Combusken Best Moveset
Fire/Fighting at 85/85 mixed offenses with AbilitySpeed Boost raising Speed every turn. Held ItemEviolite adds survivability. The moveset gains Speed automatically but the Attack and Sp. Atk are one evolution short. Get to Blaziken for 120 Attack and the Speed Boost engine that dominates.
Middle stage of Blaziken in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). 85/85 mixed offenses were decent for a pre-evolution. 55 Speed held it back.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Reversal
- Fire Blast
- Overheat
Recommended Teammates
Combusken sat at D-Tier in Gen IV. Combusken climbed from E-Tier as the competitive landscape shifted. Its most popular set ran Blaze with Blackbelt, favoring a Modest nature.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Substitute
- Vacuum Wave
- Focus Blast
Recommended Teammates
Speed Boost raised Speed each turn in Gen V (Black & White). The same ability that got Blaziken banned. On Combusken, it powered a weaker body.
Best Moves
Best Build
Combusken best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Fire Punch
- Swords Dance
- Thunder Punch
- Brick Break
Recommended Teammates
Eviolite plus Speed Boost in Gen VI (X & Y). Combusken set up passively and passed with Baton Pass. The pre-evolution as a speed battery.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Protect
- Fire Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Power Up Punch
Recommended Teammates
Baton Pass was restricted in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Without passing speed to teammates, Combusken's own 85/85 offenses weren't enough alone.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Protect
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Low Kick
Recommended Teammates
Combusken saw minimal competitive use in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield / BDSP). Combusken maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Speed Boost with Life Orb, favoring a Adamant nature.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Brick Break
- Protect
- Blaze Kick
- Rock Slide
Recommended Teammates
Combusken saw minimal competitive use in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet / Legends Z-A). Combusken maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Speed Boost with Eviolite, favoring a Adamant nature.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch
Recommended Teammates
Combusken Weakness
Combusken is weak to Water, Ground, Flying, and Psychic. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Standard number of weaknesses for the Fire/Fighting typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Dark, Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Bug |
What is Combusken Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Combusken
Starmie can KO Combusken with Hydro Pump (116-137%). Excadrill threatens a KO with Earthquake (143-169%). Staraptor deals 72-85% with Double-Edge.
 Starmie WaterPsychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityAnalytic ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Combusken View Starmie builds →Ice Beam16-19% Hydro Pump 2x116-137%KO Rapid Spin10-12% Psychic 2x95-113%KO | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySandrush ItemAir Balloon NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Combusken View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x143-169%KO Rapid Spin24-28% | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Combusken View Staraptor builds →Close Combat48-57% U Turn7-8% Double Edge72-85% | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Combusken View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast59-69% Psychic 2x111-131%KO | ||
Evolution
Partway through Torchic's chain. Combusken still has another evolution ahead before reaching Blaziken. For breeding, average hatch time with a massive partner pool via one egg group. Attack has grown the most so far (+25), but there's still another 125 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Combusken to get Torchic eggs using 278 partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Combusken
Can't catch Combusken directly. Start with Torchic at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 36. The 3-stage chain from Torchic to Combusken is where the leveling time goes.
Combusken can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Transfer Torchic from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Combusken in LZA
Step 1Obtain TorchicCARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Scarlet & VioletAvailableCatch in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Polar Biome, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Ruby & SapphireNot TradeableAppears in Ruby & Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom EmeraldNot TradeableAppears in Emerald via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Silph Co. · Gift from Steven Stone (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Sandsear Cave · After National Dex obtained. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Combusken ✓
Step 3Evolve into Blaziken
No wild encounters for Combusken. The 3-stage chain runs through Torchic, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 36 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Combusken in BDSP
The path to Combusken starts with Torchic at Lv. 58-63 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Combusken can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Transfer Torchic from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Combusken in SwSh
Step 1Obtain TorchicBREEDINGAvailableLeave Combusken with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Torchic egg.CARTRIDGE TRADEAvailableCatch in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Sandsear Cave · After National Dex obtained, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Ruby & SapphireNot TradeableAppears in Ruby & Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom EmeraldNot TradeableAppears in Emerald via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Gift · Silph Co. · Gift from Steven Stone (post-Red). Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Gift · Route 101 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Scarlet & VioletNot TradeableAppears in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Polar Biome. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Combusken ✓
Step 3Evolve into Blaziken
Base Stats
Attack and Sp. Atk carry most of Combusken's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 2 Attack and Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
Its kicking mastery lets it loose 10 kicks per second. It emits sharp cries to intimidate foes.
Combusken Guide
Combusken is meant to evolve into Blaziken. At 405 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Speed Boost is what you want on Combusken. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Blaze) work on paper but Speed Boost is what makes Combusken worth using.
Speed Boost is the hidden ability. It raises Speed one stage after each turn. Worth hunting for if you want Combusken to compete at a higher level.
At base 55 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Combusken is a physical attacker with base 85 Attack.
Game Availability
Available in 16 titles since its debut in Ruby & Sapphire, Combusken spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through catching or hatching as a base form in most mainline games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 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