Marowak Best Moveset
A physical fighter built on 110 Defense and 80 Attack rather than speed. Ground TermStab lands with respectable force between slow 45 Speed recharges. 60/80 on the other stats leave special attacks as the gap. No Mega access means the moveset relies on these base stats entirely.
Ground-type with 80 Attack and no Thick Club yet in Gen I (Red & Blue). Couldn't compete with Dugtrio's Speed or Rhydon's raw power.
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Fire Blast
- Blizzard
Recommended Teammates
Thick Club doubled Marowak's Attack to an effective 160 in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Swords Dance on top of that was absurd. One of the hardest-hitting physical attackers in the game.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
- Fire Blast
Recommended Teammates
Thick Club kept it dangerous in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire) but 45 Speed was a death sentence in faster formats. Rock Head plus Double-Edge gave recoil-free coverage.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Focus Punch
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Better physical attackers emerged in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl) and Marowak's 45 Speed meant it was almost always moving last, even with Thick Club damage.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
- Bonemerang
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Even Thick Club's massive power couldn't compensate for being slower than almost everything in Gen V (Black & White). Setup was nearly impossible.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Fire Punch
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Lightning Rod gave it an Electric immunity in Gen VI (X & Y), replacing Rock Head. A narrow niche that rarely came up.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Bonemerang
- Earthquake
- Double Edge
Recommended Teammates
Alolan Marowak (Fire/Ghost) with Lightning Rod stole the spotlight entirely in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Regular Marowak was obsolete.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Thunder Punch
Recommended Teammates
Same issue in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). The Alolan form was better in every way that mattered competitively.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Bonemerang
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
Marowak Weakness
Water, Grass, and Ice moves hit Marowak for super-effective damage. The upside? Electric-type moves can't touch it at all. Lightning Rod grants an additional Electric immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Marowak's physical bulk (base 110 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Ice |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
What is Marowak Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Marowak
Gyarados's Waterfall hits Marowak for 80-94%. Weavile deals 36-43% with Ice Shard.
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Marowak View Gyarados builds →Waterfall 2x80-94% Earthquake33-39% Ice Fang 2x43-51% | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemLoaded Dice NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Marowak View Breloom builds →Mach Punch19-22% Bullet Seed 2x24-29% | ||
 Weavile DarkIce | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Marowak View Weavile builds →Knock Off29-34% Ice Shard 2x36-43% | ||
Evolution
Marowak is the evolved form of Cubone. Breeding produces Cubone eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Cubone gave Marowak the biggest boost in Attack (+30), bringing the total to 425 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Marowak to get Cubone eggs easily using 81 partners from the Monster egg group.
How to Get Marowak
Marowak can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Transfer Cubone from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee and evolve through the 2-stage line to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Marowak in LZA
Step 1Obtain CuboneLATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Walking · Pokémon Tower. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Walking · Safari Zone. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Walking · Rock Tunnel. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Walking · Rock Tunnel. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Walking · Pokémon Tower. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Walking · Rock Tunnel. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Marowak ✓
Can't catch Marowak directly. Start with Cubone at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 28. The 2-stage line from Cubone to Marowak is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Marowak in BDSP
The path to Marowak starts with Cubone at Lv. 4-63 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch CuboneRoute 203Lv.4GrassRate 40%Swarm activeBig Bluff CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameDazzling CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRocky CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameStargleam CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CavePost-game
Step 2Marowak ✓
Marowak doesn't appear wild. Catch Cubone instead, it shows up at solid rates. Evolve it at level 28 to get Marowak. The 2-stage line is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Marowak in SwSh
Cubone is your first catch on the way to Marowak. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 16-21 across 18 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch CuboneWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%RainingWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%SnowstormWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%Intense SunWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%Heavy FogWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%SnowingWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%OvercastWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%SandstormWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%ThunderstormWarm-Up TunnelLv.16-21OverworldRate 32%Normal Weather
Step 2Marowak ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Marowak egg.
No wild encounters for Marowak here. It's available through an NPC trade at Fuchsia City. Check the location details below for what Pokemon the trader wants in return.
How to Obtain Marowak in LGPE
Cubone is your first catch on the way to Marowak. You'll find walking and trade encounters from Lv. 18-38 across 14 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch CubonePokémon Tower - 1FLv.27-32FloorRate 10%Pokémon Tower - 2FLv.27-32FloorRate 10%Pokémon Tower - 3FLv.27-32FloorRate 10%Pokémon Tower - 4FLv.27-32FloorRate 10%Rock Tunnel - 1FLv.18-23CaveRate 9%Rock Tunnel - B1FLv.18-23CaveRate 9%
Step 2Marowak ✓Fuchsia CityLv.38In-game tradeTrade for (give Marowak)or evolve from Cubone (Step 1)
Base Stats
Marowak's spread favors physical bulk over offense. Defense leads the defensive side, Speed eats the cost. Yields 2 Defense EVs per defeat. Medium-fast 1M XP curve to level.
This Pokémon sets the bone it holds on fire and dances through the night as a way to mourn its fallen allies.
Marowak Guide
It depends on your team. Marowak at 425 BST isn't a powerhouse, but the Ground coverage might be exactly what you're missing.
Don't let Marowak's 425 base stat total fool you. Lightning Rod is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.
Run Lightning Rod on Marowak. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Marowak also gets Rock Head and Battle Armor, but they don't compare.
Marowak fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Game Availability
Marowak first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 20 games across 10 generations. It later gained an Alolan form in Generation 7, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
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 7SMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
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