Charizard is a fan favorite and a pretty strong starter Pokemon fifty-fifty to this day. It not only survived Pokemon Sword & Shield'due south severance from the National Dex but downright thrived, becoming Champion Leon's signature pal. This Pokemon is well-nigh and dear to millions.

We've assembled a team of five peachy movesets to take with you not just to the main game, just to the competitive scene as well. Yous won't be guaranteed to win competitively, simply you lot'll have a good starting time. And as for playing through the main story (or "campaign" as information technology's often referred to), these are more than enough.

Updated June 23, 2022 past Quinton O'Connor: How hot is Charizard, right? Hot enough for united states of america to update our list to reverberate the present meta and better inform bold new Charmander trainers on what to invest in for their buddy's bolder future.

7 (Flamethrower, Air Slash, Flare Rush, Dragon Breath)

This dual-Burn down moveset is great if y'all're looking to take advantage of both STAB ("Aforementioned Type Attack Bonus," a mutual term you'll see elsewhere in our guide) and Charizard's high Special Set on stat to boost damage. All moves utilise the special assail status and have okay coverage. Flamethrower gets the chore done as your get-to Fire motility, whilst Flare Blitz is best when you lot need more, well, firepower. Air Slash and Dragon Jiff over pretty solid coverage.

half dozen (Ancient Power, Sunny 24-hour interval, Flamethrower, Solar Beam)

This might exist one of the most useful move sets for Charizard with great strategy and type spread coverage. Sunny Twenty-four hour period enhances Charizard'southward Flamethrower (properly this fourth dimension!) and allows it to use Solar Beam with no charge time putting any H2o- or Water/Footing-type in astringent danger.

Aboriginal Ability taps into Charizard's excellent Special Set on stat for a Rock-blazon move your rivals may never have seen coming. It'south a unproblematic premise with minimal setup; aught blows minds here, just sometimes in life, the like shooting fish in a barrel stuff is worth fighting with.

5 (Flamethrower, Dragon Pulse, Fly, Stone Slide)

This is as well known as the full blazon-coverage move set. While Wing uses physical damage as opposed to Special Attack, it is a good defensive motility to get abroad from potentially devastating damage from threats such as Hyper Axle. Dragon Pulse is simply a fair-caste stronger replacement than Dragon Fang. All this while Flamethrower works as a standard loftier-damage Fire-type move and Rock Slide eschews Ancient Ability's precision in favor of a slightly stronger, slightly less accurate, motility that might just make your opponent flinch.

4 (Nail Burn, Substitute, Fly, Solar Beam)

Substitute is the main strategic basis of this motility set. Information technology costs yous almost one-half your wellness but if you're stuck in a bad style (such as a major type disadvantage) you can accept it soak the hit every bit you charge a Solar Beam. Y'all tin too use this with Fly, granting 2 turns of rubber if your Substitute goes downward in 1. This is a re-counter moveset with the idea that you are hitting your opponent with your strongest moves without worrying about impairment coming back onto you.

three (Fire Smash, Focus Nail, Toxic, Roost)

Charizard on the Island of Giant Pokemon

We'd telephone call this 1 Blastizard, but perhaps that's pushing it. Still, you can tell a Charizard with a nicely high Special Attack stat is pivotal to this moveset. Both Fire Nail and Focus Boom can do tremendous damage with the right IVs and EVs, and while you should never need to worry almost those during the single-player campaigns, you'll need to exist thinking strategically online.

Toxic is designed to do heavy impairment over time, and Roost keeps Charizard in flying shape; neither technique is particularly common in the meta these days, so you tin keep your foes on their toes and play the long con while you're at information technology.

2 (Flare Blitz, Earthquake, Dragon Dance, Thunder Punch)Red and Charizard in Pokemon Masters

This one'south our favorite. Perhaps it's not ideal for every conceivable state of affairs – that'due south where some others step in – but all things existence equal, this is a cracking 1 to keep coming back to for years. Flare Blitz hits for massive STAB harm with recoil, so if yous feel like y'all're overly reliant upon it fight afterward fight, consider replacing Dragon Trip the light fantastic with Roost. Only keeping Dragon Trip the light fantastic toe is platonic; later all, it boosts Charizard's Attack stat in 2 stages, turning Flare Rush into something alike to a Flame Apocalypse.

Earthquake and Thunder Dial are obviously here for coverage, but why these two in particular? Earthquake is one of the strongest physical attacks the games accept to offer, and it's super-constructive confronting several types prominent in the metagame. Thunder Punch, meanwhile, is Charizard's answer to someone similar Blastoise coming along and assuming optimal conditions. Show it wrong.

ane Dynamax Charizard (Nail Burn, Solar Beam, Dragon Pulse, Hurricane)

Gigantamax Charizard using an Electric-type attack in the Pokemon Anime

Last but non to the lowest degree, we should touch bases with Sword & Shield's literally and figuratively biggest deal — Dynamax and Gigantamax. If your Charizard is capable of the former only not the latter, this moveset works wonders. If it's also capable of Gigantamaxing, well, this moveset will still work wonders; it'due south just going to get morphed somewhat to suit the G-Max variations, of course.

The consummate success of this Dynamax set relies upon having a Charizard with the Hidden Ability entitled Solar Power. In harsh sunlight, Charizard'southward Special Attack stat volition rise at the expense of some of its HP. At Dynamax level, and particularly at Gigantamax level, that slight reduction in HP shouldn't brand or break your plan. Only get some sunlight action going on, whip out Charizard, and behold a mighty special sweeper with terrific coverage.

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