Introduced in generation five, with the Pokemon Black and White games, Tornadus is a monotype flying Pokemon. It is a legendary Pokemon, which means that it does not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. Tornadus is classified by the Pokedex as the “Cyclone Pokemon” and that indicates its general capabilities in battle. This guide will showcase Torandus’s appearances in the anime, its capabilities in battle, as well as other general facts about Tornadus.
About Tornadus
Despite being a legendary Pokemon, Thundurus first appeared in the main series in the Black and White season with the episode Stopping the Rage of Legends! Part 1 instead of its own movie. Tornadus is a legendary Pokemon which means that it does not have an evolved or pre-evolution form, however, it can change its form by using a Reveal Glass key item. When Tornadus changes form from its Incarnate form to Therian, it gains a little speed by sacrificing some of its offensive power. The Pokedex mentions that Tornadus is capable of blowing away houses with its power.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Black and White Stopping the Rage of Legends! Part 1 |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Black and White |
| Region | Unova |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve from or into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Tornadus expels massive energy from its tail, causing severe storms. Its power is great enough to blow houses away. |
Tornadus Base Stats
(Incarnate Forme)
| HP | 79 |
| ATTACK | 115 |
| DEFENCE | 70 |
| SP. ATTACK | 125 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 80 |
| SPEED | 111 |
| TOTAL | 580 |
(Therian Forme)
| HP | 79 |
| ATTACK | 100 |
| DEFENCE | 80 |
| SP. ATTACK | 110 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 121 |
| TOTAL | 580 |
Appearance
Tornadus is a legendary Pokemon meant to represent a certain part of the forces of nature. As the only monotype Pokemon of the trio, its flying type is meant to represent powerful gusts of wind or tornadoes. Tornadus has a long tail with ornaments that resemble puffs of wind. Most of its body is green with purple patches and it resembles a genie floating on a cloud in its Incarnate form. In Tornadus’s Therian form, its arms convert into wings and it more closely resembles a green bird of prey. Its Therian form is actually shorter than its Incarnate form with its Incarnate form at 4 feet and 11 inches, or 1.5 meters, tall versus 4 feet and 7 inches, or 1.4 meters, tall for its Therian form.
Behavior
In the series, Tornadus is shown to have history with Thundurus and the two are often seen battling each other. The resulting catastrophe can often destroy the land nearby and in the series Milos Island was shown to be a wreckage after their battle. Tornadus and Thundurus often have to be dealt with through Landorus, which makes it similar to the story of Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza. However, Landorus often ends up contributing to the devastation caused by Thundurus and Tornadus. Despite Tornadus showing little regard for its surroundings during battle, it is not a malevolent Pokemon and is shown to repair Milos Island damage after the battle.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While Tornadus in its base form is quite powerful, its Therian form is harder to handle as an offensive threat. In Tornadus’s Therian form, it is faster but does not hit as hard. Its speed stat almost ensures that it always goes first and is still capable of dealing a large amount of damage. As a monotype flying Pokemon, Tornadus is 2x weak to rock, electric, and ice type moves, is immune to ground type moves and will resist fighting, bug, and grass type moves.
Shiny Tornadus
Shiny Tornadus received the short end of the stick among the trio of legendary Pokemon. It is nearly impossible to distinguish between a Shiny Tornadus and a regular Tornadus. The Shiny Tornadus has a slightly lighter green colored body from its regular form but the main difference is the tail as it turns from purple to darker shade of purple or what people have even called blue. Regardless, it can be difficult to discern between a Shiny Tornadus and a regular Tornadus but what makes it easier is the fact that like all shiny Pokemon, it gains a starry animation upon entering battle.
Best Moveset
If you would like to run Tornadus in competitive play, you will want to opt for its Therian form as it has a higher speed stat. You will also need to ensure that Tornadus is legal in the format you would like to compete in as many legendary Pokemon have specific rules for their inclusion. To succeed with Therian Tornadus in competitive play you will want to utilize it as a special attacking offensive Pokemon. Consider running Hurricane, Heat Wave/Superpower/Hidden Power Ice, Knock Off, and U-Turn. Hurricane benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Heat Wave/Superpower/Hidden Power Ice are interchangeable as type coverage options, Knock Off can deal with problematic items, and U-Turn can offer you an efficient switch out that can also trigger Therian Tornadus’s ability Regenerator.
| Hurricane | Heat Wave/Superpower/Hidden Power Ice |
| Knock Off | U-Turn |
How to Catch Tornadus in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Tornadus in Pokemon Go, your only option is to wait for one to appear as a tier five raid boss in Pokemon Gyms. As a legendary Pokemon, it cannot be hatched from eggs and you cannot encounter one in the wild. To make matters worse, it typically only appears as a tier five raid boss during special events. So keep your eyes peeled on nearby gyms for five star raids as well as current events to ensure you have an opportunity to encounter Tornadus. Since Tornadus does not evolve into any other Pokemon, you can utilize any candies you obtain for powering up your Tornadus. While there are two different forms for Tornadus and both are available in Pokemon Go, you will need to encounter each form separately as there is currently no in-game mechanic to swap between the two forms.
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Trivia
- Of the legendary Pokemon introduced in generation five, Tornadus is the only monotype Pokemon to be released.
- The inspiration for Tornadus’s design is likely based on the Fujin, a Japanese God of the wind.
- The name Tornadus is a combination of the words tornado and Aeolus (the ruler of winds in Greek myth).
FAQ
How do you evolve Tornadus?
Tornadus is a legendary Pokemon and as a result does not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. It does have a separate form that can be changed through the use of a Reveal Glass key item. In Pokemon Go, you cannot evolve Tornadus either and both forms will need to be encountered separately.
How do you get Tornadus?
In Pokemon Black, after completing Tornadus’s questline in Mistralton City, you can encounter Tornadus as a roaming legendary. Like many of the other roaming legendary Pokemon, they can appear anywhere and will typically flee from battle. Use fast Pokemon to set up moves to prevent fleeing or use a Pokemon with the Arena Trap ability to prevent Tornadus from running. Try your best to lower its health and inflict a status move and use as many Pokeballs as it takes to capture Tornadus.
Which Tornadus form is better?
For Tornadus, its Therian form will increase its base speed stat. You will want to be as fast as possible in competitive play to ensure that you can move first more often. Typically Tornadus’s Therian form will perform better in battle, but in casual play you can use whichever form suits you best.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Cyclone Pokemon”. As a legendary Pokemon, Tornadus has no problems operating as an offensive Pokemon in battle. In the competitive formats where Tornadus is allowed, it has often been a Pokemon that required some form of coverage on every team. It is also a unique legendary Pokemon as it has two different forms to play with. Reserve a slot on your team for Tornadus if you want a powerful offensive flying type Pokemon.
