Lapras Best Moveset
130 HP at 85/85 balanced offenses on Water/Ice with AbilityWater Absorb granting Water immunity and healing. Held ItemLeftovers with NatureModest pushes special damage. The moveset absorbs Water attacks and fires back with Ice and Water TermStab that covers Ground, Dragon, Flying, and Grass. 60 Speed means going second, but the bulk absorbs the hit.
Water/Ice with 130 HP and 95 Special was tanky in Gen I (Red & Blue). Blizzard hit hard, and that bulk let it survive hits that frailer Water-types couldn't.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Blizzard
- Confuse Ray
- Sing
Recommended Teammates
130 HP and 95 Sp. Def made Lapras one of the bulkiest special tanks in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Perish Song forced switches and punished anything trying to stall.
Utility Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Confuse Ray
- Surf
- Thunder
Recommended Teammates
Water Absorb gave it a Water immunity for safe pivoting in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Ice Beam plus Thunderbolt coverage was reliable if unspectacular.
Special Tank Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Heal Bell
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder
Recommended Teammates
Stealth Rock chipped 25% on every switch-in during Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Water/Ice had few resistances, and Lapras was too slow to sweep.
Special Tank Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Ice Shard
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Hydration in Rain healed status instantly in Gen V (Black & White), but Lapras was too slow to take advantage in the generation's fast metagame.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Surf
- Ice Shard
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Power creep left Lapras behind in Gen VI (X & Y). 85 Sp. Atk wasn't threatening, and 130 HP couldn't compensate for middling Defense and Sp. Def.
Special Tank Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Surf
- Rest
- Perish Song
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of decline in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Lapras had no offensive or defensive niche that newer Pokemon didn't fill better.
Special Tank Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Surf
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
G-Max Resonance set Aurora Veil in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield), which was interesting but limited to Dynamax formats. Brief relevance in a gimmick.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Avalanche
- Thunderbolt
- Waterfall
Recommended Teammates
No Dynamax in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Lapras went back to being a slow Water/Ice type with mediocre defenses and no competitive role.
Special Tank Moveset
- Freeze Dry
- Surf
- Alluring Voice
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Lapras Weakness
Lapras's Water/Ice typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric, Grass, Fighting, and Rock. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Lapras's overall bulk (130/80/95) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass, Fighting, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Ice |
What is Lapras Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Lapras
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Lapras View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn4-5% Scald3-4% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Lapras View Moltres builds →Flamethrower17-21% U Turn12-14% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Lapras View Torkoal builds →Rapid Spin7-9% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Lapras View Pelipper builds →Hurricane17-20% U Turn8-9% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves View Landorus-Therian builds →
| ||
Evolution
No evolution chain to worry about here. Lapras is a standalone Pokemon with plenty of partners for breeding through two egg groups. Eggs come out takes forever to hatch. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Lapras Locations
A handful of locations for Lapras with moderate rates across endgame routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations to Catch Lapras in Scarlet & Violet
A few locations for Lapras with moderate rates across late-game water routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations to Catch Lapras in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Lapras tops out at low spawn rates across 6 locations in late-game water routes. Two different catch methods are in play here. The encounters below are sorted by rate so you can see exactly what you're working with.
Best Locations to Catch Lapras in Sword & Shield
Catching Lapras takes patience. The 3 surfing and fishing encounters at Lv. 39-65 all have low spawn rates, so pick one location and stay put for the best odds.
Lapras starts showing up in late-game water routes at moderate rates across 8 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Lapras in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
4 spots to find Lapras at Lv. 34-44 via surfing, gift, and more. Not all of them exist in both Let's Go Eevee and Let's Go Pikachu versions, so filter by your copy below.
Base Stats
The stat line revolves around HP. Percentage recovery gets extra mileage here. Sp. Def backs it up, though Speed doesn't pull its weight. Worth 2 HP EVs on a slow 1.25M XP grind to max out.
Over 5,000 people can ride on its shell at once. And it’s a very comfortable ride, without the slightest shaking or swaying.
Lapras Guide
Lapras looks average on paper at 535 BST. But Water Absorb is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier on our tier list.
Lapras gets Water Absorb, Shell Armor, and Hydration. But Water Absorb is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Lapras is a special attacker with base 85 Sp. Atk. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. Speed tells the real story. At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often.
Run Freezedry, Surf, Alluringvoice, and Thunderbolt on Lapras. Freezedry is the most common pick at 0% usage. Surf provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Available since Red & Blue, Lapras appears in 20 games spanning 10 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Gigantamax form in Generation 8.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
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 8SwShGigantamax
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