Dynamax Weavile
DarkIce
Dynamax Sneasel is headlining this week’s Max Monday, giving Trainers the opportunity to evolve it into Dynamax Weavile, which walks in with a relatively high ATK value of 243, but low DEF and HP with no access to 0.5s Fast Attack moves. This suggests that Weavile is set to fill the role of an attacker, but does this point to the new #1 damage dealer for Ice and Dark types?
Yes! Dynamax Weavile is currently the strongest Ice-type Max attacker, dealing roughly 2% more damage than Dynamax Glaceon. However, its Dark-type performance is less impressive, and its low bulk makes it better suited to dealing damage during the Max Phase than tanking attacks.
Dynamax Weavile Stats, Weaknesses, and Max Moves
| Max CP (Level 50) | 3397 |
|---|---|
| ATK | 243 |
| DEF | 171 |
| HP | 172 |
| Weak to | Fighting (x2) Bug Fairy Fire Rock Steel |
| Resists | Psychic (x2) Dark Ghost Ice |
| Strong against | Dragon Ghost Grass Ground Psychic |
| Fast Attacks |
|
| Max Attacks |
|
Weavile needs Ice Shard to use Max Hailstorm, while Feint Attack or Snarl gives it access to Max Darkness.
The New #1 Ice Damage Dealer
The tables below compare Pokémon with 15 ATK IVs, assuming equally leveled Max Attacks. Percentages represent the difference in Max Attack damage relative to Dynamax Weavile.
Ice-type Damage: Taking Over from Glaceon at the Top of the Board
| Ranking | Pokémon | Max Attack Damage vs. D-Max Weavile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dynamax Weavile
|
– |
| 2 |
Dynamax Glaceon
|
-1.9% |
| 3 |
Gigantamax Lapras
|
-10.3% |
| 4 |
Dynamax Articuno
|
-19.8% |
| 5 |
Dynamax Cryogonal
|
-20.5% |
Dynamax Weavile takes the top spot among current Ice damage dealers, though the lead over Dynamax Glaceon is only about 2%, which, to some trainers, might be a gap worth skipping, especially if they already have a fully built Glaceon. Gigantamax Lapras follows at roughly 10% behind, with everything else trailing by close to 20%.
Despite being the new #1 Ice attacker, however, Weavile is already out-damaged when we compare its damage output against other types that are also effective against Grass, Ground, and Dragon types, i.e. types that are weak to Ice attacks.
Against Grass, Weavile would face fierce competition from G-Max Cinderace, which we have already established to be the #1 damage dealer against this typing for a long time to come; and the same story repeats against vs. G-Max Toxtricity, and against Dragon vs. Eternatus. The competition is even fiercer against Ground, with G-Max Inteleon blowing far ahead with a whopping 38% gap.
Of course, these comparisons depend on the defending Pokémon’s secondary typing, which can change the effectiveness of competing attacks.
As such, Weavile’s clearest edge against its competition would be against Pokémon that are doubly weak to Ice, for example the eventual Dynamax Dragonite due to its dual typing of and Dragon. Weavile should hold the crown as #1 Ice attacker for the foreseeable future, until it gets dethroned by the likes of Mamoswine (+2%), Baxcalibur (+4%)… and could eventually slip to the #6 spot once every Pokémon makes its Max Battle debut, assuming the current damage calculations hold.
Dark-type Damage: Sadly, Just Barely Usable
| Ranking | Pokémon | Max Attack Damage vs. D-Max Weavile |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Gigantamax Grimmsnarl
|
+20.5% |
| 2 |
Dynamax Hydreigon
|
+5.0% |
| 3 |
Dynamax Urshifu
|
+4.3% |
| 4 |
Dynamax Weavile
|
– |
| 5 |
Dynamax Sneasel
|
-20.9% |
The Dark side of the story is less flattering for Dynamax Weavile, unfortunately. G-Max Grimmsnarl and its G-Max Snooze sit comfortably at the top with roughly 20% more damage, while Hydreigon and Urshifu (Single Strike Style w/ Sucker Punch Fast Attack) both edge out Weavile by a few percent. This puts our newest addition to the Max Battles pool at #4 current Dark damage dealer, projected to drop to #9 once the full roster comes out, with Darkrai (+16%), Tyranitar (+3%), Zoroark and Yveltal (+3%), and Absol (+1%) all winning over Weavile by some margin.
That is not all – it is already quite well-known, especially in Max Battles mode during G-Max Grimmsnarl’s debut at GO Wild Area 2025, that Dark-type attacks are effectively the same as Ghost-type attacks, in the sense that they are both super effective against the same types, i.e. Psychic and Ghost. Secondary typings can change their effectiveness, however. This creates a unique comparison where damage dealers of these two types can be pitted against each other to find out which Pokémon is the ultimate attacker; and in this comparison, sadly, Weavile slips even further down the list.
When put side-by-side with Ghost-type attackers, Weavile further loses out to one of the fan-favorite Pokémon: Gengar. It is worth noting that Gengar in its Dynamax form alone is already able to outdamage Weavile by 7%; and the gap widens to 37% when compared against G-Max Gengar. As such, while Weavile can function as an attacker of both types due to its dual typing, it provides slightly more value as an Ice attacker than a Dark one.
Verdict: The Best Ice Attacker, but Not Always the Best Choice
Dynamax Weavile is the new top Ice damage dealer in Max Battles, though a 2% lead over Dynamax Glaceon is not exactly a reason to panic-farm if you already have a good one. Thanks to its dual typing, Weavile can also function as a Dark-type attacker; although better options like G-Max Grimmsnarl, or even attackers of other types such as G-Max Gengar, will make sure that it is at best an acceptable attacker, and clearly not the best.
If you are short on a solid Ice attacker, Weavile is an easy recommendation. Due to its low DEF and HP, Weavile is strongly recommended to be used purely as a damage dealer during the Max Phase, ideally switching it in just before Dynamaxing to avoid unnecessary damage. As such, it can already be called a win if you happen to get one with 15 ATK IV, or better yet, a shiny one.
