On paper, Mawile looks underwhelming. In practice, Intimidate lowers the opponent's Attack on switch-in — and that's the whole story. Steel typing means Poison moves can't touch it, and only 3 types hit it super-effectively. Known as the Deceiver Pokemon.
Mawile's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, HP trails, 2 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 2 Attack and Defense EVs, on a fast 800K XP curve.
Attached to its head is a huge set of jaws formed by horns. It can chew through iron beams.
Mawile Weakness
ExcellentMawile's Steel typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Fighting, and Ground moves. It shrugs off Poison-type attacks completely. 11 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Mawile's physical bulk (base 85 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Breeding is the whole story for Mawile. No compatible partners through two egg groups, eggs are average hatch time, and you won't need to evolve anything. It's got 12 egg moves worth looking into.
How to Evolve
Breed Mawile easily from the Fairy and Ground egg groups. Pass egg moves like Ancient Power, Captivate, Fire Fang and 9 more to offspring.
Intimidate isn't flashy, but it matters. Combined with Rocky Helmet for chip damage on every physical hit received and max HP and Defense EVs, Mawile fills the setup attacker slot reliably. Bold nature finishes the spread.
Best Build
Best Mawile Moveset
- Super Fang
- Foul Play
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Mawile won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 11 types means it always has an effective option. Iron Head and Flash Cannon anchor the STAB core.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Mawile can't be caught in Black 2 & White 2. Bring it over from Ruby, Emerald, or Brilliant Diamond instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Mawile is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to Black 2 & White 2.
Also found in:
Don't let Mawile's 380 base stat total fool you. Intimidate is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.
Mawile doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a steel-type Pokemon with a 380 base stat total.
Run Intimidate on Mawile. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Mawile also gets Hyper Cutter and Sheer Force, but they don't compare.
Mawile fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 85 Attack. Base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go.
Mawile appears in 15 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Mawile first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and spans 15 games across 7 generations. It later gained a Mega form in Generation 7, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRSDebut
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 VIORASMega
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