slowpoke
Generation I · #0079 — Dopey Pokémon
Slowpoke, known as the Dopey Pokémon, is a Water/Psychic-type Pokémon from Generation I and holds the National Pokédex number 79. This iconic creature embodies a unique blend of aquatic and psychic characteristics, making it a distinctive presence in the original 151 Pokémon. With a base stat total of 315, Slowpoke excels in Hit Points with a respectable 90 HP, but suffers from extremely low Speed at just 15, giving it the appearance of a genuinely sluggish and lethargic being. Its dual typing grants it an interesting combination of resistances and weaknesses, resisting Water, Grass, Ice, and Psychic attacks while being vulnerable to Electric, Dark, Ghost, and Bug-type moves. Slowpoke's notable abilities include Oblivious, which prevents infatuation and protects against the move Captivate, Own Tempo, which guards against confusion, and the hidden ability Regenerator, which restores one-third of its maximum HP upon switching out of battle.
Base Stats
Height
1.2m
Weight
36.0kg
Category
Dopey Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
pink
Shape
quadruped
Habitat
waters-edge
Abilities
Prevents infatuation and protects against captivate.
Prevents confusion.
Heals for 1/3 max HP upon switching out.
Slowpoke Biology & Physical Characteristics
Slowpoke is a pink Pokémon with a distinctive design that blends amphibian and hippopotamus-like features, standing at 1.2 meters in height and weighing 36 kilograms. Its most recognizable physical feature is its long, ornate tail that tapers to a sweet-tasting, sap-like substance at the tip, which serves as both a hunting tool and an inadvertent food source for other creatures. The Pokémon possesses perpetually vacant, unfocused eyes that reflect its characteristically dim demeanor, along with small curled ears and a rounded, tan-colored muzzle that contrasts with its primary pink coloration. Its four stubby legs support its rotund body, and despite its seemingly cumbersome physique, it demonstrates surprising adaptability to aquatic environments. The biology of Slowpoke includes a notable trait regarding pain sensation and tail regeneration—the creature processes physical pain with an extreme delay, reportedly taking up to five seconds to register an attack, and its tail possesses the remarkable ability to regenerate completely if severed, though Slowpoke shows no distress about losing it.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Slowpoke Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Slowpoke exhibits a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male and 50% female, providing equal opportunities for breeders to work with either sex when planning their breeding strategies. The species belongs to the Monster and Water 1 egg groups, offering substantial breeding flexibility through various compatible breeding partners. When bred, Slowpoke eggs require 20 cycles to hatch, equivalent to approximately 4,884 to 5,140 steps in most games, placing it in the moderate range for hatching time. The base happiness value of 70 indicates that Slowpoke has moderate friendliness from the outset, though it can be increased through proper care and bonding with its trainer, which may influence certain move learning opportunities through happiness-based evolution conditions in some game generations. Breeders often utilize Slowpoke's breeding compatibility to produce offspring with specific egg moves that enhance competitive viability, taking advantage of its placement in two distinct egg groups to maximize the pool of potential father Pokémon for inheritance of desirable moves.
Held Items
Sprites
Held Items
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
kings-rock
held-items
Held: Damaging moves gain a 10% chance to make their target flinch. Traded on a Poliwhirl: Holder evolves into Politoed. Traded on a Slowpoke: Holder evolves into Slowking.
Cost: 5000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
lagging-tail
bad-held-items
Held: Holder moves last in its priority bracket.
Cost: 4000
TMs & HMs
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm02
crystal
tm02
gold silver
tm02
sword shield
tm03
crystal
tm03
gold silver
tm04
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm05
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm06
yellow
tm06
gold silver
tm06
red blue
tm06
crystal
tm06
emerald
tm06
firered leafgreen
tm06
diamond pearl
tm06
platinum
tm06
ruby sapphire
tm06
colosseum
tm06
black 2 white 2
tm06
xd
+688 more TMs/HMs
slowpoke's Evolution Chain
Slowpoke Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Slowpoke belongs to a fascinating three-member evolution line that diverges based on the method of evolution. At level 37, Slowpoke evolves into Slowbro, the more physically defensive form that associates closely with Shellder—a Pokémon that clamps onto Slowpoke's tail to form a symbiotic relationship. Alternatively, when Slowpoke is traded while holding a King's Rock, it evolves into Slowking instead, which emphasizes special defense and mental prowess, as the Shellder latches onto its head rather than its tail. In the Galar region, Slowpoke received a regional form introduction in Pokémon Sword and Shield, transforming it into a pure Psychic-type that eschews its Water-type classification. This Galarian Slowpoke evolves into Galarian Slowbro through exposure to a Galarica Cuff or into Galarian Slowking through exposure to a Galarica Wreath, providing parallel evolution paths for the regional variant. The existence of multiple evolution branches underscores the creative design philosophy of Game Freak in offering trainers diverse options for developing their Slowpoke, each evolution presenting distinct stat distributions and competitive viability tailored to different battle strategies.
Where to Find
seafoam islands
kanto
+47 more
celadon city
kanto
+13 more
kanto route 10
kanto
+10 more
kanto safari zone
kanto
+37 more
kanto route 13
kanto
+6 more
kanto route 12
kanto
+6 more
tohjo falls
johto
+19 more
slowpoke well
johto
+60 more
cape brink
kanto
+3 more
kanto sea route 19
kanto
kanto sea route 20
kanto
cinnabar island
kanto
viridian city
kanto
+4 more
cerulean city
kanto
vermilion city
kanto
icefall cave
kanto
+3 more
kindle road
kanto
fuchsia city
kanto
+4 more
pallet town
kanto
kanto route 4
kanto
+36 more locations in other games
Slowpoke Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Slowpoke is characterized by its extraordinarily slow and absent-minded nature, perfectly embodying its species classification as the Dopey Pokémon. According to various Pokédex entries, this creature is perfectly content to spend entire days loafing idly at the water's edge, exhibiting such profound forgetfulness that it frequently loses track of what it was doing and becomes engrossed in vacant daydreaming. Its hunting methodology reflects this lethargic approach to life—Slowpoke dips its tail into the water at the side of rivers to catch prey, though the success rate of this technique remains questionable given its overwhelming tendency to become distracted. The Pokémon's notable obliviousness is so pronounced that it won't even notice if something bites its tail, instead taking an entire day to register the event. Slowpoke inhabits freshwater environments such as rivers and lakeshores, where its aquatic and psychic nature allows it to thrive comfortably. Its docile temperament and base happiness stat of 70 suggest it is generally well-suited to companionship with trainers who appreciate its leisurely lifestyle.
Pokedex Entries
Incredibly slow and dopey. It takes 5 seconds for it to feel pain when under attack.
Incredibly slow and sluggish. It is quite content to loll about without worrying about the time.
It lazes vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won't even notice for a whole day.
A sweet sap leaks from its tail's tip. Although not nutritious, the tail is pleasant to chew on.
It is always so absent-minded that it won't react, even if its flavorful tail is bitten.
SLOWPOKE uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this POKéMON often forgets what it’s doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water’s edge.
It catches prey by dipping its tail in water at the side of a river. But it often forgets what it is doing and spends entire days just loafing at water’s edge.
It is always vacantly lost in thought, but no one knows what it is thinking about. It is good at fishing with its tail.
Incredibly slow and dopey. It takes five seconds for it to feel pain when under attack.
Although slow, it is skilled at fishing with its tail. It does not feel pain if its tail is bitten.
It lazes vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won’t even notice for a whole day.
A sweet sap leaks from its tail’s tip. Although not nutritious, the tail is pleasant to chew on.
Although slow, it is skilled at fishing with its tail. It does not feel pain if its tail is bitten.
Although slow, it is skilled at fishing with its tail. It does not feel pain if its tail is bitten.
It is always vacantly lost in thought, but no one knows what it is thinking about. It is good at fishing with its tail.
It lazes vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won’t even notice for a whole day.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it’s doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water’s edge.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it’s doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water’s edge.
Its long tail often breaks off. It doesn’t really feel any pain, though, and the tail grows back, so Slowpoke isn’t particularly bothered.
There are some places where Slowpoke is worshiped because of a long-standing belief that whenever Slowpoke yawns, it rains.
Alolan home cooking involves drying Slowpoke tails and then simmering them into a salty stew.
Although their tails, which fall off naturally, can easily be found lying around, they’re a precious ingredient for cooking.
Incredibly slow and sluggish. It is quite content to loll about without worrying about the time.
Slow-witted and oblivious, this Pokémon won’t feel any pain if its tail gets eaten. It won’t notice when its tail grows back, either.
When this Pokémon’s tail is soaked in water, sweetness seeps from it. Slowpoke uses this trait to lure in and fish up other Pokémon.
Slowpoke Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Slowpoke is an English compound word perfectly descriptive of the Pokémon's defining characteristic—its extraordinarily slow movement and poke-like, poking behavior with its tail. In Japanese, it is known as Yadon (ヤドン), a name derived from the Japanese word for a type of creature associated with lethargy and slowness. The design itself draws inspiration from axolotls, which possess a similar pink coloration and aquatic lifestyle, combined with hippopotamus-like features including its rounded body and somewhat stocky appearance. The Pokémon's iconic tail, which serves as both a hunting tool and a delicacy, may derive from catfish whiskers that are used for sensory exploration in murky waters, reimagined as a tool for catching prey. The psychic typing, while not immediately obvious from its appearance, likely references the creature's vacant, dreamy demeanor and its tendency toward absent-minded daydreaming. Slowpoke's design epitomizes the first generation's philosophy of creating memorable creatures from simple, understandable concepts—in this case, the literal embodiment of slowness and dopiness combined with aquatic habitability.
Learnable Moves
Slowpoke can learn 64 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| amnesia | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| belly drum | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| bide | normal | Physical | — | — | 10 |
| blizzard | ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| bubble beam | water | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| confusion | psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| dig | ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| disable | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| dream eater | psychic | Special | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| earthquake | ground | Physical | 100 | 100 | 10 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| fire blast | fire | Special | 110 | 85 | 5 |
| fissure | ground | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
| flamethrower | fire | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| flash | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| growl | normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| hydro pump | water | Special | 110 | 80 | 5 |
| ice beam | ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| iron tail | steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| light screen | psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| mimic | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| mud slap | ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| nightmare | ghost | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| pay day | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psybeam | psychic | Special | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| psych up | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psychic | psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| psywave | psychic | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| rage | normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| reflect | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| safeguard | normal | Status | — | — | 25 |
| shadow ball | ghost | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| skull bash | normal | Physical | 130 | 100 | 10 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| stomp | normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| strength | normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sunny day | fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| surf | water | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| swift | normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| tackle | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| teleport | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| thunder wave | electric | Status | — | 90 | 20 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| tri attack | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| water gun | water | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| waterfall | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| zap cannon | electric | Special | 120 | 50 | 5 |
Slowpoke Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive Pokémon battles, Slowpoke presents a unique challenge due to its extraordinarily low Speed stat of 15, which makes it among the slowest Pokémon in existence, yet this liability becomes an asset when paired with the move Trick Room, allowing it to outspeed nearly all opponents for five turns. The creature's respectable 90 HP combined with its moderate defenses of 65 in both Defense and Special Defense provides reasonable bulk for a base-stage Pokémon, though its offensive stats of 65 Attack and 40 Special Attack severely limit its damage output without significant investment or strategic team support. The hidden ability Regenerator is exceptionally valuable in competitive formats, providing passive recovery of one-third maximum HP upon switching, which allows Slowpoke to function as a defensive pivot that steadily recovers health throughout a battle. Its Water/Psychic typing grants useful resistances to Water, Grass, Ice, and Psychic attacks, though its weaknesses to Electric, Dark, Ghost, and Bug-type moves require careful team building to mitigate. Most competitive players favor evolving Slowpoke into Slowbro or Slowking rather than using it in its base form, as the evolutions provide significantly enhanced stats and movepool options that translate more reliably to competitive success, though creative trainers occasionally find niche utility for base Slowpoke in unusual team configurations.
Commonly Asked Questions About Slowpoke
What type is Slowpoke?
Slowpoke is a water and psychic type Pokemon.
What does Slowpoke evolve into?
Slowpoke evolves into slowbro, then into slowking.
What are Slowpoke's weaknesses?
Slowpoke is weak to bug, ghost, grass, electric and dark type moves.
Where can I find Slowpoke?
Slowpoke can be found in seafoam islands (kanto), celadon city (kanto) and kanto route 10 (kanto) and 53 other locations.
Slowpoke Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Slowpoke stands as one of the most beloved and recognizable Pokémon from the original generation, achieving iconic status through its appearance in numerous anime episodes and its memorable portrayal in early Pokémon media. The character design proved so popular that the Pokémon Company has continued to feature Slowpoke prominently in merchandise, trading card game releases, and modern game iterations, ensuring its cultural footprint extends far beyond casual players into mainstream popular culture. Its dopey personality and lovable nature have made it a fan favorite for nearly three decades, inspiring countless fan communities, artwork, and cosplay dedicated to the species. The introduction of Galarian Slowpoke as a regional variant in Pokémon Sword and Shield demonstrated the enduring appeal of the original design while offering fresh interpretations for modern audiences. Slowpoke's significance is further highlighted by its consistent availability and prominence across numerous game generations—appearing in nearly every main-series game since its debut—which speaks to the developers' commitment to preserving and celebrating this foundational creature of the Pokémon franchise.
Where to Find Slowpoke in Every Pokémon Game
Slowpoke enjoys exceptional availability throughout the Pokémon franchise, appearing in the vast majority of main-series games since Generation I, making it one of the most consistently obtainable creatures in the entire National Pokédex. In the original Red, Blue, and Yellow versions, it was available relatively early in the game at specific water-based locations, establishing a tradition of accessibility that has largely persisted through subsequent generations. Its catch rate of 190 indicates that Slowpoke is moderately easy to capture in the wild, presenting minimal difficulty even for novice trainers using standard Poké Balls. The species has appeared in numerous spin-off games and mobile experiences, including Pokémon GO where it became available to trainers worldwide, further cementing its position as a ubiquitous and accessible Pokémon. In more recent generations such as Sword and Shield, both the standard and Galarian forms of Slowpoke became available to players, with Galarian Slowpoke later being added to the Terarium of Blueberry Academy in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's post-game content, ensuring that trainers continue to have straightforward opportunities to add this iconic creature to their teams regardless of which generation they're playing.