Special
Balanced
500High
60Moderate
CTier

As a Water-type, Wailord fills a straightforward role. Only weak to Electric and Grass. Known as the Float Whale Pokémon. A competitive option since Gen 3. Relies on priority moves or Scarf to keep up.

Wailord's spread is anchored by HP, with balanced defenses backing it up. Defense is the clear weak point. Worth 2 HP EVs per KO, and the standard growth curve keeps leveling painless.

Base Stats
500High
HP170
S
Attack90
B
Defense45
D
Sp. Atk90
B
Sp. Def45
D
Speed60
C
Total500
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Wailord yields +2 HP
HP+2AtkDefSpASpDSpe
Details
Catch60ChallengingFluctuating1.64M XP14.5m / 47'07"398kg / 877.4 lbs175Base XP
Pokedex Entries

It is the largest of all identified Pokémon. They jump as a pack to herd their prey.

Heart Gold / Soul Silver

Wailord Weakness

Good

Electric and Grass-type moves hit Wailord for super-effective damage. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. With 170 HP and balanced defenses, Wailord can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Gen IV Type Chart
  • Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
  • Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
4xCriticali
None
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
None
2Weak
4Resist
0Immune
Scorei0
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Water VeilPrevents burns.
ObliviousPrevents infatuation and protects against captivate.
PressureHAIncreases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.

Wailord is the evolved form of Wailmer. Breeding produces Wailmer eggs, and they're takes forever to hatch. Evolving from Wailmer gave Wailord the biggest boost in HP (+40), bringing the total to 500 stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Wailmer
Water
Wailord
Water
HP
130
170+40
ATK
70
90+20
DEF
35
45+10
SP.ATK
70
90+20
SP.DEF
35
45+10
SPE
60
60
BST
400D-Tier
500C-Tier+100
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Mixed
Mixed
Breeding
Easy

Breed with Wailord to get Wailmer eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground and Water2 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Aqua Ring, Body Slam, Curse and 8 more.

Egg Groups
GroundWater2
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
40 cycles·10,280 steps
Slow~10 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
11moves
Breed With (best first)
gyaradosraichupikachunidokinggolduckampharosrhydonoctillerydewgongarbokquagsiremagikarp

You commit to a move every time Wailord comes in. Choice Scarf gives speed patching through item lock, and Waterveil adds to that. Max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs make sure the locked move actually hurts. The remaining moves covers the rest.

Best Build

Special Revenge Killer
Ability
Waterveil
Item
Choice ScarfSPEED
Nature
Modest+SPA
EVs

Best Wailord Moveset

  • Water SpoutSTAB
  • Ice Beam
  • Self Destruct
  • RestRecovery

Don't skip the egg moves. Wailord picks up Aqua Ring and Body Slam only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Water Spout and Hydro Pump while coverage across 8 types adds range.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Growl
10040Normal
Lv 1
Rollout
309020Rock
Lv 1
Splash
40Normal
Lv 1
Water Gun
4010025Water
Lv 4
Growl
10040Normal
Lv 7
Water Gun
4010025Water
Lv 11
Rollout
309020Rock
Lv 14
Whirlpool
358515Water
Lv 17
Astonish
3010015Ghost
Lv 21
Water Pulse
6010020Water
Lv 24
Mist
30Ice
Lv 27
Rest
10Psychic
Lv 31
Brine
6510010Water
Lv 34
Water Spout
1501005Water
Lv 37
Amnesia
20Psychic
Lv 46
Dive
8010010Water
Lv 54
Bounce
85855Flying
Lv 62
Hydro Pump
120805Water

TM Moves

Src
TM45
Attract
10015Normal
TM72
Avalanche-4
6010010Ice
TM14
Blizzard
120705Ice
TM55
Brine
6510010Water
TM78
Captivate
10020Normal
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM26
Earthquake
10010010Ground
TM58
Endure+4
10Normal
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM68
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM07
Hail
10Ice
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
9510010Ice
TM83
Natural Gift
10015Normal
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
5Water
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM27
Return
10020Normal
TM05
Roar-6
20Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
4010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
609510Rock
TM43
Secret Power
7010020Normal
TM82
Sleep Talk
10Normal
HM04
Strength
8010015Normal
TM90
Substitute
10Normal
HM03
Surf
9510015Water
TM87
Swagger
9015Normal
TM06
Toxic
8510Poison
TM03
Water Pulse
6010020Water
HM07
Waterfall
8010015Water
HM05
Whirlpool
358515Water

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Aqua Ring
20Water
Egg
Body Slam
8510015Normal
Egg
Curse
10Ghost
Egg
Defense Curl
40Normal
Egg
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Egg
Fissure
305Ground
Egg
Sleep Talk
10Normal
Egg
Snore
4010015Normal
Egg
Swagger
9015Normal
Egg
Thrash
12010020Normal
Egg
Tickle
10020Normal

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Block
5Normal
Tutor
Bounce
85855Flying
Tutor
Dive
8010010Water
Tutor
Headbutt
7010015Normal
Tutor
Icy Wind
559515Ice
Tutor
Iron Head
8010015Steel
Tutor
Rollout
309020Rock
Tutor
Snore
4010015Normal

Transfer Moves

Src
Gen 3
Mimic
10Normal

Wailord isn't available in the wild in HeartGold & SoulSilver. Start by transferring Wailmer from Ruby. The evolution path from Wailmer to Wailord is covered in the steps below.

How to Obtain Wailord in HeartGold & SoulSilver

  1. Wailmer
    Step 1Obtain Wailmer

    Also found in:

  2. Wailord
    Step 2Wailord
  • Wailord has a 500 base stat total and ranks as C-Tier — a situational pick that fills a niche. It works best as a balanced. Base 170 HP is where it shines.

  • Watch for Jolteon (Electric) and Exeggutor (Grass) when using Wailord. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • Wailmer evolves into Wailord at level 40. Wailord is the fully evolved form. At 500 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Water Veil prevents burns — that's the one you want on Wailord. Pressure is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Oblivious works too if your team needs something different.

  • Wailord fills the balanced role. It's a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

  • Wailord appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.

Wailord first appeared in Ruby & Sapphire and has been available in 14 games across 7 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.