Eevee is far and away one of the most iconic and memorable creatures in the entire Pokémon franchise, serving as one of the series mascots since its inception in the Generation I games Pokémon Red and Blue. It’s notable for its cute appearance and its unique evolutionary tree, with new Eevee evolutions being introduced in new games fairly regularly.
This cute, fluffy fox-like Pokémon starts out as a fairly basic Normal type but can evolve into one of eight different types. These Eevee evolutions all bring their own unique advantages, strengths, weaknesses, and movesets to the table, but which one is the best? Below, we’ve ranked all eight Eevee evolutions from weakest to strongest based on their battle prowess.
8: Flareon
Type: Fire
Flareon, the Fire-type Eeveelution, unfortunately, lands at the bottom of our list. While its fiery presence is visually striking, its effectiveness in battles leaves much to be desired, and Fire-type trainers have much better options to choose from. With a shallow move pool and a lack of STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves, Flareon struggles to stand out among its peers. Its base stats, particularly its speed, HP, and defense, also leave much to be desired in the competitive scene.
Notable Learned Moves: Fire Fang, Bite, Lava Plume, Flare Blitz
How to Evolve: Use a Fire Stone on Eevee.
Base Stats:
- HP: 65
- Attack: 130
- Defense: 60
- Special Attack: 95
- Special Defense: 110
- Speed: 65
7: Glaceon
Type: Ice
Glaceon, the Ice-type Eeveelution, is visually stunning and can be a reliable choice in certain situations. However, its limited move pool and the prevalence of common weaknesses among Ice-types, like Fighting and Fire, make it less versatile than most other Eevee evolutions. Its base stats are reasonably well-balanced, however, with a focus on special attack and defense.
Notable Learned Moves: Icy Wind, Ice Fang, Bite, Blizzard
How to Evolve: Level up Eevee near an Ice Rock in the games.
Base Stats:
- HP: 65
- Attack: 60
- Defense: 110
- Special Attack: 130
- Special Defense: 95
- Speed: 65
Flareon and Glaceon, unfortunately, fall to the bottom of our ranking due to limited movesets and common weaknesses. While they have their merits, their battle effectiveness is overshadowed by other Eeveelutions.
6: Leafeon
Type: Grass
Leafeon, the Grass-type Eeveelution, brings some unique advantages to the table. Its hidden ability, Chlorophyll, can make it exceptionally fast in sunny weather. However, its overall battle performance is hindered by a limited move pool and common weaknesses to Fire, Ice, Bug, and Flying types. Leafeon’s stats favor physical Attack and Defense.
Notable Learned Moves: Bite, Razor Leaf, Giga Drain, Magic Leaf, Leaf Blade
How to Evolve: Level up Eevee near a Moss Rock in the games.
Base Stats:
- HP: 65
- Attack: 110
- Defense: 130
- Special Attack: 60
- Special Defense: 65
- Speed: 95
5: Vaporeon
Type: Water
Vaporeon, the Water-type Eevee evolution, boasts impressive base stats, especially in terms of special attack and HP. It can be a formidable special attacker and a decent tank in battles. However, its Water typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric and Grass moves, which are relatively common.
Notable Learned Moves: Water Gun, Water Pulse, Muddy Water, Hydro Pump, Acid Armor, Last Resort
How to Evolve: Use a Water Stone on Eevee.
Base Stats:
- HP: 130
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 60
- Special Attack: 110
- Special Defense: 95
- Speed: 65
4: Jolteon
Type: Electric
Jolteon, the Electric-type Eeveelution, ranks in the top four on our list thanks to its high Special Attack and incredible Speed. It’s a quick special sweeper and can outmaneuver many opponents. Its useful Electric typing grants it resistance against common Water and Flying moves and leaves it especially vulnerable only to Ground-type attacks.
Notable Learned Moves: Thunder Fang, Discharge, Thunder, Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave, Last Resort
How to Evolve: Use a Thunder Stone on Eevee.
Base Stats:
- HP: 65
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 60
- Special Attack: 110
- Special Defense: 95
- Speed: 130
Jolteon’s blistering speed (the highest of any Eeveelution) and special attack stats ensure it can outpace and eliminate many opponents. While they’re not the strongest Eeveelutions and are far from the strongest Pokémon of their type, Vaporeon and Leafeon are good gap-fills in the mid-game, especially for trainers who chose a Fire type as their starter Pokémon. You’ll have access to much stronger Water and Grass types later, however, which will likely replace these Eeveelutions in your battle lineup.
3: Espeon
Type: Psychic
Espeon, the Psychic-type Eeveelution, earns its rank due to its exceptional special attack and speed stats. It’s a potent special sweeper that can deal significant damage to a variety of opponents. Its Psychic typing grants it immunity to Ground-type moves but leaves it vulnerable to Dark types. It’s something of a glass cannon, though, with its low HP and Defense stats. Trainers need to use Espeon carefully, making strategic use of its speed and tricky Psychic abilities to tie up opponents.
Notable Learned Moves: Confusion, Psychic, Psybeam, Future Sight, Morning Sun
How to Evolve: Max out Eevee’s friendship and level it up during the day.
Base Stats:
- HP: 65
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 60
- Special Attack: 130
- Special Defense: 95
- Speed: 110
2: Umbreon
Type: Dark
Umbreon, the Dark-type Eevee evolution, excels in a defensive role thanks to its excellent Defense and Special Defense stats, respectable HP, and access to a wide range of supportive moves. It can survive hits and provide crucial support for its team. While its offensive capabilities are modest, its impressive defenses make it a valuable asset in combat. It could tie up with Espeon on our list, but we ranked Umbreon higher due to its superior defense, which makes it more forgiving to use (even if its offensive capabilities aren’t the strongest).
Notable Learned Moves: Bite, Snarl, Assurance, Confuse Ray, Dark Pulse, Moonlight
How to Evolve: Max out Eevee’s friendship and level it up during the night.
Base Stats:
- HP: 95
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 110
- Special Attack: 60
- Special Defense: 130
- Speed: 65
1: Sylveon
Type: Fairy
Topping our list as the strongest Eeveelution is Sylveon, the Fairy-type. With high Special Attack and Special Defense stats, Sylveon can serve as a reliable special sweeper and is useful on both offense and defense. It’s also not as fragile as other Eevee evolutions, such as Espeon. Its Fairy typing provides resistance against Fighting, Bug, and Dark-type moves and complete immunity to Dragon-type attacks. Sylveon trainers should be on guard against Poison and Steel types, however.
Notable Learned Moves: Disarming Voice, Draining Kiss, Moonblast, Light Screen, Last Resort
How to Evolve: Max out Eevee’s friendship and teach it a Fairy-type move.
Base Stats:
- HP: 95
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 65
- Special Attack: 110
- Special Defense: 130
- Speed: 60
Sylveon’s and Umbreon’s typing and stats make these three an excellent choice in battles, while Espeon’s speed and Psychic typing make it a fast and tricky attacker. These Eeveelutions shine in both strength and popularity among trainers, securing their spots in the top three.
The eight Eevee evolutions offer a diverse array of choices for trainers, each with its unique strengths and weaknesses. Which Eeveelution is the best remains a matter of debate among trainers and may boil down to your own team composition. Yet whatever your battle lineup may be lacking, chances are good that there’s an Eevee evolution that can step in to fill the gap.