Vigoroth Best Moveset
80 Attack at 90 Speed on Normal with AbilityVital Spirit preventing sleep. The only stage in the line without Truant, which means it actually gets to attack every turn. Held ItemEviolite adds bulk since Slaking exists. The moveset trades Slaking's massive power for consistency. Sometimes reliable 80 Attack is better than skipped-turn 160.
Vital Spirit prevented sleep in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). 80/80/80 across offenses and defenses. 90 Speed was usable. The pre-evolution that didn't want to evolve.
Best Moves
Best Build
Vigoroth best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Bulk Up
- Slack Off
- Return
Recommended Teammates
Bulk Up and Vital Spirit kept Vigoroth functional in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Slaking's Truant meant Vigoroth was sometimes the better form.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Return
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Bulk Up
Recommended Teammates
Eviolite boosted 80/80 defenses in Gen V (Black & White). Borderline in its tier. The rare pre-evolution preferred over its own final stage.
Wall Moveset
- Bulk Up
- Body Slam
- Slack Off
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Two gens borderline in Gen VI (X & Y). Eviolite Vigoroth was the case study for when a pre-evolution outperforms its evolution. Vital Spirit plus boosted bulk.
Wall Moveset
- Toxic
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Recommended Teammates
Vigoroth saw minimal competitive use in Gen VII (Sun & Moon / USUM). This was a decline from C-Tier in the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Vitalspirit with Eviolite, favoring a Careful nature.
Wall Moveset
- Bulk Up
- Night Slash
- Slack Off
- Body Slam
Recommended Teammates
Vigoroth saw minimal competitive use in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet / Legends Z-A). Vigoroth maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Vitalspirit with Eviolite, favoring a Adamant nature.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Bulk Up
- Body Slam
- Slack Off
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
Vigoroth Weakness
Vigoroth is weak to Fighting. On the flip side, it's immune to Ghost-type moves entirely. Vigoroth's physical bulk (base 80 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fighting |
| 0x (Immune) | Ghost |
What is Vigoroth Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Vigoroth
Machamp can KO Vigoroth with Close Combat (88-103%).
 Machamp Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNoguard ItemFlame Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Vigoroth View Machamp builds →Bullet Punch10-12% Close Combat 2x88-103%KO Stone Edge24-29% | ||
Evolution
Vigoroth is the middle stage between Slakoth and Slaking. It's a three-stage line with one more evolution to go. For breeding, quick to hatch with a massive partner pool via one egg group. Speed has grown the most so far (+60), but there's still another 230 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Vigoroth to get Slakoth eggs easily using 278 partners from the Ground egg group.
How to Get Vigoroth
Vigoroth appears at moderate rates across 8 spots in mid-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Vigoroth in SV
Slakoth is your first catch on the way to Vigoroth. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 7-80 across 20 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch SlakothSouth Province (Area Five) - GrassLv.7-22OverworldRate 5%South Province (Area Three) - GrassLv.7-22OverworldRate 5%Coastal BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCoastal BiomeLv.63Overworld
Step 2Vigoroth ✓South Province (Area Five) - GrassLv.22-55OverworldRate 6%South Province (Area Five) - MountainLv.22-55OverworldRate 6%West Province (Area Three) - GrassLv.22-55OverworldRate 6%Coastal BiomeLv.50-80Overworldor evolve from Slakoth (Step 1)
Step 3Catch or Evolve into SlakingCoastal BiomeLv.50-80OverworldCasseroya Lake - ForestLv.52-56OverworldRate 1%or evolve from Vigoroth (Step 2)
Can't catch Vigoroth directly. Start with Slakoth at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 36. The 3-stage chain from Slakoth to Vigoroth is where the leveling time goes.
No wild encounters for Vigoroth in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Bring Slakoth over from Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, or Scarlet & Violet, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.
How to Obtain Vigoroth in USUM
Step 1Obtain SlakothLATER APPEARANCEfrom Ruby & SapphireNot TradeableAppears in Ruby & Sapphire via Walking · Petalburg Woods. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom EmeraldNot TradeableAppears in Emerald via Walking · Petalburg Woods. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in HeartGold & SoulSilver via Headbutt special · Route 25 · Post-National Dex. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Black & WhiteNot TradeableAppears in Black & White via Walking · White Forest. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire via Walking · Petalburg Woods. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCENot TradeableAppears in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl via Walking · Eterna Forest · Swarm active. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.- Step 2Vigoroth ✓
Step 3Evolve into Slaking
A few locations for Vigoroth 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.
Base Stats
Vigoroth's spread isn't flashy. Speed leads, Sp. Atk trails, 4 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 2 Speed EVs, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It is always hungry because it won’t stop rampaging. Even while it is eating, it can’t keep still.
Vigoroth Guide
Vigoroth isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Slaking to unlock its full potential. At 440 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Vigoroth's biggest threats include Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Vital Spirit is the go-to ability for Vigoroth. It prevents sleep. It's Vigoroth's only ability.
Vigoroth fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Vigoroth does the job early-game if you need a Normal type on your team. Evolve it into Slaking before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Game Availability
Vigoroth first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form 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