Lugia has the stats to dominate any format it's allowed in. 154 base Sp. Def stands out, and the rest of the spread doesn't have obvious weak points either. Multiscale adds even more value. Known as the Diving Pokemon.
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.
It sleeps in a deep-sea trench. If it flaps its wings, it is said to cause a 40-day storm.
Lugia Weakness
AvgElectric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, and Dark-type 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.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
A Psychic/Flying-type legendary, Lugia doesn't evolve or breed. At 680 total stats, it's meant to stand on its own.
How to Evolve
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.
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Coverage runs deep. Lugia can hit 12 types beyond STAB, including Water and Normal. The offense anchors on Sky Attack and Future Sight while TMs handle everything else.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Lugia can't be caught in Diamond & Pearl. Bring it over from Gold, Crystal, or Ultra Moon instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Lugia is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Special encounter in:
Then trade to Diamond & Pearl.
Also found in:
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.
Lugia doesn't evolve. As a Legendary Pokemon, it stands on its own without an evolutionary line. It's a Psychic/Flying type with 680 BST.
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 mixed attacker — base 90 Attack and 90 Sp. Atk. Base 110 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Lugia appears in 17 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Lugia has appeared in 17 games since Gold & Silver, spanning 8 generations. As a Legendary, it's typically a one-per-save encounter tied to the story or post-game content.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A