Meowth sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Persian as fast as possible. Ghost moves can't touch it, and only a single type hits it super-effectively. Known as the Scratch Cat Pokemon.
Speed and Attack carry most of Meowth's stat budget. Defense's the obvious dump stat. Easy to catch and yields 1 Speed EV. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Living with a savage, seafaring people has toughened this Pokémon’s body so much that parts of it have turned to iron.
These daring Pokémon have coins on their foreheads. Darker coins are harder, and harder coins garner more respect among Meowth.
Meowth Weakness
GoodMeowth is weak to Fighting-type moves. On the flip side, it's immune to Ghost-type moves entirely. Just 1 weak spot to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.
One evolution ahead. Meowth grows into Persian through a straightforward two-stage chain. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 150 stat points total.
How to Evolve
Breed Meowth easily with 138 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Covet, Flail, Hypnosis and 3 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Play Rough and Foul Play bring the raw damage. But Meowth also picks up coverage across 10 types from TMs, making it tough to find a safe switch. You're not locked into one angle here.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Meowth's scattered across 4 spots in early-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations
Meowth appears in 4 walking locations at Lv. 13-16 across Shield and Sword. Not all encounters show up in every version, so check which ones match your game.
Meowth is meant to evolve into Persian. At 290 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Meowth's biggest threats include Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Meowth can evolve into Persian, Galarian Perrserker, and Alolan Persian depending on the method. Meowth is the base form in a 4-stage evolutionary line.
Technician is what you want on Meowth. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Pickup, Unnerve) work on paper but Technician is what makes Meowth worth using.
Base 90 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Meowth is leaning toward the physical side (base 45 Attack). Defensively? Fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Meowth appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Meowth has appeared in 21 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7 and Gigantamax and Galarian forms in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
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 VIISMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwShGigantamaxGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A