What is Sandslash weak to?

Sandslash, known in Japan as Sandpan, is a Ground-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I that has become a staple of desert-themed teams since its debut. As the evolved form of Sandshrew starting at level 22, Sandslash (#028) represents a significant power spike with improved offensive and defensive capabilities, boasting a base Attack stat of 100 and a robust Defense stat of 110. Despite its modest size of just 1.0 meters and weight of 29.5 kilograms, this Mouse Pokémon commands respect in battle through its potent combination of physical prowess and environmental adaptation. With a base stat total of 450, Sandslash occupies a comfortable middle ground in competitive viability, particularly in early-game and mid-tier battles where its defensive bulk and offensive presence prove invaluable.

Base Stats

HP75

Attack100

Defense110

Sp. Atk45

Sp. Def55

Speed65

Total450

Height

1.0m

Weight

29.5kg

Gender

Male 50% / Female 50%

Color

yellow

Shape

upright

Habitat

rough-terrain

Abilities

Sand Veil

Increases evasion to 1.25× during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.

Sand RushHidden

Doubles Speed during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.

Sandslash Biology & Physical Characteristics

Sandslash is a bipedal, pholidote Pokémon whose body is predominantly yellow with a distinctive white underbelly, creating a striking contrast that aids in both identification and camouflage within desert environments. Its most defining feature is the array of sharp, brown quills that cover its back and body, hardened sections of its hide that serve as formidable defensive structures. The Pokémon possesses a narrow muzzle adorned with piercing almond-shaped blue eyes, while its most dangerous weapons are the two large claws on each paw and foot, used primarily for slashing attacks but equally effective for burrowing through sand. According to Pokédex entries, these claws and spikes are remarkably resilient yet replaceable; they can break off during intense burrowing or combat, but regenerate completely within a single day, with the Pokémon shedding its entire spike layer once yearly to replace it with fresh growths emerging from beneath the old ones. This remarkable regenerative capacity ensures that Sandslash maintains peak physical condition despite the wear and tear of its harsh desert lifestyle.

Pokedex Numbers

national#28

kanto#28

original johto#49

hoenn#113

updated johto#49

updated unova#114

kalos mountain#98

updated hoenn#118

original alola#252

original ulaula#124

updated alola#329

updated ulaula#150

letsgo kanto#28

isle of armor#169

kitakami#117

blueberry#156

Training

EV Yield2 Defense

Catch Rate90

Base Happiness70

Base Exp.158

Growth Ratemedium

Breeding

Egg Groupsground

GenderMale 50% / Female 50%

Egg Cycles20 (5355 steps)

Sandslash Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups

Sandslash exhibits a perfect gender split, with exactly 50% of wild populations being male and 50% being female, providing breeders with equal opportunities to obtain either gender from either parent. The species belongs to the Field Egg Group, allowing it to breed with a wide variety of Pokémon including other ground-dwelling species and various mammals, creating possibilities for move pool expansion through inherited techniques. With a base happiness value of 70 and a catch rate of 90 (approximately 11.8% success rate when thrown with a standard Poké Ball at full health), Sandslash is reasonably accessible to trainers and demonstrates moderate friendliness levels, neither particularly affectionate nor aloof. The breeding process requires 20 egg cycles to hatch, equivalent to 4,884 to 5,140 steps in most games, a relatively standard timeframe that positions Sandslash among the middle tier of hatch speeds. Female Sandslash can pass down ground-type moves to offspring through egg inheritance, while male specimens can contribute genetic material to broaden the move sets of compatible female Pokémon, making both genders valuable for competitive breeding projects.

Held Items

Quick Claw

ruby5%

Quick Claw

sapphire5%

Quick Claw

emerald5%

Quick Claw

diamond5%

Quick Claw

pearl5%

Quick Claw

platinum5%

Quick Claw

heartgold5%

Quick Claw

soulsilver5%

Quick Claw

black5%

Quick Claw

white5%

Quick Claw

black 25%

Quick Claw

white 25%

Quick Claw

x5%

Quick Claw

y5%

Soft Sand

firered5%

Soft Sand

leafgreen5%

Grip Claw

omega ruby5%

Grip Claw

alpha sapphire5%

Grip Claw

sun5%

Grip Claw

moon5%

Grip Claw

ultra sun5%

Grip Claw

ultra moon5%

Quick Claw

ruby5%

Quick Claw

sapphire5%

Quick Claw

emerald5%

Quick Claw

diamond5%

Quick Claw

pearl5%

Quick Claw

platinum5%

Quick Claw

heartgold5%

Quick Claw

soulsilver5%

Quick Claw

black5%

Quick Claw

white5%

Quick Claw

black 25%

Quick Claw

white 25%

Quick Claw

x5%

Quick Claw

y5%

Soft Sand

firered5%

Soft Sand

leafgreen5%

Grip Claw

omega ruby5%

Grip Claw

alpha sapphire5%

Grip Claw

sun5%

Grip Claw

moon5%

Grip Claw

ultra sun5%

Grip Claw

ultra moon5%

Sprites

Front

Back

Shiny Front

Shiny Back

Home

Home Shiny

Showdown

gold silver

tm01

crystal

tm01

platinum

tm01

emerald

tm01

diamond pearl

tm01

firered leafgreen

tm01

ruby sapphire

tm01

colosseum

tm01

heartgold soulsilver

tm01

lets go pikachu lets go eevee

tm02

crystal

tm02

gold silver

tm03

yellow

tm03

crystal

tm03

gold silver

tm03

red blue

tm03

blue japan

tm04

gold silver

tm03

red green japan

+652 more TMs/HMs

sandslash's Evolution Chain

sandshrew

#0027

Ground

sandslash

#0028

Ground

sandshrew

#0027

Ground

sandslash

#0028

Ground

Sandslash Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms

Sandslash evolves from Sandshrew starting at level 22, a transformation that significantly enhances its physical capabilities and battle effectiveness. The evolution process results in modest increases in both Attack and Defense stats, with Attack rising from Sandshrew's 75 to a respectable 100, while Defense jumps substantially from 85 to 110, creating a Pokémon that is nearly as defensively oriented as it is offensively capable. Notably, Sandslash received regional variant treatment in the Alola region, where it exists as an Ice/Steel-type form that evolves from Alolan Sandshrew when exposed to an Ice Stone rather than through leveling. This Alolan variant boasts enhanced Defense of 120 and dramatically increased Special Defense of 65, though it sacrifices Special Attack almost entirely at just 25 base points. The Alolan Sandslash replaces the traditional sand-focused abilities with Snow Cloak and Slush Rush, allowing it to thrive in snowy environments rather than deserts, making it a distinctly different Pokémon despite sharing the same evolutionary lineage and overall stat distribution.

Where to Find

kanto route 23

kanto

blueLv. 41-41 (5% chance)

leafgreenLv. 44-44 (5% chance)

green japanLv. 41-41 (5% chance)

cerulean cave

kanto

blueLv. 52-52 (10% chance)

blueLv. 57-57 (5% chance)

yellowLv. 52-52 (10% chance)

+3 more

kanto route 26

kanto

goldLv. 28-28 (30% chance)

+4 more

mt moon

kanto

goldLv. 10-10 (5% chance)

heartgoldLv. 10-10 (1% chance)

heartgoldLv. 10-10 (4% chance)

+2 more

kanto route 27

kanto

goldLv. 30-30 (1% chance)

+5 more

kanto victory road 1

kanto

crystalLv. 35-35 (5% chance)

+3 more

kanto victory road 2

kanto

leafgreenLv. 44-44 (5% chance)

leafgreenLv. 46-46 (5% chance)

leafgreenLv. 44-44 (5% chance)

sinnoh route 228

sinnoh

diamondLv. 23-23 (4% chance)

pearlLv. 23-23 (4% chance)

+3 more

johto safari zone

johto

heartgoldLv. 15-15 (10% chance)

heartgoldLv. 16-16 (10% chance)

heartgoldLv. 17-17 (10% chance)

+15 more

relic castle

unova

blackLv. 49-49 (10% chance)

blackLv. 47-47 (20% chance)

whiteLv. 49-49 (10% chance)

+5 more

unova route 15

unova

black 2Lv. 54-54 (20% chance)

black 2Lv. 56-56 (10% chance)

black 2Lv. 62-62 (20% chance)

+5 more

terminus cave

kalos

xLv. 46-46 (10% chance)

xLv. 45-45 (10% chance)

+17 more

kalos route 18

kalos

xLv. 45-45 (10% chance)

xLv. 44-44 (10% chance)

xLv. 46-46 (10% chance)

+3 more

Sandslash Behaviour and Natural Habitat

Sandslash exhibits remarkable behavioral adaptations to its arid environment, most notably its signature defensive posture of curling into a spiny ball when threatened, transforming itself into an impenetrable sphere of hardened spikes. When in this defensive form, Sandslash can roll at considerable speeds, using this rolling motion both as an escape mechanism and as an offensive tactic to strike enemies with its protruding spines. The Pokédex reveals that Sandslash is particularly adept at climbing trees and will often position itself in elevated locations before unfurling its spiky ball form to attack unsuspecting foes from above. In its natural habitat, Sandslash displays incredible burrowing speed and dexterity, capable of digging at such frenetic paces that it occasionally snaps off its own spikes and claws in the process—a testament to its commitment to underground locomotion. When evading detection, Sandslash will run at top speed to generate massive dust storms that blind pursuers and allow it to disappear into the desert landscape. During battles, the Pokémon employs its sharp claws with precision, slashing at opponents with remarkable skill, and demonstrates sophisticated combat tactics such as attempting to make foes flinch with spine jabs before leaping in to tear at them with its full arsenal of claws.

Pokedex Entries

Generation I

redblue

Curls up into a spiny ball when threatened. Itcan roll while curled up to attack or escape.

yellow

It is skilled at slashing enemies with its claws.If broken, they start to grow back in a day.

Generation II

gold

In an attempt to hide itself, it will run aroundat top speed to kick up a blinding dust storm.

silver

If it digs at an incredible pace, it may snap offits spikes and claws. They grow back in a day.

crystal

Adept at climbing trees, it rolls into a spiny ball,then attacks its enemies from above.

Generation III

ruby

SANDSLASH’s body is covered by tough spikes, which are hardened sections of its hide. Once a year, the old spikes fallout, to be replaced with new spikes that grow out from beneath the old ones.

sapphire

SANDSLASH can roll up its body as if it were a ball covered with large spikes. In battle, this POKéMON will try to makethe foe flinch by jabbing it with its spines. It then leaps at the stunned foe to tear wildly with its sharp claws.

emerald

It curls up in a ball to protect itself from enemy attacks. It also curls up to prevent heatstroke during the daytime when temperatures rise sharply.

firered

It is adept at attacking with the spines on its back and its sharp claws while quickly scurrying about.

leafgreen

Curls up into a spiny ball when threatened. It can roll while curled up to attack or escape.

Generation IV

diamondpearlplatinum

It curls up, then rolls into foes with its back. Its sharp spines inflict severe damage.

heartgold

In an attempt to hide itself, it will run around at top speed to kick up a blinding dust storm.

soulsilver

If it digs at an incredible pace, it may snap off its spikes and claws. They grow back in a day.

Generation V

blackwhite

It curls up, then rolls into foes with its back. Its sharp spines inflict severe damage.

black 2white 2

The spikes on its body are made up of its hardened hide. It rolls up and attacks foes with its spikes.

Generation VI

If it digs at an incredible pace, it may snap off its spikes and claws. They grow back in a day.

Curls up into a spiny ball when threatened. It can roll while curled up to attack or escape.

omega ruby

Sandslash’s body is covered by tough spikes, which are hardened sections of its hide. Once a year, the old spikes fall out, to be replaced with new spikes that grow out from beneath the old ones.

alpha sapphire

Sandslash can roll up its body as if it were a ball covered with large spikes. In battle, this Pokémon will try to make the foe flinch by jabbing it with its spines. It then leaps at the stunned foe to tear wildly with its sharp claws.

Generation VII

sun

Although they are sharp, its claws and spikes often break off. They grow back the next day, so it is not bothered by the temporary loss.

ultra sun

Its claws and horns often break off. The broken claws and horns can be used to carve plows for tilling farm fields.

moon

It uses its claws to climb trees and then curls its body into a spiny ball, ready to drop onto any prey that appears.

ultra moon

Thanks to its thick claws, it’s good at climbing trees. There are plenty of Sandslash that park themselves in trees and go right to sleep.

lets go pikachulets go eevee

It is skilled at slashing enemies with its claws. If broken, they start to grow back in a day.

Generation VIII

sword

The drier the area Sandslash lives in, the harder and smoother the Pokémon’s spikes will feel when touched.

shield

It climbs trees by hooking on with its sharp claws. Sandslash shares the berries it gathers, dropping them down to Sandshrew waiting below the tree.

Sandslash Name Origin & Design Inspiration

The name Sandslash is a straightforward combination of 'sand,' referencing the Pokémon's desert habitat and sand-based characteristics, and 'slash,' denoting its primary attack method through its prominent claws. In Japan, it is called Sandpan, a name derived from 'sand' and the Japanese word 'pan,' which can relate to bread or flat objects, possibly alluding to its ability to flatten itself into a ball-like form. The design itself draws inspiration from pangolins, the only mammalian order with large keratin scales that cover their bodies, though Sandslash's spikes are more explicitly porcupine-like in their presentation. The evolutionary progression from Sandshrew to Sandslash mirrors the natural maturation process of these armored creatures, with Sandslash presenting a more robust, aggressive appearance befitting its increased offensive capabilities. The Pokémon's aesthetic perfectly encapsulates the Generation I design philosophy of creating creatures that are immediately understandable in their ecological niche while remaining fantastically distinctive, with the sharp spikes and prominent claws leaving no question about whether this is a creature built for combat and burrowing.

Learnable Moves

Sandslash can learn 77 moves:

Move	Type	Cat.	Power	Acc.	PP
aerial ace	flying	Physical	60	—	20
agility	psychic	Status	—	—	30
amnesia	psychic	Status	—	—	20
attract	normal	Status	—	100	15
bide	normal	Physical	—	—	10
body slam	normal	Physical	85	100	15
brick break	fighting	Physical	75	100	15
counter	fighting	Physical	—	100	20
covet	normal	Physical	60	100	25
crush claw	normal	Physical	75	95	10
curse	ghost	Status	—	—	10
cut	normal	Physical	50	95	30
defense curl	normal	Status	—	—	40
detect	fighting	Status	—	—	5
dig	ground	Physical	80	100	10
double team	normal	Status	—	—	15
double edge	normal	Physical	120	100	15
dynamic punch	fighting	Physical	100	50	5
earthquake	ground	Physical	100	100	10
endure	normal	Status	—	—	10
facade	normal	Physical	70	100	20
false swipe	normal	Physical	40	100	40
fissure	ground	Physical	—	30	5
flail	normal	Physical	—	100	15
fling	dark	Physical	—	100	10
focus punch	fighting	Physical	150	100	20
frustration	normal	Physical	—	100	20
fury cutter	bug	Physical	40	95	20
fury swipes	normal	Physical	18	80	15
giga impact	normal	Physical	150	90	5
gyro ball	steel	Physical	—	100	5
headbutt	normal	Physical	70	100	15
hidden power	normal	Special	60	100	15
hyper beam	normal	Special	150	90	5
iron tail	steel	Physical	100	75	15
leech life	bug	Physical	80	100	10
low kick	fighting	Physical	—	100	20
magnitude	ground	Physical	—	100	30
metal claw	steel	Physical	50	95	35
mimic	normal	Status	—	—	10
mud shot	ground	Special	55	95	15
mud slap	ground	Special	20	100	10
natural gift	normal	Physical	—	100	15
pin missile	bug	Physical	25	95	20
poison sting	poison	Physical	15	100	35
protect	normal	Status	—	—	10
rage	normal	Physical	20	100	20
rapid spin	normal	Physical	50	100	40
rest	psychic	Status	—	—	5
return	normal	Physical	—	100	20
rock slide	rock	Physical	75	90	10
rock smash	fighting	Physical	40	100	15
rock tomb	rock	Physical	60	95	15
rollout	rock	Physical	30	90	20
safeguard	normal	Status	—	—	25
sand attack	ground	Status	—	100	15
sand tomb	ground	Physical	35	85	15
sandstorm	rock	Status	—	—	10
scratch	normal	Physical	40	100	35
seismic toss	fighting	Physical	—	100	20
shadow claw	ghost	Physical	70	100	15
skull bash	normal	Physical	130	100	10
slash	normal	Physical	70	100	20
sleep talk	normal	Status	—	—	10
snore	normal	Special	50	100	15
spikes	ground	Status	—	—	20
strength	normal	Physical	80	100	15
submission	fighting	Physical	80	80	20
substitute	normal	Status	—	—	10
sunny day	fire	Status	—	—	5
super fang	normal	Physical	—	90	10
swagger	normal	Status	—	85	15
swift	normal	Special	60	—	20
swords dance	normal	Status	—	—	20
take down	normal	Physical	90	85	20
thief	dark	Physical	60	100	25
toxic	poison	Status	—	90	10

Sandslash Competitive Battle Guide

In competitive play, Sandslash occupies a niche role primarily dependent on environmental weather conditions, particularly sandstorm-based team compositions. The Pokémon's abilities prove crucial to its viability: Sand Veil increases evasion to 1.25 times during sandstorms while simultaneously protecting against sandstorm damage, while the hidden ability Sand Rush dramatically doubles Speed during sandstorm conditions, transforming Sandslash from a relatively slow Pokémon (base 65 Speed) into a formidable offensive threat. With an Attack stat of 100 and Defense of 110, Sandslash functions effectively as a physical wall that can simultaneously threaten opponents, particularly when equipped with moves like Earthquake, Stone Edge, and X-Scissor to ensure coverage against common threats. Its modest Special Defense of 55 presents a significant vulnerability to special attackers, requiring careful positioning and team support to mitigate. The Alolan variant introduces different competitive dynamics as an Ice/Steel type, trading the weather dependency for alternative typing advantages and disadvantages, performing better against ice, normal, flying, psychic, bug, rock, dragon, and fairy types while suffering fourfold weakness to fire-type attacks. In modern competitive formats ranging from Little Cup to VGC, Sandslash remains a consideration on sandstorm-heavy teams, though its relatively modest stats limit its effectiveness against faster, more aggressively-statted modern competitors.

Commonly Asked Questions About Sandslash

What type is Sandslash?

Sandslash is a ground type Pokemon.

What does Sandslash evolve from?

Sandslash evolved from sandshrew.

What are Sandslash's weaknesses?

Sandslash is weak to water, grass and ice type moves.

Where can I find Sandslash?

Sandslash can be found in kanto route 23 (kanto), cerulean cave (kanto) and kanto route 26 (kanto) and 10 other locations.

Sandslash Cultural Impact & Franchise History

Sandslash emerged as an iconic Pokémon during the franchise's infancy as part of the original 151 Kanto Pokédex, securing its place in the cultural consciousness of first-generation fans worldwide. The species appeared prominently in early anime episodes, establishing visual recognition among casual and competitive audiences alike, and its distinctive design featuring sharp spikes and prominent claws made it instantly recognizable across all media formats. The introduction of regional variants through Alolan Sandslash in Pokémon Sun and Moon revitalized interest in the evolutionary line, introducing new players and veterans alike to a reimagined version that demonstrated how Game Freak could refresh classic designs while maintaining their essential character. Sandslash's prevalence in desert-based routes and its utility in various single-player campaigns established it as a reliable ground-type option that competing directly with Dugtrio, Rhydon, and other burrowing specialists, though its accessible evolution level and balanced stat distribution made it particularly appealing to casual players. The Pokémon has maintained consistent representation across all nine generations of Pokémon games, appearing in every major title and receiving consistent competitive consideration as sandstorm weather teams fluctuate in and out of viability throughout competitive seasons.

Where to Find Sandslash in Every Pokémon Game

Sandslash and its pre-evolution Sandshrew have been consistently available across nearly every Pokémon game since Generation I, typically found in desert biomes, arid routes, and cave systems where sand and rocky terrain predominate. In the original Red and Blue versions, Sandshrew appears in routes 3, 8, 9, and 10, with players encountering Sandslash in late-game caves or through leveling their own caught specimens to level 22. Throughout subsequent generations, the species has appeared in desert-themed regions including Hoenn's desert routes, Sinnoh's desert ruins, Unova's desert complexes, and Kalos's rocky mountain areas, maintaining consistent availability for players seeking ground-type team members. The Alolan regional variant became available in Pokémon Sun and Moon, found in the Alola region's Poni Meadow and Poni Wilds areas, and subsequently reappeared in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon with slightly adjusted locations. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, both standard and Alolan Sandslash became accessible in the Isle of Armor DLC through the Dojo's training programs, while Pokémon Scarlet and Violet granted availability through the Teal Mask DLC in Kitakami and the Indigo Disk DLC in Blueberry Academy. The high capture rate of 90 and relatively common encounter rates ensure that dedicated trainers can reliably obtain Sandslash without excessive grinding or post-game hunting, making it accessible from early-game stages through endgame content.

sandslash #28

Type Matchups

sandslash

Base Stats

Height

Weight

Category

Gender

Color

Shape

Habitat

Abilities

Sandslash Biology & Physical Characteristics

Pokedex Numbers

Training

Breeding

Sandslash Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups

Held Items

Sprites

Held Items

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

soft-sand

soft-sand

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

quick-claw

soft-sand

soft-sand

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

grip-claw

TMs & HMs

sandslash's Evolution Chain

sandshrew

sandslash

sandshrew

sandslash

Sandslash Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms

Where to Find

kanto route 23

cerulean cave

kanto route 26

mt moon

kanto route 27

kanto victory road 1

kanto victory road 2

sinnoh route 228