seel
Generation I · #0086 — Sea Lion Pokémon
Seel, the Sea Lion Pokémon, is a Water-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I with the National Pokédex number #086. This pinniped creature evolves into the formidable Dewgong at level 34, gaining an Ice-type secondary typing that significantly enhances its competitive viability. With a base stat total of 325, Seel presents a balanced defensive profile anchored by respectable HP of 65 and Special Defense of 70, making it a surprisingly durable choice for trainers seeking a cold-weather companion. Despite its modest offensive capabilities—boasting Attack and Special Attack stats of only 45 each—Seel's unique ability set and access to diverse moves allow it to fill specialized roles in team compositions. Its 190 catch rate makes it relatively accessible to trainers, while its base happiness of 70 suggests a naturally companionable nature that endears it to those who invest in raising one from the early stages of their journey.
Base Stats
Height
1.1m
Weight
90.0kg
Category
Sea Lion Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
white
Shape
fish
Habitat
sea
Abilities
Halves damage from fire and ice moves.
Cures any major status ailment after each turn during rain.
Heals for 1/16 max HP after each turn during hail. Protects against hail damage.
Seel Biology & Physical Characteristics
Seel is a pinniped Pokémon bearing striking resemblance to a real-world seal, with a robust body covered in distinctive light blue fur that provides exceptional insulation against frigid temperatures. Its most prominent feature is the sharp, horn-like protrusion on its forehead—a hardened extension it employs in tandem with its lower tusks to bore through thick ice sheets in search of breathing holes and prey. The creature possesses a pale tan canine maw with a notably large red tongue and a pair of prominent tusks, while its circular eyes are framed by distinctive black eyebrows, a characteristic uncommon among Pokémon species. Seel's physiology is completed by four flippers distributed across its body—two on its chest and two at the terminus of its tail—with the latter appendage capable of raising to resemble a waterspout. Its body structure, standing at 1.1 meters in height and weighing 90 kilograms, reflects the muscular density necessary for sustained swimming in extreme cold, with a thick hide that works in conjunction with its insulating fur to enable survival in waters as frigid as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Seel Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Seel maintains an even gender distribution with 50% male and 50% female individuals, ensuring balanced breeding opportunities for trainers seeking to propagate the species. The species belongs to the Water 1 and Ground egg groups, providing flexible breeding options with other Pokémon sharing these classifications and enabling access to diverse move pools through careful breeding strategies. With a hatch counter of 20 cycles, Seel eggs require approximately 4,884 to 5,140 steps to hatch, representing a moderate incubation period that makes breeding Seel a practical endeavor for dedicated trainers. The base friendship value of 70 indicates that freshly caught or hatched Seel individuals display natural friendliness toward their trainers, reducing the friendship-grinding required before attempting certain conditional evolutions or maximizing happiness-based benefits. Breeding pairs can produce offspring with access to moves beyond Seel's normal level-up learnset, potentially including elemental coverage moves like Ice Beam or Aurora Beam through parental transmission, making strategic breeding a valuable tool for optimizing competitive movesets.
Held Items
Sprites
Held Items
aspear-berry
medicine
Held: Consumed when frozen to cure frozen.
Cost: 80
aspear-berry
medicine
Held: Consumed when frozen to cure frozen.
Cost: 80
aspear-berry
medicine
Held: Consumed when frozen to cure frozen.
Cost: 80
aspear-berry
medicine
Held: Consumed when frozen to cure frozen.
Cost: 80
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm02
sword shield
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
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm06
yellow
tm06
gold silver
tm06
red blue
tm06
crystal
+552 more TMs/HMs
Seel Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Seel's evolution into Dewgong at level 34 represents a significant transformation that substantially improves its competitive utility. Upon evolving, Seel gains the Ice-type as a secondary typing, fundamentally altering its type matchups and move pool while increasing its base Special Attack from 45 to 70 and Speed from 45 60, transforming it from a relatively sluggish creature into a more offensively capable competitor. Dewgong's stat distribution remains well-balanced with HP of 70 and Special Defense of 80, maintaining the defensive integrity Seel possessed while enhancing offensive prowess. The evolution threshold of level 34 is moderate and readily achievable during a typical playthrough, making it accessible to trainers who prioritize Seel as an early-game acquisition. While neither Seel nor Dewgong has received Mega Evolution forms across any generation, Dewgong's base form improvements have proven sufficient to maintain relevance in competitive formats, particularly in competitive environments where ice coverage is strategically valuable.
Where to Find
seafoam islands
kanto
+84 more
whirl islands
johto
+80 more
icefall cave
kanto
+15 more
sinnoh sea route 230
sinnoh
sinnoh sea route 226
sinnoh
johto route 47
johto
giant chasm
unova
+9 more
seaside cave
unova
+3 more
poke pelago
alola
+3 more
seaward cave
alola
Seel Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Seel thrives exclusively in the harshest aquatic environments, displaying a profound preference for iceberg-filled oceans and frigid seas where most life forms would perish. The Pokédex entries consistently emphasize its love for freezing conditions, relishing climates of around 14 degrees Fahrenheit and becoming increasingly active as temperatures drop, conversely tiring easily in warmer waters. Nocturnal by nature, Seel is often found sleeping during daylight hours on the seabed in shallow waters, only to emerge during late afternoon and evening hours to hunt for prey beneath sheets of ice. Its remarkable adaptation includes the ability to close its nostrils while submerged, preventing water from entering its respiratory system during extended underwater excursions. Despite its exceptional grace and agility in aquatic environments, Seel is notably awkward and struggles considerably when moving across dry land, making it a creature fundamentally adapted for life in water. Its hunting strategy demonstrates remarkable intelligence: it will punch holes through ice using its hard frontal horn, creating air pockets for respiration while simultaneously accessing prey in the waters below.
Pokedex Entries
The protruding horn on its head is very hard. It is used for bashing through thick ice.
Loves freezing cold conditions. Relishes swimming in a frigid cli mate of around 14F degrees.
Although it can't walk well on land, it is a graceful swimmer. It espe cially loves being in frigid seas.
In daytime, it is often found asleep on the seabed in shallow waters. Its nostrils close while it swims.
The light blue fur that covers it keeps it protected against the cold. It loves iceberg- filled oceans.
SEEL hunts for prey in the frigid sea underneath sheets of ice. When it needs to breathe, it punches a hole through the ice with the sharply protruding section of its head.
SEEL hunt for prey in frigid, ice-covered seas. When it needs to breathe, it punches a hole through the ice with the sharply protruding section of its head.
Covered with light blue fur, its hide is thick and tough. It is active in bitter cold of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The protruding horn on its head is very hard. It is used for bashing through thick icebergs.
A Pokémon that lives on icebergs. It swims in the sea using the point on its head to break up ice.
Although it can’t walk well on land, it is a graceful swimmer. It especially loves being in frigid seas.
In daytime, it is often found asleep on the seabed in shallow waters. Its nostrils close while it swims.
A Pokémon that lives on icebergs. It swims in the sea using the point on its head to break up ice.
The colder it gets, the better it feels. It joyfully swims around oceans so cold that they are filled with floating ice.
A Pokémon that lives on icebergs. It swims in the sea using the point on its head to break up ice.
Covered with light blue fur, its hide is thick and tough. It is active in bitter cold of -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Seel hunts for prey in the frigid sea underneath sheets of ice. When it needs to breathe, it punches a hole through the ice with the sharply protruding section of its head.
It has always been supposed that Seel live only in cold seas. Their having shown up in Alola is a mystery.
Thanks to its thick fat, cold seas don’t bother it at all, but it gets tired pretty easily in warm waters.
Loves freezing-cold conditions. Relishes swimming in a frigid climate of around 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Seel Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Seel derives from the English word 'seal,' a direct reference to the pinniped marine mammals that inspired its design. The Japanese name Pawou similarly echoes phonetic elements associated with seal vocalizations, while also suggesting the onomatopoeia of paw-related sounds. Design-wise, Seel exemplifies the early generation approach of creating Pokémon through straightforward mammalian adaptation, taking recognizable real-world creatures and introducing fantastical elements such as the prominent frontal horn and distinctive coloration. The light blue fur coloration, while fantastical, serves both aesthetic and lore-based purposes by visually communicating its ice-affiliated nature and cold-water habitat without explicitly stating its elemental typing. The presence of eyebrows—a relatively uncommon Pokémon feature—contributes to Seel's expressive character design and gives it an endearing, almost friendly appearance that contrasts with its predatory role in its frigid ecosystem. The weapon-like horn and tusks signify its capability for breaking through environmental obstacles, translating mechanical function into visual storytelling that communicates its survival strategy to observant trainers.
Learnable Moves
Seel can learn 77 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aqua jet | water | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| aqua ring | water | Status | — | — | 20 |
| aqua tail | water | Physical | 90 | 90 | 10 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| aurora beam | ice | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| avalanche | ice | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| bide | normal | Physical | — | — | 10 |
| blizzard | ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| brine | water | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| bubble beam | water | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| captivate | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| charm | fairy | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| disable | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| dive | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| echoed voice | normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| encore | normal | Status | — | 100 | 5 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| entrainment | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| fake out | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| fling | dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| growl | normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| hail | ice | Status | — | — | 10 |
| haze | ice | Status | — | — | 30 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| helping hand | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| horn drill | normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
| hydro pump | water | Special | 110 | 80 | 5 |
| ice beam | ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| ice shard | ice | Physical | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| icicle spear | ice | Physical | 25 | 100 | 30 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| iron tail | steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| lick | ghost | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| megahorn | bug | Physical | 120 | 85 | 10 |
| mimic | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| muddy water | water | Special | 90 | 85 | 10 |
| natural gift | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| pay day | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| peck | flying | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 |
| perish song | normal | Status | — | — | 5 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| rage | normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| safeguard | normal | Status | — | — | 25 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| signal beam | bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| skull bash | normal | Physical | 130 | 100 | 10 |
| slam | normal | Physical | 80 | 75 | 20 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| spit up | normal | Special | — | 100 | 10 |
| stockpile | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| strength | normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| surf | water | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| swallow | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| thief | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| uproar | normal | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| water gun | water | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| water pulse | water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| water sport | water | Status | — | — | 15 |
| waterfall | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| weather ball | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| whirlpool | water | Special | 35 | 85 | 15 |
Seel Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive formats, Seel occupies a niche role as a defensive Water-type with unusual ability combinations rather than as a primary offensive threat. Its three available abilities each serve distinct strategic purposes: Thick Fat effectively halves damage from Fire and Ice-type moves, providing valuable defensive utility against common competitive threats; Hydration offers automatic status condition removal during rain-based team strategies, synergizing excellently with weather-dependent compositions; and its hidden ability Ice Body grants passive healing during hail while simultaneously negating hail damage, creating interesting possibilities in weather-control teams. The base stat allocation with emphasis on Special Defense and HP makes Seel suitable for defensive pivoting roles, though its 325 total base stats prevent it from competing in higher competitive tiers without significant support from teammates. Move coverage remains somewhat limited, with Seel naturally learning predominantly Water-type moves alongside elemental options through TM availability, though movepool limitations prevent it from reaching the versatility of competing Water-types. Trainers employing Seel competitively typically invest in special defense investment and team compositions that leverage its ability choices, particularly Hydration in rain-based teams or Ice Body in hail-based strategies.
Commonly Asked Questions About Seel
What type is Seel?
Seel is a water type Pokemon.
What does Seel evolve into?
Seel evolves into dewgong.
What are Seel's weaknesses?
Seel is weak to grass and electric type moves.
Where can I find Seel?
Seel can be found in seafoam islands (kanto), whirl islands (johto) and icefall cave (kanto) and 7 other locations.
Seel Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Seel holds nostalgic significance for Generation I enthusiasts as one of the original 151 Pokémon, featuring prominently in early anime episodes and trading card game releases that helped establish Pokémon's cultural footprint. The iconic Cerulean Gym in the anime series featured a notable Seel that participated in gym battles and contests, introducing viewers to the species' capabilities and charming personality within the narrative context. Its distinctive appearance with prominent tusks and frontal horn makes Seel immediately recognizable, contributing to its lasting presence in Pokémon visual culture despite its relatively modest competitive popularity. The species appears across numerous Pokédex entries in the trading card game spanning from Base Set through modern expansions, often depicted in environmental artwork showcasing its natural Arctic habitat. Seel's approachability and friendly appearance—particularly the characteristic eyebrows—have contributed to its appeal in merchandise, collectibles, and fan artwork communities. The species represents the archetypal early-game Water-type alternative to Squirtle, offering trainers a distinct cold-themed aquatic companion that reinforces Pokémon's thematic diversity even within single type categories.
Where to Find Seel in Every Pokémon Game
Seel demonstrates consistent availability throughout the Pokémon franchise across most regional entries, though its specific acquisition methods vary significantly by game version and generation. In original Red and Blue versions and their remakes FireRed and LeafGreen, Seel appears in the Kanto region with National Pokédex number #086, inhabiting ice-themed routes and caves appropriate to its frigid preferences. Gold and Silver versions and their HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes feature Seel in the Johto region with local Pokédex number #176, maintaining thematic consistency with its cold-water habitat requirements. Subsequent generations have included Seel in various regional Pokédexes with modified numbering systems reflecting each generation's structure, though it consistently appears in locations featuring ice or Arctic themes. The relatively high catch rate of 190 ensures that trainers encounter minimal difficulty in successfully capturing Seel once located, though its habitat restrictions to cold-climate routes necessitate progression to appropriate game areas. Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee versions returned Seel to Kanto as National Pokédex #086, while more recent games including Scarlet and Violet feature it through various encounter methods. Its inclusion in multiple generations and regions underscores Seel's fundamental importance to the Pokémon species roster, ensuring accessibility for trainers across virtually all official game experiences.