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This is a strategy guide for using Moltres 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 Moltres, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Moltres - Related Guides | |
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Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
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Abilities | ||
Pressure | The Pokemon raises the foe's PP usage. | |
Flame Body (Hidden) | Contact with the Pokemon may burn the attacker. |
Type | |
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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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
90 | 100 | 90 | 125 | 85 | 90 |
Best Natures | ||
---|---|---|
Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk) |
Bold (+Def, -Atk) |
Nature | Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP28 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 188 |
Final Stat Values | HP 169 / Def 110 / Sp.Atk 194 / Sp.Def 105 / Spd 134 |
Ability | Flame Body |
Held Item | Life Orb |
Moveset | ・Fire Blast
・Hurricane ・Scorching Sands ・Solar Beam |
Moltres can fill the role of a special sweeper and is a good choice to round out a team's Fire/Water/Grass offensive core.
Fire Blast serves as this set's primary STAB move. It capitalizes on Moltres' base 125 Sp.Atk to deal as much damage as possible while also offering the chance to burn. It can also be used as Max Flare to set up sunny weather for itself and its team.
Hurricane is its secondary STAB and has a 30% chance to cause flinching. Though harder to use in sunny weather, it does let Moltres increase its speed with Max Airstream.
Scorching Sands is a coverage move that allows Moltres to hit Rock-types, and also has a 30% chance to cause a burn.
Moltres' last move is Solar Beam, another coverage move that allows Moltres to deal with Water and Ground-types. It has fantastic synergy with sunny weather allowing you to fire off the move in one turn instead of two.
This spread maximizes Moltres' Special Attack while also trading out a bit of speed in exchange for a bit of bulk. Thankfully, Max Airstream can give additional speed boosts if needed.
For this build we're choosing to go with Moltres' hidden ability, Flame Body. When Moltres is hit by a contact move, it has a 30% chance to inflict a burn on the attacker.
Partnered with Fire Blast and Scorching Sands, this build aims to spread the burn status across the enemy team. Ideally you should target landing a burn on the enemy's physial attackers to cripple their attack stat.
Life Orb boosts the power of Moltres' moves to give the attacks a little more punch.
Flamethrower | A less powerful, yet more accurate, alternative to Fire Blast. Deals less damage dealt when used as Max Flare. |
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Will-o-Wisp | A guaranteed way to spread burn at the cost of not dealing damage. Can also be used as Max Guard. |
Air Slash | A less powerful yet more accurate alternative to Air Slash. Deals less damage dealt when used as Max Airstream. |
Ancient Power | Rock-type coverage move to handle other Flying-type Pokemon such as Zapdos. Can also be used to disarm Focus Sash users when used as Max Rockfall. |
Nature | Bold (+Def, -Atk) |
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EV Spread | HP 252 / Def 252 / Sp.Atk 4 |
Final Stat Values | HP 197 / Def 156 / Sp.Atk 146 / Sp.Def 105 / Spd 110 |
Ability | Pressure |
Held Item | Kee Berry |
Moveset | ・Burn Up
・Hurricane ・Will-o-Wisp ・Roost |
Moltres has a niche as a relatively fast stall Pokemon that's best used to counter common defensive Pokemon such as Celesteela and Ferrothorn.
Burn Up has the unique ability of removing Moltres' Fire typing for as long as it stays on the field. When used in conjunction with Roost, its main recovery move, it also gets rid of its Flying-typing for that turn.
This combination essentially removes all of Moltres' weaknesses, leaving behind a surprisingly durable wall with a reliable form of recovery.
Moltres can now even face threats such as Tyranitar or Landorus who would otherwise scare Moltres away with Rock-type attacks. With Will-o-Wisp, Moltres can retaliate by burning these key physical attackers.
We're maximizing the distribution of EVs to HP and Defense to make Moltres as bulky as possible.
This build revolves around its Pressure ability, which causes the opposing Pokemon to lose 2 PP instead of 1.
We're giving Moltres a Kee Berry to let it further increase its physical defenses.
Mystical Fire | An alternative STAB Fire-type move that lowers the opponent's Special Attack which helps Moltres deal with Special Attacking threats. |
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Scorching Sands | Ground-type coverage to deal with other Fire-types such as Heatran. Also gives Moltres access to Max Quake to increase Special Defense. |
Air Slash | STAB Flying-type move that has a chance to flinch the enemy. |
The combined boons Moltres gets from its different Max Moves can turn it into a strong attacker. Increase Speed and Special Defense through Max Airstream or Max Quake, while you can empower your Fire-type attacks with the sun from Max Flare.
Although it faces competition from Corviknight as a stall Pokemon, Moltres is capable of beating Ferrothorn and Celesteela - two Pokemon that the Raven Pokemon has trouble beating.
Moltres is a good choice for a team lacking a Fire-type looking to fill out its Fire/Water/Grass core. Its ability to inflict burns through its Ability and moves also make it a great status spreader.
Both Defensive and Offensive Moltres can easily fit in balanced teams that require a Fire Core.
Togekiss | Rillaboom |
Lead Tailwind | Swords Dance Sweeper |
Slowbro | Moltres |
Defensive Wall | Choice Specs Sweeper |
Clefable | Dragapult |
Cleric/Special Wall | Late-Game Sweeper |
Moltres patches up Rillaboom's lacking coverage while also boasting great synergy with Slowbro. The three form a Fire/Water/Grass core, covering each other's weaknesses and lack of coverage with their typing and moves.
Weakness |
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Moltres suffers from a 4x weakness to Rock-type moves. Matchup accordingly to easily overcome its natural bulk.
Pokemon | Description |
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Tyranitar | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Has higher Special Defense thanks to Sandstorm. ・Can easily counterattack Moltres with STAB Rock-type moves. Moveset & Best Build for Tyranitar |
Landorus (Therian Forme) | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Outspeeds Moltres ・Can overpower Moltres with Rock-type coverage moves, including Max Rockfall. Moveset & Best Build for Landorus |
Nihilego | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・High Special Defense to tank Moltres' hits. ・Can counterattack with STAB Rock-type moves including Max Rockfall. Moveset & Best Build for Nihilego |
Outside of the rare Solar Beam variants, Moltres struggles beating Water-types as they take very little damage from its STAB and coverage moves. Faster Water-types in particular can easily KO Moltres if it doesn't switch.
Pokemon | Description |
---|---|
Zapdos | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Resists Moltres' Flying-type moves. ・Can counterattack with STAB Electric-type moves. Moveset & Best Build for Zapdos |
Heat Rotom | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists both of Moltres' STAB moves. ・Can counterattack with STAB Electric-type moves. Moveset & Best Build for Heat Rotom |
Wash Rotom | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists both of Moltres' STAB moves. ・Can counterattack with STAB Electric-type and Water-type moves. Moveset & Best Build for Wash Rotom |
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 |
Moltres - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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Your Life Orb Build Moltres doesn't make any sense. Neither the EVs and the Final Stats are properly redacted.