Physical
Cannon
465Average
85Moderate
CTier

Sawk punches above its weight class thanks to Mold Breaker. It ignores opposing abilities when attacking, which is enough to make up for stats that don't impress on their own. Only weak to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy. Known as the Karate Pokemon.

The stat bars tell the story: Attack carries everything and Sp. Atk's dead weight. But this Karate Pokemon still yields 2 Attack EVs per fight on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
465Above
HP75
C
Attack125
A
Defense75
C
Sp. Atk30
F
Sp. Def75
C
Speed85
C
Total465
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Sawk yields +2 Atk
HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe
Details
Catch45ChallengingMedium Fast1M XP1.4m / 4'07"51kg / 112.4 lbs163Base XP
Pokedex Entries

If you see a Sawk training in the mountains in its single-minded pursuit of strength, it’s best to quietly pass by.

Sword

The karate chops of a Sawk that’s trained itself to the limit can cleave the ocean itself.

Shield

Sawk Weakness

Avg

Sawk's Fighting typing leaves it vulnerable to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy moves. With 75 HP and balanced defenses, Sawk can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

4xCriticali
None
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
None
3Weak
3Resist
0Immune
Scorei-3
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
SturdyPrevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
Inner FocusPrevents flinching.
Mold BreakerHABypasses targets' abilities if they could hinder or prevent a move.

What you see is what you get. Sawk sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and plenty of partners from one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Sawk
#539Sawk
Does not evolve
Breeding
Moderate

Breed Sawk with 51 breeding partners from the Humanshape egg group.

Egg Groups
Humanshape
Gender
100.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
gardevoirgalladehawluchacinderacegrimmsnarllopunnyrabootmorgrembunearylucariomienshaoscorbunny

Ground coverage gives Sawk answers even while choice-locked. Choice Scarf provides speed patching through item lock, and max Attack and Speed EVs with Innerfocus mean every prediction that lands hits hard.

Best Build

Physical Revenge Killer
Ability
Innerfocus
Item
Choice ScarfSPEED
Nature
Jolly+SPE
EVs

Best Sawk Moveset

  • EarthquakeCoverage
  • Close CombatSTAB
  • Stone Edge
  • Knock Off

Recommended Teammates

STAB runs through Close Combat and Focus Blast for the basics, but Sawk's real strength is the 10-type coverage spread. Normal and Ground hit common defensive types, and the movepool keeps going.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
10030Normal
Lv 1
Rock Smash
4010015Fighting
Lv 5
Focus Energy
30Normal
Lv 10
Double Kick
3010030Fighting
Lv 15
Quick Guard+3
15Fighting
Lv 20
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
Lv 25
Bulk Up
20Fighting
Lv 30
Retaliate
701005Normal
Lv 35
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
Lv 40
Counter-5
10020Fighting
Lv 45
Endure+4
10Normal
Lv 50
Reversal
10015Fighting
Lv 55
Close Combat
1201005Fighting

TM Moves

Src
TM31
Attract
10015Normal
TM43
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
TR48
Bulk Up
20Fighting
TM81
Bulldoze
6010020Ground
TR53
Close Combat
1201005Fighting
TM15
Dig
8010010Ground
TR10
Earthquake
10010010Ground
TR26
Endure+4
10Normal
TM39
Facade
7010020Normal
TM03
Fire Punch
7510015Fire
TM59
Fling
10010Dark
TR64
Focus Blast
120705Fighting
TR13
Focus Energy
30Normal
TM09
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TR77
Grass Knot
10020Grass
TM41
Helping Hand+5
20Normal
TM04
Ice Punch
7510015Ice
TR07
Low Kick
10020Fighting
TM75
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
TM01
Mega Kick
120755Normal
TM
Mega Punch
808520Normal
TM57
Payback
5010010Dark
TR57
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM25
Protect+4
10Normal
TM33
Rain Dance
5Water
TM21
Rest
10Psychic
TM79
Retaliate
701005Normal
TM42
Revenge-4
6010010Fighting
TR21
Reversal
10015Fighting
TM22
Rock Slide
759010Rock
TM48
Rock Tomb
609515Rock
TM76
Round
6010015Normal
TM26
Scary Face
10010Normal
TR27
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM24
Snore
5010015Normal
TR75
Stone Edge
100805Rock
TR20
Substitute
10Normal
TM34
Sunny Day
5Fire
TR39
Superpower
1201005Fighting
TR37
Taunt
10020Dark
TR95
Throat Chop
8010015Dark
TM05
Thunder Punch
7510015Electric
TR85
Work Up
30Normal
TR69
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic

Egg Moves

Sawk doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Coaching
10Fighting

Sawk starts showing up in mid-game routes at moderate rates across 5 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.

Best Locations

Walking encounters at Lv. 22-43 across 5 spots for Sawk. Sorted by progression so you can see what's reachable at your current point in the game.

Giant's Mirror
OverworldLv.28-3010%MidOvercast
MODERATE
Motostoke Outskirts
OverworldLv.22-265%MidAll Weather
MODERATE
Motostoke Riverbank
OverworldLv.26-285%MidOvercast
MODERATE
Bridge Field
OverworldLv.27-295%MidOvercast
MODERATE
Route 8 - on Steamdrift Way
OverworldLv.39-435%LateRouteAll Weather
MODERATE
  • Sawk looks average on paper at 465 BST. But Mold Breaker is why it sees play — build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier cannon on our tier list.

  • Watch for Braviary (Flying), Alakazam (Psychic), and Gardevoir (Fairy) when using Sawk. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.

  • Sawk doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Fighting-type Pokemon with a 465 base stat total.

  • Sawk gets Mold Breaker, Sturdy, and Inner Focus. But Mold Breaker is the one that matters — it's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.

  • Sawk is a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 85 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. Fits the cannon role.

  • Sawk appears in 8 games, including Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, and X & Y.

Since Black & White, Sawk has been obtainable in 8 games. A Generation 5 debut means a shorter history, but Sawk has appeared steadily across every generation since.