bonsly #438
Type Matchups
Weak to (2x damage):
Resistant to (½x damage):
bonsly
BabyGeneration IV · #0438 — Bonsai Pokémon
Bonsly, known in its native Japanese as Usohachi, is a Rock-type baby Pokémon introduced in Generation IV that serves as the pre-evolution to the familiar Sudowoodo. As the 438th Pokémon in the National Pokédex, Bonsly occupies a unique ecological niche, classified as the Bonsai Pokémon due to its remarkable resemblance to the cultivated miniature trees. Despite its grass-like appearance and name referencing the Japanese horticultural art form, Bonsly is biologically composed of stone rather than organic plant matter, a fascinating contradiction that often leads trainers and casual observers to mistake it for a Grass-type Pokémon. With a base stat total of just 290 points, Bonsly is intentionally designed as a weak baby Pokémon, featuring notably low Special Attack and Speed statistics of 10 each, while maintaining respectable Defense at 95 and Attack at 80, making it suitable only for beginning trainers or as a novelty capture.
Base Stats
Height
0.5m
Weight
15.0kg
Category
Bonsai Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
brown
Shape
legs
Abilities
Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
Protects against recoil damage.
Raises Speed one stage upon being hit by a dark, ghost, or bug move.
Bonsly Biology & Physical Characteristics
Bonsly presents a distinctly compact and rounded silhouette, standing merely half a meter tall and weighing just 15 kilograms, befitting its classification as a baby Pokémon. Its body is predominantly brown in coloration, with a distinctive club-shaped (♣) formation at the top of its head that contributes to its bonsai tree mimicry. Three yellow spots adorn its face, positioned around and beneath its small black dot eyes, while its body is encircled by a prominent rim at the middle. The Pokémon's lower extremities are characterized by short, stubby legs ending in toeless feet, and most intriguingly, it features a hole on its rear section analogous to the drainage hole found on traditional flowerpots, serving a critical biological function. The spheres or bulbous protrusions on its head, which resemble foliage when moist, gradually lose their luster and become duller as they dry out, reflecting Bonsly's moisture levels. Structurally, Bonsly's biology is far more geological than botanical, with its body composition bearing closer similarity to stone formations than to living plant tissue, which explains its Rock-type classification and its ability to remain stationary for extended periods without sustenance.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Bonsly Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Bonsly exhibits a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male to 50% female, allowing trainers equal opportunity to encounter either sex when catching or breeding specimens. However, Bonsly presents an unusual breeding classification, as it belongs to the Undiscovered egg group, meaning it cannot breed to produce more Bonsly under normal circumstances. This restriction is characteristic of baby Pokémon across generations, as the breeding system is designed so that baby Pokémon cannot themselves reproduce; instead, their evolved forms possess the capability to breed and produce eggs that hatch into baby Pokémon. The base friendship value of Bonsly stands at 70, which in some generations was recorded as 50, indicating a moderately amenable disposition toward trainers, though not as innately affectionate as some other baby Pokémon species. To obtain Bonsly through breeding, trainers must instead breed a Sudowoodo (or in some game generations, Mime Jr. or Mr. Mime from the parallel evolution line) with an appropriate partner, which will then produce Bonsly eggs that hatch after approximately 20 cycles of gameplay progression. This breeding mechanic encourages players to think strategically about their team composition and the long-term development of their Pokémon, as obtaining a baby Pokémon requires first obtaining and training its evolutionary counterpart.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm03
crystal
tm03
gold silver
tm03
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm04
gold silver
tm04
emerald
tm04
firered leafgreen
tm04
ruby sapphire
tm04
diamond pearl
tm04
crystal
tm04
xd
tm04
heartgold soulsilver
tm04
black white
tm04
colosseum
tm04
platinum
tm04
sun moon
tm04
ultra sun ultra moon
tm04
x y
+560 more TMs/HMs
Bonsly Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Bonsly evolves into Sudowoodo, the Rock-type evolution that represents a significant power increase across most statistical categories. The evolution mechanism for Bonsly is unusual compared to most baby Pokémon, as it does not evolve through simple level progression or friendship metrics. Instead, Bonsly must first learn the move Mimic before being leveled up to trigger its evolution into Sudowoodo. This requirement introduces an interesting strategic layer for trainers, as they must ensure Bonsly gains access to the Mimic move through either level-up learning or through TM instruction before attempting to level it up for evolution. Upon evolution, Sudowoodo gains substantially improved stats across the board, particularly in Attack, Special Attack, and Speed, transforming from a weak baby Pokémon into a formidable Rock-type competitor capable of holding its own in competitive battles. The evolution also shifts Sudowoodo's appearance more dramatically toward its tree-like aesthetic, with the small round form of Bonsly developing into a more imposing and naturalistically wooden appearance. This evolutionary line demonstrates how Bonsly serves as an excellent educational tool for newer players, teaching the importance of move pools and diverse training strategies beyond simple level grinding.
Where to Find
sinnoh route 209
sinnoh
+5 more
sinnoh route 210
sinnoh
+4 more
alola route 1
alola
+1 more
lush jungle
alola
+5 more
Bonsly Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Bonsly exhibits a peculiar behavioral characteristic that frequently causes misunderstandings among observers—it constantly appears to be weeping, with tears perpetually streaming from its eyes. However, these are not emotional expressions but rather a biological necessity, as Bonsly exudes water from its eyes to regulate the fluid levels within its body and prevent itself from becoming dangerously saturated. This moisture regulation system is critical to the Pokémon's survival; if Bonsly's body becomes too damp, it will perish, necessitating its preference for arid, dry environments. The Pokémon gravitates toward rock-strewn areas and dry locales where such environmental conditions naturally occur, though it occasionally can be found in gardens where its stone-like appearance allows it to blend in convincingly with landscaping features. Interestingly, Bonsly has developed the habit of mimicry as an evolutionary adaptation, standing perfectly still to resemble an actual bonsai tree—a deceptive strategy that also serves a tactical purpose by lowering the guard of potential enemies who mistake its crying for genuine distress rather than physiological regulation. As it expels both sweat and tears, the composition of these liquids differs, with the sweat carrying a slightly salty taste while the tears taste somewhat bitter, adding another layer of biological complexity to this enigmatic Pokémon.
Pokedex Entries
Generation IV
It looks as if it is always crying. It is actually adjusting its body’s fluid levels by eliminating excess.
It prefers arid environments. It leaks water from its eyes to adjust its body’s fluid levels.
It prefers an arid atmosphere. It leaks water that looks like tears when adjusting its moisture level.
In order to adjust the level of fluids in its body, it exudes water from its eyes. This makes it appear to be crying.
Generation V
It prefers an arid atmosphere. It leaks water that looks like tears when adjusting its moisture level.
It prefers an arid atmosphere. It leaks water that looks like tears when adjusting its moisture level.
Generation VI
It prefers arid environments. It leaks water from its eyes to adjust its body’s fluid levels.
It prefers an arid atmosphere. It leaks water that looks like tears when adjusting its moisture level.
It prefers arid environments. It leaks water from its eyes to adjust its body’s fluid levels.
It prefers an arid atmosphere. It leaks water that looks like tears when adjusting its moisture level.
Generation VII
It does not deal well with water, so it lives in dry locales. Since its surroundings tend to lack greenery, it stands out noticeably.
It discharges moisture from its eyes, making it look like it’s crying—apparently an effective way of getting enemies to let down their guard.
From its eyes, it can expel excess moisture from its body. This liquid is similar in composition to human sweat.
If its body gets too damp, it will die. So, in a process reminiscent of sweating, its eyes expel moisture.
Generation VIII
It expels both sweat and tears from its eyes. The sweat is a little salty, while the tears have a slight bitterness.
This Pokémon lives in dry, rocky areas. As its green spheres dry out, their dull luster increases.
Its tears elicit sympathy from those who see them, but do not be deceived! This expulsion of body water is merely a physiological mechanism for keeping itself in good health.
Bonsly Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Bonsly derives from the Japanese horticultural practice of bonsai, the art of cultivating miniature trees, combined with a suffix suggesting a small or baby form of Pokémon. Its Japanese name, Usohachi, carries a clever double meaning: 'uso' translates to 'lie' or 'fake,' reflecting Bonsly's masterful camouflage as an actual bonsai tree, while 'hachi' means 'pot' or 'eight' in Japanese, referencing both the flowerpot-like hole in its posterior and the tradition of keeping bonsai in ceramic vessels. The design itself is a brilliant contradiction—visually suggesting an organic plant form through its brown coloration, rounded shapes, and foliage-like crown, yet biologically composed of stone, creating cognitive dissonance that mirrors the Pokédex entries describing its frequent misidentification as a Grass-type. The three yellow spots on its face evoke the placement of traditional accent stones in Japanese landscaping, while the club-shaped head echoes the stylized forms of aged bonsai specimens that have been pruned into distinctive silhouettes over decades of cultivation. This design philosophy exemplifies Generation IV's approach to Pokémon creation, blending cultural references with unexpected biological properties to create memorable and thematically rich creatures.
Learnable Moves
Bonsly can learn 77 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| after you | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| block | normal | Status | — | — | 5 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| brick break | fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| bulldoze | ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| calm mind | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| captivate | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| confide | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| copycat | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| counter | fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| covet | normal | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| defense curl | normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| dig | ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| earth power | ground | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| earthquake | ground | Physical | 100 | 100 | 10 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| explosion | normal | Physical | 250 | 100 | 5 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| fake tears | dark | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| feint attack | dark | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| flail | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| foul play | dark | Physical | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| grass knot | grass | Special | — | 100 | 20 |
| harden | normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| head smash | rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| helping hand | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| iron defense | steel | Status | — | — | 15 |
| low kick | fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| mimic | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| mud shot | ground | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| mud slap | ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| natural gift | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| nature power | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| power gem | rock | Special | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psych up | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| rock blast | rock | Physical | 25 | 90 | 10 |
| rock polish | rock | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rock slide | rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| rock throw | rock | Physical | 50 | 90 | 15 |
| rock tomb | rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 |
| role play | psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| rollout | rock | Physical | 30 | 90 | 20 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| sand tomb | ground | Physical | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| sandstorm | rock | Status | — | — | 10 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| self destruct | normal | Physical | 200 | 100 | 5 |
| slam | normal | Physical | 80 | 75 | 20 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| smack down | rock | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| spikes | ground | Status | — | — | 20 |
| stealth rock | rock | Status | — | — | 20 |
| stomping tantrum | ground | Physical | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| stone edge | rock | Physical | 100 | 80 | 5 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sucker punch | dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 |
| sunny day | fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| tackle | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| tearful look | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thief | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| trailblaze | grass | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| uproar | normal | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
Bonsly Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive Pokémon battling, Bonsly is rarely utilized due to its extremely limited base stat total of 290 and its poor Speed and Special Attack statistics of 10 each, making it unsuitable for serious competitive play. However, Bonsly's physical bulk is noteworthy, with Defense at 95 and Attack at 80 providing some offensive and defensive capability for a baby Pokémon, and it benefits from three distinct abilities that offer different strategic applications. The Sturdy ability prevents Bonsly from being knocked out in a single hit from full health, instead leaving it with 1 remaining HP, and additionally provides complete immunity to one-hit knockout moves like Horn Drill and Sheer Cold, making it a potential stall option in casual play. Alternatively, the Rock Head ability eliminates recoil damage from moves like Double-Edge and Head Smash, allowing Bonsly to use powerful moves without suffering self-inflicted damage penalties. The hidden ability Rattled increases Bonsly's Speed by one stage when hit by Dark-type, Ghost-type, or Bug-type moves, potentially allowing it to outspeed threats after taking a strategic hit. Despite these ability options, Bonsly's fundamental limitations in Speed and Special Attack, combined with its baby Pokémon status and lack of access to powerful offensive coverage moves, render it essentially unviable in any established competitive format, though it may see occasional use in novelty matches or casual team building.
Commonly Asked Questions About Bonsly
What type is Bonsly?
Bonsly is a rock type Pokemon.
What does Bonsly evolve into?
Bonsly evolves into sudowoodo.
What are Bonsly's weaknesses?
Bonsly is weak to fighting, ground, steel, water and grass type moves.
Where can I find Bonsly?
Bonsly can be found in sinnoh route 209 (sinnoh), sinnoh route 210 (sinnoh) and alola route 1 (alola) and 1 other locations.
Bonsly Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Bonsly achieved notable cultural prominence through its appearance in the Pokémon anime series, most memorably as Brock's signature Pokémon and a core member of his roster throughout the Diamond and Pearl seasons. The anime's portrayal of Bonsly emphasizes its constant crying and unique physiology, with episodes dedicated to exploring the emotional bond between Brock and his Bonsly, as well as the Pokémon's integration into Brock's traveling party alongside main characters Ash Ketchum and Dawn. This significant anime presence elevated Bonsly's recognition among casual fans and viewers who might not have encountered it in the games themselves, establishing it as a beloved and recognizable character within the broader Pokémon cultural ecosystem. Beyond the anime, Bonsly has appeared in various Pokémon merchandise, including trading cards, action figures, and plush toys, with the TCG representation showcasing its potential utility in beginner-friendly decks due to its baby Pokémon status and relatively straightforward mechanics. The species has also made appearances in spin-off titles and media, including Super Smash Bros. Brawl, where it received trophy recognition, cementing its place in the extended Pokémon universe. The design's unique fusion of aesthetic plant-like qualities with rocky composition has resonated with players seeking atypical Pokémon that challenge conventional typing expectations, making Bonsly a notable example of clever game design that subverts player assumptions.
Where to Find Bonsly in Every Pokémon Game
Bonsly's availability across the Pokémon games varies considerably depending on the generation and specific title. As a baby Pokémon, Bonsly is typically obtainable through breeding Sudowoodo or related Pokémon, though it can occasionally be encountered in the wild or given as a gift in certain games. In Generation IV titles (Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum), Bonsly has a local Pokédex number of 92, indicating its prominence in the regional availability roster, and can be found in specific locations such as rocky caves and arid terrain. In Generation V (Black and White), Bonsly maintains availability through breeding mechanics and limited wild encounters. The species appears with varying local Pokédex numbers across subsequent generations: in Generation VI (X and Y), it is listed as number 129 in Mountain Kalos; in Generation VII (Sun and Moon), it receives numbers 30 and 37 in the Alola dex depending on the version; in Generation VIII (Sword and Shield), it is number 252; and in the remakes Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it returns to number 92. Most recently, in Generation IX (Scarlet and Violet), Bonsly is available with Pokédex number 87, with additional availability in the Teal Mask DLC at number 83. The high capture rate of 255 ensures that if a trainer encounters Bonsly in the wild, catching it presents minimal difficulty, making it accessible even to novice players during their first encounters with the species.