#0391 · Sinnoh · Generation 4 · starter

Monferno

Playful Pokémon · Fire/Fighting-type

Monferno is a Fire/Fighting-type Pokémon, the Playful Pokémon, number 391 (#0391) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the Sinnoh region. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 22 kg.

Monferno is the Playful Pokémon, a Fire and Fighting monkey whose rank in its troop shows in its flame. The Pokédex says the bigger the fire on its tail and the brighter the blue pattern on its face, the higher the rank.

How to pronounce Monferno

Monferno is pronounced mon-FUR-noh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Monferno said out loud:

In Japanese it is モウカザル (Moukazaru).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Monferno is a primate-like Pokémon, 0.9 m tall and 22 kg, with orange fur, tan ears, muzzle, hands and feet, and a white ruff around its neck. Gold bands circle its upper arms, and a blue marking sits above each eye. Its long tail carries a red ring at the base and a flame at the tip.

Behaviour

Monferno controls the flame on its tail with skill. The Platinum entry says it adjusts the fire to keep foes at an ideal distance, and the Diamond entry says it stretches the fire to look bigger and scare attackers. The Pearl entry says it launches aerial attacks off ceilings and walls, so the tail is only one of its weapons.

Habitat

The Pokédex gives no habitat for Monferno.

Powers

Monferno shares Chimchar's Abilities, Blaze and the hidden Iron Fist. It learns Flame Wheel at level 19 and Flare Blitz at 56, and as a Fire and Fighting type it can follow up with punching moves. With 78 base Attack, 78 Special Attack and 81 Speed it hits from both sides, but its 52 defences are fragile.

Name origin

Monferno may combine 'monkey' and 'inferno'. The Japanese name is Moukazaru (モウカザル), possibly from mōka ('roaring flames') and saru ('monkey').

Design inspiration

Monferno may take after a monkey such as a mandrill or a golden snub-nosed monkey, with a bit of chimpanzee mixed in. Bulbapedia also reads it as a nod to Monkey Kung Fu, which could explain its Fighting type. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Monferno evolves from Chimchar at level 14 and into Infernape at level 36, and it gains its Fighting type at this stage.

In the games

Monferno is the middle stage of the Sinnoh starter line, which first appeared in Diamond and Pearl. In Legends: Arceus it appears in the Obsidian Fieldlands, near Deertrack Heights and Ramanas Island. In Scarlet and Violet it is obtained by evolving Chimchar in The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk, and Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Monferno debuted in 'Camping It Up!', where it belonged to the Pokémon Summer Academy and was trained by Angie. Ash's Chimchar evolved into one in 'Evolving Strategies!' during a battle against Paul.

Fun facts

• Monferno shares the Playful Pokémon category with Pancham.
• In Scarlet and Violet Monferno learns Mach Punch the moment it evolves, then has to wait until level 36 for Close Combat.
• In the episode 'Showdown at the Gates of Warp!', Dialga and Palkia's influence devolves Alternate World Ash's Infernape into Monferno, then Chimchar, then an Egg, before it is restored.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Monferno (Pokémon) · Serebii: Monferno (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 64
• Attack: 78
• Defense: 52
• Sp. Atk: 78
• Sp. Def: 52
• Speed: 81

Monferno’s base stat total is 405. Its highest stat is Speed.

Type matchups

What is Monferno weak to?

Monferno takes extra damage from Water (2×), Ground (2×), Flying (2×), Psychic (2×) moves.

It resists Bug (¼×), Fire (½×), Grass (½×), Ice (½×), Dark (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

What does Monferno evolve from?

Monferno evolves from Chimchar at level 14.

How does Monferno evolve?

Monferno evolves into Infernape at level 36.

The whole family: Chimchar, Monferno, Infernape.

Abilities

• Blaze: Strengthens Fire moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Iron Fist (hidden ability): Strengthens punch-based moves to 1.2× their power.

Moves

Moves Monferno learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Monferno learns the move the moment it evolves: Mach Punch.

TM moves (63)

Monferno can learn 63 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Fake Tears, Agility, Mud-Slap, Protect, Low Kick, Acrobatics, Thief, Fire Spin, Facade, Swift, Rock Tomb, Flame Charge, Low Sweep, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Dig, Brick Break, Zen Headbutt, U-turn, Shadow Claw, Bulk Up, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Sleep Talk, Drain Punch, Metronome, Grass Knot, Poison Jab, Rest, Rock Slide, Taunt, Swords Dance, Gunk Shot, Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, Stealth Rock, Heat Wave, Encore, Flamethrower, Helping Hand, Reversal, Nasty Plot, Fire Blast, Fire Pledge, Overheat, Focus Blast, Flare Blitz, Close Combat, Tera Blast, Smack Down, Knock Off, Vacuum Wave, Uproar, Focus Punch, Burning Jealousy, Lash Out, Psych Up, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Temper Flare, Upper Hand.

Egg moves (10):Counter, Double Kick, Encore, Fake Out, Fire Punch, Focus Energy, Heat Wave, Helping Hand, Switcheroo, Thunder Punch.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Field, Human-Like.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 45 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 1 Sp. Atk and 1 Speed effort values.
• Base experience yield: 142.

Pokédex entries

The deeper the blue on its face, the more powerful it will grow to become. It leaps about every which way and lands powerful blows against its opponents with the flame on its tail. (Legends: Arceus)

It uses ceilings and walls to launch aerial attacks. Its fiery tail is but one weapon. (Pearl, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

It skillfully controls the intensity of the fire on its tail to keep its foes at an ideal distance. (Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X, Omega Ruby)

A bigger fire on its tail and a brighter blue pattern on its face means its rank in its pack is higher. (HeartGold, SoulSilver)

To intimidate attackers, it stretches the fire on its tail to make itself appear bigger. (Diamond)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 43% of all Pokémon (0.9 m).
• Heavier than 45% of all Pokémon (22 kg).
• Base stat total 405, ranked #605 of 1,025.
• One of 6 Pokémon that are both Fire and Fighting.
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 5 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 77 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% 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: Monferno (Pokémon), Serebii: Monferno (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (mon-FUR-noh): 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

Fire-type Pokémon · Fighting-type Pokémon · Fire/Fighting weaknesses and matchups · Sinnoh region guide · Blaze ability · Iron Fist ability · Compare Monferno · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 4 Fire-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Fighting-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Field egg group · Human-Like egg group · Pokémon that start with M · Monkey and Ape Pokémon

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