Keep a working damage move active
Moves in separate slots do not all fire together. Selecting a support move can stop damage output; check the active slot after learning something new.
PokéSurvivor builds
Choose a partner and follow a route from its real starting attack to a linked move group. Compare 15 plans with evolution cards, alternative held items and decisions for runs where pieces are missing.
Last verified ·
Priorities are editorial advice based on current game rules. Adapt the plan to the cards, items and Rift opportunities that actually appear.
Choose the partner you want to build
The first seven routes begin with starter partners. The others assume you already own the Pokémon.
Starter partners
Fire
Charmander
Ember opening and Fire Blast
- Opening
- Ember
- Planned group
- Ember + Nasty Plot
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Water
Squirtle
Water Gun and sustained recovery
- Opening
- Water Gun
- Planned group
- Water Gun + Aqua Ring
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Grass / Poison
Bulbasaur
Vine Whip with defensive support
- Opening
- Vine Whip
- Planned group
- Vine Whip + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Water
Psyduck
Confusion opening for focused damage
- Opening
- Confusion
- Planned group
- Confusion + Nasty Plot
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Grass
Treecko
Returning leaves and mobile clearing
- Opening
- Razor Leaf
- Planned group
- Razor Leaf + Agility
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Water
Piplup
Bubble control and a safer collection route
- Opening
- Bubble
- Planned group
- Bubble + Aqua Ring
- Bonds for the group
- 1
Grass
Turtwig
Whip, orbit and a four-move Bond plan
- Opening
- Vine Whip
- Planned group
- Vine Whip + Petal Blizzard + Swords Dance + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 3
Partners to unlock first
Psychic
Mewtwo
Psychic projectiles, beam and special support
- Opening
- Confusion
- Planned group
- Confusion + Psybeam + Nasty Plot + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 3
Poison / Dragon
Eternatus
Poison opening into a Dragon beam group
- Opening
- Sludge
- Planned group
- Sludge + Dragon Rage + Nasty Plot
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Fighting / Ghost
Marshadow
Fighting melee and Ghost coverage
- Opening
- Karate Chop
- Planned group
- Karate Chop + Shadow Ball + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Normal
Slaking
Tackle, physical power and defense
- Opening
- Tackle
- Planned group
- Tackle + Swords Dance + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Ghost
Spectrier
Shadow Ball before the support group
- Opening
- Shadow Ball
- Planned group
- Shadow Ball + Nasty Plot + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Grass / Steel
Kartana
Grass and Steel melee with a small HP reserve
- Opening
- Vine Whip
- Planned group
- Vine Whip + Metal Claw + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Dragon / Dark
Roaring Moon
Dragon beam and Dark bursts: a special route
- Opening
- Dragon Rage
- Planned group
- Dragon Rage + Dark Pulse + Nasty Plot
- Bonds for the group
- 2
Fighting / Steel
Lucario
Aura Sphere and a practical Bond setup
- Opening
- Karate Chop
- Planned group
- Aura Sphere + Flash Cannon + Nasty Plot + Harden
- Bonds for the group
- 3
Build around your available moves and upgrades
Check the actual move pool
The normal learn pool combines your partner’s types with Normal moves. Special openings exist, such as Psyduck’s Confusion; they do not grant that type’s entire move pool.
Separate physical and special damage
Swords Dance and Dragon Dance raise physical Attack. Nasty Plot raises Special Attack. Projectile behavior or an impressive name does not determine the category; check the move itself.
Finish each evolution separately
Reach move level 5, obtain its required card during the run and select the gold offer. Neither a held item nor a permanent upgrade replaces that prerequisite.
Count the Bonds you actually need
A pair takes one Bond; three moves in a group take two; four take three. Finish a partly fused group before starting another one.
Fix the weakness in the current run
If damage no longer clears space, strengthen the active attack. If paths are closing or health is falling, movement, healing and defense may help more than another piece of the final plan.
Four ways to organize your decisions
Ranged damage and close coverage
A projectile or beam keeps pressure on enemies along a clear route. An orbit, aura or support move can add coverage after fusion, but an inactive slot does not protect you.
Melee with defensive support
Work around the edge of a pack instead of entering its center. Active melee reduces ordinary received damage, but attack warnings and resistant targets still matter.
Crowd control and type coverage
Choose slows, returning attacks, chains or area damage for the space you need. Discharge requires an Electric pool and Bulldoze a Ground pool: high HP alone does not grant either move.
Co-op and advanced groups
Slowing attacks can create routes to downed teammates. Coordinate movement and coverage; your partner must be able to learn every attack, and two groups need their own fusions.
Run cards, held items and permanent upgrades
These are three different decisions. Plan the attack’s recipe first, then compare what each available choice solves.
| System | Where it comes from | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Run cards | Level-up offers | The prerequisite for each evolution; not every move uses Power. These cards also apply their immediate stat benefits. |
| Held items | Chests and defeated bosses | Only one at a time. Leftovers offers recovery, Quick Claw reduces cooldown and Choice Band adds damage at the cost of switching moves. |
| Permanent upgrades | PokéCoins, for each partner | Invest in damage, health or mobility according to the problem. Repertoire changes the opening; Ban and Card reroll shape choices without guaranteeing them. |
PokéSurvivor build questions
Is there one build that is always best?
No route guarantees the result. Your partner, matchups, offers and room to move change which choice is useful. Treat these guides as adaptable routes.
Can I combine moves of any type?
No. The usual pool combines your partner’s types and Normal, with specific starting exceptions. These guides check each piece; do not transfer a combination to another Pokémon without checking its pool.
Does learning several attacks make them all active?
Only the selected slot operates. Bonds let linked moves activate from that slot; other groups still wait until selected.
Why replace Swords Dance with Nasty Plot in an older build?
The current rule separates physical and special damage. Nasty Plot supports special attacks; Swords Dance does not boost them even when an older recommendation includes it.
Game data & sources
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/data/pokedex.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/data/moves.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/data/starters.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/entities/player.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/data/items.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/data/upgrades.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/systems/levelup.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/systems/rift.js
- https://github.com/JPTER78/pokesurvivor/blob/main/js/game.js
Sprites: PMD SpriteCollab · CC BY-NC 4.0.
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Choose a partner and put what you have learned into practice.