Introduced in generation five with the Pokemon Black and White games, Axew is a monotype dragon Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Haxorus and evolves into Fraxure once it meets the level threshold. While it looks quite charming in its base evolution, it eventually evolves into a menacing Haxorus. As a generation five Pokemon, its chances to appear in the anime has been relatively meager, but it did appear in the first episode of the black and white season. This guide will showcase Axew’s appearances in the anime, what its evolution line is capable of in battle, as well as other general facts about Axew.
About Axew
Introduced with the Pokemon Black and White games, Axew is a dragon-type Pokemon that evolves into a fearsome dragon down the line. Similar to the Dratini line of evolution, Axew starts quite frail but eventually becomes a large dragon capable of taking down many Pokemon. Axew is also unique in that it starred in the opening episode of the black and white season in the episode In the Shadow of Zekrom!. The Pokedex states that it spends much of its time eating berries and regrowing its tusks harder and sturdier.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Black & White Episode 001: In the Shadow of Zekrom! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Black and White |
| Region | Unova |
| Evolution | Axew is the pre-evolution of Fraxure and Haxorus |
| 1st Evo level | 38 |
| 2nd Evo level | 48 |
| Pokedex Entry | They play with each other by knocking their large tusks together. Their tusks break sometimes, but they grow back so quickly that it is not a concern. |
Axew Base Stats
| HP | 46 |
| ATTACK | 87 |
| DEFENCE | 60 |
| SP. ATTACK | 30 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 40 |
| SPEED | 57 |
| TOTAL | 320 |
Appearance of Axew
Axew is a bipedal lizard with green scales. It has two white tusks protruding from its mouth and a large dark-green horn on the back of its head. Its eyes are red and surrounded by dark-green ovals. It also has a bright green frill around its neck. Its arms, legs, and tail are short and stubby. Axew stands at 2’00” tall and weighs 39.7 lbs, about the size of a Labrador Retriever.
Behavior of Axew
Axew is a playful Pokemon, often knocking its tusks with other Axew. Its tusks have a tendency to break, but they regrow quickly and become stronger and sharper. Axew nest underground, though they are very skilled at climbing trees. Axew marks its territory by leaving gashes in trees with its tusks, which can also break its tusks. Axew also uses its tusks to crush the berries it eats.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a mono-Dragon type, Axew is weak to Ice, Fairy, and other Dragon types. It may also struggle offensively versus Steel types without access to Earthquake. The pairing of Dragon Dance and Outrage can make Axew into a strong physical sweeper. However, its poor bulk means that it will lose to faster threats, and it will face trouble if your opponent brings in their Fairy or Steel type while you are locked into Outrage.
Evolutions of Axew
Axew is the pre-evolution of Fraxure. Axew evolves into Fraxure at level 38, then evolves into Haxorus at level 48. Throughout the evolutions of Axew, it grows to be larger and much more capable in battle. The evolutions of Axew are typical for most Pokemon, in that it does not require any particular work or unique requirements to evolve. Once you reach the level threshold Axew will evolve into its next form.
Shiny Axew
Shiny Axew’s scales shift from an olive-green to brown. The dark horn on Shiny Axew’s head also shifts to a dark brown. Both Shiny Axew’s eyes and frill become purple. The scarf lined around Shiny Axew’s neck becomes a dark purple. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Axew gains a starry animation upon entering battle. This shiny is a bit difficult to tell from its regular form, keep an eye on the color around its neck and the stars that appear to distinguish a regular Axew from a Shiny Axew.
Best Moveset
Axew’s high Attack and average speed make it a great physical sweeper. An Axew with a proper set-up can easily defeat ill-prepared opponents. To cover its lack of bulk, Axew prefers to hold an Eviolite to keep its sweeps going. Poison Jab provides coverage against Fairy types that may try to switch into Axew’s Outrage, and Superpower can do the same versus Steel types. Axew performs best after the enemy team has been weakened and threats have been defeated.
| Dragon Dance | Outrage |
| Superpower | Poison Jab |
How to Catch Axew in Pokemon Go
To find Axew out in the wild, you will want to check while there is windy weather. Dragon types are more common during this time, so keep your eyes peeled. Despite spawning more often in windy weather, Axew is still quite rare. You can also find Axew by hatching 10 km eggs. Axew itself has not appeared in Pokemon Gym Raids so it is not likely to find an Axew other than the old-fashioned way.
Video Guide
Trivia
- Axew was one of the first Unovan Pokemon to be designed. Axew and Fraxure were designed backwards from Haxorus, who was the first Unovan Pokemon designed while Pokemon Platinum was still in development.
- Axew has the lowest Special Attack of all Dragon-Type Pokemon, so be sure to use its Physical Attacks for maximum efficiency.
- The name Axew likely comes from the words axe and chew.
FAQs
Q. Is Axew a rare Pokemon?
In the base games, Axew is a rare encounter in the areas it is found, ranging from a 10%-20% appearance rate. This spawn rate is generally typical of the dragon types found in the Pokemon games. With the exception of Pokemon X and Y, Axew is generally found after the halfway point of the game.
Q. Is Haxorus a Good Pokemon?
Yes, Haxorus is a strong, reliable Pokemon. If you are using a Haxorus in any casual capacity you will likely be pleased with the results. Its stat values are weighted towards physical attack, so try using physical attacking moves along with your Haxorus for the best effect. Keep Haxorus away from Steel and Fairy types, and it will easily mow down your opponents.
Q. Is Haxorus a Legendary Pokemon?
No, Haxorus is not a Legendary Pokemon. Haxorus is also not a Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon, as it does not have a base stat total of 600. There is nothing about Haxorus that puts it into the classification of legendary. Haxorus is part of a three evolution line, it can be bred, and its base stat totals are not high enough.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this tusked Pokemon. The biggest selling point of Axew is its final evolution, Haxorus, but to gain access to this powerful Pokemon you will need to train an Axew for quite a bit of time. If you reserve a spot for Axew on your team, expect quite a long grind for experience. Like most dragon Pokemon, it has become popular among fans of the franchise. While Axew is not the most powerful in its base evolution, you will be pleasantly surprised to see its growth and battle capabilities.
