Level 31To Forretress

ForretressLast stage shown

#0205 · GENERATION 2

Forretress Build Guide

BugSteel

Hazard support and removal pivot

Build a Forretress team ↓

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Custom Pokédex collection.

Starter moveset

Generation 9 · casual singles · base form

ITEMLeftovers

ABILITYSturdy

NATURERelaxed

Spikes

Rapid Spin

Volt Switch

Body Press

How to play

Set Spikes or use Rapid Spin to remove hazards from your side against a suitable target. Volt Switch provides switching utility while Body Press uses its Defense for damage.

Watch out for

Key risk. Fire attacks deal 4× damage. Ghost targets block Rapid Spin and Ground targets block Volt Switch. Sturdy requires full HP; repeated hits wear it down because this set has no direct recovery move.

About this example

This editorial starting point is not a ranked-format recommendation or a legality check. It does not specify EVs or Tera type. Moves, items and abilities here do not change the builder score.

BATTLE PLAN

When to attack, set up or switch

Set Spikes or use Rapid Spin to remove hazards from your side against a suitable target. Volt Switch provides switching utility while Body Press uses its Defense for damage.

A Fire type switches in

Fire deals 4× to Bug and Steel, which is the largest single multiplier on any page here and the reason one immunity does not make the wall. A Fire-resistant partner is the answer; Leftovers is not.

Rapid Spin is the turn you need

Ghost targets block Rapid Spin, and the Fighting move on this set cannot answer them either — so a Ghost spinner is a blocker, not a free turn. Volt Switch has its own wall in Ground immunity.

You want the priority of the pivot

Volt Switch is a special move on a set built around Defense, so the pivot is there for the switch rather than the damage, and Sturdy is spent by the time the second hit arrives — this set carries no recovery move beyond the item’s end-of-turn drip.

What does a safe pivot mean?

A teammate uses a switching move to bring Forretress in. A slower pivot may take the opponent’s hit first. Turn order and the opponent’s move still matter.

ITEM & ABILITY

How this build works

Bug and Steel leave Forretress with a single weakness that arrives at 4×, and Sturdy guarantees one survival only while it is at full HP. Spikes and Rapid Spin are both on the set, so the hazard turn is a choice about whose field gets cleared.

Watch the tradeoff. Fire attacks deal 4× damage. Ghost targets block Rapid Spin and Ground targets block Volt Switch. Sturdy requires full HP; repeated hits wear it down because this set has no direct recovery move.

These battle mechanics do not change the builder’s type-and-base-stat score. The tool does not simulate moves, abilities, held items or damage.

COMPARE YOUR OPTIONS

Forretress or Donphan?

Donphan offers Ground typing and Earthquake with hazard removal instead of Bug/Steel typing.

Base stats · standard forms in the local Generation 9 dataset
Stat	Forretress	Donphan
HP	75	90
Attack	90	120
Defense	140	120
Sp. Attack	60	60
Sp. Defense	60	60
Speed	40	50

Base stats are not final battle stats. Level, nature, IVs, EVs and battle effects affect the result. Check availability in your game before choosing an alternative.

Teammate ideas

A Fire-resistant teammate helps cover its largest weakness. Add special damage and a way to bring in an attacker after support turns.

Milotic

Resists Fire and provides recovery plus special Water attacks.

Read Milotic guide →Compare teammates →

Houndoom

Flash Fire normally grants Fire immunity and adds special pressure.

Read Houndoom guide →Compare teammates →

These are typing-based starting pairs, not a complete competitive team. Check the remaining four slots and your game’s rules.

Compare computed teammate suggestions →

Alternative: Donphan

Donphan offers Ground typing and Earthquake with hazard removal instead of Bug/Steel typing.

Read Donphan guide →

Try Donphan →

Type matchups

Weak to

Fire4×

Resistances and immunities

Normal0.5×Grass0.25×Ice0.5×Poison0×Psychic0.5×Bug0.5×Dragon0.5×Steel0.5×Fairy0.5×

Typing only. Abilities, items and battle effects can change these matchups.

HP75

Attack90

Defense140

Sp. Attack60

Sp. Defense60

Speed40

Evolution chain

Pineco#204
Level 31
Forretress#205

Standard main-series evolution conditions. Regional forms and games with special evolution systems can differ.

Build your Forretress team

Start with Forretress. Add teammates and compare your type-and-base-stat score.

Gen 9 · National Dex · Casual Settings & scope

GameFormat

Format scope · casual planning

Base species #001–1025, using Generation 9 data. A casual planning pool, not a VGC, ranked, or Showdown National Dex legality validator. Regional, Mega and alternate forms are not included yet.

SLOT 01#205

Forretress

BugSteel

SLOT 02

SLOT 03

SLOT 04

SLOT 05

SLOT 06

Understand your team

Offense76

Defense76

Coverage33

Synergy17

Types & base stats only · Not a win probability.

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Key insights

Fire attacks threaten 1 of 1 teammates, with no teammate resisting them by type.
Forretress takes 4× damage from Fire attacks by type.
Your own types can hit 6 of 18 single-type targets super effectively. Actual move coverage can differ.
No teammate has a base Speed of 100 or higher. Consider adding a faster option.

Detailed type analysis · all 18 types

Incoming damage assumes typing only. 0× = immune, ½× / ¼× = resistant, 2× / 4× = weak. Resistance counts include immunities.

Incoming damage by attacking type
Attack	Forretress	Weak	Resist
Normal	½×	0	1
Fire	4×	1	0
Water	1×	0	0
Electric	1×	0	0
Grass	¼×	0	1
Ice	½×	0	1
Fighting	1×	0	0
Poison	0×	0	1
Ground	1×	0	0
Flying	1×	0	0
Psychic	½×	0	1
Bug	½×	0	1
Rock	1×	0	0
Ghost	1×	0	0
Dragon	½×	0	1
Dark	1×	0	0
Steel	½×	0	1
Fairy	½×	0	1

Offensive type coverage

Against single-type targets, using only same-type attacks. This is not coverage against every dual-type species.

NormalNeutral

FireResisted

WaterNeutral

ElectricNeutral

Grass✓ Super effective

Ice✓ Super effective

FightingNeutral

PoisonNeutral

GroundNeutral

FlyingNeutral

Psychic✓ Super effective

BugNeutral

Rock✓ Super effective

GhostNeutral

DragonNeutral

Dark✓ Super effective

SteelResisted

Fairy✓ Super effective

How is the score calculated?

Offense (25%): neutral-or-better type coverage and strongest attacking base stats. Defense (30%): team resistances, unprotected and repeated weaknesses, and 4× vulnerabilities. Coverage (25%): fraction of 18 single-type targets hit super effectively by your own types. Synergy (20%): teammates resisting each other’s weaknesses, physical/special/bulk stat signals and base Speed ≥100. Scores are rounded to 0–100; the total uses the displayed subscores.

Rating bands: Excellent ≥80, Good ≥65, Fair ≥45, Poor below 45. An empty team has no rating.

Small teams are provisional and are not given a separate completion bonus. Adding a Pokémon can lower the score if it creates new weaknesses or lowers averages. These initial heuristics have not been calibrated against battle outcomes.