Voltorb sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Electrode as fast as possible. Flexible enough to run physical or special sets. An original Gen 1 pick.
Speed and Sp. Atk carry most of Voltorb's stat budget. Attack's the obvious dump stat. Common in the wild and yields 1 Speed EV. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
VOLTORB was first sighted at a company that manufactures POKé BALLS. The link between that sighting and the fact that this POKéMON looks very similar to a POKé BALL remains a mystery.
VOLTORB is extremely sensitive - it explodes at the slightest of shocks. It is rumored that it was first created when a POKé BALL was exposed to a powerful pulse of energy.
Voltorb Weakness
GoodVoltorb is weak to Ground-type moves. Few weaknesses and 3 resistances make the typing clean. At base 100 Speed, Voltorb outspeeds most threats and doesn't need to tank what it can outrun.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
One evolution ahead. Voltorb grows into Electrode through a straightforward two-stage chain. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 160 stat points total.
How to Evolve
Breed Voltorb (with patience) with 23 breeding partners from the Mineral egg group.
Ditto only
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 3.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
TMs carry this one. Voltorb learns Thunder and Thunderbolt naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Rock and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Voltorb appears at high spawn rates across 4 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.
Best Locations
4 walking encounters at Lv. 22-26 for Voltorb across Ruby and Sapphire. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Voltorb is meant to evolve into Electrode. At 330 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Voltorb's biggest threats include Golem (Ground), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. Voltorb's base 100 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Voltorb can evolve into Electrode and Hisuian Electrode depending on the method. Voltorb is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Soundproof is the go-to ability for Voltorb. It protects against sound-based moves. Its hidden ability Aftermath can work in specific setups. Static is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Voltorb is a special attacker with base 55 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Fragile — can't afford to take many hits. Best used as a pivot.
Voltorb appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Voltorb has appeared in 20 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received a Hisuian form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLAHisuian
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A