Utility
Wallbreaker
580Very High
90Moderate
BTier

Free switch-ins on Ground moves make Moltres useful in any team that needs that coverage. Only 3 weaknesses keeps it safe in most matchups. A longtime staple going back to Gen 1. It sits at a decent but contested Speed tier.

Everything pushes toward special damage here. Moltres's Sp. Atk does the work, Sp. Def pays the price. But you're still getting 3 Sp. Atk EVs per KO. Near-impossible to catch, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.

Base Stats
580Pseudo
HP90
B
Attack100
B
Defense90
B
Sp. Atk125
A
Sp. Def85
C
Speed90
B
Total580
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Moltres yields +3 SpA
HPAtkDefSpA+3SpDSpe
Details
Catch3LegendarySlow1.25M XP2m / 6'07"60kg / 132.3 lbs290Base XP
Pokedex Entries

This legendary POKéMON scatters embers with every flap of its wings. It is a thrilling sight to behold.

Gold

This legendary bird POKéMON is said to bring early spring to the wintry lands it visits.

Silver

Moltres Weakness

Good

Type-wise, Moltres takes extra damage from Rock, Water, and Electric. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. The Fire/Flying typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. With 90 HP and balanced defenses, Moltres can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Gen II Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
  • Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
4xCriticali
¼xResisti
0xImmunei
3Weak
5Resist
1Immune
Scorei+2
Stealth Rock50% on switch
4x Rock — Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Stealth Rock
Abilities
PressureIncreases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
Flame BodyHAHas a 30% chance of burning attacking Pokémon on contact.

No breeding, no evolution. Moltres is a Fire/Flying legendary with 580 base stat total that you obtain once and build around.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Moltres
#146Moltres
Does not evolve
Breeding
Unavailable
Undiscovered egg group

Nothing fancy here. Moltres builds around Charcoal for extra utility, a nature nature for the right stat lean, and flexible EVs EVs. An ability does its job quietly.

Best Build

Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 2
Item
Charcoal
Nature
Not in Gen 2

Best Moltres Moveset

  • RestRecovery
  • Sleep Talk
  • Fire BlastSTAB
  • Sunny DaySTAB

Most of Moltres's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Sky Attack and Fire Blast, but Normal and Ground and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Ember
4010025Fire
Lv 1
Wing Attack
6010035Flying
Lv 13
Fire Spin
357015Fire
Lv 25
Agility
30Psychic
Lv 37
Endure+4
10Normal
Lv 49
Flamethrower
9510015Fire
Lv 61
Safeguard
25Normal
Lv 73
Sky Attack
140905Flying

TM Moves

Src
TM03
Curse
10Ghost
TM43
Detect+4
5Fighting
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM20
Endure+4
10Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
120855Fire
HM02
Fly
709515Flying
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM31
Mud-Slap
2010010Ground
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
5Water
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM27
Return
10020Normal
TM05
Roar-6
20Normal
TM08
Rock Smash
2010015Fighting
TM37
Sandstorm
10Rock
TM35
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM13
Snore
4010015Normal
TM47
Steel Wing
709025Steel
TM11
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM34
Swagger
8515Normal
TM39
Swift
6020Normal
TM06
Toxic
8510Poison

Egg Moves

Moltres doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Moltres can't learn any Tutor moves

Moltres can't be caught in Gold & Silver. Bring it over from Red, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.

Moltres is not available as a wild encounter in this game.

Also found in:

  • Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated B-Tier on our tier list. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a wallbreaker. That 125 base Sp. Atk does the heavy lifting.

  • Moltres's biggest threats include Golem (Rock), Gyarados (Water), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage.

  • Moltres doesn't evolve. As a Legendary Pokemon, it stands on its own without an evolutionary line. It's a Fire/Flying type with 580 BST.

  • Moltres is leaning toward the special side (base 125 Sp. Atk). Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 90 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.

  • Moltres appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

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.