Is Vulpix Good in Sword & Shield Playthrough?
Vulpix appears on Route 3 early in the game. Fire typing is useful against Milo's Grass gym and holds value through Opal's Fairy gym. Ninetales after a Fire Stone is a fast special attacker, though Arcanine and Centiskorch are usually stronger picks from the same region. A fine early Fire option if Scorbunny wasn't your starter.
Ninetales resists most of Milo's coverage and hits back hard.
Ninetales trades roughly evenly with Nessa's team.
Kabu's typing presses Ninetales's defenses.
Ninetales has the type edge here and should clean up Bea's team.
Ninetales has the type edge here and should clean up Opal's team.
Ninetales trades roughly evenly with Gordie's team.
Ninetales has the type edge here and should clean up Piers's team.
Ninetales trades roughly evenly with Raihan's team.
Ninetales has the type edge here and should clean up Bede's team.
Ninetales trades roughly evenly with Leon's team.
Catch Vulpix on Rolling Fields (walking, Lv 7-9). Intense Sun.
How to Get Alolan Vulpix in Sword & Shield
Easy grab on Alolan Vulpix with high spawn rates across 21 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Where To Catch Vulpix in SwSh
To get Vulpix, start by catching Vulpix through walking encounters at Lv. 7-47. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Vulpix ✓Rolling FieldsLv.7-10OverworldSwordRate 60%Intense SunWest Lake AxewellLv.7-11CaveSwordRate 40%Intense SunDappled GroveLv.11-15GrassSwordRate 40%Intense SunWest Lake AxewellLv.8-14OverworldSwordRate 35%Intense SunEast Lake AxewellLv.8-12CaveSwordRate 30%Intense SunSouth Lake MilochLv.11-13GrassSwordRate 30%Intense SunRolling Fields - 2Lv.7-10OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunEast Lake AxewellLv.10-15OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunSouth Lake MilochLv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 25%Intense SunRolling FieldsLv.7-9GrassSwordRate 20%Intense SunWatchtower RuinsLv.11-14FloorSwordRate 20%Intense SunRoute 3Lv.10-14OverworldSwordRate 15%All WeatherSouth Lake Miloch - 2Lv.14-16OverworldSwordRate 15%Intense SunDappled GroveLv.13-15OverworldSwordRate 2%Intense SunHammerlocke HillsLv.28-30GrassShieldRate 40%Intense SunWatchtower RuinsLv.26-29OverworldSwordRate 10%Intense SunNorth Lake MilochLv.26-28OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunAxew's EyeLv.35-40GrassSwordRate 40%Intense SunDusty BowlLv.42-47OverworldShieldRate 30%Intense SunGiant's SeatLv.33-38OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunAxew's EyeLv.36-40OverworldSwordRate 5%Intense SunAvailable in-game· 2 pathsPick one
Ninetalesuse Ice Stone
Vulpix Weakness
Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel moves hit Vulpix for super-effective damage. Vulpix's special bulk (base 65 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Fighting, Rock, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Ice |
What is Vulpix Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Vulpix
 Hitmonlee Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonlee builds →Brick Break 2x168-198%KO Blaze Kick 2x125-149%KO | ||
 Drednaw WaterRock | C | |
 Pancham Fighting | D | |
 Carkol RockFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Carkol builds →Ancient Power 2x59-71% Flame Charge 2x68-81% | ||
 Machop Fighting | C | |
 Sawk Fighting | C | |
 Throh Fighting | C | |
Drednaw WaterRock | C | |
Hitmonlee Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonlee builds →Brick Break 2x168-198%KO Blaze Kick 2x125-148%KO | ||
Carkol RockFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Carkol builds →Incinerate 2x58-69% Ancient Power 2x58-69% | ||
Hitmonlee Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonlee builds →Close Combat 2x276-325%KO Blaze Kick 2x131-155%KO | ||
Sawk Fighting | C | |
 Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
 Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Vital Throw 2x167-196%KO Bullet Punch 2x64-76% | ||
 Perrserker Steel | C | |
Hitmonlee Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonlee builds →Close Combat 2x272-320%KO Blaze Kick 2x128-152%KO | ||
Sawk Fighting | C | |
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Vital Throw 2x167-198%KO Bullet Punch 2x65-77% | ||
Perrserker Steel | C | |
 Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Darmanitan builds →Fire Punch 2x194-228%KO Hammer Arm 2x171-202%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Hitmonlee Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonlee builds →Close Combat 2x268-316%KO Blaze Kick 2x127-150%KO | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Excadrill builds →Smart Strike 2x175-206%KO Brick Break 2x125-148%KO Rock Slide 2x125-148%KO | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Brick Break 2x175-206%KO Bullet Punch 2x64-75% | ||
 Hitmonchan Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonchan builds →Focus Punch 2x305-359%KO Fire Punch 2x102-121%KO Rock Slide 2x102-121%KO Bullet Punch 2x55-65% | ||
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x310-365%KO Hammer Arm 2x173-204%KO Rock Slide 2x129-152%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Gallade builds →Brick Break 2x176-208%KO Rock Slide 2x118-139%KO | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Excadrill builds →Smart Strike 2x176-208%KO Brick Break 2x126-149%KO Rock Slide 2x126-149%KO | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Brick Break 2x176-208%KO Rock Slide 2x118-139%KO Bullet Punch 2x63-75% | ||
Hitmonchan Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hitmonchan builds →Focus Punch 2x308-363%KO Fire Punch 2x104-123%KO Rock Slide 2x104-123%KO Bullet Punch 2x56-66% | ||
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x316-372%KO Hammer Arm 2x176-207%KO Rock Slide 2x132-156%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Gallade builds →Brick Break 2x180-212%KO Rock Slide 2x119-141%KO | ||
 Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Hawlucha builds →High Jump Kick 2x240-283%KO Rock Slide 2x94-110%KO Steel Wing 2x87-103%KO | ||
 Timburr Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Timburr builds →Focus Punch 2x248-292%KO Stone Edge 2x110-130%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Gallade builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
 Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Smart Strike 2x114-135%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Sawk Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Sawk builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Darmanitan Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Darmanitan builds →Flare Blitz 2x324-382%KO Superpower 2x216-255%KO Rock Slide 2x136-160%KO | ||
 Mienshao Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Mienshao builds →High Jump Kick 2x319-376%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Gallade builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Smart Strike 2x114-135%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
 Poliwrath WaterFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Poliwrath builds →Close Combat 2x233-275%KO Rock Slide 2x98-116%KO | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Close Combat 2x293-345%KO Fire Punch 2x122-144%KO Rock Slide 2x122-144%KO Bullet Punch 2x66-78% | ||
Sawk Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Sawk builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Gallade builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Smart Strike 2x114-135%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
Poliwrath WaterFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Poliwrath builds →Close Combat 2x233-275%KO Rock Slide 2x98-116%KO | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Pangoro builds →Close Combat 2x293-345%KO Fire Punch 2x122-144%KO Rock Slide 2x122-144%KO Bullet Punch 2x66-78% | ||
Sawk Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Sawk builds →Close Combat 2x294-347%KO Fire Punch 2x123-145%KO Rock Slide 2x123-145%KO | ||
In Sword & Shield, Blaziken can KO Vulpix with Close Combat (151-178%). Lucario threatens a KO with Close Combat (169-199%). Rhyperior deals 54-64% with Earthquake.
 Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySpeed Boost ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Blaziken builds →Close Combat 2x151-178%KO Flare Blitz 2x151-178%KO | ||
 Lucario FightingSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityInnerfocus ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Lucario builds →Extreme Speed37-44% Close Combat 2x169-199%KO Aura Sphere 2x100-118%KO | ||
 Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemWeakness Policy NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Rhyperior builds →Earthquake54-64% Avalanche11-13% | ||
 Metagross SteelPsychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemAssault Vest NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Vulpix View Metagross builds →Earthquake46-54% | ||
Vulpix Evolutions
Vulpix doesn't evolve by leveling. You'll need an evolution item to push it forward to Ninetales. The evolved forms gain up to 206 total stats over Vulpix. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
SwSh Vulpix Best Moveset
Sun teams sometimes run this pre-evo purely for AbilityDrought, which sets sun for five turns to support teammates. But 50 Sp. Atk and 65 Speed mean the moveset does nothing offensively on its own. The role is set weather, maybe click a support move, then leave.
Best Build
Vulpix best EVs are Defense and Speed
Bulky Support Moveset
- Energy Ball
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Without breeding, Vulpix misses out on Baby-Doll Eyes and Flail. That's 7 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Blizzard and Ice Beam, with coverage across 8 types rounding things out.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
While young, it has six gorgeous tails. When it grows, several new tails are sprouted.
As each tail grows, its fur becomes more lustrous. When held, it feels slightly warm.
Vulpix Sword & Shield Guide
For Sword & Shield, you can run Vulpix through the first few routes without issues. 299 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Ninetales as fast as you can.
Vulpix has an Alolan form that swaps the typing and reshuffles the stats. Introduced in Gen 7. Worth checking if the original version doesn't fit your team.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Vulpix has appeared in 21 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
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 7SMAlolan
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