Moltres Best Moveset
Fire/Flying at 125 Sp. Atk and 90 Speed with AbilityFlame Body threatening burns on contact. Held ItemHeavy Duty Boots is mandatory because 50% HP from TermEntry Hazards on every switch makes it unplayable without protection. NatureBold investment pivots into a physically defensive answer that heals through MoveRoost. The moveset walls Fighting and Grass types.
Fire/Flying with 125 Special was strong in Gen I (Red & Blue). Fire Blast hit hard, but Zapdos had the same stat spread with better defensive typing.
Utility Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Agility
- Fire Spin
- Hyper Beam
Recommended Teammates
Sunny Day boosted Fire STAB and weakened Water moves in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Moltres was a solid sun attacker with real offensive presence.
Utility Moveset
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Fire Blast
- Sunny Day
Recommended Teammates
Pressure wasted PP, and 125 Sp. Atk made Moltres one of the best Fire-type special attackers around in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Will-O-Wisp crippled physical threats.
Best Moves
Best Build
Moltres best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Support Moveset
- Hidden Power Grass
- Will O Wisp
- Flamethrower
- Roar
Recommended Teammates
Stealth Rock took 50% on every switch-in in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Fire/Flying's 4x Rock weakness meant Moltres needed constant spinner support just to function.
Wall Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Roost
- Toxic
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Same Stealth Rock problem in Gen V (Black & White), but Moltres had enough offensive power to justify the support cost. A handicap, not a death sentence.
Wall Moveset
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Ancient Power
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Heavy-Duty Boots didn't exist yet in Gen VI (X & Y). Moltres was great on the field but getting it there safely was always the challenge.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Ancient Power
- Air Slash
- Overheat
- Hidden Power Ground
Recommended Teammates
Found its footing in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Flame Body punished contact moves, and Roost kept it healthy between the hazard damage.
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Burn Up
Recommended Teammates
Heavy-Duty Boots finally arrived in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Moltres could switch in without losing half its HP for the first time in four gens.
Support Moveset
- Roost
- Defog
- Flamethrower
- Scorching Sands
Recommended Teammates
Back at the top in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Boots solved the Stealth Rock problem permanently, and 125 Sp. Atk was still elite offensive power.
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Flamethrower
- U Turn
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
Moltres Weakness
Type-wise, Moltres takes extra damage from Electric, Ice, Rock, and Fairy. Ground and Psychic moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. Moltres's special bulk (base 125 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Rock, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Ghost, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground, Psychic |
What is Moltres Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Moltres
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Moltres View Corviknight builds →U Turn9-11% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIcebody ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Moltres View Avalugg builds →Rapid Spin9-10% Avalanche 2x20-24% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityEartheater ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Orthworm builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Moltres View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin6-7% Volt Switch 2x15-18% | ||
Evolution
No breeding, no evolution. Moltres is a Dark/Flying legendary with 580 base stat total that you obtain once and build around. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Galarian Moltres
Moltres can't be caught in Scarlet & Violet. Bring it over from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Moltres is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Moltres can't be caught in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Bring it over from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Moltres is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Moltres doesn't appear in Sword & Shield. Transfer it from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Moltres is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Moltres waits at a fixed spot in this game. Head to Victory Road for a one-time encounter. No random spawns or encounter rates involved — it's a set battle at a known location.
How to Get Moltres in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
Base Stats
Nothing fancy in Moltres's spread. It leans mixed with Sp. Def out front. And you'll get 3 Sp. Atk EVs per KO for it. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
The sinister aura that blazes like molten fire around this Pokémon is what inspired the name Moltres.
Moltres Guide
Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated B-Tier. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a pivot. That 125 base Sp. Def does the heavy lifting.
Berserk is the go-to ability for Moltres. It raises this Pokémon's Special Attack by one stage every time its HP drops below half. It's Moltres's only ability.
Moltres is a mixed attacker with base 85 Attack and 100 Sp. Atk. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the pivot role.
The core moveset is Roost, Flamethrower, U Turn, and Will O Wisp. Roost leads at 0% usage. Flamethrower provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Since Red & Blue, Moltres has appeared in 20 games. Legendary Pokemon like Moltres are usually found through story events or special post-game areas rather than random encounters.
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 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGalarian
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