Special
Sweeper
525High
110Fast
BTier

Magic Bounce bounces status moves back at the user, adding real value on top of Espeon's already solid stats. Psychic typing means only weak to Bug, Ghost, and Dark. Introduced in Gen 2. It clears the crowded base-100 Speed benchmark.

The stat budget goes to damage. Sp. Atk and Speed carry the offense, Defense doesn't even come close. A Sun Pokemon on a medium-fast 1M XP curve, worth 2 Sp. Atk EVs per KO.

Base Stats
525High
HP65
C
Attack65
C
Defense60
C
Sp. Atk130
A
Sp. Def95
B
Speed110
B
Total525
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Espeon yields +2 SpA
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpDSpe
Details
Catch45Challenging•Medium Fast1M XP•0.9m / 2'11"•26.5kg / 58.4 lbs•184Base XP
Pokedex Entries

By reading air currents, it can predict things such as the weather or its foe’s next move.

Sword

It unleashes psychic power from the orb on its forehead. When its power is exhausted, the orb grows dull and dark.

Shield

Espeon Weakness

Vulnerable

Espeon is weak to Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type moves. Espeon's special bulk (base 95 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.

4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
BugGhostDark
½xResisti
FightingPsychic
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
None
STAB (2)i
FightingPoison
3Weak
2Resist
0Immune
Scorei-4
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
SynchronizeCopies burns, paralysis, and poison received onto the Pokémon that inflicted them.
Magic BounceHAReflects most non-damaging moves back at their user.

Eevee's line splits into 8 evolutions, and Espeon is the level-up path. Each sibling form needs a different method to obtain. Breed through Eevee to get eggs. Espeon and Vaporeon share the same 525 total stats, but they're distributed differently. Check the comparison below to see where each one specializes.

How to Evolve

8 Evolutions
Eevee
#133Eevee
Vaporeon
VaporeonWater Stone
Jolteon
JolteonThunder Stone
Flareon
FlareonFire Stone
Espeon
EspeonHigh Friendship (Day)
Umbreon
UmbreonHigh Friendship (Night)
Leafeon
LeafeonLeaf Stone
Glaceon
GlaceonIce Stone
Sylveon
SylveonHigh Friendship
Stat Comparison 9 Forms
Eevee
Normal
Vaporeon
Water
Jolteon
Electric
Flareon
Fire
Espeon
Psychic
Umbreon
Dark
Leafeon
Grass
Glaceon
Ice
Sylveon
Fairy
HP
55
130+75
65+10
65+10
65+10
95+40
65+10
65+10
95+40
ATK
55
65+10
65+10
130+75
65+10
65+10
110+55
60+5
65+10
DEF
50
60+10
60+10
60+10
60+10
110+60
130+80
110+60
65+15
SP.ATK
45
110+65
110+65
95+50
130+85
60+15
60+15
130+85
110+65
SP.DEF
65
95+30
95+30
110+45
95+30
130+65
65
95+30
130+65
SPE
55
65+10
130+75
65+10
110+55
65+10
95+40
65+10
60+5
BST
325D-Tier
525B-Tier+200
525A-Tier+200
525C-Tier+200
525A-Tier+200
525B-Tier+200
525B-Tier+200
525B-Tier+200
525B-Tier+200
ROLE
Balanced
Tank
Sweeper
Wallbreaker
Sweeper
Wall
Attacker
Wallbreaker
Tank
TYPE
Utility
Special
Special
Physical
Special
Utility
Physical
Special
Special
Breeding
Challenging

Breed with Espeon to get Eevee eggs (with patience) using 138 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Curse, Detect, Double Kick and 5 more.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
♂87.5%♀12.5%
Hatch Time
35 cycles·8,995 steps
Slow~9 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
8moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachunidokinggolduckrhydonshiftryexploudquagsiremawilenidorinofarfetchdloudred
12 of 138·

Focus Sash guarantees Espeon survives one hit from full HP. That's enough to deal early damage and fire off Psychic before going down. Magic Bounce and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs maximize first-turn impact.

Best Build

Special Sweeper
Ability
Magic Bounce
Item
Focus SashSURVIVAL
Nature
Timid+SPE
EVs

Best Espeon Moveset

  • Shadow Ball
  • PsychicSTAB
  • Dazzling Gleam
  • Stored PowerSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Zeraora
ZeraoraDecent

Egg moves make a real difference. Espeon gets Curse and Detect exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 8 types rounds out the picture alongside Future Sight and Psychic.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Baton Pass
——40Normal
Lv 1
Bite
6010025Dark
Lv 1
Charm
—10020Fairy
Lv 1
Confusion
5010025Psychic
Lv 1
Copycat
——20Normal
Lv 1
Covet
6010025Normal
Lv 1
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Lv 1
Growl
—10040Normal
Lv 1
Helping Hand+5
——20Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
4010035Normal
Lv 1
Tail Whip
—10030Normal
Lv 1
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 5
Sand Attack
—10015Ground
Lv 10
Quick Attack+1
4010030Normal
Lv 15
Baby-Doll Eyes+1
—10030Fairy
Lv 20
Swift
60—20Normal
Lv 25
Psybeam
6510020Psychic
Lv 30
Morning Sun
——5Normal
Lv 35
Power Swap
——10Psychic
Lv 40
Psychic
9010010Psychic
Lv 45
Psych Up
——10Normal
Lv 50
Future Sight
12010010Psychic
Lv 55
Last Resort
1401005Normal

TM Moves

Src
TR83
Ally Switch+2
——15Psychic
TM31
Attract
—10015Normal
TR29
Baton Pass
——40Normal
TR01
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TR49
Calm Mind
——20Psychic
TM29
Charm
—10020Fairy
TR92
Dazzling Gleam
8010010Fairy
TM15
Dig
8010010Ground
TR26
Endure+4
——10Normal
TM39
Facade
7010020Normal
TM47
Fake Tears
—10020Dark
TR13
Focus Energy
——30Normal
TR34
Future Sight
12010010Psychic
TM09
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TR77
Grass Knot
—10020Grass
TM41
Helping Hand+5
——20Normal
TM08
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TR42
Hyper Voice
9010010Normal
TR31
Iron Tail
1007515Steel
TM17
Light Screen
——30Psychic
TM72
Magic Room
——10Psychic
TM02
Pay Day
4010020Normal
TM60
Power Swap
——10Psychic
TM25
Protect+4
——10Normal
TR11
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TR97
Psychic Fangs
8510010Psychic
TR25
Psyshock
8010010Psychic
TM33
Rain Dance
——5Water
TM18
Reflect
——20Psychic
TM21
Rest
——10Psychic
TM79
Retaliate
701005Normal
TM76
Round
6010015Normal
TR33
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TR40
Skill Swap
——10Psychic
TR27
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM24
Snore
5010015Normal
TR82
Stored Power
2010010Psychic
TR20
Substitute
——10Normal
TM34
Sunny Day
——5Fire
TM40
Swift
60—20Normal
TR38
Trick
—10010Psychic
TM70
Trick Room-7
——5Psychic
TM46
Weather Ball
5010010Normal
TR85
Work Up
——30Normal
TR69
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Curse
——10Ghost
Egg
Detect+4
——5Fighting
Egg
Double Kick
3010030Fighting
Egg
Flail
—10015Normal
Egg
Mud-Slap
2010010Ground
Egg
Tickle
—10020Normal
Egg
Wish
——10Normal
Egg
Yawn
——10Normal

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Expanding Force
8010010Psychic

Can't catch Espeon directly. Start with Eevee at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve with high friendship. The 2-stage line from Eevee to Espeon is where the leveling time goes.

How to Obtain Espeon in Sword & Shield

To get Espeon, start by catching Eevee through walking encounters at Lv. 14-65. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.

  1. Eevee
    Step 1Catch Eevee
    Route 4
    ShieldOverworldLv.14-165%EarlyRouteAll Weather
    MODERATE
    Route 4
    SwordOverworldLv.14-161%EarlyRouteAll Weather
    HARD
    Ballimere Lake
    ShieldOverworldLv.60-655%PostWaterNormal Weather
    MODERATE
    Ballimere Lake
    SwordOverworldLv.60-655%PostWaterNormal Weather
    MODERATE
    Giant's Bed
    ShieldOverworldLv.60-655%PostNormal Weather
    MODERATE
    Giant's Bed
    SwordOverworldLv.60-655%PostNormal Weather
    MODERATE
  2. Espeon
    Step 2Espeon ✓

  • Magic Bounce changes the entire equation for Espeon. The 525 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier as a sweeper.

  • Espeon's biggest threats include Scyther (Bug), Misdreavus (Ghost), and Tyranitar (Dark), all carrying super-effective STAB moves.

  • Eevee evolves into Espeon by leveling up. Espeon is the final evolution in a 9-stage line starting from Eevee. At 525 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Magic Bounce is what you want on Espeon. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Synchronize) work on paper but Magic Bounce is what makes Espeon worth using. With base 110 Speed, Magic Bounce gives Espeon an edge before opponents can react.

  • Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Espeon is a special attacker with base 130 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.

  • Espeon appears in 19 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.

Available in 19 titles since its debut in Gold & Silver, Espeon spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in most mainline games.