Generation Six of Pokemon dropped a bombshell when it released the Fairy type, the first new type since Steel and Dark were introduced in 1999 with Generation Two. With this new type came an entirely-new meta game and tons of new Pokemon, plus some old ones that were converted to the Fairy type.
The Fairy type introduced several new moves, and more have been added with each generation since. Some of these moves are better than others, though, so you'll have to make sure you equip your Pokemon with the best of the best. Here are the top Fairy-type moves, with Z-Moves and Max Move excluded.
Updated on January 6, 2023, by Doruk Kaptan: With each generation, new, shiny toys are given to the players to experiment with. Despite being over three generations old, Fairy-type still feels like the new kid on the block. Thus, the moves given to the type are also quite interesting.
Considered the best type in the game currently, Fairy-types have become a force to be reckoned with over the last few years. The moves of the type are also quite powerful and provide great coverage to even non-Fairy-type Pokemon. Here are the strongest options.
15 Draining Kiss
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Attacking and healing all in one move sounds great on paper. This move, like its siblings Mega Drain, Parabolic Charge, and others, will hit your opponent with an attack while healing a certain percentage of the damage done. In the case of Draining Kiss, it's 75 percent of the damage the attack does.
Give your Pokemon a Big Root, and it'll heal almost 100 percent of the damage dealt. While the move's base power is a little low at 50, it's still pretty good, and the combination of the two effects makes it shine. While not a tournament-level move, it's definitely good enough for playthroughs and especially the early parts of a game.
14 Springtide Storm
Springtide Storm is the only move on this list introduced in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This is the signature move of Enamorus, with 100 base power and 80 percent accuracy. The move is decent stats-wise but becomes even better with the side effect of potentially lowering your opponent's Attack by one stage, with a 30 percent frequency.
This move would also be great in double-battle formats since it hits multiple opponents. Once again, this move is kept back by availability, as only Enamorus can learn it. Eighty percent is also not the best for accuracy since consistency is generally preferred over low-chance effects.
13 Magical Torque
Magical Torque is a very unique move in that it can't be learned by a Pokemon owned by the player. Instead, it's a move exclusive to the boss Ruchbah Starmobile of Team Star. The move is amazing in a vacuum, being a better Play Rough with 100 base power and 100 percent accuracy. It also has a 30 percent chance of confusing the target.
If one day, this move becomes available to more Pokemon and is distributed like Play Rough; it's sure to dethrone it as the primary physical Fairy-type move. However, as of now, it's just a novelty move that's out of reach for the player.
12 Misty Explosion
Misty Explosion is the Fairy-type equivalent of the iconic Kamikaze moves. Where self-destructing moves have typically been associated with Pokemon like Graveler and Weezing, Fairy-types can now knock themselves out to inflict a bunch of damage, too.
Misty Explosion has a base power of 1whichthat jumps up to 150 when used in Misty Terrain. Unfortunately, the user then faints, so only use this move when you're certain you will get a huge leg up in the battle.
11 Spirit Break
From the sound of this move and how it works, one might assume it's a Dark-type move. But it's actually a Fairy-type move and the signature move of Grimmsnarl, who is, fittingly, a Dark/Fairy-type Pokemon.
Spirit Break has a base power of 75, which is pretty good. But it also lowers the target's Special Attack by one, making it much better. Considering how amazing Grimmsnarl is in Double Battles, the move becomes even more useful.
10 Light Of Ruin
Light Of Ruin is an unbelievably strong Fairy-type move introduced back in Generation Six. It has a whopping base power of 140 with 90 percent accuracy. That is 210 base power with STAB, making it one of the strongest attacks of any type, totally worth the recoil damage you'll receive.
The only thing keeping it from greatness is its exclusivity. It can only be learned by the Eternal Flower Floette, the iconic Pokemon of the mysterious AZ. Still, if you somehow have access to this move in a randomizer or any unique format, definitely use it.
9 Nature's Madness
Cool name aside, Nature's Madness is a potent move, too. The signature move of the Alolan guardian deities (Tapus Koko, Lele, Bulu, and Fini), this reliable move always takes away 50 percent percent of your opponent's HP, regardless of whether it's at full health or only has two HP.
What makes this move so great is its predictability. You always know how effective it will be and can plan accordingly. This is not to mention that 50 percent of your opponent's HP can actually be quite a lot in many situations, so this shouldn't be slept on. It is especially useful on the more tanky Tapus, like Fini and Bulu.
8 Strange Steam
This move is the signature of our favorite top-hatted friend, Galarian Weezing. At 90 base power and 95 percent accuracy, this move is definitely a strong choice. Add in a 20 percent chance of confusion, and you've got a winner on your hands.
Because of Galarian Weezing's great typing, you can pair this with Sludge Bomb, which can cause poison. From here, you're on your way to taking the opponent down with a mixture of status effects. It is, however, exclusive to Galarian Weezing, which is a shame.
7 Fleur Cannon
Another signature move, this time belonging to Magearna, Fleur Cannon is a fantastic Fairy-type attack. At a whopping 130 base power, this move is in the top tier of moves in terms of pure damage alongside Draco Meteor and High Jump Kick.
With such an insanely high power level comes some downfalls, however. This move is locked to Magearna and only has 90 percent accuracy. That can often be negligible, but it will sometimes ruin your chances of winning. Add in a two-stage Special Attack drop, akin to Overheat, and this move can be hard to use well. The damage is totally worth the effort, though.
6 Geomancy
Many battles can come down to your stat boosts, meaning you'll have to use certain moves that raise your various stats to overpower your target. Many moves will boost a single stat by one or two stages, meaning you may have to use them a few times to guarantee a KO.
That's what makes Geomancy so strong. It raises Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by two stages each. That's a whopping six stages of stat gain. The downside to this move is that it takes two turns to work. But throw a Power Herb on, and it'll occur all at once. This is the signature move of Xerneas, and players that have played formats where Xerneas is legal will have experienced this onslaught firsthand.
5 Moonlight
For a different kind of useful, Moonlight is not a damaging one but a healing move. In Generation Two, this move debuted as a Normal-type move, but it has since been changed to Fairy-type, which makes sense as many Pokemon related to the Moon itself, such as Clefable, are now also Fairy types.
The move will heal a different amount based on the weather and time of day. During the night, this move will heal double. At its worst, the move restores one-quarter, which is still nothing to shake a stick at. Use this generously, as healing your Pokemon can be the difference between victory and loss. Once again, tankier Pokemon are better at using it, such as Clefable and Umbreon.
4 Sparkly Swirl
The Let's Go games introduced some hilariously-titled moves for both Pikachu and Eevee (looking at you, Baddy Bad). But, despite their cutesy and childish names, most of them are really good in battle.
Sparkly Swirl, the Fairy-type move that Eevee can learn from a tutor, is a fantastic choice for your playthrough. 90 base power and 100 percent accuracy are already really good, but this move gets even better than that. In addition to inflicting damage, Sparkly Swirl cures your entire party of sleep, poison, paralysis, freeze, and burn, making it a decent support move as well.
3 Dazzling Gleam
Now we're getting into top-tier Fairy-type moves. Many competitive players will name Dazzling Gleam as one of the top moves of the type. This old reliable has a nice 80 base power and 100 percent accuracy, meaning you'll consistently tear through those Dragon-types real quick.
What makes this move especially nice is that it'll hit multiple opponents in a double or triple battle without hitting your allies like Surf or Earthquake. This is highly important in VGC, the official competitive format of Pokemon. One of the best parts, though, is that it can be learned by a ton of Pokemon that are not even Fairy types themselves.
2 Play Rough
A 90 base power move with 90 percent accuracy? What more could you ask for? Perhaps a ten percent chance of lowering the target's Attack stat? This physical Fairy-type move is fantastic and widely used in the competitive scene. While consistency is not perfect with this move, with a 10 percent chance of missing, it's the only commonly available physical Fairy-type move, so it's the only option.
Give this move to a Fairy-type with high Attack that knows Swords Dance, like Mimikyu, and you've got a winner. What makes this move even better than others is its cool animation and fun sound effects. That little cloud of dust with the punching noises makes it cute yet terrifying.
1 Moonblast
This move is the bread and butter of any good Fairy-type Pokemon. A 30 percent chance of lowering your target's Special Attack on top of 95 base power and 100 percent accuracy is incredible. With more power than Psychic or Surf and better accuracy than Heat Wave or Meteor Mash, this move's stats fly past powerful staples.
Keep those Dragon, Fighting, and Dark-types shaking in their boots with Moonblast, as it is without a doubt the strongest Fairy-type move in terms of reliability, accuracy, and power. It is also commonly available to most Fairy types, which makes it more universally strong.