Stats & Training
HP and Attack carry most of Grimer's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Common in the wild and yields 1 HP EV. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Born from sludge, these Pokémon now gather in polluted places and increase the bacteria in their bodies.
When two of these Pokémon's bodies are combined together, new poisons are created.
Grimer Weakness
Grimer is weak to Ground. On the flip side, it's immune to Psychic-type moves entirely. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Poison, Ghost, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
Excadrill can KO Grimer with Earthquake (87-103%). Krookodile's Earthquake hits Grimer for 79-93%.
 Excadrill GroundSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Grimer View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x87-103%KO Rapid Spin15-17% | ||
 Krookodile GroundDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMoxie ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Grimer View Krookodile builds →Earthquake 2x79-93% Knock Off13-15% Close Combat32-37% | ||
Evolution
One evolution ahead. Grimer grows into Muk through a straightforward two-stage chain. Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 175 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Grimer easily with 63 breeding partners from the Indeterminate egg group.
Grimer Best Moveset
Stickyhold and Eviolite give Grimer staying power beyond its evolution stage. Brave nature boosts Attack, spread EVs set the spread, and the pre-evolution bulk actually works here.
Best Build
Grimer best EVs are Attack and Defense
Bulky Support Moveset
- Drain Punch
- Shadow Sneak
- Poison Jab
- Thunder Punch
Recommended Teammates
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Grimer cleanly, with Gunk Shot and Belch anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Breeding opens up real options for Grimer. Acid Spray and Curse come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Gunk Shot and Belch and coverage across 8 types.
TMs carry this one. Grimer learns Sludge Bomb and Crunch naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Ground and beyond give it real matchup play.
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Grimer cleanly, with Gunk Shot and Belch anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Alolan Grimer Locations
Easy grab on Grimer with high spawn rates across 4 locations in mid-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations to Catch Grimer in Scarlet & Violet
Which version you're playing matters for Grimer. 4 walking spots at Lv. 19-42 spread across Scarlet and Violet, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
decent spawn rates for Grimer across 10 locations in mid-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Grimer in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Before you go hunting for Grimer, check which of the 10 spots belong to your version. Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond each have different walking and special encounters at Lv. 18-63.
Grimer starts showing up in late-game routes at high spawn rates across 4 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Grimer in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
Walking and trade encounters at Lv. 37-44 across 4 spots for Grimer. Sorted by progression so you can see what's reachable at your current point in the game.
Easy grab on Grimer with high spawn rates across 6 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations to Catch Grimer in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Which version you're playing matters for Grimer. 6 walking spots at Lv. 5-28 spread across Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
Grimer Guide
Grimer has 2 evolution paths: Muk at level 38 and Alolan Muk at level 38. Different conditions, different results.
Grimer has 2 evolution paths: Muk at level 38 and Alolan Muk at level 38. Different method for each one.
You can run Grimer through the first few routes without issues. 325 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Muk as fast as you can.
Grimer shows up in 19 games, making it one of the more widely available Pokemon in the series. First catchable in Scarlet & Violet, most recently in Yellow and Red & Blue.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Grimer has appeared in 19 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves