Primarina Best Moveset
Water/Fairy at 126 Sp. Atk and 116 Sp. Def with AbilityLiquid Voice converting MoveHyper Voice into Water TermStab. Held ItemAssault Vest with NatureModest patches the physical side. The moveset fires devastating special Water and Fairy TermStab from behind elite special bulk. Liquid Voice Hyper Voice ignores Substitute. S-Tier through special power and defensive typing.
Water/Fairy with 126 Sp. Atk and Liquid Voice in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Hyper Voice became Water STAB through the ability. Solid but not flashy.
Special Tank Moveset
- Moonblast
- Ice Beam
- Sparkling Aria
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Same level in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Calm Mind sets boosted and swept, but 60 Speed meant Primarina was outsped by most threats before it could set up.
Special Tank Moveset
- Moonblast
- Energy Ball
- Scald
- Psychic
Recommended Teammates
Rose to the top in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Water/Fairy finally found its format. Three gens of climbing. Moonblast and Sparkling Aria coverage hit the metagame perfectly.
Best Moves
Best Build
Primarina best EVs are HP and Sp. Atk
Special Tank Moveset
- Moonblast
- Psychic Noise
- Surf
- Flip Turn
Recommended Teammates
Primarina Weakness
Type-wise, Primarina takes extra damage from Electric, Grass, and Poison. Dragon moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Primarina's special bulk (base 116 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass, Poison |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Fighting, Bug, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Dragon |
What is Primarina Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Primarina
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Primarina View Moltres builds →Flamethrower6-7% U Turn8-9% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Primarina View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake28-33% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Primarina View Torkoal builds →Rapid Spin10-12% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityOvercoat ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Mandibuzz builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityInfiltrator ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Primarina View Spiritomb builds →Shadow Sneak10-12% | ||
Evolution
End of the line. Primarina caps a three-stage chain that started at Popplio. Breeding produces the base form, and eggs are quick to hatch. Sp.Atk grew the most through evolution (+60 over Popplio), and Primarina peaks at 530 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Primarina
Primarina doesn't appear wild. Catch Popplio instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 34 to get Primarina. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
Primarina can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Transfer Popplio from Sun & Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Primarina in SwSh
Step 1Obtain PopplioBREEDINGAvailableLeave Brionne with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Popplio egg.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Sun & MoonNot TradeableAppears in Sun & Moon via Gift · Iki Town · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon via Gift · Route 1 · Starter Pokémon. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Scarlet & VioletNot TradeableAppears in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Coastal Biome. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Brionne
Step 3Primarina ✓
You're catching Popplio first, not Primarina. Popplio appears at moderate rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.
Primarina doesn't appear wild. Catch Popplio instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 34 to get Primarina. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
Base Stats
Sp. Atk and Sp. Def carry most of Primarina's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 3 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
For Primarina, every battle’s a stage. Its singing and the dancing of its balloons will mesmerize the audience.
Primarina Guide
We rate Primarina B-Tier: a solid choice for the right team. At 530 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Base 126 Sp. Atk stands out.
Torrent is the go-to ability for Primarina. It strengthens water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less. Its hidden ability Liquid Voice can work in specific setups.
At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Primarina is a mixed attacker with base 74 Attack and 126 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a wallbreaker.
The core moveset is Moonblast, Psychicnoise, Surf, and Flip Turn. Moonblast leads at 0% usage. Moonblast provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Primarina joined the series in Sun & Moon and has been available in 4 titles so far. With 4 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
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 7SMDebut
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