eiscue-ice
Generation VIII · #0875 — Penguin Pokémon
Eiscue, the Penguin Pokémon of Generation VIII, stands as one of the most unique Ice-type creatures to emerge from the Galar region. This remarkable species, classified under the National Pokédex number 875, represents an innovative approach to form mechanics through its signature Ice Face ability. Unlike traditional form changes triggered by evolution or environmental factors, Eiscue's transformation occurs dynamically during battle—a mechanic that fundamentally changed how players approach defensive strategy in competitive play. Standing at 1.4 meters tall and weighing a substantial 89 kilograms, Eiscue combines the appearance of an arctic penguin with the peculiar design choice of carrying a literal ice cube as its head. The Pokémon drifted into the Galar region through ocean currents originating from an exceptionally frigid, distant land, bringing with it a mysterious allure and an adaptation strategy unlike any other known species.
Base Stats
Height
1.4m
Weight
89.0kg
Category
Penguin Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
blue
Shape
upright
Abilities
The Pokémon’s ice head can take a physical attack as a substitute, but the attack also changes the Pokémon’s appearance. The ice will be restored when it snows.
Eiscue-ice Biology & Physical Characteristics
Eiscue in its Ice Face form presents a striking silhouette: a penguin-like body with black and white coloring and light blue accents around the belly region, topped with an enormous light blue ice cube serving as its head. The ice cube features two oval-shaped eyes and a beak on its surface, with a distinctive long, antennae-like hair protruding from its crown. This hair serves a critical biological function—Eiscue uses it as a fishing lure, dangling it into the ocean to attract unsuspecting prey. Beneath the frozen exterior lies Eiscue's true face, colored light blue with white eyes, black eyebrows, and a white beak, though it perpetually wears a worried expression. The ice covering Eiscue's head is produced internally from cold air generation and carries a faintly salty taste, presumably acquired during its lengthy ocean voyage. Eiscue possesses the remarkable ability to continuously regenerate its ice head through cold air production, with new ice forming first around the hair structure, ensuring that even after shattering impacts, the Pokémon can restore its protective layer.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Eiscue-ice Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Eiscue displays a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male and 50% female, indicating no sexual dimorphism in breeding patterns or genetic expression. The species belongs to both the Water 1 and Field egg groups, providing breeders with multiple options for cross-breeding compatibility and genetic trait inheritance. With a relatively generous base happiness of 50, Eiscue demonstrates moderate friendliness toward trainers, though it requires some effort to develop stronger bonds compared to more socially inclined species. The species maintains a slow growth rate, meaning it progresses through experience levels more gradually than faster-growing Pokémon, demanding patience and commitment from trainers investing in Eiscue's development. Breeding cycles take 25 hatch cycles to complete, translating to approximately 6,169 to 6,425 steps of travel before eggs produce viable offspring. This moderate breeding timeline makes Eiscue reasonably accessible for players interested in competitive breeding programs. The dual egg group classification reflects Eiscue's amphibious lifestyle, positioning it as equally suited to aquatic and terrestrial breeding environments.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm03
ruby sapphire
tm03
platinum
tm03
firered leafgreen
tm03
heartgold soulsilver
tm03
diamond pearl
tm03
emerald
tm03
xd
tm03
colosseum
tm04
sword shield
tm05
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm07
ruby sapphire
tm07
emerald
tm07
firered leafgreen
tm07
heartgold soulsilver
tm07
platinum
tm07
colosseum
tm07
black white
+393 more TMs/HMs
Eiscue-ice Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Eiscue occupies a unique position in the Pokémon evolutionary chain as a Pokémon that does not evolve into or from any other species. This singularity is somewhat unusual in modern Pokémon design, yet it reflects Eiscue's distinct ecological niche and specialized adaptation. Rather than traditional evolution, Eiscue features two distinct forms—Ice Face and Noice Face—that it can transition between during battle through the mechanics of its signature Ice Face ability. The Ice Face form represents Eiscue's standard state, with its head encased in protective ice, providing defensive advantages with enhanced Defense stats (110 base). When Eiscue uses Ice Face in battle and absorbs a physical attack, the impact shatters the ice head, transforming the Pokémon into its Noice Face form, a radically different configuration optimized for offensive capabilities. This form shift represents a biological response rather than true evolution—the ice reforms naturally when snow falls, restoring Eiscue to its original Ice Face configuration. This innovative mechanic created new strategic depth in Generation VIII gameplay, allowing players to leverage form changes mid-battle to adapt to opposing strategies.
Where to Find
Location data not available for this Pokémon in the database.
Eiscue-ice Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Eiscue emerges from exceptionally cold regions, having adapted to extreme arctic conditions where maintaining a perpetually frozen head is not merely a biological luxury but a survival necessity. The species is notably poor at swimming despite living in aquatic environments, often seen aimlessly floating in the ocean with only its ice-covered head visible above the surface. This passive drifting lifestyle has resulted in Eiscue washing ashore on distant continents, yet the species displays remarkable composure in these situations—it never panics or becomes upset when transported to unfamiliar lands, instead demonstrating an easygoing nature and impressive adaptability. This calm demeanor suggests that Eiscue evolved not as an aggressive predator but as a patient, contemplative hunter. On particularly hot days, multiple Eiscue have been observed pressing their ice cube heads together in a communal cooling ritual, suggesting a degree of social behavior and cooperation among the species. The Pokémon's lifestyle centers around fishing, using its singular hair to lure and capture prey from the depths below.
Pokedex Entries
It drifted in on the flow of ocean waters from a frigid place. It keeps its head iced constantly to make sure it stays nice and cold.
This Pokémon keeps its heat-sensitive head cool with ice. It fishes for its food, dangling its single hair into the sea to lure in prey.
Eiscue-ice Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Eiscue derives from the German word "Eis" (ice) combined with "queue," referring to the distinctive hair protruding from its head—a visual pun reflecting both its icy composition and its hair-based fishing mechanism. The Japanese name, Korippo, combines "kōri" (氷, ice) with "hippo," though the design clearly references penguin morphology rather than hippopotamus characteristics. This naming inconsistency highlights the creative liberty taken in localization, with the English design leaning heavily into the penguin archetype. Visually, Eiscue draws inspiration from Arctic penguins, particularly the emperor penguin's distinctive coloration patterns, while the ice cube head introduces a surreal, fantastical element that distinguishes it from realistic penguin designs in other media. The design philosophy emphasizes the contrast between the organic penguin body and the geometric, crystalline ice head—a visual metaphor for Eiscue's dual nature as both a living creature and a walking glacier. The antennae-like hair serves multiple narrative purposes: it anchors the ice formation biologically, provides a practical fishing tool, and creates an instantly recognizable silhouette that aids in species identification.
Learnable Moves
Eiscue-ice can learn 55 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| agility | psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| amnesia | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| aqua ring | water | Status | — | — | 20 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| aurora veil | ice | Status | — | — | 20 |
| avalanche | ice | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| belly drum | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| blizzard | ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| brine | water | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| chilling water | water | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| dive | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| feather dance | flying | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| flip turn | water | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| freeze dry | ice | Special | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| giga impact | normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hail | ice | Status | — | — | 10 |
| head smash | rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| hydro pump | water | Special | 110 | 80 | 5 |
| hyper beam | normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| ice beam | ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| ice punch | ice | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| ice spinner | ice | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| icicle crash | ice | Physical | 85 | 90 | 10 |
| icicle spear | ice | Physical | 25 | 100 | 30 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| iron defense | steel | Status | — | — | 15 |
| iron head | steel | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| liquidation | water | Physical | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| mist | ice | Status | — | — | 30 |
| powder snow | ice | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| reflect | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| reversal | fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| snowscape | ice | Status | 0 | — | 10 |
| soak | water | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| surf | water | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| tackle | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| water pulse | water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| waterfall | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| weather ball | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| whirlpool | water | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| zen headbutt | psychic | Physical | 80 | 90 | 15 |
Eiscue-ice Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive Pokémon battling, Eiscue in its Ice Face form functions primarily as a defensive wall, leveraging its exceptional 110 base Defense stat and respectable 90 base Special Defense to absorb incoming attacks. With 75 base HP and 80 base Attack, Eiscue achieves a total base stat distribution of 470, placing it firmly in the mid-tier competitive range. The Ice Face ability transforms Eiscue into a unique defensive mechanism: when struck by a physical attack, the ability absorbs the damage and converts the Pokémon's form to Noice Face, triggering a dramatic stat redistribution that reduces Defense to 70 but dramatically increases Speed to 130. This form shift creates interesting strategic layers—trainers can deliberately pivot Eiscue into physical attackers to secure the form transformation, gaining a massive Speed advantage to outpace opposing threats. However, Eiscue's limited movepool and low 65 base Special Attack constrain its offensive contributions, requiring careful moveset construction emphasizing utility moves, status conditions, and physical attacks. The ability to restore Ice Face through snowfall adds weather-dependent strategy elements, particularly in hail-based team compositions. Competitive success with Eiscue demands sophisticated prediction and positioning, rewarding skilled players who master its form-switching mechanics.
Commonly Asked Questions About Eiscue-ice
What type is Eiscue-ice?
Eiscue-ice is a ice type Pokemon.
What does Eiscue-ice evolve from?
Eiscue-ice does not evolve.
What are Eiscue-ice's weaknesses?
Eiscue-ice is weak to fighting, rock, steel and fire type moves.
Eiscue-ice Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Eiscue emerged as one of Generation VIII's most memorable and mechanically innovative designs, capturing player imagination through its distinctive form-changing ability that transcended traditional Pokémon battle mechanics. The species quickly developed a devoted fan following, with its unusual ice cube design and easygoing personality spawning considerable fan art, cosplay, and community discussion. Tournament players embraced Eiscue enthusiastically, with competitive teams frequently featuring the species as an unexpected tech choice that confounded opponent expectations. The Pokémon's prominence in online communities led to extensive strategic guides and theory-crafting about optimal form-switching patterns and team compositions. Eiscue's presence in Pokémon media, particularly animated appearances demonstrating its cooling rituals and fishing behavior, solidified its position as a beloved Generation VIII representative. The species resonated particularly strongly with players interested in unconventional competitive strategies and creative team-building approaches that leverage mechanic interactions rather than raw statistical power. Eiscue's cultural significance extends beyond competitive circles into casual player communities, where its charming, peaceful demeanor and novel gameplay mechanics have secured its status as a fan-favorite among Generation VIII Pokémon.
Where to Find Eiscue-ice in Every Pokémon Game
Eiscue appears in Pokémon Sword and Shield with National Pokédex number 875 and local Pokédex number 0370, accessible throughout the Galar region with a base capture rate of 60. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Eiscue can be encountered in the Crown Tundra DLC area, specifically appearing in snow-laden environments where its natural habitat conditions are replicated. The species maintains its availability in subsequent generations, appearing in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet with local Pokédex number 0320, found in snowy and mountainous regions where environmental conditions support ice-type Pokémon populations. Eiscue's habitat preferences align consistently with cold-weather areas across games, maintaining environmental authenticity to its origins in the frigid lands of the Galar region. Players can obtain Eiscue through standard wild encounters, making it reasonably accessible without requiring special event distributions or traded transfers. The Pokémon's moderate catch rate of 60 means standard Poké Balls prove moderately effective, though ultra balls or specialized catching strategies increase success rates significantly. Its presence across multiple game generations ensures that players of different experience levels and game preferences can acquire and develop Eiscue within their preferred Pokémon environments.