SQL query alternative/optimization for LEFT OUTER JOIN

I have the following query:

SELECT
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_move_method_id`,
    `pokemon_moves`.`level`,
    `move`.`id`,
    `move`.`name`
FROM
    `pokemon_moves`
LEFT OUTER JOIN
    `moves` `move` ON
        `move`.`id` = `pokemon_moves`.`move_id`
WHERE
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_move_method_id` < '4' AND
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_id` = '2' AND
    `pokemon_moves`.`version_group_id` = '6'
ORDER BY
    CAST(`pokemon_moves`开发者_开发技巧.`level` as INTEGER) ASC,
    `move`.`name` ASC

It is kinda slow and I think that's because the moves table is queried for every row in the pokemon_moves table instead of only the ones that comply to the WHERE clause. What would be a better option to write this query?

Please note that the integers in this (external) table are stored as text

Try using an INNER JOIN, and put your WHERE conditions into the JOIN statement. For example:

SELECT
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_move_method_id`,
    `pokemon_moves`.`level`,
    `move`.`id`,
    `move`.`name`
FROM
    `pokemon_moves`
INNER JOIN
    `moves` `move` ON
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_id` = '2' AND
    `pokemon_moves`.`version_group_id` = '6' AND
    `pokemon_moves`.`pokemon_move_method_id` < '4' AND
    `move`.`id` = `pokemon_moves`.`move_id`
ORDER BY
    CAST(`pokemon_moves`.`level` as INTEGER) ASC,
    `move`.`name` ASC