Mabosstiff
Mabosstiff is a Dark-type Pokémon, the Boss Pokémon, number 943 (#0943) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 9 and comes from the Paldea region. It is 1.1 m tall and weighs 61 kg.
Mabosstiff is the Boss Pokémon, a huge Dark-type mastiff that is gentle with children and merciless towards anyone who threatens its family. Arven's Mabosstiff is a major character in Scarlet and Violet.
How to pronounce Mabosstiff
Mabosstiff is pronounced muh-BOS-tif. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Mabosstiff said out loud:
In Japanese it is マフィティフ (Mafitiff).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Mabosstiff is a large grey mastiff, 1.1 m tall and 61 kg, with a pale stripe of fur from its forehead down its spine, a long brushy tail and a head so big it has no visible neck. A large dewlap hangs under its mouth, and the Pokédex says it stores energy there and unleashes it all at once to blow enemies away. Bulbapedia notes that Arven says it sheds its fur often.
Behaviour
Mabosstiff loves playing with children and is usually gentle, but it bares its teeth when protecting its family. The Legends: Z-A Pokédex says that behind the kind heart it will hunt down any foe that threatens them.
Habitat
The Pokédex gives no habitat. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's West and North Provinces, and Serebii lists grass, ruins and forest biomes.
Powers
Its Abilities are Intimidate, Guard Dog, which raises its Attack when it is intimidated and stops it being forced out of battle, and the hidden Stakeout. It learns the Dark move Comeuppance on evolving, then Crunch, Jaw Lock, Double-Edge and Outrage. With 120 base Attack and 90 Defense it is a sturdy physical attacker.
Name origin
Mabosstiff may combine 'mafia', 'mob', 'boss' and 'mastiff'. The Japanese name is Mafitiff (マフィティフ), which may blend mafia and mastiff.
Design inspiration
Mabosstiff appears to be a Spanish Mastiff, matching Paldea's Iberian setting and its big dewlap. Its dark colouring and boss-like look may nod to crime-family bosses and to the Italian Cane Corso, and its protective nature recalls livestock guardian dogs, many of which are mastiff breeds. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Mabosstiff evolves from Maschiff at level 30.
In the games
Arven's Mabosstiff is a major character in Scarlet and Violet, and wild ones can also be caught. In Legends: Z-A it appears in the Mega Dimension DLC, in the 4-star Dark-type wild zones of Hyperspace Lumiose.
In the anime
Mabosstiff debuted in Pokémon Horizons in 'The Dusk Ball That Wouldn't Open', chasing Ult and Ryan away from its Trainer's Nanab tree. In the POKÉTOON 'Mischievous Whimsicott? Not on Mabosstiff's Watch!', a mother's Mabosstiff guards her sleeping baby from a Whimsicott.
Fun facts
- Bulbapedia says its grey eyebrows and grey fur make it faintly resemble an elderly person.
- In Pokémon Masters EX, Arven and Mabosstiff are a sync pair that could be scouted at a Poké Fair.
- In Pokémon Adventures, Arven's Mabosstiff first appears in the chapter 'Discover! The Quaking Earth Titan!!'.
Base stats
- HP: 80
- Attack: 120
- Defense: 90
- Sp. Atk: 60
- Sp. Def: 70
- Speed: 85
Mabosstiff’s base stat total is 505. Its highest stat is Attack.
Type matchups
What is Mabosstiff weak to?
Mabosstiff takes extra damage from Fighting (2×), Bug (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.
It resists Ghost (½×), Dark (½×).
It is immune to Psychic moves.
Evolution
What does Mabosstiff evolve from?
Mabosstiff evolves from Maschiff at level 30.
Mabosstiff is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Maschiff, Mabosstiff.
Abilities
- Intimidate: Lowers opponents' Attack one stage upon entering battle.
- Guard Dog: Boosts Attack if intimidated, and prevents being forced to switch out.
- Stakeout (hidden ability): This Pokémon's moves have double power against Pokémon that switched in this turn.
Moves
Moves Mabosstiff learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo | Comeuppance | Dark | Physical | 1 |
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Scary Face | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 4 | Lick | Ghost | Physical | 30 |
| 7 | Snarl | Dark | Special | 55 |
| 10 | Hone Claws | Dark | Status | — |
| 14 | Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 18 | Roar | Normal | Status | — |
| 22 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 |
| 26 | Payback | Dark | Physical | 50 |
| 34 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 39 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — |
| 43 | Reversal | Fighting | Physical | — |
| 48 | Jaw Lock | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 55 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 |
| 60 | Outrage | Dragon | Physical | 120 |
“Evo” means Mabosstiff learns the move the moment it evolves: Comeuppance.
TM moves (40)
Mabosstiff can learn 40 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Fake Tears, Scary Face, Protect, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Thief, Trailblaze, Facade, Snarl, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Dig, Psychic Fangs, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Rest, Taunt, Dark Pulse, Substitute, Crunch, Hyper Voice, Play Rough, Helping Hand, Reversal, Wild Charge, Giga Impact, Outrage, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Spite, Lash Out, Pain Split, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Curse.
Egg moves (4), which Maschiff can hatch knowing:Destiny Bond, Endeavor, Play Rough, Retaliate.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Field.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 75 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 2 Attack effort values.
- Base experience yield: 177.
Pokédex entries
Mabosstiff loves playing with children. Though usually gentle, it takes on an intimidating look when protecting its family. (Violet)
This Pokémon can store energy in its large dewlap. Mabosstiff unleashes this energy all at once to blow away enemies. (Scarlet)
Names around the world
| Japanese | マフィティフ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Mafitiff |
| French | Dogrino |
| German | Mastifioso |
| Spanish | Mabosstiff |
| Italian | Mabosstiff |
| Korean | 마피티프 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 獒教父 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 獒教父 |
Trivia
- Taller than 54% of all Pokémon (1.1 m).
- Heavier than 72% of all Pokémon (61 kg).
- Base stat total 505, ranked #262 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is Attack, ranked #91 of 1,025.
- One of 69 Dark-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 107 gray Pokémon.
- Number 38 of 120 Pokémon introduced in Generation 9 (Paldea).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 52 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 75: about 9.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 2 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: Mabosstiff (Pokémon), Serebii: Mabosstiff (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (muh-BOS-tif): no English source says it out loud, so it is our best guess from the parts of the name.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Dark-type Pokémon · Paldea region guide · Intimidate ability · Guard Dog ability · Stakeout ability · Compare Mabosstiff · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 9 Dark-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with M · Dog Pokémon