We rate Iron Moth A-Tier: a strong competitive pick. At 570 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Base 140 Sp. Atk stands out.

What is Iron Moth weak to?

Iron Moth's biggest threats include Excadrill (Ground), Greninja (Water), and Hatterene (Psychic), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Excadrill is the most dangerous since Ground moves deal 4x damage. Rock-type attackers are also a problem.

What role does Iron Moth play in battle?

Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Iron Moth is a special attacker with base 140 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.

What counters Iron Moth?

Best way to handle Iron Moth: Priority moves (Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, Ice Shard) bypass its speed. Bulky walls that resist its STAB also shut it down.

Iron Moth - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Special

Sweeper

ATier

110Speed · Fast

Sp. Atk leads and Defense gets almost nothing. That's Iron Moth's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Sp. Atk EVs.

Base Stats

Pseudo

HP80

Attack70

Defense60

Sp. Atk140

Sp. Def110

Speed110

Total570

Details

Catch Rate

Difficult30 / 255

Growth Rate

Slow1.25M XP

Height1.2 m

Weight36.0 kg

Base XP285

Abilities

Quark DriveTop Pick

Raises highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if holding Booster Energy.

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+3SpDSpe

Strong Special Attack training target

Type-wise, Iron Moth takes extra damage from Ground, Water, Psychic, and Rock. Watch out for Ground attacks, those deal 4x damage. With 8 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Iron Moth's special bulk (base 110 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.

Iron Moth Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
4x (Critical)	Ground
2x (Weak)	Water, Psychic, Rock
0.5x (Resist)	Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Steel
0.25x (Resist)	Grass, Bug, Fairy

Type ChartAvg

4Weak

8Resist

0Immune

Score+1

4xCritical

Ground

2xWeak

Water Psychic Rock

½xResist

Fire Ice Fighting Poison Steel

¼xResist

Grass Bug Fairy

0xImmune

None

STAB (5)

Grass Ice Bug Steel Fairy

How to Beat Iron Moth (Best Counters)

AmoongussRecovers HP on switch via Regenerator, puts to sleep with Spore GrassPoison	A
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves SporeUtility Rage Powder ProtectPriority Sludge Bomb Damage vs Iron Moth Sludge Bomb 13-15% View Amoonguss builds →
VileplumeWears down with Toxic GrassPoison	B
Recommended Build AbilityEffect Spore ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves Strength Sap Leech Seed Sludge Bomb Giga Drain Damage vs Iron Moth Sludge Bomb 16-19% Giga Drain 7-8% View Vileplume builds →
OrthwormImmune to Poison, walls physical sets Steel	B
Recommended Build AbilityEartheater ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves Body Press Stealth Rock Heavy Slam CoilSetup View Orthworm builds →
CobalionImmune to Poison, threatens with Stealth Rock, walls physical sets SteelFighting	B
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemRocky Helmet NatureTimid Moves Body Press Volt Switch Stealth Rock Thunder Wave Damage vs Iron Moth Volt Switch 14-17% View Cobalion builds →
Spidops Bug	C
Recommended Build AbilityStakeout ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves Sticky Web First Impression Knock Off Circle Throw Damage vs Iron Moth Knock Off 28-33% View Spidops builds →

No chain, no eggs. Iron Moth is a standalone Fire/Poison type with 570 stats that falls outside normal breeding mechanics. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution

#994Iron MothDoes not evolve

Breeding

Unavailable

Undiscovered egg group

Nothing fancy here. Iron Moth builds around Booster Energy for a one-time stat boost from its ability, Timid nature for the right stat lean, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Quarkdrive does its job quietly.

Best Build

Highly recommended

Ability

Quark Drive

Item

Booster EnergySETUP

Best Nature for Iron Moth

Timid+SPE

Iron Moth best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk

EVs

Def

SpA

Spe

Utility Moveset

Fiery DanceSTAB
Sludge WaveSTAB
Dazzling Gleam
Energy Ball

Recommended Teammates

Great TuskDecent

DragoniteDecent

KingambitDecent

Moves

Showing Scarlet & Violet moves. Moves vary by game.View all games

TMs carry this one. Iron Moth learns Overheat and Flare Blitz naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Flying and Bug and beyond give it real matchup play.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Acid Spray

C4010020Poison

Lv 1

Ember

—4010025Fire

Lv 1

Gust

—4010035Flying

Lv 1

Whirlwind-6

C——20Normal

Lv 7

Struggle Bug

C5010020Bug

Lv 14

Fire Spin

C358515Fire

Lv 21

Take Down

D908520Normal

Lv 28

Lunge

D8010015Bug

Lv 35

Screech

C—8540Normal

Lv 42

Discharge

C8010015Electric

Lv 49

Sludge Wave

S9510010Poison

Lv 56

Fiery Dance

S8010010Fire

Lv 63

Metal Sound

D—8540Steel

Lv 70

Morning Sun

C——5Normal

Lv 77

Hurricane

C1107010Flying

Lv 84

Bug Buzz

B9010010Bug

Lv 91

Overheat

B130905Fire

TM Moves

TM13

Acid Spray

C4010020Poison

TM14

Acrobatics

D5510015Flying

TM04

Agility

C——30Psychic

TM65

Air Slash

C759515Flying

TM162

Bug Buzz

B9010010Bug

TM23

Charge Beam

C509010Electric

TM17

Confuse Ray

C—10010Ghost

TM79

Dazzling Gleam

A8010010Fairy

TM136

Electric Terrain

C——10Electric

TM47

Endure+4

C——10Normal

TM119

Energy Ball

A9010010Grass

TM25

Facade

D7010020Normal

TM141

Fire Blast

B110855Fire

TM24

Fire Spin

C358515Fire

TM38

Flame Charge

D5010020Fire

TM125

Flamethrower

B9010015Fire

TM165

Flare Blitz

B12010015Fire

TM93

Flash Cannon

C8010010Steel

TM152

Giga Impact

C150905Normal

TM118

Heat Wave

A959010Fire

TM130

Helping Hand+5

C——20Normal

TM160

Hurricane

C1107010Flying

TM163

Hyper Beam

B150905Normal

TM75

Light Screen

C——30Psychic

TM185

Lunge

D8010015Bug

TM223

Metal Sound

D—8540Steel

TM220

Meteor Beam

B1209010Rock

TM157

Overheat

B130905Fire

TM21

Pounce

D5010020Bug

TM07

Protect+4

S——10Normal

TM120

Psychic

B9010010Psychic

TM85

Rest

C——5Psychic

TM70

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

TM214

Sludge Wave

S9510010Poison

TM168

Solar Beam

B12010010Grass

TM15

Struggle Bug

C5010020Bug

TM103

Substitute

B——10Normal

TM49

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM32

Swift

C60—20Normal

TM01

Take Down

D908520Normal

TM171

Tera Blast

C8010010Normal

TM175

Toxic

C—9010Poison

TM91

Toxic Spikes

B——20Poison

TM60

U-turn

D7010020Bug

TM45

Venoshock

B6510010Poison

Egg Moves

Iron Moth doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Iron Moth can't learn any Tutor moves

Showing Scarlet & Violet locations. Locations vary by game.View all games

Iron Moth appears at moderate rates across 2 spots in endgame routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.

Best Locations to Catch Iron Moth in Scarlet & Violet

The Great Crater of Paldea

Overworld Lv.52-60

8%Post

The Great Crater of Paldea

Overworld Lv.52-60

8%Post

We rate Iron Moth A-Tier: a strong competitive pick. At 570 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Base 140 Sp. Atk stands out.
Iron Moth's biggest threats include Excadrill (Ground), Greninja (Water), and Hatterene (Psychic), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Excadrill is the most dangerous since Ground moves deal 4x damage. Rock-type attackers are also a problem.
Quark Drive is the go-to ability for Iron Moth. It raises highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if holding Booster Energy. It's Iron Moth's only ability.
Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Iron Moth is a special attacker with base 140 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.
Best way to handle Iron Moth: Priority moves (Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, Ice Shard) bypass its speed. Bulky walls that resist its STAB also shut it down.

Iron Moth joined the series in Scarlet & Violet and has been available in 1 titles so far. With 2 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.

Click a game to view version-specific details