Nothing fancy in Iron Thorns's spread. It leans physical with Attack out front. And you'll get 3 Attack EVs per KO for it. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Iron Thorns's Rock/Electric typing leaves it vulnerable to Ground, Water, Grass, and Fighting. Ground hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. The Rock/Electric typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Iron Thorns's physical bulk (base 110 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Fighting |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Electric, Poison |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Flying |
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Iron Thorns View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn 2x28-33% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves View Talonflame builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Iron Thorns View Zapdos builds →Hurricane12-14% Volt Switch16-18% Heat Wave14-17% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityCompetitive ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Iron Thorns View Empoleon builds →Surf 2x72-85% Ice Beam24-28% Flip Turn 2x28-33% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Toxapex builds →
| ||
You won't breed Iron Thorns or evolve it further. This Rock/Electric type brings 570 total stats right out of the encounter. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
One boost from Dragon Dance and Iron Thorns gets dangerous fast. The Adamant nature targets max Attack and Speed, and Quarkdrive backs the whole approach. Dragon Dance and Ground coverage handle most of what's left standing.
Best Build
Iron Thorns best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Supercell Slam
- Ice Punch
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Supercell Slam
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Tank Moveset
- Rock Slide
- Thunder Punch
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Wallbreaker Moveset
- Rock Slide
- Thunder Punch
- Ice Punch
- Dragon Claw
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Iron Thorns's coverage across 9 types all comes from technical machines, built on top of Meteor Beam and Thunder for same-type damage. Wild Charge and Earthquake are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
3 encounter spots for Iron Thorns at moderate rates starting from endgame routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Iron Thorns in Scarlet & Violet
Catching Iron Thorns takes patience. The 3 walking encounters at Lv. 52-60 all have low spawn rates, so pick one location and stay put for the best odds.
Iron Thorns works as a wallbreaker with 570 BST behind it. B-Tier on our list: a solid choice for the right team. That 134 base Attack does the heavy lifting.
Quark Drive raises highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if holding Booster Energy. That's the one you want on Iron Thorns. It's the only ability Iron Thorns has.
Iron Thorns is a physical attacker with base 134 Attack. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 72 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.
Iron Thorns has answers, but so do you. Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Special attackers bypass its physical bulk.
Since Scarlet & Violet, Iron Thorns has been obtainable in 1 games. A Generation 9 debut means a shorter history, but Iron Thorns has appeared steadily across every generation since.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SVDebut
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves