Stats & Training
Torkoal's all-in on Defense at the expense of Speed. The mixed lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Defense EVs and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
You find abandoned coal mines full of them. They dig tirelessly in search of coal.
You find abandoned coal mines full of them. They dig tirelessly in search of coal.
Torkoal Weakness
Torkoal is weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Torkoal's physical bulk (base 140 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Flygon's Earthquake hits Torkoal for 60-71%. Swampert's Earthquake hits Torkoal for 52-61%. Aerodactyl deals 62-73% with Stone Edge.
 Flygon GroundDragon | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Flygon builds →Earthquake 2x60-71% Outrage36-42% U Turn7-8% | ||
 Swampert WaterGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Swampert builds →Earthquake 2x52-61% Ice Beam11-13% Waterfall 2x41-49% | ||
 Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Aerodactyl builds →Earthquake 2x41-49% Stone Edge 2x62-73% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | C | |
Ground is super effective against TorkoalView Garchomp → | ||
HeartGold & SoulSilver Evolution
What you see is what you get. Torkoal sits outside any evolution chain, so focus on the egg moves and a massive partner pool from one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Torkoal easily with 131 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Earthquake, Endure, Eruption and 4 more to offspring.
HeartGold & SoulSilver Torkoal Best Moveset
Whitesmoke helps Torkoal stick around while dealing real damage. Leftovers for passive recovery each turn, max HP and Sp. Atk EVs for the right balance, and Flamethrower as the main threat. Not the fastest, but it doesn't need to be.
Best Build
Torkoal best EVs are HP and Sp. Atk
Special Tank Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Yawn
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Egg moves make a real difference. Torkoal gets Earthquake and Endure exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 7 types rounds out the picture alongside Eruption and Overheat.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Torkoal in HeartGold & SoulSilver
No wild encounters for Torkoal in HeartGold & SoulSilver. It's available in Ruby, Emerald, or Sword and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Torkoal is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Available in:
Then trade to HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Also found in:
Torkoal Guide
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Don't let Torkoal's 470 base stat total fool you. Drought is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a trick room. Rapid Spin with Leftovers is the standard set.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Run Drought on Torkoal. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Torkoal also gets White Smoke and Shell Armor, but they don't compare.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Torkoal fills the trick room role. It's a special attacker with base 85 Sp. Atk. Base 20 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, the best way to handle Torkoal: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Water, Ground, and Rock-type attackers hit hardest.
Game Availability
Torkoal first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 15 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves