Aegislash Best Moveset
One of the few Pokemon with a passive effect. Offensive moves shift to Blade Forme at 140 Attack and 140 Sp. Atk, while MoveKing's Shield reverts to Shield Forme at 140 Defense and 140 Sp. Def. The moveset cycles between maximum offense and maximum defense mid-combat, a unique rhythm nothing else replicates.
Stance Change shifted between 150 Attack and 150 Defense each turn in Gen VI (X & Y). King's Shield lowered attackers' stats. Banned from standard play for the guessing game it forced.
Best Moves
Best Build
Aegislash best EVs are HP and Attack
Physical Tank Moveset
- Kings Shield
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
- Sacred Sword
Recommended Teammates
Two gens in the restricted format in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). King's Shield mixups made every turn a 50/50 prediction. The format couldn't handle the mind games.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Kings Shield
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Base stats nerfed from 150 to 140 in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Dropped out of the restricted format. Still strong but the nerf and power creep combined to push it down.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Shadow Sneak
- Shadow Ball
- Kings Shield
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
Aegislash Weakness
Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark moves hit Aegislash for super-effective damage. The upside? Normal, Fighting, and Poison-type moves can't touch it at all. 9 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Aegislash's overall bulk (60/140/140) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ground, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Normal, Fighting, Poison |
What is Aegislash Weak Against
FortressBest Pokemon Against Aegislash
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Aegislash View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn8-10% Scald7-8% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemEviolite NatureBold Moves View Chansey builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityBeastboost ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Aegislash View Pheromosa builds →U Turn5-5% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityShielddust ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Aegislash View Ribombee builds →Moonblast10-11% | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySnow Warning ItemLightclay NatureTimid Moves View Ninetales-Alola builds →
| ||
Evolution
Aegislash doesn't evolve through normal leveling. You'll need an evolution item to get here from Honedge's line. Breed this form to get Honedge eggs (average hatch time). Evolving from Honedge gave Aegislash the biggest boost in Sp.Def (+103), bringing the total to 500 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Aegislash to get Honedge eggs easily using 84 partners from the Mineral egg group.
How to Get Aegislash
moderate rates for Aegislash across 1 locations in endgame routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Can't catch Aegislash directly. Start with Honedge at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 3-stage chain from Honedge to Aegislash is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Aegislash in SwSh
To get Aegislash, start by catching Honedge through walking encounters at Lv. 28-52. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch HonedgeHammerlocke HillsLv.29-31OverworldRate 44%Heavy FogHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassRate 15%Snowstorm
Step 2Catch or Evolve DoubladeLake of OutrageLv.50-52GrassRate 25%Snowstormor evolve from Honedge (Step 1)
Step 3Aegislash ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Aegislash egg.
You're catching Honedge first, not Aegislash. Honedge appears at moderate rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.
Can't catch Aegislash directly. Start with Honedge at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 3-stage chain from Honedge to Aegislash is where the leveling time goes.
Base Stats
Aegislash's all-in on Defense at the expense of Attack. The mixed lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 3 Defense and Sp. Def EVs and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
This stance is dedicated to offense. It can cleave any opponent with the strength and weight of its steel blade.
Aegislash Guide
Don't let Aegislash's 500 base stat total fool you. Stance Change is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier.
Watch for Arcanine (Fire), Excadrill (Ground), and Chandelure (Ghost) when using Aegislash. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Dark-type attackers are also a problem. Aegislash has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Run Stance Change on Aegislash. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche.
Aegislash fills the balanced role. It's a mixed attacker with base 50 Attack and 50 Sp. Atk. At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Run Kingsshield, Shadow Sneak, Swords Dance, and Sacredsword on Aegislash. Kingsshield is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Introduced in X & Y, Aegislash has appeared in 6 games across 5 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 6XYDebut
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