Ground moves don't affect Altaria at all — that's the advantage of Dragon/Flying typing. Natural Cure clears status conditions when it switches out. Known as the Humming Pokemon. Flexible enough to run physical or special sets.
Bulk defines Altaria's stat line. Sp. Def and Defense anchor the defensive side, but Attack can't keep up offensively. Tough to catch and worth 2 Sp. Def EVs.
If it bonds with a person, it will gently envelop the friend with its soft wings, then hum.
On sunny days, it flies freely through the sky and blends into the clouds. It sings in a beautiful soprano.
Altaria Weakness
GoodType-wise, Altaria takes extra damage from Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy. Watch out for Ice attacks, those deal 4x damage. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
Evolved from Swablu. Altaria is the final form in this two-stage line. No compatible partners for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are average hatch time. HP grew the most through evolution (+30 over Swablu), and Altaria peaks at 490 total stats.
How to Evolve
Breed with Altaria to get Swablu eggs easily from the Dragon and Flying egg groups.
The physical wall spread is where Altaria earns its spot. Heavy-Duty Boots for hazard immunity on every switch-in, Impish nature for the right lean, and Roost handles sustain. Natural Cure does the rest without needing a move slot.
Best Build
Best Altaria Moveset
- Roost
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Will O Wisp
TMs carry this one. Altaria learns Sky Attack and Draco Meteor naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Fairy and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Altaria can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Transfer Swablu from Ruby, Emerald, or Sword and evolve through the 2-stage line to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
Natural Cure changes the entire equation for Altaria. The 490 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier.
Altaria's biggest threats include Cloyster (Ice), Aerodactyl (Rock), and Salamence (Dragon), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Cloyster is the most dangerous since Ice moves deal 4x damage. Fairy-type attackers are also a problem.
Swablu evolves into Altaria at level 35. Altaria is the fully evolved form. At 490 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.
Natural Cure is what you want on Altaria. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Cloud Nine) work on paper but Natural Cure is what makes Altaria worth using.
Base 80 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Altaria is leaning toward the physical side (base 70 Attack). Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Altaria appears in 16 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Available in 16 titles since its debut in Ruby & Sapphire, Altaria spans 7 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in most mainline games.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
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