Special
Support
580Very High
90Moderate
CTier

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

One of the legendary bird Pokémon. It is said that its appearance indicates the coming of spring.

Platinum

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 IV Type Chart
  • Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
  • Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
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

This is a pure walling set. Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn so Moltres sticks around, and the Bold nature reinforces physical wall. Roost handles sustain while Pressure does work passively.

Best Build

Wall
Ability
Pressure
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Nature
Bold+DEF
EVs

Best Moltres Moveset

  • FlamethrowerSTAB
  • RoostRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • SubstituteUtility

Recommended Teammates

Most of Moltres's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Sky Attack and Overheat, but Rock and Grass 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 8
Fire Spin
357015Fire
Lv 15
Agility
30Psychic
Lv 22
Endure+4
10Normal
Lv 29
Ancient Power
601005Rock
Lv 36
Flamethrower
9510015Fire
Lv 43
Safeguard
25Normal
Lv 50
Air Slash
759520Flying
Lv 57
Roost
10Flying
Lv 64
Heat Wave
1009010Fire
Lv 71
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
Lv 78
Sky Attack
140905Flying
Lv 85
Sunny Day
5Fire

TM Moves

Src
TM40
Aerial Ace
6020Flying
HM05
Defog
15Flying
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM58
Endure+4
10Normal
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
120855Fire
TM35
Flamethrower
9510015Fire
HM02
Fly
909515Flying
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM68
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM83
Natural Gift
10015Normal
TM50
Overheat
140905Fire
TM88
Pluck
6010020Flying
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
5Water
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM27
Return
10020Normal
TM05
Roar-6
20Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
4010015Fighting
TM51
Roost
10Flying
TM20
Safeguard
25Normal
TM37
Sandstorm
10Rock
TM43
Secret Power
7010020Normal
TM82
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM22
Solar Beam
12010010Grass
TM47
Steel Wing
709025Steel
TM90
Substitute
10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM87
Swagger
9015Normal
TM06
Toxic
8510Poison
TM89
U-turn
7010020Bug
TM61
Will-O-Wisp
7515Fire

Egg Moves

Moltres doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Air Cutter
559525Flying
Tutor
Ancient Power
601005Rock
Tutor
Heat Wave
1009010Fire
Tutor
Mud-Slap
2010010Ground
Tutor
Ominous Wind
601005Ghost
Tutor
Snore
4010015Normal
Tutor
Swift
6020Normal
Tutor
Twister
4010020Dragon

Transfer Moves

Src
Gen 3
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Gen 3
Mimic
10Normal

Moltres sits at low spawn rates across 1 spots in endgame routes. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.

Best Locations

Roaming Sinnoh
GrassLv.60LimitedPostPost-Elite Four
HARD
  • Moltres is a Legendary Pokemon rated C-Tier on our tier list. At 580 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a support. 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.

  • Pressure is the go-to ability for Moltres. It increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. Its hidden ability Flame Body can work in specific setups.

  • Moltres is a special attacker with 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 support 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.