A PokeSurvivor build is one partner, four move slots, one active move, one held item and that partner’s permanent upgrades. Only the active move fires, so the build is about switching to the right slot, not stacking every attack at once. Moves evolve at level 5 with a required stat card and a golden card. A rift bond can fuse two or more moves into one slot, up to four fused moves, which frees space for more options.
What a build is
A build answers three questions: which move kills the thing in front of you, which move keeps the horde off you, and which item or buff covers the mistake you make most often. It is not a fixed tier list of moves. The same partner can run a single-target boss plan, a wide clear plan or a defensive learning plan.
| Component | What it controls | What it does not control |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | Typing, HP, speed and physical/special multipliers | Which moves appear in a level-up |
| Four move slots | The options you can switch between | All four firing at once |
| Active move | The attack currently firing | The move’s evolution unless the card is taken |
| Held item | One run-long modifier | Permanent upgrades or account progress |
| Permanent upgrades | Per-Pokémon stats and starting options | Other partners’ upgrades |
| Bond | Fused moves firing from one slot | Unlimited fusion; the cap is four fused moves |
Four slots, one active move
The game gives four move slots. Only the active one fires. Use 1–4, Q/E or the move icons to switch. A build that fills all four slots with attacks but never switches is effectively a one-move build with three dead buttons.
A practical slot plan is:
- Main damage: the move you keep active most of the time.
- Area or crowd clear: a burst, aura, spin, beam or orbit for the horde.
- Coverage: a second type for the enemies the main move cannot hit.
- Utility or boss answer: a buff, a high single-target hit, a stun or a defensive option.
This is a template, not a quota. A partner with a strong two-move core can use the other slots for buffs or experiments. A boss-focused run can keep one single-target move and one area move, then spend the rest on survival.
Which moves a partner can learn
A partner can learn Normal moves plus moves of its own types. TMs can add specific moves. That means the move pool is constrained by the partner, not by the full 103-move list. A Grass/Steel partner sees Normal, Grass and Steel; a Ghost/Poison partner sees Normal, Ghost and Poison.
Type coverage is not the same as move quality. A move can be the right type but a poor shape for the current fight. Melee arcs need the enemy in front; projectiles work at range; bursts and novas hit around you; beams pierce a line; mines and traps need the enemy to walk into them. The move list gives the shape and evolution for every move.
Physical and special moves use different multipliers. Since 18 October 2026, a special attacker’s physical moves are weaker, and a physical attacker’s special moves are weaker. Use a buff that matches the move: Swords Dance and Dragon Dance for physical attack, Nasty Plot for special attack.
Evolution in a build
A move must reach level 5, you must have taken the stat card it requires at least once in the run, and the golden evolution card must appear. The evolution is a card choice, not an automatic upgrade. Buff moves do not evolve.
Build around one or two evolutions rather than spreading cards across every move. A maxed main move plus its stat card is a real power spike; four level-2 moves are not. The full evolution table lists the required card and the result.
Held items and trade-offs
You can hold one item at a time. A new item lets you choose which to keep, and the item lasts for the run. The held item guide lists all 11. The build decision is usually:
- Damage: Choice Band (+40%, locks the active move) or Life Orb (+30%, HP cost per attack).
- Consistency: Quick Claw (-20% cooldown), Choice Scarf (+35% speed) or Shell Bell (heal from damage).
- Survival: Focus Sash (1 HP once every 60 seconds), Assault Vest (+20% damage reduction) or Leftovers (1.5% max HP per second).
- Economy: Lucky Egg (+30% experience) or Amulet Coin (+50% coins at the end).
A damage item is not automatically better. Choice Band on a build that needs to switch coverage can be worse than Quick Claw. Life Orb on a 97 HP partner can turn a small mistake into a death. Pick the item that fits the run you are actually playing.
Bonds and slot planning
Defeating a legendary in a rift grants a bond. A bond links two moves so they fire together from a single slot; each further legendary adds another fused move, up to four at once. This frees slots for new moves and is the main reason a late run can use more than one attack at a time.
The bond choice should support the main plan. Fuse a main damage move with a buff or a second damage type, not two moves that do the same job. The bond guide covers earning, fusion and the permanence limit.
Three build templates
| Template | Core | Best for | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-target specialist | One high-damage single-target move, one area move, a matching attack buff, a defensive item. | Bosses, rifts and a controlled route. | Slow clear when the horde spreads out; needs a second damage type for resistant bosses. |
| Wide clear | One burst or aura, one coverage move, movement or cooldown support, Lucky Egg or Quick Claw. | Experience farming and crowded early waves. | Can lack the single-target damage to finish a boss before it enrages. |
| Defensive learner | One reliable ranged move, one area move, Focus Sash or Assault Vest, Vitality/Stride upgrades. | First clears, mobile play and unfamiliar rifts. | Lower damage ceiling; longer runs can outscale the defense. |
These templates are starting points. A named partner build can be more specific; the Gengar build is a special-attacker example. The Kartana profile is a physical-attacker example.
When a build is missing options
If the required move or item does not appear, do not force the template. Use the best supported substitute:
- No evolution card: keep the maxed base move and spend the level-up on a different slot. The golden card is not guaranteed.
- No matching buff: use a coverage move or a defensive stat card instead of a mismatched attack buff.
- No damage item: take movement, cooldown or survival. A live run with a weaker item beats a dead run with the “right” one.
- No second type: use a TM if the partner can learn one, or accept that the build has a resistant enemy and play around it.
The survival tips cover positioning when the build is incomplete. The type chart shows which enemies the missing coverage actually matters against.
Quick answers
How many moves can fire at once?
Normally one: the active move. A bond can fuse two or more moves into one slot so they fire together, up to four fused moves.
How many held items can a build use?
One. Finding another item lets you choose which to keep, and the item lasts for the current run.
Should I take Swords Dance on a special attacker?
No. Since the 18 October physical/special split, Swords Dance boosts physical attack. A special attacker should use Nasty Plot or another special-compatible option.
What if the golden evolution card does not appear?
The evolution is not guaranteed just because the move is level 5 and the stat card was taken. Keep the maxed move and use the level-up for another slot or stat.
Sources and scope
These sources were checked on 22 October 2026. This is source-based guidance, not a claim that the site played every route. The live game can change after an update.
- PokéSurvivor official moves page — 103 moves, kinds, effects and 97 evolutions.
- Official moves data (GitHub main) — Move pools, evolution requirements and stat cards.
- PokéSurvivor official items page — All 11 held items and the one-item rule.
- PokéSurvivor official news — 18 October physical/special split, 19 October move additions and 11 October bonds.