Axew

Using Axew in a Playthrough

Axew evolves into Fraxure at level 38 and Haxorus at level 48, so the family matures late but rewards the player with one of the strongest physical attackers in Unova. Haxorus has an enormous base 147 Attack and useful base 97 Speed, with Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, Dragon Claw or Outrage, Earthquake, Poison Jab, Brick Break or later Close Combat, and other coverage giving it several ways to sweep. Mold Breaker is usually the best general ability because it lets Haxorus ignore defensive abilities such as Levitate or Unaware when attacking, while Rivalry changes damage according to the target's gender and is much less reliable; the Hidden Ability Unnerve prevents opposing Berries from activating. Pure Dragon gives useful Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric resistances, but Ice and Dragon attacks are dangerous in every generation and Fairy joins those weaknesses from Generation VI onward. Jolly is often the safest nature because base 97 Speed sits just below many important fast threats, while Adamant makes the already exceptional Attack even more overwhelming. Outrage is extremely powerful but locks Haxorus in for multiple turns and causes confusion afterward in older mechanics, so Dragon Claw is often the safer story option.

Axew in Competitive Pokémon

Haxorus was an OU Pokemon in BW, but its position there was more nuanced than its base 147 Attack might suggest. It carved out a real niche on Dragon-heavy offensive teams, especially DragMag structures where Magnezone could remove Steel-types such as Skarmory and create openings for Dragon Dance or Swords Dance Haxorus. Mold Breaker is a major part of that identity because Earthquake can ignore abilities such as Levitate, and its combination of Dragon STAB, Fighting coverage, and setup gives defensive teams very little room once checks are weakened. At the same time, Smogon notes that Haxorus competes with faster or more defensively useful Dragons such as Garchomp, Dragonite, Salamence, and Kyurem-B, while base 97 Speed leaves it vulnerable to common revenge killers before or even after setup. Later generations preserved its role as a high-end physical breaker rather than a universal top-tier staple; current SV tiering places it in RUBL with viable UU and Battle Stadium roles. Its competitive identity is therefore remarkably consistent: colossal physical power and excellent setup potential held in check by middling Speed, modest special bulk, and fierce competition from other Dragons.

Axew in Nuzlockes

Haxorus is a powerful Nuzlocke Pokemon because base 147 Attack often ends favorable matchups immediately, reducing the number of turns in which something can go wrong. Mold Breaker is especially useful because it removes surprises from abilities that would normally block Earthquake or blunt a sweep, while Dragon Dance can create boss-fight sweeps if Haxorus has a genuinely safe setup turn. The family evolves late, however, and Axew and Fraxure are much less forgiving than the final form, so keeping them alive until level 48 can be the hardest part of using the line. Ice and Dragon coverage are dangerous throughout the line's original games, and Fairy becomes an additional weakness from Generation VI onward. Dragon Claw is usually safer than Outrage in permadeath play because it avoids move-locking and post-attack confusion, while Jolly can be safer than Adamant whenever the extra Speed prevents an incoming hit.

Axew uses its tusks to crush Berries, carve territorial marks into trees and boulders, and play with other members of its species. The tusks frequently break or fall out, but they regrow quickly and become harder and sharper each time. In ancient times, humans collected discarded Axew tusks and used them as cutting tools or cooking knives. Axew lives in ground nests and is also an agile climber despite its small size.