Shiftry Best Moveset
AbilityWind Rider boosts Attack when hit by a wind move (Tailwind, Defog) or when Tailwind is set by a teammate. Held ItemFocus Sash guarantees surviving one hit. NatureJolly at 80 Speed with 100 Attack fires Grass/Dark TermStab at boosted power. The moveset punishes Defog users and Tailwind setters. Tera Dark amplifies the physical Dark damage.
Grass/Dark with Chlorophyll in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Sun doubled Speed and Solar Beam fired without charge. A niche sun sweeper with Dark STAB coverage.
Best Moves
Best Build
Shiftry best EVs are Speed and Attack
Utility Moveset
- Explosion
- Shadow Ball
- Brick Break
- Sunny Day
Recommended Teammates
Sun teams weren't popular in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Without weather support, 90 base offenses weren't threatening enough on their own.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Low Kick
- Explosion
- Dark Pulse
- Sucker Punch
Recommended Teammates
Drought Ninetales enabled Chlorophyll in Gen V (Black & White), but Venusaur was the preferred sun sweeper by far. Shiftry was outclassed again.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Dark Pulse
- Sucker Punch
- Giga Drain
- Fake Out
Recommended Teammates
Weather nerf hurt in Gen VI (X & Y). Shiftry found minor use with Defog and Knock Off utility, but offensive sets couldn't function in five-turn sun.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Sucker Punch
- Leaf Storm
- Knock Off
- Nasty Plot
Recommended Teammates
Three straight gens at the bottom starting in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). No niche that another Pokemon didn't fill better.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Knock Off
- Leaf Blade
- Rock Slide
- Seed Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Same decline in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Grass/Dark was interesting on paper but Shiftry's stats couldn't leverage the typing.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Knock Off
- Heat Wave
- Sucker Punch
- Leaf Blade
Recommended Teammates
Returned in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet) with nothing changed. Still sun-dependent, still outclassed without it.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Knock Off
- Tailwind
- Leaf Blade
- Explosion
Recommended Teammates
Shiftry Weakness
Shiftry's Grass/Dark typing leaves it vulnerable to Bug, Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Fairy. Bug hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Psychic-type attacks completely. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Shiftry leans offensive (base 100 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Bug |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground, Ghost, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
What is Shiftry Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Shiftry
Dragapult can KO Shiftry with U-turn (101-118%).
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityInfiltrator ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Shiftry View Dragapult builds →U Turn 4x101-118%KO Draco Meteor83-98% Shadow Ball26-30% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVesselofruin ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Shiftry View Ting-Lu builds →Earthquake18-21% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Shiftry View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn8-10% Scald7-8% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Shiftry View Pelipper builds →Hurricane 2x71-84% U Turn 4x56-66% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves View Slowking-Galar builds →
| ||
Evolution
Shiftry evolved from Seedot's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Seedot eggs (quick to hatch). The evolution from Seedot pushed Shiftry to 480 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +60. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Shiftry
Shiftry doesn't appear wild. Catch Seedot instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it through a special method to get Shiftry. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Shiftry in SV
To get Shiftry, start by catching Seedot through walking encounters at Lv. 7-60. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch SeedotFellhorn GorgeLv.7-60OverworldKitakami HallLv.7-60OverworldKitakami WildsLv.7-60OverworldMossfell ConfluenceLv.7-60OverworldOni MountainLv.7-60OverworldParadise BarrensLv.7-60OverworldRevelers RoadLv.7-60OverworldTimeless WoodsLv.7-60Overworld
Step 2Catch or Evolve NuzleafFellhorn GorgeLv.14-60OverworldKitakami WildsLv.14-60OverworldMossfell ConfluenceLv.14-60OverworldOni MountainLv.14-60OverworldParadise BarrensLv.14-60OverworldRevelers RoadLv.14-60OverworldTimeless WoodsLv.14-60Overworldor evolve from Seedot (Step 1)
Step 3Shiftry ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Shiftry egg.
You're catching Seedot first, not Shiftry. Seedot appears at moderate rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Shiftry in BDSP
The path to Shiftry starts with Seedot at Lv. 58-63 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch SeedotGrassland CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-game
Step 2Catch or Evolve NuzleafGrassland CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CaveBrilliant DiamondPost-gameor evolve from Seedot (Step 1)
Step 3Shiftry ✓
No wild encounters for Shiftry. The 3-stage chain runs through Seedot, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve through a special method once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Shiftry in SwSh
Seedot is your first catch on the way to Shiftry. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 4-40 across 25 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch SeedotWest Lake AxewellLv.8-14OverworldSwordRate 60%OvercastDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 40%Normal WeatherDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 35%Heavy FogRoute 2Lv.4-6GrassSwordRate 20%All WeatherDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 20%RainingDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 20%OvercastDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 20%ThunderstormRoute 2 - High LevelLv.37-40GrassSwordRate 20%All Weather
Step 2Catch or Evolve NuzleafRolling FieldsLv.7-9GrassSwordRate 40%RainingDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 10%OvercastDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 10%Intense SunDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%SnowstormDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%Heavy FogDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%SnowingDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%SandstormDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%ThunderstormDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%Normal WeatherDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 5%RainingSouth Lake MilochLv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 5%OvercastSouth Lake MilochLv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 5%Normal WeatherGiant's CapLv.27-29GrassSwordRate 40%Normal WeatherRoute 5Lv.16-18GrassSwordRate 20%All WeatherGiant's SeatLv.30-35GrassSwordRate 15%RainingGiant's SeatLv.33-38OverworldSwordRate 60%RainingGiant's SeatLv.33-38OverworldSwordRate 25%Normal Weatheror evolve from Seedot (Step 1)
Step 3Shiftry ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Shiftry egg.
Can't catch Shiftry directly. Start with Seedot in the wild from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 3-stage chain from Seedot to Shiftry is where the leveling time goes.
Base Stats
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Shiftry's Attack does the work, Defense pays the price. But you're still getting 3 Attack EVs per KO. Tough to catch, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
By flapping its leafy fans, it can whip up gusts of 100 feet per second that can level houses.
Shiftry Guide
Shiftry looks average on paper at 480 BST. But Chlorophyll is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier attacker on our tier list.
Watch for Scizor (Bug), Blaziken (Fire), and Lapras (Ice) when using Shiftry. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Scizor is the most dangerous since Bug moves deal 4x damage. Fighting, Poison, Flying, and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 7 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
Shiftry gets Chlorophyll, Wind Rider, and Pickpocket. But Chlorophyll is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Shiftry is a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 80 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the attacker role.
Run Knock Off, Tailwind, Leafblade, and Explosion on Shiftry. Knock Off is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Since Ruby & Sapphire, Shiftry has been in 15 games. Requiring an item-based evolution to obtain means it's consistently available but requires more effort than simply catching it in the wild.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 7SM
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