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.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
One evolution ahead. Grimer grows into Muk through a straightforward two-stage chain. A decent 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 31 breeding partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Pass egg moves like Curse, Explosion, Haze and 8 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Grimer cleanly, with Gunk Shot and Sludge Bomb anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Grimer is available from early-game routes onward at high spawn rates. 8 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations
8 walking and surfing encounters at Lv. 15-29 for Grimer across HeartGold and SoulSilver. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
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.
Stench is the go-to ability for Grimer. It has a 10% chance of making target Pokémon flinch with each hit. Its hidden ability Poison Touch can work in specific setups. Sticky Hold is the other option — pick based on what your team needs.
Base 25 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Grimer is leaning toward the physical side (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