#0570 · Unova · Generation 5

Zorua

Tricky Fox Pokémon · Dark-type

Zorua is a Dark-type Pokémon, the Tricky Fox Pokémon, number 570 (#0570) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 12.5 kg.

Zorua is the Tricky Fox Pokémon, a timid Dark type that survives by looking like someone else. The Pokédex says that if a normally chatty child suddenly goes quiet, it may have been replaced by one.

How to pronounce Zorua

Zorua is pronounced ZOR-oo-uh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Zorua said out loud:

In Japanese it is ゾロア.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Zorua is a slate-grey fox with red and black accents, a red-tipped tuft on its head, a black ruff and a short bushy tail. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 12.5 kg. Its disguises are only illusions: whatever it looks like, it stays a Dark type with its own moves.

Behaviour

Zorua is timid, and the Pokédex says that nature led to its power of taking other forms. When it is not with friends it stays disguised almost all the time, and it sometimes enters cities as a child to look for food.

Habitat

No Pokédex entry names a habitat for the Unovan form, and Bulbapedia says Hisuian Zorua prefers cold areas. In Scarlet and Violet the Unovan form lives in Paldea, in Tagtree Thicket and West Province Area Three.

Powers

Its only Ability, Illusion, makes it look like the last conscious member of its team until it is hit by a damaging move. Night Daze lets it unleash pitch-black shock waves. Hisuian Zorua is a Normal and Ghost type: the Pokédex says it is a departed soul reborn from resentment, which it vents as energy over its head to take the shapes of foes. Its best base stat is Special Attack at 80.

Name origin

Zorua may combine 'zorro', Spanish for fox, with 'rua', Irish for red. The Japanese name is the same word: Zorua (ゾロア).

Design inspiration

Atsuko Nishida designed Zorua and said it is based on a fox. Bulbapedia suggests the kitsune, Japan's shape-shifting fox spirit; a tail that stays visible in human form may recall tales of kitsune struggling to hide theirs. Its habit of replacing children also resembles Irish changeling stories.

Evolution notes

Evolves into Zoroark at level 30, and Hisuian Zorua evolves into Hisuian Zoroark at the same level.

In the games

In Black 2 and White 2 a Zorua is given to you as a gift in Driftveil City, and in Scarlet and Violet wild Zorua may be disguised as another Pokémon and also appear in 3-star Tera Raids. Hisuian Zorua haunts the Alabaster Icelands in Legends: Arceus. The species debuted in Black and White; it is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

In the film Zoroark: Master of Illusions, a young Zorua escapes the villain Grings Kodai, who has been using it to blackmail its foster mother Zoroark, and befriends Celebi. Bulbapedia notes that in the film an unpracticed Zorua's tail stays visible in human form, and touching it undoes the illusion.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Zorua and Zoroark became the first Pokémon outside the Mythical group to be limited to events for a while, until Black 2 and White 2 came out.
• In Pokémon GO, a wild Zorua spawns disguised as your Buddy Pokémon, and you only find out once you catch it and watch it change back.
• Bulbapedia notes that Hisuian Zorua's Normal and Ghost typing is unique: those are the only two types that are immune to each other, so neither of its own types can hurt it.

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

Base stats

• HP: 40
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 80
• Sp. Def: 40
• Speed: 65

Zorua’s base stat total is 330. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Zorua weak to?

Zorua takes extra damage from Fighting (2×), Bug (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.

It resists Ghost (½×), Dark (½×).

It is immune to Psychic moves.

Evolution

How does Zorua evolve?

Zorua evolves into Zoroark (Level 30; Hisuian Zorua: Level 30).

The whole family: Zorua, Zoroark.

Forms

• Hisuian Zorua (Hisuian form): Normal/Ghost-type, base stat total 330 (HP 35, Attack 60, Defense 40, Sp. Atk 85, Sp. Def 40, Speed 70). Ability: Illusion.

Abilities

• Illusion: Takes the appearance of the last conscious party Pokémon upon being sent out until hit by a damaging move.

Moves

Moves Zorua learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (45)

Zorua can learn 45 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Fake Tears, Agility, Scary Face, Protect, Confuse Ray, Thief, Facade, Hex, Snarl, Swift, Night Shade, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Dig, U-turn, Shadow Claw, Foul Play, Sleep Talk, Grass Knot, Rest, Taunt, Swords Dance, Imprison, Dark Pulse, Substitute, Trick, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Encore, Calm Mind, Helping Hand, Nasty Plot, Sludge Bomb, Tera Blast, Roar, Spite, Knock Off, Burning Jealousy, Lash Out, Pain Split, Psych Up, Skitter Smack.

Egg moves (6):Copycat, Counter, Detect, Extrasensory, Memento, Sucker Punch.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 25 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,200).
• 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 1 Sp. Atk effort value.
• Base experience yield: 66.

Pokédex entries

Zorua sometimes transforms into a person and goes into cities to search for food. When Zorua does this, it usually takes on the form of a child. (Shield)

A once-departed soul, returned to life in Hisui. Derives power from resentment, which rises as energy atop its head and takes on the forms of foes. In this way, Zorua vents lingering malice. (Legends: Arceus)

Zorua is a timid Pokémon. This disposition seems to be what led to the development of Zorua's ability to take on the forms of other creatures. (Sword)

If a normally talkative child suddenly stops talking, it may have been replaced by Zorua. (Ultra Moon)

This Pokémon has a cowardly disposition, so when it's not around friends, it basically always stays transformed as something else. (Ultra Sun)

To protect themselves from danger, they hide their true identities by transforming into people and Pokémon. (White, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 33% of all Pokémon (12.5 kg).
• Base stat total 330, ranked #741 of 1,025.
• One of 69 Dark-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 77 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 57 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 75: about 9.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 8 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: Zorua (Pokémon), Serebii: Zorua (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ZOR-oo-uh): 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

Dark-type Pokémon · Unova region guide · Illusion ability · Compare Zorua · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 5 Dark-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with Z · Fox Pokémon

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