Torkoal Best Moveset
AbilityDrought sets sun on entry, and Held ItemHeat Rock extends it to 8 turns. NatureBold at 140 Defense absorbs physical hits while the sun enables teammates running AbilityChlorophyll and AbilitySolar Power. The moveset is a sun setter first and a Fire-type second. 85 Sp. Atk fires sun-boosted Fire TermStab between support turns. 20 Speed means going last.
Pure Fire with 140 Defense but 20 Speed in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). A physical wall that Rapid Spinned, but painfully slow and specially fragile.
Special Tank Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Explosion
- Overheat
- Body Slam
Recommended Teammates
Same issues in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). 140 Defense was impressive but 70 Sp. Def and 20 Speed meant special attackers destroyed it before it moved.
Special Tank Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Yawn
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of mediocrity in Gen V (Black & White). No exciting ability, no offensive presence. Torkoal was just slow and forgettable.
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
Even worse in Gen VI (X & Y). Fire-types with better abilities and more offensive output pushed Torkoal further into irrelevance.
Wall Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
Drought arrived as its hidden ability in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Useful for setting sun, but 20 Speed and poor Sp. Def left Torkoal too fragile to do much after.
Wall Moveset
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Yawn
- Lava Plume
Recommended Teammates
Finally climbed in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Drought plus Stealth Rock plus Yawn gave it real support utility. Sun teams needed a reliable setter, and Torkoal delivered.
Best Moves
Best Build
Torkoal best EVs are Defense and HP
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Body Press
Recommended Teammates
Dropped back down in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Other sun setters did the job with more Speed or offensive presence to actually function beyond weather support.
Wall Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Will O Wisp
Recommended Teammates
Torkoal Weakness
Torkoal is weak to Water, Ground, and Rock. 6 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. 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 |
What is Torkoal Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Torkoal
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Corviknight builds →U Turn4-4% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityChlorophyll ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves View Leavanny builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityStakeout ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Spidops builds →Knock Off10-11% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Torkoal View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin5-6% Volt Switch13-15% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
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 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
Torkoal Locations
A handful of locations for Torkoal with moderate rates across mid-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Best Locations to Catch Torkoal in Scarlet & Violet
You can find Torkoal through 3 walking encounters at Lv. 28-80. The list is sorted by game progression, so the earliest accessible spots show up first.
Torkoal starts showing up in mid-game routes at decent spawn rates across 10 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Torkoal in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Which version you're playing matters for Torkoal. 5 walking and special spots at Lv. 24-63 spread across Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
Torkoal appears at decent spawn rates across 48 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Torkoal in Sword & Shield
walking encounters for Torkoal across 34 spots at Lv. 10-32. The catch is that Shield and Sword don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
4 encounter spots for Torkoal at decent spawn rates starting from mid-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Best Locations to Catch Torkoal in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
You can catch Torkoal through 3 walking encounters from Lv. 29-32, but availability differs between Ultra Moon and Ultra Sun. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
Base Stats
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.
Coal is the source of Torkoal’s energy. Large amounts of coal can be found in the mountains where they live.
Torkoal Guide
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 B-Tier as a trick room.
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.
Torkoal fills the trick room role. It's a mixed attacker with base 85 Attack and 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.
The core moveset is Rapid Spin, Stealth Rock, Lavaplume, and Will O Wisp. Rapid Spin leads at 0% usage. This set covers the trick room role with a mix of damage and utility.
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 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