Tatsugiri's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Atk leads, Attack trails, 3 stats clear the bar. Moderately hard to find and worth 2 Sp. Atk EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
Bird Pokémon are its main prey. This Pokémon knows it’s weak, so it hunts with a partner.
It’s one of the most intelligent dragon Pokémon. It camouflages itself by inflating its throat sac.
Type-wise, Tatsugiri takes extra damage from Dragon and Fairy. Its Dragon/Water typing keeps the defensive matchups simple. Storm Drain grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Tatsugiri's special bulk (base 95 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire, Water |
Glimmora deals 41-48% with Power Gem.
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemCharcoal NatureQuiet Moves
Damage vs Tatsugiri View Torkoal builds →Eruption19-22% Heat Wave12-14% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Tatsugiri View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn7-8% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityToxicdebris ItemRed Card NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tatsugiri View Glimmora builds →Power Gem41-48% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityWatercompaction ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Tatsugiri View Palossand builds →Shadow Ball32-38% Scorching Sands29-34% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Tatsugiri View Coalossal builds →Rapid Spin15-18% Flamethrower8-9% Scald4-5% | ||
Breeding is the whole story for Tatsugiri. A decent partner pool through one egg group, eggs are slow to hatch, and you won't need to evolve anything. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Tatsugiri with 34 breeding partners from the Water2 egg group.
Water coverage is what separates a good sweep from a wasted boost. After Nasty Plot, Tatsugiri threatens a wide range with max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs and Heavy-Duty Boots backing every hit.
Best Build
Tatsugiri best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Nasty Plot
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Endure
- Protect
- Muddy Water
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Revenge Killer Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Muddy Water
- Icy Wind
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Nasty Plot
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Endure
- Protect
- Muddy Water
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Revenge Killer Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Muddy Water
- Icy Wind
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Moves
TMs define Tatsugiri's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Draco Meteor and Outrage, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Psychic and Normal coverage and more. That's where the options open up.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
TMs define Tatsugiri's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Draco Meteor and Outrage, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Normal and Ground coverage and more. That's where the options open up.
Finding Tatsugiri at moderate rates takes patience. 6 spots are available in endgame routes, but the rate difference between them matters. Lock in the top one from the sorted list below.
Best Locations to Catch Tatsugiri in Scarlet & Violet
6 walking encounters at Lv. 49-65 for Tatsugiri across Violet and Scarlet. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Tatsugiri doesn't appear in Legends: Z-A. Transfer it from Scarlet to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Tatsugiri is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to Legends: Z-A.
Don't let Tatsugiri's 475 base stat total fool you. Storm Drain is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Run Storm Drain on Tatsugiri. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Tatsugiri also gets Commander, but they don't compare.
Tatsugiri fills the wallbreaker role. It's a special attacker with base 120 Sp. Atk. Base 82 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
The core moveset is Rapid Spin, Surf, Draco Meteor, and Nasty Plot. Rapid Spin leads at 22% usage. This set covers the wallbreaker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Introduced in Scarlet & Violet, Tatsugiri has appeared in 2 games across 2 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SVDebut
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves