Introduced in generation six with the Pokemon X and Y games, Yveltal is a dual type dark and flying Pokemon. It is also the box art mascot of the Pokemon Y game and serves as that particular game’s regional legendary Pokemon. Yveltal’s design takes the concept of Pokemon Y very seriously and its design is quite literally a “Y”. As the game’s legendary representative, it is quite powerful and as a relatively new addition, Yveltal has proven to be quite powerful. This guide will showcase Yveltal’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Yveltal.
About Yveltal
Yveltal first made an appearance in Pokemon media through the movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction. As it is a legendary Pokemon, it makes sense that it has not appeared in most regular Pokemon media. It was first introduced in generation six with the Pokemon X and Y games and served as the box art mascot for the Pokemon Y game. Since it is a legendary Pokemon, it is not known to evolve from or into any Pokemon. As it is the counterpart to Xerneas, the Pokemon themed to be the life Pokemon, Yveltal is known as the destruction Pokemon.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Movie Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon X and Y |
| Region | Kalos |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve from or into any Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | When its life comes to an end, it absorbs the life energy of every living thing and turns into a cocoon once more. |
Yveltal Base Stats
| HP | 126 |
| ATTACK | 131 |
| DEFENCE | 95 |
| SP. ATTACK | 131 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 98 |
| SPEED | 99 |
| TOTAL | 680 |
Appearance
Yveltal is a large bird-like Pokemon with some dragon-like features as well. It appears to be a wyvern, a dragon-like being of European mythology. Its general body shape fits within the Pokemon Y box art as its entire body is shaped like a “Y”. Most of Yveltal’s body is red, with black lines snaking through its body. It also has a tuft of feathers around its neck that is white. Its wings and tail end in five claw-like digits. Yveltal is a massive Pokemon at 19 feet, or 5.8 meters, tall.
Behavior
Yveltal is known as the destruction Pokemon, the counterpart to Xerneas the life Pokemon. The Pokedex states that near the end of its life it will absorb the life energy of every living thing around it and transform into a cocoon. This cocoon will eventually hatch into Yveltal, repeating the cycle. Its bird-like features and draconic design along with its rebirth seems to be inspired from phoenixes.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Yveltal is a legendary Pokemon, meaning its base stat totals are typically much higher than almost all regular Pokemon. It has very powerful offensive stats along with a respectable amount of bulky stats. Yveltal also has access to a signature move, Oblivion Wing, which deals a large amount of damage while healing Yveltal for 75% of the damage dealt. In order to defeat Yveltal you will want to use rock, electric, ice, or fairy type moves for 2x effectiveness. The longer you spend in battle with Yveltal, the more likely it is to outlast your team. Try to get through battle against Yveltal quickly.
Xerneas and Yveltal
Xerneas and Yveltal are the box art legendaries available in Pokemon X and Y. To fit along with their designs Xerneas and Yveltal’s design fit along with the title of the games. Xerneas and its antlers resemble an “X” and Yveltal’s wings and tail fit the design of a “Y”. Xerneas and Yveltal are part of the aura trio with Zygarde existing as the third. Xerneas is known as the life Pokemon while Yveltal is known as the destruction Pokemon.
Best Moveset
As a powerful legendary Pokemon, Yveltal sits comfortably in the Uber bracket of competitive Pokemon battles. It is most often used as an offensive sweeper Pokemon, but also has defensive movesets available to it. If you want to run Yveltal in competitive battles, consider running Dark Pulse, Oblivion Wing, Taunt, and Sucker Punch/Toxic. The ability Dark Aura will increase the damage dealt by dark moves and stack with STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus). Dark Pulse will function as Yveltal’s primary source of damage, Oblivion Wing is also affected by STAB as well as heals Yveltal, Taunt can prevent problematic shenanigans, and Sucker Punch benefits from STAB as well as Dark Aura, while Toxic will grant you inevitability.
| Dark Pulse | Oblivion Wing |
| Taunt | Sucker Punch/Toxic |
How to Catch Yveltal in Pokemon Go
Typical of legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Go, you will have to encounter Yveltal through a Pokemon Gym Raid. Yveltal appears as a tier 5 raid boss and you will need a good group of trainers in order to have a chance at catching a Yveltal. Normally there have been events that grant you the opportunity to catch an exclusive Pokemon through research events. Unfortunately, Yveltal has only been available through Pokemon raids. Keep your eyes peeled for tier 5 raid battles to catch a Yveltal for yourself.
Trivia
- Both Xerneas and Yveltal have the exact same distribution in base stat totals.
- Of all the Pokemon to exist in the game, Yveltal is the only Pokemon that can learn Focus Blast from leveling up.
- The inspiration for the design of Yveltal likely comes from the long-tailed widowbird, a bird native to Africa.
Video Guide
FAQ
Is Xerneas or Yveltal better?
You would be hard pressed to find more similar Pokemon. Other than the types they are assigned to, they have identical base stat totals across all of their stats. In a straight up battle between the two, Xerneas is favored as fairy types are effective against dark type Pokemon. If you are not concerned with their typing, you should fit whichever type covers the weaknesses of your team better.
Is Yveltal the death Pokemon?
While it would make sense for Yveltal to be considered the “death” Pokemon, especially as Xerneas is considered to be the life Pokemon, Yveltal is actually known as the destruction Pokemon. Since Pokemon has first and foremost been a franchise for kids, it is likely they tried to avoid the epithet “death Pokemon” to avoid any high ESRB ratings.
Can Xerneas die?
In the Pokemon lore, Xerneas is known to share an eternal life. Similar to Yveltal, if it passes away, it inhabits another form before reviving. According to the Pokedex it sleeps for thousands of years as a tree before it revives as Xerneas. This implies that it can die, but it would not stay dead.
Conclusion
Congratulations you now know just about everything there is to know about this destruction Pokemon. Yveltal is Pokemon Y’s legendary representative and since its inclusion with generation six, Yveltal has become a powerful addition to any team. Its signature ability, impressive design, as well as its roles in Pokemon media have become beloved by fans. Generation six was a strong success with popular mechanics, strong legendary Pokemon, as well as a transition into new age Pokemon. Yveltal being the face of the generation helps in this regard.
