Special
Sweeper
510High
105Fast
BTier

High risk, high reward with Zoroark. The offense is outstanding but the bulk won't survive much — 60 base HP is the weak link. Psychic moves can't touch it, and only 3 types hit it super-effectively. Introduced in Gen 5.

The stat budget goes to damage. Sp. Atk and Attack carry the offense, HP doesn't even come close. An Illusion Fox Pokemon on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve, worth 2 Sp. Atk EVs per KO.

Base Stats
510High
HP60
C
Attack105
B
Defense60
C
Sp. Atk120
A
Sp. Def60
C
Speed105
B
Total510
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Zoroark yields +2 SpA
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpDSpe
Details
Catch45Challenging•Medium Slow1.06M XP•1.6m / 5'03"•81.1kg / 178.8 lbs•179Base XP
Pokedex Entries

Stories say those who tried to catch Zoroark were trapped in an illusion and punished.

Scarlet

Each has the ability to fool a large group of people simultaneously. They protect their lair with illusory scenery.

Violet

Zoroark Weakness

Avg

Zoroark's Dark typing leaves it vulnerable to Fighting, Bug, and Fairy moves. It shrugs off Psychic-type attacks completely. At base 105 Speed, Zoroark outspeeds most threats and doesn't need to tank what it can outrun.

4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
FightingBugFairy
½xResisti
GhostDark
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
Psychic
STAB (2)i
PsychicGhost
3Weak
2Resist
1Immune
Scorei-1
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
IllusionTakes the appearance of the last conscious party Pokémon upon being sent out until hit by a damaging move.

Evolved from Zorua. Zoroark is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Attack grew the most through evolution (+40 over Zorua), and Zoroark peaks at 510 total stats.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Zorua
#570Zorua
30
Level 30
Zoroark
#571Zoroark
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Zorua
Dark
Zoroark
Dark
HP
40
60+20
ATK
65
105+40
DEF
40
60+20
SP.ATK
80
120+40
SP.DEF
40
60+20
SPE
65
105+40
BST
330D-Tier
510B-Tier+180
ROLE
Balanced
Sweeper
TYPE
Special
Mixed
Breeding
Moderate

Breed with Zoroark to get Zorua eggs using 195 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Copycat, Counter, Detect and 3 more.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
♂87.5%♀12.5%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
6moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachugolduckampharosrhydondewgongarbokgranbullquagsireflaaffyrhyhornpsyduck
12 of 195·

You commit to a move every time Zoroark comes in. Choice Specs gives boosted special damage with move lock, and Illusion adds to that. Max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs make sure the locked move actually hurts. Fire coverage covers the rest.

Best Build

Special Sweeper
Ability
Illusion
Item
Choice SpecsPOWER
Nature
Timid+SPE
EVs

Best Zoroark Moveset

  • Dark PulseSTAB
  • Sludge Bomb
  • TrickUtility
  • FlamethrowerCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Florges
FlorgesDecent

STAB runs through Foul Play and Night Daze for the basics, but Zoroark's real strength is the 10-type coverage spread. Normal and Bug hit common defensive types, and the movepool keeps going.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Hone Claws
——15Dark
Lv 1
Leer
—10030Normal
Lv 1
Scratch
4010035Normal
Lv 1
Torment
—10015Dark
Lv 1
U-turn
7010020Bug
Lv 12
Fury Swipes
188015Normal
Lv 20
Taunt
—10020Dark
Lv 24
Knock Off
6510020Dark
Lv 28
Fake Tears
—10020Dark
Lv 34
Agility
——30Psychic
Lv 40
Imprison
——10Psychic
Lv 46
Night Daze
859510Dark
Lv 52
Nasty Plot
——20Dark
Lv 58
Foul Play
9510015Dark

TM Moves

Src
TM27
Aerial Ace
60—20Flying
TM04
Agility
——30Psychic
TM66
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM58
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
TM195
Burning Jealousy
701005Fire
TM129
Calm Mind
——20Psychic
TM17
Confuse Ray
—10010Ghost
TM108
Crunch
8010015Dark
TM94
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark
TM55
Dig
8010010Ground
TM122
Encore
—1005Normal
TM47
Endure+4
——10Normal
TM25
Facade
7010020Normal
TM03
Fake Tears
—10020Dark
TM125
Flamethrower
9010015Fire
TM43
Fling
—10010Dark
TM158
Focus Blast
120705Fighting
TM62
Foul Play
9510015Dark
TM152
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM81
Grass Knot
—10020Grass
TM130
Helping Hand+5
——20Normal
TM29
Hex
6510010Ghost
TM163
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM117
Hyper Voice
9010010Normal
TM92
Imprison
——10Psychic
TM181
Knock Off
6510020Dark
TM199
Lash Out
751005Dark
TM12
Low Kick
—10020Fighting
TM39
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
TM140
Nasty Plot
——20Dark
TM42
Night Shade
—10015Ghost
TM202
Pain Split
——20Normal
TM07
Protect+4
——10Normal
TM203
Psych Up
——10Normal
TM120
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TM50
Rain Dance
——5Water
TM85
Rest
——5Psychic
TM172
Roar-6
——20Normal
TM06
Scary Face
—10010Normal
TM114
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TM61
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
TM219
Skitter Smack
709010Bug
TM70
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM148
Sludge Bomb
9010010Poison
TM30
Snarl
559515Dark
TM177
Spite
—10010Ghost
TM103
Substitute
——10Normal
TM49
Sunny Day
——5Fire
TM32
Swift
60—20Normal
TM88
Swords Dance
——20Normal
TM01
Take Down
908520Normal
TM87
Taunt
—10020Dark
TM171
Tera Blast
8010010Normal
TM18
Thief
6010025Dark
TM221
Throat Chop
8010015Dark
TM175
Toxic
—9010Poison
TM109
Trick
—10010Psychic
TM60
U-turn
7010020Bug

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Copycat
——20Normal
Egg
Counter-5
—10020Fighting
Egg
Detect+4
——5Fighting
Egg
Extrasensory
8010020Psychic
Egg
Memento
—10010Dark
Egg
Sucker Punch+1
701005Dark

Tutor Moves

Zoroark can't learn any Tutor moves

Reminder Moves

Src
Rem
Night Slash
7010015Dark

Finding Zoroark at low spawn rates takes patience. 6 spots are available in late-game routes, but the rate difference between them matters. Lock in the top one from the sorted list below.

Where To Catch Zoroark in Scarlet & Violet

Zorua is your first catch on the way to Zoroark. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 16-56 across 12 total spots in the chain.

  1. Zorua
    Step 1Catch Zorua
    Tagtree Thicket - Forest
    ScarletOverworldLv.16-313%MidForest
    CHALLENGING
    Tagtree Thicket - Forest
    VioletOverworldLv.16-313%MidForest
    CHALLENGING
    West Province (Area Three) - Forest
    ScarletOverworldLv.16-313%MidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    West Province (Area Three) - Forest
    VioletOverworldLv.16-313%MidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    West Province (Area Three) - Grass
    VioletOverworldLv.16-312%MidRoute
    CHALLENGING
    West Province (Area Three) - Grass
    ScarletOverworldLv.16-312%MidRoute
    CHALLENGING
  2. Zoroark
    Step 2Zoroark ✓
    Casseroya Lake - Forest
    ScarletOverworldLv.45-561%LateWater
    HARD
    Casseroya Lake - Forest
    VioletOverworldLv.45-561%LateWater
    HARD
    Tagtree Thicket - Forest
    ScarletOverworldLv.45-561%LateForest
    HARD
    Tagtree Thicket - Forest
    VioletOverworldLv.45-561%LateForest
    HARD
    West Province (Area Three) - Forest
    VioletOverworldLv.45-561%LateRoute
    HARD
    West Province (Area Three) - Forest
    ScarletOverworldLv.45-561%LateRoute
    HARD
    or evolve from Zorua (Step 1)

  • We rate Zoroark B-Tier — a solid choice for the right team. At 510 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Base 120 Sp. Atk stands out.

  • Watch for Hitmonlee (Fighting), Heracross (Bug), and Clefable (Fairy) when using Zoroark. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Zoroark's base 105 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.

  • Zorua evolves into Zoroark at level 30. Zoroark is the final evolution in a 3-stage line starting from Zorua. At 510 BST, it's got solid stats to work with.

  • Illusion takes the appearance of the last conscious party Pokémon upon being sent out until hit by a damaging move — that's the one you want on Zoroark. It's the only ability Zoroark has.

  • Base 105 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Zoroark is a special attacker with base 120 Sp. Atk. Best used as a sweeper.

  • Zoroark appears in 9 games, including Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, and X & Y.

Since debuting in Black & White, Zoroark has appeared in 9 titles over 5 generations. Along the way, it received a Hisuian form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.