Grimer sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Muk as fast as possible. Only weak to Ground and Psychic. Known as the Sludge Pokemon.
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.
As it moves, it loses bits of its body from which new GRIMER emerge. This worsens the stench around it.
Wherever GRIMER has passed, so many germs are left behind that no plants will ever grow again.
Grimer Weakness
AvgGrimer is weak to Ground and Psychic-type moves. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Just 2 weak spots to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
One evolution ahead. Grimer grows into Muk through a straightforward two-stage chain. A small partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 175 stat points total.
How to Evolve
Breed Grimer easily with 11 breeding partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Pass egg moves like Haze, Lick, Mean Look to offspring.
Grimer runs a standard attacker set. A nature nature with flexible EVs EVs shapes the build, while Leftovers brings passive recovery each turn. An ability supports the kit from the background.
Best Build
Best Grimer Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Curse
- Sludge Bomb
- Explosion
Recommended Teammates
Breeding opens up real options for Grimer. Haze and Lick come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Sludge Bomb and Sludge and coverage across 9 types.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Grimer's scattered across 10 spots in early-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations
walking and surfing encounters for Grimer across 10 spots at Lv. 15-29. The catch is that Gold and Silver don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
Grimer is meant to evolve into Muk. At 325 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Grimer can evolve into Muk and Alolan Muk depending on the method. Grimer is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Base 25 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Grimer is a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Best used as a trick room.
Grimer appears in 19 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Grimer has appeared in 19 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
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 VIISMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A