What you can do as a member?
You can do by logging in.
- Retention of various tool data
- Site theme change
- Game bookmarking feature
- Provide feedback on the website
This is a strategy guide for using Ferrothorn in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Ferrothorn, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Ferrothorn - Related Guides | |
---|---|
Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
---|---|---|
Abilities | ||
Iron Barbs | Inflicts damage to the Pokemon on contact. | |
Anticipation (Hidden) | Senses a foe's dangerous moves. |
Type | |
---|---|
Takes 4x damage | |
Takes 2x damage | |
Takes 0.5x damage | |
Takes 1/4x damage | |
Takes 0x damage |
HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
74 | 94 | 131 | 54 | 116 | 20 |
Best Natures | ||
---|---|---|
Relaxed (+Def, -Spd) |
Impish (+Def, -Sp.Atk) |
Sassy (+Sp.Def, -Spd) |
Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk) |
Brave (+Atk, -Spd) |
--- |
Leech Seed | Inherit from Roselia (learns at Lv. 10) or Phantump (learns at Lv. 8) |
---|---|
Knock Off | Inherit from Lombre (learns at Lv. 1) or Grookey (learns at Lv. 20)
When playing Pokemon Sword and using a starter other than Grookey, this move can be inherited via Dwebble, who learns it as an Egg Move, which it can inherit from Scorupi (learns at Lv. 24) |
|
Nature | Relaxed (+Def, -Spd) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Def 252 / Sp.Def 4 |
Final Stat Values | HP 181 / Atk. 114 / Def. 201 / Sp.Def. 137 / Spd. 36 |
Ability | Iron Barbs |
Held Item | Leftovers
Rocky Helmet Occa Berry |
Moveset | ・Gyro Ball
・Bullet Seed ・Leech Seed ・Protect |
Ferrothorn works well as a defensive Pokemon thanks to its few weaknesses and multiple resistances. Although Ferrothorn doesn't get any recovery moves, it can rely on Leftovers + Leech Seed to recover indirectly.
That said, make sure to switch out when you're up against a special Fire-type attacker as Ferrothorn will go down in an instant.
While using Leech Seed to sap the opponent's HP, Ferrothorn can use Protect to stay on the battlefield as long as possible, cutting down the opponent's HP in the process.
On healthier turns, Ferrothorn can use STAB-moves in the form of Gyro Ball
and Bullet Seed.
This is a standard physically defensive spread maximizing EVs in HP and Defense. You can place the remaining 4 EVs in its Sp.Def stat.
Iron Barbs serves as another form of damage for Ferrothorn where it can hurt attackers who use contact moves. This helps make up for its movepool.
Leftovers helps for survivability and to keep Ferrothorn healthier for longer. Rocky Helmet works well with Iron Barbs to deal more chip damage against Pokemon with contact moves.
Occa Berry is also a valid option to help Ferrothorn survive a Fire-type attack.
Iron Defense | A great move to help buff Ferrothorn's physical defense more. This move raises Defense by 2 stages. |
---|---|
Body Press | Works as a great alternative damaging move for Ferrothorn. Has great synergy with Iron Defense. |
Power Whip | Really Strong Grass-type STAB with less accuracy than Bullet Seed but can consistently deal strong damage. |
Knock Off | Disarms the opponent's held item. Really helpful move against Eviolite-users. |
Stealth Rock | A good move to prepare against Fire-types that might switch into Ferrothorn. |
Toxic | Badly Poisons the enemy. Works well for bulky Ferrothorn that intend to stall out their opponent. |
Thunder Wave | Paralyzes the enemy. Good for crippling enemy sweepers. |
Nature | Sassy (+Sp.Def, -Spd) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Def 4 / Sp.Def 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 181 / Att 114 / Def 152 / Sp.Def 184 / Spd 36 |
Ability | Iron Barbs |
Held Item | Leftovers |
Moveset | ・Gyro Ball
・Power Whip ・Leech Seed ・Protect |
This is a Specially Defensive variant of the previous build which is meant to tank special hits, especially from Kyogre's Water Spout. It's slightly different but just as effective.
While using Leech Seed to sap the opponent's HP, Ferrothorn can use Protect to stay on the battlefield as long as possible, cutting down the opponent's HP in the process.
On healthier turns, Ferrothorn can use STAB-moves in the form of Gyro Ball
and Power Whip.
This is a standard specially defensive spread maximizing EVs in HP and Special Defense. You can place the remaining 4 EVs in its Def stat.
Iron Barbs serves as another form of damage for Ferrothorn where it can hurt attackers who use contact moves. This helps make up for its movepool.
Leftovers helps for survivability and to keep Ferrothorn healthier for longer.
Bullet Seed | A decent multi-hit STAB move that can be a more accurate alternative to Power Whip. |
---|---|
Knock Off | Disarms this opponent's held item. Really helpful move against Eviolite-users. |
Stealth Rock | A good move to prepare against Fire-types that might switch into Ferrothorn. |
Toxic | Badly Poisons the enemy. Works well for bulky Ferrothorn that intend to stall out the opponent. |
Thunder Wave | Paralyzes the enemy. Good for crippling enemy sweepers. |
Nature | Brave (+Atk, -Spd) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4 (0 IVs in Speed) |
Final Stat Values | HP 181 / Atk. 160 / Def. 151 / Sp.Def. 137 / Spd. 22
Speed is calculated at 0 IVs. |
Ability | Iron Barbs |
Held Item | Choice Band |
Moveset | ・Gyro Ball
・Power Whip ・Knock Off ・Bullet Seed |
Ferrothorn has a 4x weakness against Fire-types so boosting its Attack with a Choice Band is an effective way to overwhelm your opponent with Gyro Ball and Power Whip at the start of the battle, especially if your opponent chooses to switch out to a different Pokemon.
Gyro Ball gets stronger the slower the user is to its target, and as such Brave Ferrothorn with 0IVs in Speed greatly benefits from this STAB move. Power Whip is another high-powered STAB move that can deal significant damage.
Knock Off disarms the opponent's held item, which is a very helpful move against Eviolite-user,. while Bullet Seed is a decent multi-hit STAB move that can be a more accurate alternative to Power Whip.
This is a bulky physically offensive spread maximizing EVs in HP and Attack. You can place the remaining 4 EVs in its Sp. Def stat. We aren't putting any EVs in Speed to maximize the damage from Gyro Ball.
Iron Barbs serves as another form of damage for Ferrothorn where it can hurt attackers who use contact moves. This helps make up for its movepool.
Choice Band lets Ferrothorn deal the most damage it can, at the cost of locking its move choice.
Body Press | Works as a fighting-type coverage move for Ferrothorn to combat other Steel-types. Damage is calculated from its Defense instead of Attack. |
---|---|
Explosion | Good last resort to deal damage witn Ferrothorn is expected to faint soon anyway. |
Ferrothorn's strongest suit lies in its ability to absorb physical hits. Combined with Leech Seed, it can stack up massive total damage, so in a switch-heavy battle, Ferrothorn proves to be an invaluable asset.
Iron Defense allows Ferrothorn to further capitalize on its already high defenses and transition it into an offensive advantage. Thanks to Body Press calculating damage from the user's defense stat. Ferrothorn can be prepared even against other Steel-types.
Ferrothorn's natural bulk can be extremely useful to stall out the opponent's Dynamax turns. When timed correctly with Protect, it can shrug off opponents who will try to take it out.
Ferrothorn works well as a countermeasure to Scarfed Kyogre because of its high bulk and natural resistances to Water-type moves. Even in Rain, Specially Defensive Ferrothorn is bulky enough to withstand STAB Water Spout from Kyogre.
Assault Vest can even be an option if up against Choice Specs Kyogre, but you will lose access to status moves such as Leech Seed and Protect.
Ferrothorn is a proud member of the Steel-type, and an important Pokemon as an overall counter to Fairy-types. As Hidden Power is no more in Sword and Shield, the days where any Pokemon could have Hidden Power Fire and counter it with 4x damage are over, and Ferrothorn stands strong in their wake.
With its incredibly low Speed of 20, the normally last-to-move Ferrothorn becomes a silver bullet under the effects of Trick Room. Together with Gyro Ball, which becomes stronger the slower the user is, Ferrothorn comes into its own as a physical sweeper.
Rain Setter / Special Offense | Physical Wall | Physical Offense |
---|---|---|
Kyogre | Ferrothorn | Seismitoad |
Ferrothorn works wonderfully in the rain as it helps mitigate its weakness to Fire-type attacks. As such, it makes a great fit for rain teams. It pairs up well with Kyogre in particular as it can resist Grass-type moves that might be aimed at Kyogre.
Kyogre will be the team's rain setter and can deal high amounts of Special Damage thanks to Water Spout, Origin Pulse, and 100% accurate Thunder.
Seismitoad rounds out this rain team well with its immunity to Electric-type attacks. Its Ground-type coverage can also help against opposing Steel-types. Seismitoad benefits offensively from rain thanks to Swift Swim, allowing it to hit faster in the rain.
Weakness |
---|
With a 4x weakness to Fire, Ferrothorn can be quickly handled with Fire attacks. Any of the Fire-types listed below are easy to use in Ranked Battle and even besides being great Ferrothorn counters, will be a welcome addition to your team.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Cinderace | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Pyro Ball is a 4x effective move that doesn't do contact ・Can be used as a starting point to set up Max Knuckle and increase its Attack Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace |
Celesteela | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists most of Ferrothorn's attacks ・Has access to the super effective move Flamethrower Moveset & Best Build for Celesteela |
Zapdos | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has access to the super effective move Heat Wave ・Has to be careful of Stealth Rocks Moveset & Best Build for Zapdos |
Heat Rotom | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has access to the super effective move Overitat ・Can pivot into a favorable matchup with Volt Switch. ・Can render defensive variants helpless after tricking a Choice Item on to them. Moveset & Best Build for Heat Rotom |
Other than Fire, Ferrothorn is also weak to Fighting-type attacks. By attacking with strong physical moves, some Pokemon can be strong enough to blow dents into Ferrothorn.
Although, be mindful of Ferrothorn who may use Iron Defense as they will be harder to take down after stacking their defenses.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Urshifu Single-Strike Style | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Choice Band Close Combat can deal significant damage to Ferrothorn Moveset & Best Build for Urshifu (Single-Strike Style) |
Zacian | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has access to the super effective move Close Combat. ・After a few Swords Dances, Zacian should be able to take out Ferrothorn Moveset & Best Build for Zacian |
Galarian Zapdos | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has access to the super effective move Thunderous Kick which also lowers Ferrothorn's defense ・Has access to the super effective move Blaze Kick. Moveset & Best Build for Galarian Zapdos |
Glastrier | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Has access to the super effective move Close Combat. ・Can also be the starting point to set up Max Knucle and increase its Attack Moveset & Best Build for Glastrier |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
um, mate. that nature suggestion is wrong. Careful is increase special defense and decrease special attack. if you want increase special defense and decrease speed then you're looking for Sassy nature.
Ferrothorn - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Genshin Impact Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Zenless Zone Zero Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP) Strategies & Guides Wiki
Honkai: Star Rail Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Infinity Nikki Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
STALKER 2 Heart of Chornobyl Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Metaphor: ReFantazio Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Palworld Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Fire Emblem Heroes (FEH) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Once Human Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Persona 3 Reload Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Monster Hunter World Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
©2019 Pokémon. ©1995-2019 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.
The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.
I'd say a curse + gyro ball build should be here. Increased attack and defense with lowering speed makes gyro ball a beast.