
Is Sandshrew Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
LeafGreen only. AbilitySand Veil boosts evasion in sandstorm, but natural sandstorm doesn't come up in FRLG's story. Sandslash at 22 provides early Ground coverage for Surge and contributes against Blaine. Fills the Ground slot if you skipped Diglett. Ekans takes this slot in FireRed.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Brock's team.
Misty's team hits Sandshrew's weaknesses hard.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Erika's team hits Sandslash's weaknesses hard.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Sandslash resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Lorelei's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Terry's team.
Catch Sandshrew on Route 4 (walking, Lv 6-12, common).
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- TM31FightingBrick Break75100%15
- After Erika
- TM23SteelIron Tail10075%15
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch150100%20
- After Giovanni
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Your Sandshrew should hit Level 22 before you reach Lt. Surge, at typical leveling pace.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- TM31FightingBrick Break75100%15
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch150100%20
- After Giovanni
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Sandshrew in FireRed & LeafGreen
LeafGreen exclusive. Sandshrew has six grass encounters across early and mid-game routes, filling the same map footprint Ekans covers in FireRed.
6 locations to catch Sandshrew
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Where To Catch Sandshrew in FRLG
The path to Sandshrew starts with Sandshrew at Lv. 6-46 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 2Catch or Evolve into SandslashRoute 23Lv.44GrassLeafGreenRate 5%Victory Road - 1FLv.44CaveLeafGreenRate 5%Victory Road - 3FLv.44CaveLeafGreenRate 5%Victory Road - 2FLv.46CaveLeafGreenRate 5%or evolve from Sandshrew (Step 1)
Sandshrew Weakness
Sandshrew's Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, and Ice. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. Sandshrew's physical bulk (base 85 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Ice |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Sandshrew Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Sandshrew
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Waterfall 2x113-134%KO Ice Beam 2x89-105%KO | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Vaporeon builds →Waterfall 2x178-209%KO Ice Beam 2x141-166%KO | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 2x120-142%KO Ice Beam 2x93-111%KO | ||
Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Surf 2x133-157%KO Ice Beam 2x88-105%KO | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x213-251%KO Ice Beam 2x142-167%KO | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Wartortle builds →Surf 2x144-171%KO Ice Beam 2x97-114%KO | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Surf 2x133-157%KO Ice Beam 2x88-105%KO | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x213-251%KO Ice Beam 2x142-167%KO | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Lapras builds →Surf 2x174-206%KO Ice Beam 2x174-206%KO | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x168-198%KO Ice Beam 2x89-105%KO | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x216-254%KO Ice Beam 2x144-169%KO | ||
Blastoise Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Blastoise builds →Surf 2x177-208%KO Ice Beam 2x118-139%KO | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Ice Beam 2x199-235%KO Water Pulse 2x84-99% | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x175-206%KO Ice Beam 2x92-109%KO | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
Tangela Grass | C | |
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Ice Beam 2x201-237%KO Water Pulse 2x85-101%KO | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x175-207%KO Ice Beam 2x93-110%KO | ||
Suicune Water | A | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Suicune builds →Surf 2x192-226%KO Ice Beam 2x128-151%KO | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Swampert can KO Sandshrew with Hydro Pump (162-191%).
Swampert WaterGround | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Swampert builds →Earthquake45-53% Ice Beam 2x88-104%KO Hydro Pump 2x162-191%KO | ||
Sandshrew Evolutions
Sandshrew evolves into Sandslash. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 150 total stats over Sandshrew. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
FRLG Sandshrew Best Moveset
85 Defense decent for the stage with AbilitySand Veil boosting evasion in sandstorm. Attack and Speed trail. Sandslash is one evolution from a usable moveset.
Best Build
Sandshrew best EVs are Attack and HP
Physical Tank Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Rock Slide
- Brick Break
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
You'll want to breed for Counter and Crush Claw on Sandshrew. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Earthquake and Dig, they expand what Sandshrew can actually threaten in practice.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It burrows and lives underground. If threatened, it curls itself up into a ball for protection.
Burrows deep underground in arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for prey.
Sandshrew FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
- Why can't I find Sandshrew in FireRed?
Sandshrew is exclusive to Pokemon LeafGreen. FireRed players have to trade for one.

See the Locations section above for where to find Sandshrew in LeafGreen.
How to trade in FireRed and LeafGreen
GBA cartridges: You need a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable and both players' FireRed/LeafGreen cartridges. Trade at the Cable Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, which opens up shortly after Oak gives you the Pokedex.Nintendo Switch (2026 release): Trading uses local wireless only. There is no online play, and no Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required. Both players head to the Pokemon Wireless Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, then step into a Union Room. Up to four other players can join. Available once you have the Pokedex from Professor Oak.
Game Availability
Sandshrew first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 20 games across 10 generations. It later gained an Alolan form in Generation 7, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMAlolan

Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves