Ninetales Best Moveset
AbilityDrought sets sun on entry, boosting Fire moves and enabling AbilityChlorophyll and AbilitySolar Power on teammates. Held ItemHeat Rock extends sun to 8 turns. NatureTimid at 100 Speed outspeeds most of the field. The moveset runs special Fire TermStab and support moves, but the real job is enabling the sun core.
100 base Special made Ninetales a respectable Fire-type attacker in Gen I (Red & Blue). Fire Blast hit hard, and Confuse Ray added disruption that faster threats couldn't match.
Utility Moveset
- Confuse Ray
- Fire Spin
- Fire Blast
- Body Slam
Recommended Teammates
The Special split dropped Ninetales to 81 Sp. Atk. That was a massive loss, taking it from a decent attacker to one that couldn't threaten much of anything.
Utility Moveset
- Hypnosis
- Confuse Ray
- Fire Blast
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Flash Fire gave it a Fire immunity and a power boost when absorbing Fire moves. Useful for switching in, but 81 Sp. Atk limited what it could do offensively.
Special Attacker Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Will O Wisp
- Overheat
- Hypnosis
Recommended Teammates
Stealth Rock hurt all Fire-types, and Ninetales didn't have the offensive stats to justify the 25% HP loss on switch-in. Heatran, Infernape, and others were just better.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Energy Ball
- Nasty Plot
- Flamethrower
- Fire Blast
Recommended Teammates
Drought as a hidden ability made Ninetales the center of sun teams in Gen V (Black & White). Permanent sun boosted Fire moves, enabled Chlorophyll sweepers, and weakened Water attacks all at once.
Best Moves
Best Build
Ninetales best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Will O Wisp
- Pain Split
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Drought got nerfed to five turns in Gen VI (X & Y). Without permanent sun, Ninetales lost the one thing that made it worth a team slot.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Will O Wisp
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Alolan Ninetales stole some spotlight with Aurora Veil support. Regular Ninetales still set sun, but five-turn weather meant limited payoff for the team slot.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Nasty Plot
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
Other sun setters like Torkoal did the job better in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Ninetales had inferior stats, inferior bulk, and the same five-turn Drought.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Scorching Sands
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Nothing new to help in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Ninetales remained a forgotten sun setter in a format that had moved far past what it could offer.
Support Moveset
- Encore
- Healing Wish
- Will O Wisp
- Weather Ball
Recommended Teammates
Ninetales Weakness
Type-wise, Ninetales takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Ninetales's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy |
What is Ninetales Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Ninetales
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Corviknight builds →U Turn10-12% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain8-10% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemAir Balloon NatureJolly Moves View Tinkaton builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityAftermath ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves View Electrode-Hisui builds →
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Evolution
Ninetales evolved from Vulpix's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Vulpix eggs (average hatch time). The evolution from Vulpix pushed Ninetales to 505 total stats. HP saw the largest single gain at +35. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Ninetales to get Vulpix eggs easily using 278 partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Ninetales
No wild encounters for Ninetales. The 2-stage line runs through Vulpix, which you can catch at moderate rates from the locations below. Evolve through a special method once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Ninetales in SV
To get Ninetales, start by catching Vulpix through walking encounters at Lv. 7-80. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VulpixApple HillsLv.7-60OverworldChilling WaterheadLv.7-60OverworldCrystal PoolLv.7-60OverworldFellhorn GorgeLv.7-60OverworldInfernal PassLv.7-60OverworldKitakami HallLv.7-60OverworldKitakami WildsLv.7-60OverworldMossfell ConfluenceLv.7-60OverworldOni MountainLv.7-60OverworldOnis MawLv.7-60OverworldParadise BarrensLv.7-60OverworldRevelers RoadLv.7-60OverworldTimeless WoodsLv.7-60OverworldWistful FieldsLv.7-60OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80OverworldScarletPolar BiomeLv.64OverworldScarlet
Step 2Ninetales ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Ninetales egg.
Ninetales starts showing up in mid-game routes at decent spawn rates across 1 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Where To Catch Ninetales in PLA
Step 1Catch VulpixVeilstone CapeLv.29-32GrassRate 15%
Step 2Ninetales ✓Firespit IslandLv.26-70GrassRate 15%or evolve from Vulpix (Step 1)
Can't catch Ninetales directly. Start with Vulpix at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 2-stage line from Vulpix to Ninetales is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Ninetales in BDSP
To get Ninetales, start by catching Vulpix through walking encounters at Lv. 58-63. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VulpixSandsear CaveLv.58-63GrassShining PearlPost-gameSpacious CaveLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-gameTyphlo CavernLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-gameVolcanic CaveLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-game
Step 2Ninetales ✓
A few locations for Ninetales with decent spawn rates across endgame routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Where To Catch Ninetales in SwSh
To get Ninetales, start by catching Vulpix through walking encounters at Lv. 7-58. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VulpixRolling FieldsLv.7-10OverworldSwordRate 60%Intense SunWest Lake AxewellLv.7-11CaveSwordRate 40%Intense SunDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 40%Intense SunWest Lake AxewellLv.8-14OverworldSwordRate 35%Intense SunEast Lake AxewellLv.8-12CaveSwordRate 30%Intense SunSouth Lake MilochLv.11-13GrassSwordRate 30%Intense SunRolling Fields - 2Lv.7-10OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunEast Lake AxewellLv.10-15OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunSouth Lake MilochLv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunRolling FieldsLv.7-9GrassSwordRate 20%Intense SunWatchtower RuinsLv.11-14FloorSwordRate 20%Intense SunRoute 3Lv.10-14OverworldSwordRate 15%All WeatherSouth Lake Miloch - 2Lv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 15%Intense SunDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 2%Intense SunHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassShieldRate 40%Intense SunWatchtower RuinsLv.26-29OverworldSwordRate 10%Intense SunNorth Lake MilochLv.26-28OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunAxew's EyeLv.35-40GrassSwordRate 40%Intense SunDusty BowlLv.42-47OverworldShieldRate 30%Intense SunGiant's SeatLv.33-38OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunAxew's EyeLv.36-40OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense Sun
Step 2Ninetales ✓Lake of OutrageLv.55-58OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense Sunor evolve from Vulpix (Step 1)
Base Stats
Nothing fancy in Ninetales's spread. It leans mixed with Sp. Def out front. And you'll get 2 Sp. Def and Speed EVs per KO for it. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
A deity resides in the snowy mountains where this Pokémon lives. In ancient times, it was worshiped as that deity’s incarnation.
Ninetales Guide
Ninetales looks average on paper at 505 BST. But Drought is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier pivot on our tier list.
Ninetales gets Drought and Flash Fire. But Drought is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Ninetales is a special attacker with base 81 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the pivot role.
The core moveset is Encore, Healing Wish, Will O Wisp, and Weatherball. Encore leads at 0% usage. This set covers the pivot role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Available since Red & Blue, Ninetales appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained an Alolan form in Generation 7.
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 7SMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
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