Garganacl was practically built for Trick Room teams. 130 base Defense provides real offensive pressure once it's 'fastest' on the field. Known as the Rock Salt Pokemon. Introduced in Gen 9.
Defense leads and Speed gets almost nothing. That's Garganacl's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Defense EVs.
Garganacl will rub its fingertips together and sprinkle injured Pokémon with salt. Even severe wounds will promptly heal afterward.
Many Pokémon gather around Garganacl, hoping to lick at its mineral-rich salt.
Garganacl Weakness
FragileType-wise, Garganacl takes extra damage from Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Garganacl's physical bulk (base 130 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
End of the line. Garganacl caps a three-stage chain that started at Nacli. Breeding produces the base form, and eggs are average hatch time. Defense grew the most through evolution (+55 over Nacli), and Garganacl peaks at 500 total stats.
How to Evolve
Breed with Garganacl to get Nacli eggs easily from the Mineral egg group.
The build centers on Stealth Rock and survivability. Leftovers means passive recovery each turn, and max HP and Sp. Def EVs give Garganacl the bulk to set up repeatedly. Purifyingsalt adds another layer of staying power. Recover keeps it healthy between hits.
Best Build
Best Garganacl Moveset
- Salt Cure
- Recover
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
TMs carry this one. Garganacl learns Meteor Beam and Stone Edge naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Ground and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Garganacl isn't available in the wild in Legends: Z-A. Start by transferring Nacli from Scarlet. The evolution path from Nacli to Garganacl is covered in the steps below.
How to Obtain Garganacl in Legends: Z-A
We rate Garganacl B-Tier — a solid choice for the right team. At 500 BST, it fits the tank role. Base 130 Defense stands out.
Garganacl's biggest threats include Greninja (Water), Rillaboom (Grass), and Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Ground and Steel-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. At base 35 Speed, Garganacl won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Purifying Salt is the go-to ability for Garganacl. It protects from status conditions and halves damage from Ghost-type moves. Its hidden ability Clear Body can work in specific setups. Sturdy is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Base 35 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Garganacl is a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a tank.
Garganacl can be found in Legends: Z-A and Scarlet & Violet.
Garganacl joined the series in Scarlet & Violet and has been available in 2 titles so far. With 1 generation of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSVDebut
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A