hippowdon
Generation IV · #0450 — Heavyweight Pokémon
Hippowdon, known as the Heavyweight Pokémon, is a Ground-type Pokémon from Generation IV that stands as one of the most imposing and formidable terrestrial creatures in the Pokédex. As the evolved form of Hippopotas, Hippowdon achieves its full devastating potential at level 34, transforming into a colossal, hippo-like powerhouse weighing 300 kilograms and standing 2 meters tall. This legendary desert dweller is defined by its remarkable physical presence and its signature ability to manipulate sand with devastating precision, making it a staple of competitive teams and a fan favorite for trainers who appreciate raw power combined with strategic depth. With a base stat total of 525 and particularly impressive HP (108), Attack (112), and Defense (118) values, Hippowdon establishes itself as a durable tank capable of weathering significant punishment while dishing out considerable damage in return.
Base Stats
Height
2.0m
Weight
300.0kg
Category
Heavyweight Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
brown
Shape
quadruped
Abilities
Summons a sandstorm that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Strengthens rock, ground, and steel moves to 1.3× their power during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
Hippowdon Biology & Physical Characteristics
Hippowdon's anatomy reflects its harsh desert environment and aggressive nature, featuring a massive frame reinforced with thick, protective skin that varies in coloration by gender—males display a light brown hue while females present a bluish-gray tone, both topped with darker gray backs and muzzles. The most striking feature is its enormous mouth, which opens to nearly seven feet across and contains powerful peg-like teeth, with two particularly pronounced fangs jutting from its lower jaw that enable it to crush vehicles with ease. Scattered across its back and snout are numerous small and large ports that serve as specialized sand-storage organs; Hippowdon uses these cavities to internally store vast quantities of sand, which it expels to create devastating sand twisters during combat. The Pokémon maintains its health by constantly cycling sand through these ports, and it has developed a beneficial symbiotic relationship with Dwebble, which clears stones that become lodged within the ports in exchange for shelter and protection. Its four powerful feet, each equipped with blunt, flat claws, provide the stability necessary to support its massive frame across desert terrain, while its red eyes reflect a temperament as intense as its physical form.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Hippowdon Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Hippowdon maintains a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male to 50% female, allowing for flexible breeding strategies and ensuring both genders are equally viable in competitive and casual play. The sexual dimorphism extends beyond mere coloration differences—males present a lighter brown appearance while females display a distinctive bluish-gray tone, making gender identification immediately apparent without requiring trainer intervention or item checks. This visual differentiation serves both practical and aesthetic purposes, allowing players to curate teams with specific gender preferences while appreciating the design team's attention to biological authenticity. Hippowdon belongs to the Field egg group, positioning it alongside numerous ground-dwelling and terrestrial Pokémon, and requires 30 egg cycles (approximately 7,454–7,710 steps) to hatch, representing a moderate breeding investment. The base friendship value of 70 indicates that Hippowdon responds reasonably well to trainer affection and care, though it requires consistent positive interaction to maximize its bond, reflecting its short-tempered nature that demands patient, dedicated training to achieve its full potential.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm03
crystal
tm03
gold silver
tm03
ruby sapphire
tm03
platinum
tm03
firered leafgreen
tm03
heartgold soulsilver
tm03
diamond pearl
tm03
emerald
tm03
xd
tm03
colosseum
tm03
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm05
ruby sapphire
tm05
emerald
tm05
gold silver
tm05
crystal
tm05
diamond pearl
tm05
black white
+563 more TMs/HMs
Gender Differences
This Pokémon has visible differences between male and female forms.
hippowdon's Evolution Chain
Hippowdon Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Hippowdon evolves from Hippopotas through a straightforward level-based evolution at level 34, representing a significant power spike in the evolutionary line. Unlike its juvenile form, which possesses more modest stats and limited movepool coverage, the fully evolved Hippowdon gains substantial increases across its physical and defensive capabilities, with Attack jumping to 112, Defense reaching an impressive 118, and HP expanding to 108. The evolution also grants Hippowdon access to powerful Ground-type moves and enhanced sand manipulation abilities, fundamentally transforming it from a competent early-game Pokémon into a competitive-viable team member. This evolution represents Hippowdon reaching its physical and mental maturity, manifesting in more pronounced features—particularly the expansion of its already-impressive mouth and the full development of its internal sand-storage capacity. The transformation embodies Hippowdon's journey from a manageable desert creature into an apex predator capable of dominating both casual and competitive battles, cementing its status as the final form in its line with no Mega Evolution or further evolutions available.
Where to Find
sinnoh route 228
sinnoh
+6 more
ultra space wilds
alola
Hippowdon Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Hippowdon's disposition is notoriously volatile—it is quick to anger and displays its fearsome strength by holding its massive mouth agape as a warning to potential challengers. When provoked to violence, this temperamental creature unleashes its full arsenal, swallowing immense quantities of sand and whipping up powerful sandstorms that can obliterate surrounding terrain and opponents alike. The Pokémon naturally inhabits desert environments where sand is abundant, though it possesses the remarkable adaptability to survive in swampy terrains as well, demonstrating remarkable environmental flexibility despite its desert origins. Within its ecosystem, Hippowdon occupies a position of considerable dominance; it is feared by even formidable predators like Drapion, which actively avoid confrontation with this heavyweight champion. Despite its aggressive nature, Hippowdon demonstrates a capacity for cooperative relationships, most notably with the diminutive Dwebble that depend upon it for protection—a mutualistic arrangement that highlights the complex social dynamics within Pokémon communities.
Pokedex Entries
It blasts internally stored sand from ports on its body to create a towering twister for attack.
Its huge mouth is almost seven feet across. It has enough power to completely crush a car.
It is surprisingly quick to anger. It holds its mouth agape as a display of its strength.
It brandishes its gaping mouth in a display of fearsome strength. It raises vast quantities of sand while attacking.
It is surprisingly quick to anger. It holds its mouth agape as a display of its strength.
It is surprisingly quick to anger. It holds its mouth agape as a display of its strength.
It brandishes its gaping mouth in a display of fearsome strength. It raises vast quantities of sand while attacking.
It blasts internally stored sand from ports on its body to create a towering twister for attack.
It brandishes its gaping mouth in a display of fearsome strength. It raises vast quantities of sand while attacking.
It blasts internally stored sand from ports on its body to create a towering twister for attack.
Stones can get stuck in the ports on their bodies. Dwebble help dislodge such stones, so Hippowdon look after these Pokémon.
When roused to violence by its rage, it spews out the quantities of sand it has swallowed and whips up a sandstorm.
Short-tempered and easily moved to violence. It whips up whirlwinds of sand to crush its foes' spirits, then goes in for the attack.
Hippowdon Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Hippowdon derives directly from hippopotamus, the massive river mammal known for its incredible bite force and semi-aquatic lifestyle, combined with the suffix 'don,' which suggests dominance and power—a linguistic choice that perfectly captures this Pokémon's role as a heavyweight champion. The Japanese name Kabaldon (カバルドン) similarly stems from kaba, meaning hippopotamus in Japanese, with the addition of -don reinforcing its status as a dominant force. Visually, Hippowdon represents a desert-adapted interpretation of a hippopotamus, retaining the characteristic massive head and powerful jaws of its biological inspiration while incorporating distinctly fantastical elements such as sand-storage ports and the ability to generate sandstorms through internal reserves. The gender dimorphism in coloration—light brown males versus bluish-gray females—adds biological authenticity while providing visual distinction without requiring separate form classifications. Its design philosophy emphasizes overwhelming physical presence over speed or special abilities, with every aspect from its squared body structure to its blunt claws contributing to an impression of raw, earthbound power adapted specifically for desert dominance.
Learnable Moves
Hippowdon can learn 70 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amnesia | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| bite | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| body press | fighting | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| bulldoze | ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| captivate | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| confide | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| crunch | dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| 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 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| fire fang | fire | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| fissure | ground | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| giga impact | normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hard press | steel | Physical | 0 | 100 | 10 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| heavy slam | steel | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| helping hand | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| high horsepower | ground | Physical | 95 | 95 | 10 |
| hyper beam | normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hyper voice | normal | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| ice fang | ice | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| iron head | steel | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| iron tail | steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| mud bomb | ground | Special | 65 | 85 | 10 |
| mud shot | ground | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| mud slap | ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| muddy water | water | Special | 90 | 85 | 10 |
| natural gift | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| revenge | fighting | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| roar | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rock slide | rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| rock smash | fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| rock tomb | rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| sand attack | ground | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| sand tomb | ground | Physical | 35 | 85 | 15 |
| sandstorm | rock | Status | — | — | 10 |
| scorching sands | ground | Special | 70 | 100 | 10 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| slack off | normal | Status | — | — | 5 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| stealth rock | rock | Status | — | — | 20 |
| stomping tantrum | ground | Physical | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| stone edge | rock | Physical | 100 | 80 | 5 |
| strength | normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sunny day | fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| superpower | fighting | Physical | 120 | 100 | 5 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| tackle | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thunder fang | electric | Physical | 65 | 95 | 15 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| water pulse | water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| weather ball | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| yawn | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
Hippowdon Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive battling, Hippowdon stands as an exceptional defensive pivot and weather setter, with its signature ability Sand Stream creating permanent sandstorm conditions upon entering battle—a weather effect that persists indefinitely and grants significant strategic advantages to sand-based team archetypes. Its impressive Defense stat of 118 combined with a respectable HP pool of 108 enables it to absorb physical attacks that would devastate less-prepared Pokémon, though its abysmal Speed stat of 47 necessitates careful team construction to maximize its effectiveness. The hidden ability Sand Force elevates Hippowdon's offensive potential by amplifying Rock, Ground, and Steel-type moves to 1.3× their normal power during sandstorm conditions while simultaneously providing immunity to sandstorm damage, creating a potent offensive-defensive hybrid build particularly effective in sandstorm-focused teams. Competitive movesets typically prioritize high-power Ground-type coverage through moves like Earthquake and Stone Edge, supplemented by utility moves such as Stealth Rock for entry hazard setup and Toxic for status-based wear-down strategies. Its Stealth Rock support, combined with its bulk and weather-setting capabilities, makes Hippowdon an invaluable team member in competitive formats where it can reliably switch in repeatedly, establish sandstorm advantage, and maintain consistent pressure throughout extended battles.
Commonly Asked Questions About Hippowdon
What type is Hippowdon?
Hippowdon is a ground type Pokemon.
What does Hippowdon evolve from?
Hippowdon evolved from hippopotas.
What are Hippowdon's weaknesses?
Hippowdon is weak to water, grass and ice type moves.
Where can I find Hippowdon?
Hippowdon can be found in sinnoh route 228 (sinnoh) and ultra space wilds (alola).
Hippowdon Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Hippowdon has carved out a significant niche within Pokémon culture as an iconic Ground-type representative and a fan-favorite choice for trainers seeking powerful, visually distinctive Pokémon. Its role as a reliable weather-setter in competitive formats has made it a perennial fixture in online battles and tournament circuits since Generation IV's release, earning respect from competitive players for its strategic versatility and dependable performance. The species' intimidating design—particularly its cavernous mouth and imposing frame—has made it memorable in visual media, appearing prominently in various Pokémon anime episodes and manga adaptations where its temperamental nature and physical strength provide compelling narrative elements. Fan communities have embraced Hippowdon as emblematic of the Ground-type's appeal, with enthusiasts praising its unique ecological relationships with Pokémon like Dwebble and its status as a apex predator feared even by dangerous Pokémon like Drapion. The contrast between its fearsome combat abilities and its somewhat comedic overzealous displays of strength—such as its characteristic open-mouthed posturing—has generated substantial fan art, fan fiction, and community discussion, establishing Hippowdon as a beloved icon of the Desert biome archetype.
Where to Find Hippowdon in Every Pokémon Game
Hippowdon's availability varies significantly across Pokémon games, with its primary presence established in Generation IV titles where it first appeared in Diamond and Pearl versions as Sinnoh Pokédex #123. Trainers can reliably obtain Hippopotas in various desert and arid locations across multiple generations, including the Grand Underground in Diamond/Pearl/Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, with reliable evolution pathways ensuring that dedicated trainers can nurture their own Hippowdon team members. The species maintains consistent availability throughout subsequent generations, appearing in X/Y (Coastal Kalos Pokédex #49), Sword/Shield (#315), Legends: Arceus (#108), and Scarlet/Violet (#266), ensuring that modern players can readily access this heavyweight champion across contemporary platforms. Competitive players can obtain Hippowdon through various legitimate methods including breeding Hippopotas, catching the pre-evolved form in specific desert biomes, or transferring specimens from previous generation games through Pokémon Home services, making it highly accessible to those seeking to incorporate sand-based strategies into their teams. Event distributions and gift Pokémon occasionally feature Hippopotas, providing additional opportunities for players who may have missed in-game encounters, though the species' general widespread availability means that most trainers who desire a Hippowdon can obtain one through standard gameplay without requiring exceptional circumstances or limited-time event participation.