Galarian Moltres Guide

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Kara Phillips-Ashman

Kara is a certified gaming pro, at least where to soft and comfy games out there are concerned, and with hundreds of hours in Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Stardew Valley and her all-time-favorite Harvest Moon, she knows what makes a game an engaging, wholesome experience.

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We have known Moltres for generations, and frankly, I never thought we would be introduced to anything besides the golden, fiery appearance I was mesmerized by as a child. However, the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced a number of regional variants which took many players by surprise. 

Admittedly, we didn’t meet the Galarian variants of the legendary birds until the DLC for Sword and Shield was released. But I think it was definitely worth the wait. The regional variants of these three birds took Pokemon fanatics by surprise, including me. Galarian Moltres, in particular, is nothing like I’ve seen before, and I knew I needed to add one to my party immediately. 

Out of the three regional variants of the Kantonian Legendary birds, Galarian Moltres is my favorite by far. I love everything about it, from its design to how powerful it is in battle. This Pokemon is one you absolutely need to add to your collection. 

Bottom Line Up Front

Galarian Moltres is a legendary Pokemon in the Crown Tundra DLC for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. The DLC was released almost a year after Pokemon Sword and Shield initially came out, but the content, specifically the Pokemon hidden within, was worth the wait.

Galarian Moltres is among several legendary Pokemon within the DLC and is admittedly one of the bunch’s best. 

Here are some general facts about Galarian Moltres to get you started:

• Generation: One
• Pokedex Number: 146
• Type: Dark and Flying
• Catch Rate: 3 (1.6%)
• Gender Ratio: Gender Unknown
• Base Friendship: 35

Galarian Moltres’ Appearance

Of the three Kantonian Legendary birds, Moltres was always my favorite growing up, and frankly, I didn’t think its design could get much better. But I had been mistaken upon seeing Galarian Moltres for the first time in the Crown Tundra DLC. 

Going against everything we knew Moltres for, in Kanto, Galar shows this mythical beast in an entirely different light. Rather than its golden body, Galarian Moltres is almost wholly black, with scarlet highlights and piercing blue eyes. Although it takes the same form as Kantonian Moltres, its appearance is vastly different. 

Towards the front of its head is a scarlet beak, which is hooked at the end. This sharp beak leads to two long strips of scarlet feathers which flow down the back and the front of the bird. To match, Galarian Moltres has two scarlet talons with black claws at the end of each toe. 

However, the flaming wings and tail are the main feature of Galaran Moltres, and the element many fans were nervous about would be ignored. This is an iconic feature of Kantonian Moltres’ design, and I’ll admit, I was a bit worried that Pokemon would do us a disservice, but I was wrong. I adore what they have done with this design. 

To coincide with the black and scarlet design of the legendary as a whole, Galarian Moltres is adorned with plumes of black and scarlet flames. They cover the wings and protrude like a tail from the back of the Pokemon. However, rather than being one single tail, this variant’s tail is split into two, which move independently in flight. Additionally, the flames spout from the top of its head, accompanied by two curly black feathers which merge with the fire. 

Galarian Moltres’ Pokedex Entries

As most regional variants tend to go, Galarian Moltres is region locked to Galar. Subsequently, this Pokemon can only be captured in Pokemon Sword and Shield, so it only has Pokedex entries for the corresponding titles. 

However, it’s important to remember that Galarian Moltres is only available in both games with the Crown Tundra expansion pass. Without this, Galarian Moltres is unable to be captured and recorded. Frankly – it seems like it never even existed without the DLC!

Here are Galarian Moltres’ Pokedex entries in both Sword and Shield:

Sword: This Pokemon’s sinister, flame-like aura will consume the spirit of any creature it hits. Victims become burned-out shadows of themselves. 

Shield: The sinister aura that blazes like molten fire around this Pokemon is what inspired the name Moltres. 

Both Pokedex entries link to the fiery nature and appearance of Moltres, which I find surprising considering this regional variant of the bird has no trace of fire type in it. 

Abilities and Hidden Abilities

Galarian Moltres is one of two Pokemon with the ability Berserk, the other being Drampa. Unusually, Galarian Moltres has no second ability and no hidden ability. So berserk is the only ability this Pokemon has, and considering its base stats – it is a pretty beneficial ability!

Every time the HP of the Pokemon hosting Berserk drops below half, its Special Attack is raised by one score. For Galarian Moltres, who already has an incredibly high Sp. Attack, this ability can be extremely beneficial in tough battles when you need to pack a punch.

Interestingly, if HP drops below half and is restored to over the halfway mark with an item or a berry, Berserk will activate before the item is used. However, this feature is eradicated if the move that hits the Pokemon with Berserk activated is multi-strike. 

Another interesting yet slightly frustrating feature of Berserk is if the HP is dropped below half by an indirect hit like Leech Seed or being buffeted by a sandstorm, Berserk simply won’t activate. Instead, the Pokemon needs to be directly hit by its opponent to activate its ability. 

Galarian Moltres’ Base Stats

You’d expect its base stats to skyrocket due to being such a highly esteemed legendary Pokemon. And, truth be told, Galarian Moltres certainly delivers. Bringing in a total of 580, Galarian and Kantonian Moltres are among twenty-five of the most powerful Pokemon. All of which are legendary, mega evolution, or mythical Pokemon. 

Here are Galarian Moltres’ Base Stats:

• HP: 90
• Attack: 85
• Defense: 90
• Sp. Attack: 100
• Sp. Defense: 125
• Speed: 90

Both Kantonian and Galarian Moltres have the same Base Stats and coincide with the other two legendary birds and their Galarian variants. So it’s safe to say that all of Moltres’ stats are incredibly high for a single evolution, but what else can you expect from one of Pokemons legends? 

Galarian Moltres’ Move Set & Potential Moves It Can Learn

Unlike its Kantonian variant, Galarian Moltres has no trace of being a fire type. Instead, this variant adopts a dark/flying dual type. With its devilish appearance, I can see why it’s been labeled a Dark-type Pokemon, and I’ll be the first to admit I really love it.

But, if you do miss the originally fiery Moltres we know and love, there are still several moves you can teach this gorgeous beast to pay homage to the original. 

However, much like all Pokemon – Galarian Moltres learns several moves as it levels up. So, despite spawning into the game at Level Seventy, you can still access the moves it has learned and re-learn them later in Pokemon Sword or Shield. 

Here are the moves Galarian Moltres knows and the corresponding levels:

• Gust – Level One
• Leer – Level One
• Payback – Level Five
• Safeguard – Level Ten
• Wing Attack – Level Fifteen
• Agility – Level Twenty
• Ancient Power – Level Twenty-Five
• Sucker Punch – Level Thirty
• Air Slash – Level Thirty-Five
• After You – Level Forty
• Fiery Wrath – Level Forty-Five
• Nasty Plot – Level Fifty
• Hurricane – Level Fifty-Five
• Endure – Level Sixty
• Memento – Level Sixty-Five
• Sky Attack – Level Seventy

But if you don’t want to make the journey to re-learn specific moves and find your bag brimming with discs, Galarian Moltres can also learn a massive spectrum of moves via TM and TR. This opens up a huge opportunity to create a battle-build Moltres. Additionally, compared to its Kantonian variation, there are a lot of moves you wouldn’t expect to see.

Here is a list of moves Galarian Moltres can learn via TM :

• Fly
• Hyper Beam
• Giga Impact
• Safeguard
• Rest
• Snore
• Protect 
• Scary Face 
• Steel Wing
• Facade 
• Swift
• Imprison
• U-Turn
• Payback
• Assurance
• Round
• Hex
• Snarl
• Air Slash

Finally, Galarian Moltres can learn the following moves via TR:

• Agility
• Substitute
• Endure
• Sleep Talk
• Shadow Ball
• Taunt
• Hyper Voice
• Dark Pulse
• Brave Bird
• Nasty Plot
• Foul Play
• Hurricane

As you’d expect from a legendary Pokemon, Galarian Moltres can certainly pack a punch. Its base stats already provide a hefty advantage when it comes to battling, so making sure yours is equipped with a decent variety of moves will make it almost unbeatable. 

Sure, it may feel like cheating since this build will help you rinse through any battles you may be stuck on, but if you need to quickly knock out enemies and boost the level of a lower Pokemon, you can’t deny its efficiency. 

Type and Weaknesses Explored

However, if you have started considering how to build your Galarian Moltres around battling efficiently, then you need to consider its type. Since it’s changed from a Fire/Flying dual-type to a Dark/Flying-type, the effects of other Pokemon will have changed. For example, rather than being weak to water and rock attacks, Galarian Moltres is now susceptible to bug, fairy, and fighting moves. 

To simplify this, I’ve created a few lists to display which types can damage Moltres and how effectively they can do so. In turn, I have also shed some light on which types Galarian Moltres is immune or can resist attack. 

To start off, Galarian Moltres is affected normally by the following types:

• Normal
• Fighting
• Flying
• Poison 
• Bug
• Steel
• Fire 
• Water
• Dragon

However, Galarian Moltres is vulnerable to the following types:

• Rock
• Electric
• Ice
• Fairy

Furthermore, it is immune to the moves of ground and psychic-type Pokemon and can resist ghost, grass, and dark moves. There aren’t enough weaknesses to put you off adding this valuable Pokemon to your party; plus, it’s bragging rights when you can bring this one out into battle. It’s such a beautiful Pokemon, and as you already know, it can cause some severe damage!

Where to Locate Galarian Moltres & How to Catch It

Galarian Moltres can only be obtained in Pokemon Sword and Shield if The Crown Tundra has been purchased. Outside of this, Galarian Moltres is not available in either game and cannot be traded in. Therefore, Sword and Shield are the only two games in which this regional variant is available. 

With the Crown Tundra DLC, an entire new wild zone called the ‘Isle of Armour’ will be available for players to explore. Unusually for a legendary Pokemon, Galarian Moltres can be seen in the wild flying around the Isle. The best place to begin is the Fields of Honour or outside the dojo. Upon entering these areas, you will immediately trigger an event, and Galarian Moltres will spawn into the game. 

I’ve spent a lot of time in the Wild Area in Pokemon Shield, and honestly, I thought I’d seen it all. From gawking at the size of a Gyrados to stumbling across a flock of Wooloo in the wild, nothing matches the sheer beauty of seeing Galarian Moltres flying around. This bird is utterly stunning, and seeing it next to your trainer is what I imagine Ash felt like when he saw Ho-oh for the first time. 

The hardest part of encountering Galarian Moltres is tracking it down and making it notice you. As I’ve already said, this beautiful bird can be seen flying around the Isle. When I say that, I mean the entire Isle.

It’ll soar over land before taking to the ocean, and while you may put up a good chase on a bike on land, as soon as it hits the water – consider it a mission failed. But fear not – as soon as this event is activated, it’ll continue to circle. 

My best advice for trying to catch this Pokemon is to remain in one place where you have seen Moltres circling. Outside the dojo marks the beginning of each lap, so that’s where I’d suggest you hang around. 

You need to be underneath or beside the bird to get its attention. Doing so requires the whistling function, so wait until it’s just coming up to your character and relentlessly whistle at it. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting another few minutes before you get a second chance. Then, it’ll aggro on you and swoop down, which will initiate the battle sequence—finally giving you a chance to add this trophy to your collection. 

FAQs

Galarian Moltres Guide: Summary

If you have been on the fence about whether or not to invest in the Crown Tundra DLC, then I’m sure Galarian Moltres will be the thing that makes you bite the bullet. Encountering this Pokemon in the wild for the first time is honestly breathtaking, and I can’t express how much I love it.

Sword and Shield have given us many beautiful additions to our Dex’s, but Galarian Moltres is something else for sure!