Venomoth Best Moveset
AbilityTinted Lens cuts through resistances by doubling the damage of resisted hits, which means Bug and Poison TermStab effectively lands on everything. Held ItemLeftovers with NatureModest at 90/90 in Sp. Atk and Speed gives the moveset real pace. Tera Poison or Tera Bug amplifies whichever TermStab the matchup favors.
Bug/Poison typing was terrible in Gen I (Red & Blue). Bug moves dealt almost no damage, and Psychic-types destroyed it. Venomoth had a 90 base Special but nothing useful to do with it.
Utility Moveset
- Sleep Powder
- Stun Spore
- Psychic
- Mega Drain
Recommended Teammates
Still hamstrung by bad typing in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Sleep Powder gave it utility, but Venomoth was too frail to survive long enough to take advantage.
Utility Moveset
- Sleep Powder
- Thief
- Psychic
- Giga Drain
Recommended Teammates
Shield Dust prevented secondary effects from hitting it, a useful niche against Body Slam and other coverage moves. Still too frail for consistent performance.
Special Attacker Moveset
- Sleep Powder
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Stun Spore
Recommended Teammates
Tinted Lens arrived as a new ability in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). No move would ever deal less than neutral damage. The catch was that Venomoth's stats still couldn't back it up.
Support Moveset
- Bug Buzz
- Sleep Powder
- Roost
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Quiver Dance changed everything in Gen V (Black & White). One boost raised Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, and Speed simultaneously. With Tinted Lens, even resisted hits did real damage after a dance.
Best Moves
Best Build
Venomoth best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Disable
- Psychic
Recommended Teammates
Same Quiver Dance plus Tinted Lens formula in Gen VI (X & Y). Bug Buzz and Sludge Bomb with effectively no resists made it a legitimate sweeper after one turn of setup.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Sleep Powder
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Three straight gens with the same winning set. Sleep Powder into Quiver Dance was consistent enough to stay relevant in Gen VII (Sun & Moon).
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
Recommended Teammates
Returned in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet) after missing Sword & Shield, but the power level had jumped too far. Quiver Dance alone wasn't enough anymore.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Sludge Bomb
- Sludge Wave
Recommended Teammates
Venomoth Weakness
Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock moves hit Venomoth for super-effective damage. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Venomoth leans toward special offense (base 90 Sp.Atk) instead of trying to wall anything.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Bug, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting |
What is Venomoth Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Venomoth
Cinderace's Sucker Punch hits Venomoth for 38-45%. Milotic's Ice Beam hits Venomoth for 40-48%. Staraptor's Double-Edge also KOs at 100-118%.
 Cinderace Fire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLibero ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Venomoth View Cinderace builds →U Turn19-22% Sucker Punch38-45% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMarvelscale ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Venomoth View Milotic builds →Scald36-42% Ice Beam40-48% | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Venomoth View Staraptor builds →Close Combat16-20% U Turn19-23% Double Edge100-118%KO | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Venomoth View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast34-40% Psychic 2x130-153%KO | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Venomoth View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain5-6% | ||
Evolution
Evolved from Venonat. Venomoth is the final form in this two-stage line. Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Sp.Atk grew the most through evolution (+50 over Venonat), and Venomoth peaks at 450 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Venomoth to get Venonat eggs easily using 91 partners from the Bug egg group.
How to Get Venomoth
moderate rates across 24 locations for Venomoth in late-game routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Where To Catch Venomoth in SV
The path to Venomoth starts with Venonat at Lv. 17-80 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch VenonatEast Province (Area One) - ForestLv.17-25OverworldRate 24%East Province (Area Two) - ForestLv.17-25OverworldRate 24%North Province (Area One) - ForestLv.17-25OverworldRate 24%North Province (Area Two) - ForestLv.17-25OverworldRate 24%Tagtree Thicket - ForestLv.17-25OverworldRate 24%Coastal BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.50-80Overworld
Step 2Venomoth ✓The Great Crater of PaldeaLv.31-60OverworldRate 12%Casseroya Lake - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightEast Province (Area One) - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightEast Province (Area Two) - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightNorth Province (Area One) - Bamboo ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightNorth Province (Area One) - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightNorth Province (Area Two) - Bamboo ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightNorth Province (Area Two) - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightTagtree Thicket - ForestLv.31-50OverworldRate 8%NightSavanna BiomeLv.50-80OverworldSavanna BiomeLv.58Overworldor evolve from Venonat (Step 1)
A solid number of locations for Venomoth with decent spawn rates across endgame 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.
Where To Catch Venomoth in BDSP
To get Venomoth, start by catching Venonat through walking and special encounters at Lv. 22-63. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VenonatRoute 229Lv.22Using PokeRadarRate 2%Bogsunk CavernLv.58-63GrassPost-gameGrassland CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameSpacious CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSwampy CaveLv.58-63GrassPost-game
Step 2Venomoth ✓Route 229Lv.50Using PokeRadarRate 20%Bogsunk CavernLv.58-63GrassPost-gameGrassland CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameSpacious CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSwampy CaveLv.58-63GrassPost-gameor evolve from Venonat (Step 1)
4 encounter spots for Venomoth at moderate rates starting from late-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Where To Catch Venomoth in LGPE
To get Venomoth, start by catching Venonat through walking encounters at Lv. 7-38. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VenonatRoute 24Lv.7-12GrassLet's Go PikachuRate 30%Route 25Lv.9-14GrassLet's Go PikachuRate 30%Route 24Lv.7-12GrassLet's Go EeveeRate 20%Route 25Lv.9-14GrassLet's Go EeveeRate 20%Route 14Lv.33-38GrassRate 15%Route 15Lv.33-38GrassRate 15%
Step 2Venomoth ✓Route 14Lv.33-38GrassRate 9%Route 15Lv.33-38GrassRate 9%or evolve from Venonat (Step 1)
Venomoth can't be caught in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Transfer Venonat from Red & Blue, Yellow, or FireRed & LeafGreen and evolve through the 2-stage line to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Venomoth in USUM
Step 1Obtain VenonatLATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Walking · Route 12. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Walking · Route 14. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Walking · Route 25. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Walking · Route 43. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Walking · Route 14. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Venomoth ✓
Base Stats
Sp. Atk and Speed carry most of Venomoth's stat budget. Defense's the obvious dump stat. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
The wings are covered with dustlike scales. Every time it flaps its wings, it looses highly toxic dust.
Venomoth Guide
Tinted Lens changes the entire equation for Venomoth. The 450 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier.
Tinted Lens is what you want on Venomoth. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Shield Dust, Wonder Skin) work on paper but Tinted Lens is what makes Venomoth worth using.
Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Venomoth is a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Run Quiver Dance, Bugbuzz, Sludge Bomb, and Sludgewave on Venomoth. Quiver Dance is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Venomoth has appeared in 19 games — most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
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 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