Tornadus Best Moveset
Pure Flying at 125 Sp. Atk and 111 Speed with AbilityPrankster giving priority to status moves. The moveset runs fast special Flying TermStab or priority MoveTailwind and MoveRain Dance support. 115 Attack offers physical options. AbilityDefiant punishes Intimidate instead. C-Tier because the offensive and support profiles give teambuilding flexibility.
Prankster Tailwind and Rain Dance support in Gen V (Black & White). 125 Sp. Atk with Hurricane in Rain. Set weather, boost team Speed, then sweep. A fast utility attacker.
Best Moves
Best Build
Tornadus best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Hurricane
- Tailwind
- U Turn
- Focus Blast
Recommended Teammates
Same Prankster formula in Gen VI (X & Y). Rain nerfed to five turns but Tailwind still boosted the team. Two gens of consistency.
Pivot Moveset
- Tailwind
- U Turn
- Hurricane
- Taunt
Recommended Teammates
Between tiers in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Prankster nerfed against Dark-types. Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain blocked Thunder Wave. The utility niche was shrinking.
Special Stallbreaker Moveset
- U Turn
- Hurricane
- Tailwind
- Taunt
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of decline in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Therian form did the Flying pivot job better with Regenerator. Incarnate form had Prankster but less staying power.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Tailwind
- Heat Wave
- Hurricane
- Air Slash
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Four gens since the peak. Prankster was still useful but Tornadus-Therian outclassed it in every practical application.
Special Stallbreaker Moveset
- Tailwind
- Taunt
- Bleakwind Storm
- U Turn
Recommended Teammates
Tornadus Weakness
Electric, Ice, and Rock moves hit Tornadus for super-effective damage. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. With 79 HP and balanced defenses, Tornadus can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Tornadus Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Tornadus
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityProtosynthesis ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Tornadus View Great Tusk builds →Rapid Spin25-29% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Tornadus View Corviknight builds →U Turn10-12% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPoisonheal ItemToxic Orb NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Tornadus View Gliscor builds →Knock Off20-24% | ||
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemWellspringmask NatureJolly Moves View Ogerpon-Wellspring builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves View Landorus-Therian builds →
| ||
Evolution
A Flying-type legendary, Tornadus doesn't evolve or breed. At 580 total stats, it's meant to stand on its own. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Tornadus
Tornadus doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Black & White, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, or Legends: Arceus to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Tornadus is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
You'll find Tornadus at Bonechill Wastes as a set encounter. It's always there at that location, so come prepared for the battle. The location details below cover exact positioning.
How to Get Tornadus in Legends: Arceus
No wild encounters for Tornadus in Sword & Shield. It's available in Black & White, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, or Legends: Arceus and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Tornadus cannot be caught in the wild in Sword & Shield, but you can still get it via these paths:
Obtain and trade from these games:
Then trade to Sword & Shield.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
You'll find Tornadus at Ultra Space Wilds as a set encounter. It's always there at that location, so come prepared for the battle. The location details below cover exact positioning.
How to Get Tornadus in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Base Stats
Everything pushes toward mixed damage here. Tornadus's Sp. Atk does the work, Defense pays the price. But you're still getting 3 Attack EVs per KO. Near-impossible to catch, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
An example of what is known as a “form change,” though I suspect this strange avian guise to be Tornadus’s true form. Tornadus has been sighted crossing the ocean while in this form.
Tornadus Guide
At 580 BST, Tornadus is built different. We rank it B-Tier. As a Legendary Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a sweeper.
Tornadus gets Prankster and Defiant. But Prankster is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that. With base 111 Speed, Prankster gives Tornadus an edge before opponents can react.
Tornadus is a mixed attacker with base 115 Attack and 125 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 111 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the sweeper role.
Run Tailwind, Taunt, Bleakwindstorm, and U Turn on Tornadus. Tailwind is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the sweeper role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Since Black & White, Tornadus has appeared in 9 games. Legendary Pokemon like Tornadus are usually found through story events or special post-game areas rather than random encounters.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BWDebut
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