Flying-type Pokémon appeal to the adventurer in all of us. They offer a broad skill set and a list of resistances that make them the MVPs of any team. And if you’re looking at another playthrough of Pokémon Sword & Shield, here are my picks for the Flying-type cream of the crop.
10. Unfezant
Unfezant’s Normal/Flying dual-typing makes it an absolute nightmare for Ghost, Ground, Bug, and Grass, especially when combined with the Super Luck ability, which increases critical-hit ratios. It’s originally from Generation V. But fans of this Pokémon can find its first form, Pidove, in the Rolling Fields in Sw/Sh. Your best chances of encountering one are in East Lake Axewell – Area 2 during Overcast weather and fog, when they have a 75% chance of spawning. If you’d rather start out with a fully evolved Unfezant, Rolling Fields offers a 75% chance during all weather except Clear, Cloudy, and Fog.
9. Hawlucha
With a unique Luchador-inspired design and extremely powerful moveset, it’s no wonder Hawlucha is still a popular choice for trainers 2+ generations after it was initially introduced. This Pokémon offers both Fighting and Flying-type benefits, including an advantage over Dark, Grass, Ground, and Bug-types. It also has a signature move, Flying Press, which deals Fighting and Flying damage at 100 Power. Hawlucha can be tough to spot in Sword & Shield. But dedicated trainers can find him rustling around in the grass along Route 6, with a 2% chance to spawn, and in Hammerlocke Hills during Overcast weather with a 5% chance to spawn.
8. Noivern
Noivern is a formidable foe, described as “aggressive and cruel” in their Sword Pokedex entry. This Pokémon is a Flying/Dragon-type with unbelievable speed, clocking in at 123. Its Special Attack is nothing to scoff at, either, coming in at a respectable 97. So it makes for a great coverage sweeper, offering complete resistance to Ground attacks, ¼ damage against Grass, and ½ damage against Fighting, Bug, Fire, and Water moves. In Pokémon Sword/Shield you can track down a Noivern by exploring Lake of Outrage during a Thunderstorm, giving you a 27% chance to encounter it. During all weather apart from Snow, it can also be seen roaming around Bridge Field.
7. Gyrados
Water/Flying-type Gyrados emerged in Generation I, giving us all quite a shock when this mighty dragon evolved from a lowly Magikarp. No doubt its power and novelty contribute to this Pokémon’s continued popularity. It has a massive Attack stat, at 125, and a Special Defense of 100, making it a viable option in competitive matches. Take your Gyrados into battle against Ground, Steel, Fire, Water, Fighting, and Bug-types to help absorb some damage, then unleash with Hyper Beam for a massive hit of 150 Power at 90% accuracy. If you’d like a Gyrados of your own in Pokémon Sword/Shield, check out pools of water on your Rotom Water Bike in Bridge Field and Dusty Bowl. You also have a 20% chance of seeing one swimming on the surface of a lake on Route 2, but you’ll still need your water bike to catch it.
6. Togekiss
This absolute cutie pie is a dangerous reminder of just how powerful Flying-type Pokémon can be! After evolving from Togetic with the help of a Shiny Stone, the Fairy/Flying Pokémon can deal massive damage with moves like Sky Attack, Double-Edge, and Giga Impact. Togekiss is especially useful when you’re contending with Dragon, Ground, Fighting, Bug, Dark, and Grass-types, giving it great cover against tons of opponents. Ready to raise a Togekiss of your very own? Well it’s going to be tough to find one! Head to the Dusty Bowl during Heavy Fog for a 2% chance to have an encounter, or spot it during a 5-star Raid.
5. Gigantamax Butterfree
When Ash released his Flying/Bug-type Butterfree in the anime, that had to be one of the saddest moments in Pokémon’s decades-long history. Still, this gen I Pokémon gets a well-deserved boost in gen VIII due to Sword & Shield’s Gigantamax capabilities. G-Max Befuddle is Butterfree’s signature move, perfect for inflicting status conditions on your opponents. It can cause poisoning, paralysis, or sleep! Butterfree is excellent in a battle against Ground, Fighting, Grass, and Bug-types. Lots of coverage here with the right movepool. So be sure to search around Giant’s Mirror, Rolling Fields, East Lake Axewell, and Slumbering Weald to get your hands (or butterfly net) on one!
4. Drifblim
With a creepy description as a people and Pokémon-snatching blimp, this Ghost/Flying-type from Generation IV continues to send shivers down our spines. But there’s no denying that it’s a powerful asset to your Pokémon team – as long as you can avoid getting swept away into the night sky… Drifblim is strong against Fighting, Normal, Ground, Bug, Poison, and Grass. Keep it on hand until level 54 and you’ll get access to Explosion, a decisive self-destructive move that causes massive damage to your opponents (while also taking you out in the process). While they’re not terribly common in Sword/Shield, you can find wild Drifloons along Route 5 with a 5% spawn rate. And near North Lake Miloch with a 60% chance to encounter in the fog. Then once you hit level 28, your Drifloon will evolve into a Drifblim.
3. Talonflame
Since Talonflame made its way onto the scene back in Kalos, it’s been a prevalent choice for competitive and casual players alike. That should come as no surprise… With a dual Fire/Flying-typing, it offers massive offensive and defensive capabilities against Ground, Bug, Grass, Steel, Fire, Fairy, and Fighting. It also features a massive 126 Speed stat, ensuring that you get the first hit in during most battles. As if its natural speed weren’t enough, Talonflame’s Gale Wings ability gives priority to Flying-type moves. Like Drifblim, you won’t be able to catch a wild Talonflame. Instead you can hunt down a Fletchling along any of these areas on sunny days: Challenge Road, Loop Lagoon, Potbottom Desert, Workout Sea, Stepping-Stone Sea, Insular Sea, Honeycalm Sea, or Honeycalm Island.
2. Charizard
There isn’t an OG Pokémon fan out there who can deny admiring Charizard’s terrifying strength and incredible design. Sword & Shield mixes things up with the inclusion of Gigantamax Charizard, a formidable Fire/Flying-type that can devastate opponents with G-Max Wildfire for four turns. In battle you can count on this red fiery dragon to hold its own against Ground, Bug, Grass, Steel, Fire, Fairy, and Fighting-types. And you can find a Gigantamax Charizard at the Lake of Outrage Special Den, or catch yourself a regular Charizard at Hammerlocke Hills, Potbottom Desert, Loop Lagoon, Challenge Beach, or Fields of Honor.
1. Corviknight
If we’re talking just Sword & shield, my top pick for the best Flying-type is Corviknight. The Raven Pokémon has everything a trainer could ever dream of: An incredible\ dark design, Gigantamax capabilities, plus a Flying/Steel-typing that covers a wide range of offense and defense positions… what’s not to love?! Corviknight’s G-Max Wind Rage removes all effects of screen-creating and entry hazard moves, like Spikes, Reflect, and Light Screen, all while dealing damage to your opponent. It’s also resistant to damage from Normal, Flying, Steel, Psychic, Dragon, Fairy, Poisons, Bug, and Grass-type moves – making it one of the most defensive Flying-type Pokémon you can have on your squad. You can find Corviknight’s fully evolved form in the Slumbering Weald-Deep, along Route 7, and in the Dusty Bowl in the Snow, and the Lake of Outrage during most weather conditions.
