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x130-154%KO Rock Slide 2x54-64% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
 Turtonator FireDragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Turtonator builds →Shell Trap 2x130-154%KO Rock Tomb 2x27-32% | ||
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x130-154%KO Rock Slide 2x54-64% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Turtonator FireDragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Turtonator builds →Shell Trap 2x130-154%KO Rock Tomb 2x27-32% | ||
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x130-154%KO Rock Slide 2x54-64% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Turtonator FireDragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Turtonator builds →Shell Trap 2x130-154%KO Rock Tomb 2x27-32% | ||
Centiskorch FireBug | C | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
In Sword & Shield, Volcarona's Psychic hits Vikavolt for 36-42%. Tyranitar threatens a KO with Stone Edge (204-240%).
 Volcarona BugFire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Volcarona builds →Psychic36-42% | ||
 Tyranitar RockDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Vikavolt View Tyranitar builds →Crunch81-96% Stone Edge 2x204-240%KO Earthquake68-80% | ||
Vikavolt Evolutions
Vikavolt doesn't evolve through normal leveling. You'll need an evolution item to get here from Grubbin's line. Breed this form to get Grubbin eggs (quick to hatch). Evolving from Grubbin gave Vikavolt the biggest boost in Sp.Atk (+90), bringing the total to 500 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
SwSh Vikavolt Best Moveset
145 Sp. Atk is one of the highest in the game, and Bug/Electric TermStab with AbilityLevitate for Ground immunity give the moveset devastating special power plus a useful immunity. D-tier because 43 Speed is cripplingly slow and the format's fastest attackers move twice before this fires once.
Best Build
Vikavolt best EVs are Sp. Atk and Sp. Def
Special Tank Moveset
- Bug Buzz
- Energy Ball
- Volt Switch
- Mud Shot
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Vikavolt develops a solid moveset just through leveling. Thunderbolt and Bug Buzz show up naturally, and the progression handles both STAB and utility without leaning on TMs for the core attacks.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It builds up electricity in its abdomen, focuses it through its jaws, and then fires the electricity off in concentrated beams.
If it carries a Charjabug to use as a spare battery, a flying Vikavolt can rapidly fire high-powered beams of electricity.
Vikavolt Sword & Shield Guide
In Sword & Shield, Don't let Vikavolt's 500 base stat total fool you. Levitate is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier as a wallbreaker. Bugbuzz with Absorbbulb is the standard set.
In Sword & Shield, Vikavolt's biggest threats include Infernape (Fire) and Aerodactyl (Rock), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
In Sword & Shield, Run Levitate on Vikavolt. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche.
In Sword & Shield, Vikavolt fills the wallbreaker role. It's a special attacker with base 145 Sp. Atk. Base 43 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
For Sword & Shield, the core moveset is Bugbuzz, Energy Ball, Volt Switch, and Mudshot. Bugbuzz leads at 0% usage. This set covers the wallbreaker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Introduced in Sun & Moon, Vikavolt has appeared in 4 games across 4 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
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 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMDebut
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