Dynamax Moltres in 2026: Still Surprisingly Worth Farming

Dynamax Moltres FireFlying

The Max Battle meta constantly changes, and being a Legendary Pokémon like the Kanto birds does not guarantee a lasting spot. When a newly released Pokémon comes along with better stats, it can simply take over. That being said, around 20 months after its first arrival in Pokémon GO, Dynamax Moltres surprisingly still holds some meta relevance. Of the three Kanto birds, it is arguably the only one worth farming during this return.

Packing an ATK stat of 251, access to Fire and Flying Fast Attacks, and double resistances to Bug and Grass, Dynamax Moltres remains a solid choice as both an attacker and a niche tank.

Dynamax Moltres: Stats, Typing, and Moves

As an Attacker: Still the Best Flying-type Damage Dealer

The attacker tables below use GO Hub’s Max Move damage rankings, checked on October 1, 2026. Percentages are calculated relative to Dynamax Moltres and rounded to one decimal place. They compare Max Attack damage, rather than overall battle DPS.

Fire-type Damage: The Competition Is Tough

In the current meta, the Kanto Firebird ranks #4 among Fire Max Attack damage dealers, trailing behind Gigantamax Cinderace, Gigantamax Charizard, and Dynamax Darmanitan. Cinderace leads the pack with roughly 22% more Max Attack damage than Moltres. This does not help Moltres’s case, especially with G-Max Cinderace’s highly anticipated rerun coming on October 3, 2026. For this typing, Cinderace is a much more worthwhile investment than pouring resources into the Legendary bird.

Ranking	Pokémon	Max Attack Damage vs. D-Max Moltres
1	Gigantamax Cinderace	+22.2%
2	Gigantamax Charizard	+15.0%
3	Dynamax Darmanitan	+4.5%
4	Dynamax Moltres	Baseline
5	Dynamax Flareon	-1.9%

Flying-type Damage: Still on Top

While it is outdamaged as a Fire attacker, Dynamax Moltres still tops the Flying Max Attack damage rankings. Thanks to its high ATK stat and the surprisingly small pool of Flying Pokémon in Max Battles, the Kanto Firebird remains comfortably in first place. Dynamax Unfezant deals 9.4% less Max Attack damage, followed closely by Dynamax Charizard at 10.5% less. After those two, the gap widens considerably, with Dynamax Corviknight trailing Moltres by 33%.

Sure, you can argue that Bug, Grass, and Fighting bosses often have stronger counters of other types, depending on the matchup. But if you do not min-max your Pokémon roster down to the last number, or simply happened to miss out on premium options like G-Max Cinderace or Dynamax Latios, picking up Moltres to cover these three types is still a very solid choice.

Ranking	Pokémon	Max Attack Damage vs. D-Max Moltres
1	Dynamax Moltres	Baseline
2	Dynamax Unfezant	-9.4%
3	Dynamax Charizard	-10.5%
4	Dynamax Corviknight	-33.0%
5	Dynamax Swoobat	-33.7%

As a Tank: Good Against Bug and Grass, but…

Moltres’s double resistances to Bug and Grass are probably its biggest selling points as a tank. The Kanto Firebird ranks #5 against Bug attacks and #7 against Grass attacks among Pokémon currently available in Max Battles. In a projected full roster, however, it would fall to #17 against both types.

However, there is still a catch to using Moltres as a tank. Like its brother (or sister?) Articuno, it lacks a 0.5-second Fast Attack. That makes it less suited to quickly charging the Max Meter in tight battles. Zapdos, meanwhile, does have access to the 0.5-second Thunder Shock through an Elite Fast TM.

The table below compares Moltres’s tanking ranks by incoming attack type. These are separate from Max Meter generation, and the full-roster rankings are projections.

Verdict: Is Dynamax Moltres Still Worth Farming?

Dynamax Moltres still holds its own surprisingly well in the current meta, albeit in niche roles. But hey, it’s Max Battles. There are almost no generalists here (unless you are Crowned Sword Zacian or Crowned Shield Zamazenta, in which case, good for you).

Its high ATK stat keeps Moltres at the top of the Flying damage charts, although it would drop to #4 in a projected full roster. Its double resistances to Bug and Grass also allow it to do fairly well as a swap-in tank. Just do not expect it to be your go-to Max Meter generator without a 0.5-second Fast Attack.

If you happen to have spare Max Particles, feel free to farm the Kanto Firebird until you have one you are happy with. Just remember that stronger options exist for some of its roles, starting with G-Max Cinderace for Fire damage, with its rerun on October 3.