Special
Pivot
STier
110Speed · Fast

Lugia Best Moveset

AbilityMultiscale halves damage at full HP behind 106 HP and 130/154 defenses. The bulk is absurd from both sides. Held ItemLeftovers with NatureModest recovers HP to reactivate Multiscale through MoveRoost. The moveset absorbs damage that would KO anything else and fires back with 90 Sp. Atk behind Psychic TermStab. Tera Fairy adds Dragon immunity. S-Tier as the ultimate defensive anchor.

SABCDEFSSSSSSSSGold, Silver & CrystalIIGS/CPEAKRuby, Sapphire & EmeraldIIIRS/EDiamond, Pearl & PlatinumIVDP/PtBlack & White / B2W2VBW/B2W2X & Y / ORASVIXY/ORASSun & Moon / USUMVIISM/USUMSword & Shield / BDSPVIIISS/BDSPScarlet & Violet / Legends Z-AIXSV/LZACURRENT
★Gen II — Gold, Silver & CrystalS

154 Sp. Def and 130 Defense with Aeroblast in Gen II (Gold & Silver). The most defensively imposing Pokemon introduced that generation. Nearly impossible to break.

Best Moves

SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM29
Psychic
Psychic90POPULARSTAB
Lv 99
Future Sight
Psychic120POPULARSTAB
Lv 1
Aeroblast
Flying100POPULARSTAB
TM42
Dream Eater
Psychic100POPULARSTAB
Lugia Gold & Silver MovesLugia Crystal Moves

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • PsychicSTAB
  • Future SightSTAB
  • AeroblastUtility
  • Dream EaterSTAB
→Gen III — Ruby, Sapphire & EmeraldS

Calm Mind sets made Lugia even harder to remove in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Boost that 154 Sp. Def higher, fire boosted Aeroblast. Dominant at the highest level.

Received Pressure
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Lv 33
Recover
Normal—COMMONRecovery
TM6
Toxic
Poison—COMMONUtility
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—COMMONUtility
TM33
Reflect
Psychic—COMMONSTAB
Lv 77
Aeroblast
Flying100RARESTAB
Lugia Ruby & Sapphire MovesLugia Emerald Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Pressure
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Bold+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • RecoverRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility
  • ReflectUtility

Recommended Teammates

Blissey
BlisseyGood
Groudon
GroudonDecent
Kyogre
KyogreDecent
→Gen IV — Diamond, Pearl & PlatinumS

Roost provided reliable recovery in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). The missing piece — now Lugia healed off chip damage while walling everything it faced.

Physical/Special split overhauled move damage
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM51
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
TM13
Ice Beam
Ice90COMMONCoverage
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—COMMONUtility
Lv 93
Calm Mind
Psychic—COMMONSTAB
TM33
Reflect
Psychic—RARESTAB
Lugia Diamond & Pearl MovesLugia Platinum Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Pressure
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Timid+SPE
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • RoostRecovery
  • Ice Beam
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility
  • Calm MindSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Dialga
DialgaDecent
Kyogre
KyogreDecent
Groudon
GroudonDecent
→Gen V — Black & White / B2W2S

Multiscale halved damage at full HP in Gen V (Black & White). Two-hit KOs became three-hit KOs. Roost reset Multiscale. Absurd defensive loop.

Gained Multiscale as hidden abilityHidden Abilities became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Tutor
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
TM6
Toxic
Poison—COMMONUtility
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—COMMONUtility
TM90
Substitute
Normal—COMMONUtility
TM13
Ice Beam
Ice90RARECoverage
Lv 43
Aeroblast
Flying100RARESTAB
Lugia Black & White MovesLugia Black 2 & White 2 Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Multiscale
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Impish+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • RoostRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility
  • SubstituteUtility

Recommended Teammates

Kyogre
KyogreGood
Darkrai
DarkraiDecent
Ferrothorn
FerrothornDecent
→Gen VI — X & Y / ORASS

Five gens in the restricted format. Multiscale plus Roost in Gen VI (X & Y) meant Lugia answered virtually every physical and special threat in the game.

Fairy type added to the gameMega Evolution became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM6
Toxic
Poison—COMMONUtility
TM19
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—COMMONUtility
Lv 43
Aeroblast
Flying100COMMONSTAB
TM13
Ice Beam
Ice90RARECoverage
Lv 71
Recover
Normal—RARERecovery
Lv 93
Calm Mind
Psychic—RARESTAB
Lugia X & Y MovesLugia ORAS Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Multiscale
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Bold+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • ToxicUtility
  • RoostRecovery
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility
  • AeroblastSTAB
→Gen VII — Sun & Moon / USUMS

Z-Moves provided burst damage in Gen VII (Sun & Moon) but Multiscale halved even those. Lugia shrugged off everything the format threw at it.

Z-Moves became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM6
Toxic
Poison—COMMONUtility
TM19
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
Lv 43
Aeroblast
Flying100COMMONSTAB
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—RAREUtility
TM13
Ice Beam
Ice90RARECoverage
Lv 93
Calm Mind
Psychic—RARESTAB
Lugia Sun & Moon MovesLugia Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Multiscale
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Bold+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • ToxicUtility
  • RoostRecovery
  • AeroblastSTAB
  • WhirlwindSLOW -6Utility
→Gen VIII — Sword & Shield / BDSPS

Seven gens. Nothing in the restricted format could reliably 2HKO Lugia after Multiscale in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). The benchmark for defensive play at the highest level.

Gigantamax became availableDynamax became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Lv 54
Aeroblast
Flying100COMMONSTAB
Xfer
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
Xfer
Toxic
Poison—RAREUtility
Lv 27
Calm Mind
Psychic—RARESTAB
TR5
Ice Beam
Ice90RARECoverage
Lv 45
Recover
Normal—RARERecovery
Xfer
Defog
Flying—RARESTAB
TR11
Psychic
Psychic90RARESTAB
Lugia Sword & Shield MovesLugia BDSP Moves
Experimental
Wall
Ability
Multiscale
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Bold+DEF
EVs

Wall Moveset

  • AeroblastSTAB
  • RoostRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • Calm MindSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Kyogre
KyogreDecent
→Gen IX — Scarlet & Violet / Legends Z-AS

Eight consecutive gens at the top in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). The ultimate wall in the most powerful format. Never anything less than format-defining.

Terastallization became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Lv 45
Recover
Normal—COMMONRecovery
Lv 54
Aeroblast
Flying100COMMONSTAB
Lv 54
Aeroblast
Flying100COMMONSTAB
Lv 45
Recover
Normal—COMMONRecovery
Lv 27
Calm Mind
Psychic—COMMONSTAB
Xfer
Roost
Flying—COMMONSTAB
TM120
Psychic
Psychic90RARESTAB
Lv 27
Calm Mind
Psychic—RARESTAB
Lv 1
Whirlwind
Normal—RAREUtility
Xfer
Toxic
Poison—RAREUtility
Lugia Scarlet & Violet MovesLugia Legends Z-A Moves
Experimental
Special Tank
Ability
Multiscale
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Best Nature for Lugia
Modest+SPA
EVs

Special Tank Moveset

  • RecoverRecovery
  • AeroblastSTAB
  • AeroblastSTAB
  • RecoverRecovery

Recommended Teammates

Zacian-Crowned
Zacian-CrownedDecent
Groudon-Primal
Groudon-PrimalGood
Mewtwo-Mega-Y
Mewtwo-Mega-YDecent

Lugia Weakness

Electric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, and Dark moves hit Lugia for super-effective damage. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. Lugia's overall bulk (106/130/154) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.

Lugia Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Electric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, Dark
0.5x (Resist)Grass, Psychic
0.25x (Resist)Fighting
0x (Immune)Ground

What is Lugia Weak Against

Avg
5Weak
3Resist
1Immune
Score-3
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
ElectricIceRockGhostDark
½xResist
GrassPsychic
¼xResist
Fighting
0xImmune
Ground

What is Lugia Strong Against

4Strong
1Resisted
0Immune
Score+3
2xStrong
GrassFightingPoisonBug
½xResisted
Steel
0xImmune
None

Best Pokemon Against Lugia

Rillaboom's Knock Off hits Lugia for 44-51%.

Evolution

A Psychic/Flying-type legendary, Lugia doesn't evolve or breed. At 680 total stats, it's meant to stand on its own. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Lugia
#249LugiaDoes not evolve

Breeding

Unavailable
Undiscovered egg group

How to Get Lugia

All 17 games

No wild encounters for Lugia in Scarlet & Violet. It's available in Gold & Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.

Lugia is not available as a wild encounter in this game.

Also Obtainable In:

Gold & SilverSpecial encounter · Whirl Islands · Silver WingCrystalSpecial encounter · Whirl Islands · Silver Wing + Whirl Islands puzzleEmeraldSpecial encounter · Navel Rock · Event: MysticTicketFireRed & LeafGreenSpecial encounter · Navel Rock · Event: MysticTicketHeartGold & SoulSilverSpecial encounter · Whirl IslandsOmega Ruby & Alpha SapphireSpecial encounter · Sea Mauville

Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.

Base Stats

Lugia's spread favors special bulk over offense. Sp. Def leads the defensive side, Attack eats the cost. Yields 3 Sp. Def EVs per defeat. Slow 1.25M XP grind to level.

Base Stats
Legend
HP106
B
Attack90
B
Defense130
A
Sp. Atk90
B
Sp. Def154
S
Speed110
B
Total680
Details
Catch Rate
Legendary3 / 255
Growth Rate
Slow1.25M XP
Height5.2 m
17'01"Towering
Weight216.0 kg
476.2 lbsColossal
Base XP306
Elite Yield
Abilities
Pressure
Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
MultiscaleHidden Ability
Halves damage taken from full HP.
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpASpD+3Spe
Strong Special Defense training target
Pokedex Entry

It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.

Pokemon Shining Pearl

Lugia Guide

  • At 680 BST, Lugia is built different. We rank it S-Tier. As a Legendary Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a pivot.

  • Watch for Raikou (Electric), Lapras (Ice), and Tyranitar (Rock) when using Lugia. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Ghost and Dark-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Lugia has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.

  • Run Multiscale on Lugia. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Lugia also gets Pressure, but they don't compare.

  • Lugia fills the pivot role. It's a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.

  • Lugia's hidden ability is Multiscale. Halves damage taken from full HP. Better than the standard options for competitive play.

Game Availability

Lugia has appeared in 17 games since Gold & Silver, spanning 9 generations. As a Legendary, it's typically a one-per-save encounter tied to the story or post-game content.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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