While most trainers evolve Drifloon into Drifblim immediately, the unevolved form has a niche with Eviolite boosting its defenses. Normal, Fighting, and Ground moves can't touch it, which offsets the 5 weaknesses somewhat. Can go either physical or special depending on the set.
Nothing fancy in Drifloon's spread. It leans mixed with HP out front. And you'll get 1 HP EV per KO for it. Follows a standard growth curve.
It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing.
Because of the way it floats aimlessly, an old folktale calls it a “signpost for wandering spirits.”
Drifloon Weakness
ExcellentElectric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, and Dark-type moves hit Drifloon for super-effective damage. The upside? Normal, Fighting, and Ground-type moves can't touch it at all.
Drifloon is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Drifblim. Check the evolution method below. Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are slow to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 150 total stats over Drifloon.
How to Evolve
Breed Drifloon easily with 63 breeding partners from the Indeterminate egg group.
The recommended build leans into Drifloon's strengths as a special attacker. Grassyseed provides extra utility, and a spread EV build EVs back that up. Unburden rounds out the package.
Best Build
Best Drifloon Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Acrobatics
- Thunderbolt
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Drifloon's coverage across 7 types all comes from technical machines, built on top of Fly and Phantom Force for same-type damage. Self-Destruct and Explosion are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
The offense anchors on Shadow Ball and Hex, with Psychic and Fire coverage and more adding reach. It's a workable movepool for Drifloon that handles most situations. Self-Destruct and Psychic give it enough punch where it matters.
Don't skip the egg moves. Drifloon picks up Body Slam and Clear Smog only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Shadow Ball and Hex while Dark and Normal coverage and more adds range.
Don't skip the egg moves. Drifloon picks up Clear Smog and Defog only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Shadow Ball and Hex while coverage across 7 types adds range.
A solid number of locations for Drifloon with decent spawn rates across early-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations
Drifloon shows up in 20 walking spots from Lv. 14-32. Plenty of options, and the list is sorted so the highest-rate locations at each progression stage come first.
decent spawn rates for Drifloon across 4 locations in mid-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations
4 walking spots from walking for Drifloon. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
Drifloon can't be caught in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Bring it over from Diamond, Platinum, or Sword instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Easy grab on Drifloon with high spawn rates across 80 locations in early-game water routes. Two different catch methods are in play here. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations
Before you go hunting for Drifloon, check which of the 80 spots belong to your version. Shield and Sword each have different surfing and walking encounters at Lv. 11-45.
At 348 BST, Drifloon is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Drifblim before bringing it to any serious fight.
Drifloon evolves into Drifblim at level 28. Drifloon is the base form of this evolutionary line.
Aftermath damages the attacker for 1/4 its max HP when knocked out by a contact move — that's the one you want on Drifloon. Flare Boost is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Unburden works too if your team needs something different.
Drifloon is leaning toward the special side (base 60 Sp. Atk). Fragile — can't afford to take many hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 70 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many.
Drifloon appears in 13 games, including Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver, and Diamond & Pearl.
Debuting in Diamond & Pearl, Drifloon appears in 13 games across 6 generations. A reliable presence in a solid number of games, typically found through catching or hatching as a base form.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDPDebut
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A