#0598 · Unova · Generation 5

Ferrothorn

Thorn Pod Pokémon · Grass/Steel-type

Ferrothorn is a Grass/Steel-type Pokémon, the Thorn Pod Pokémon, number 598 (#0598) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 1 m tall and weighs 110 kg.

Ferrothorn, the Thorn Pod Pokémon, has Grass and Steel typing and swings three spiky feelers, whose steel spikes the Pokédex calls harder than steel. A single hit, it claims, can reduce a boulder to rubble.

How to pronounce Ferrothorn

Ferrothorn is pronounced fer-AH-thorn. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Ferrothorn said out loud:

In Japanese it is ナットレイ (Nutrey).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Ferrothorn resembles a flattened durian, 1 m tall and 110 kg. Thorns cover its metallic body, which is circled by three black stripes; triangular shapes sit on the middle stripe just under its eyes, which have green rims and yellow sclerae. A green spike sits on top, and long green feelers like vines, tipped with spiky metal disks, extend around it.

Behaviour

Ferrothorn fights by swinging its three feelers about and firing steel spikes, which the Pokédex says can obliterate an opponent. It also uses the feelers to walk, and it shoots spikes at targets passing underneath.

Habitat

The Pokédex places it in caves, where it clings to ceilings and crawls over rock walls by driving the spikes of its feelers into the stone.

Diet

It scrapes its spikes across stone and absorbs the nutrients inside through the tips of its feelers.

Powers

Ferrothorn has Iron Barbs, which damages anything that makes contact with it, with Anticipation hidden. It has Gyro Ball, Thunderbolt, Spikes, Stealth Rock and Explosion. With base Defense of 131, which Bulbapedia says ties with Kartana for the highest of any Grass type, and Special Defense of 116, it is a very tough wall, though its Speed is only 20.

Name origin

Ferrothorn may combine 'ferrous' and 'thorn'. The Japanese name is Nutrey (ナットレイ), possibly from 'nut' and arei (dumbbell).

Design inspiration

Ferrothorn appears to be based on plants whose seeds stick to clothing, perhaps with a nod to the Tribulus, whose name also means caltrops, the thorny metal traps used to slow invading troops. Its feelers resemble military flails, like the thorny buds some giant water lilies swing on long stalks. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Ferrothorn evolves from Ferroseed at level 40, learning Power Whip as it does, and does not evolve further.

In the games

Evolving a Ferroseed is the only way to get a Ferrothorn in Black and White, where it debuted. It returns in Sword and Shield and the Crown Tundra expansion, and Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet and in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Ferrothorn debuted in 'Iris and the Rogue Dragonite!', used by Officer Jenny in Undella Town to try to capture a rampaging Dragonite. Cameron's Ferrothorn beat Marlon's Jellicent in a Gym battle in 'The Road to Humilau!', and Goh caught one in 'Trial on a Golden Scale!'.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says it is pronounced 'fer-AH-thorn', according to a mispronunciation challenge held at the 2026 Europe International Championships.
• According to Bulbapedia, no other Steel-type Pokémon has a multiped body.
• In Pokémon Horizons, the Gym Leader Brassius made a mug modelled on a Ferrothorn.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Ferrothorn (Pokémon) · Serebii: Ferrothorn (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 74
• Attack: 94
• Defense: 131
• Sp. Atk: 54
• Sp. Def: 116
• Speed: 20

Ferrothorn’s base stat total is 489. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Ferrothorn weak to?

Ferrothorn takes extra damage from Fire (4×), Fighting (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (¼×), Normal (½×), Water (½×), Electric (½×), Psychic (½×), Rock (½×), Dragon (½×), Steel (½×), Fairy (½×).

It is immune to Poison moves.

Evolution

What does Ferrothorn evolve from?

Ferrothorn evolves from Ferroseed at level 40.

Ferrothorn is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Ferroseed, Ferrothorn.

Abilities

• Iron Barbs: Damages attacking Pokémon for 1/8 their max HP on contact.
• Anticipation (hidden ability): Notifies all trainers upon entering battle if an opponent has a super-effective move, Self-Destruct, Explosion, or a one-hit KO move.

Moves

Moves Ferrothorn learns by level up in Sword / Shield

“Evo” means Ferrothorn learns the move the moment it evolves: Power Whip.

TM moves (41)

Ferrothorn can learn 41 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Pin Missile, Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Solar Beam, Thunder Wave, Self-Destruct, Rest, Snore, Protect, Giga Drain, Attract, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Facade, Revenge, Bullet Seed, Payback, Assurance, Shadow Claw, Round, Bulldoze, Brutal Swing, Swords Dance, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Substitute, Spikes, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Defense, Gyro Ball, Poison Jab, Seed Bomb, Energy Ball, Flash Cannon, Power Whip, Iron Head, Stealth Rock, Grass Knot, Heavy Slam, Body Press.

Egg moves (5), which Ferroseed can hatch knowing:Acid Spray, Gravity, Knock Off, Leech Seed, Toxic.

Move tutor moves (2): Steel Beam, Steel Roller.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Grass, Mineral.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 90 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Defense effort values.
• Base experience yield: 171.

Pokédex entries

Its spikes are harder than steel. This Pokémon crawls across rock walls by stabbing the spikes on its feelers into the stone. (Shield)

This Pokémon scrapes its spikes across rocks, and then uses the tips of its feelers to absorb the nutrients it finds within the stone. (Sword)

They attach themselves to cave ceilings, firing steel spikes at targets passing beneath them. (White, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

By swinging around its three spiky feelers and shooting spikes, it can obliterate an opponent. (Black 2, White 2, X, Omega Ruby)

It fights by swinging around its three spiky feelers. A hit from these steel spikes can reduce a boulder to rubble. (Black)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Defense among Grass types: 131, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Defense among Grass types in Gen 5: 131.
• Highest Defense among Steel types in Gen 5: 131.
• Highest Sp. Def among Steel types in Gen 5: 116.
• Taller than 47% of all Pokémon (1 m).
• Heavier than 84% of all Pokémon (110 kg).
• Base stat total 489, ranked #364 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Defense, ranked #34 of 1,025.
• One of 3 Pokémon that are both Grass and Steel.
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 105 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 54 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 90: about 11.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 5 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Ferrothorn (Pokémon), Serebii: Ferrothorn (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (fer-AH-thorn): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Grass-type Pokémon · Steel-type Pokémon · Grass/Steel weaknesses and matchups · Unova region guide · Iron Barbs ability · Anticipation ability · Compare Ferrothorn · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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Gen 5 Grass-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Steel-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Grass egg group · Mineral egg group · Pokémon that start with F

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