Physical
Balanced
330Low
32Very Slow
CTier

While most trainers evolve Hippopotas into Hippowdon immediately, the unevolved form has a niche with Eviolite boosting its defenses. Electric moves can't touch it, and only 3 types hit it super-effectively. Known as the Hippo Pokemon.

Nothing fancy in Hippopotas's spread. It leans physical with Defense out front. And you'll get 1 Defense EV per KO for it. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.

Base Stats
330Avg
HP68
C
Attack72
C
Defense78
C
Sp. Atk38
F
Sp. Def42
D
Speed32
F
Total330
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Hippopotas yields +1 Def
HPAtkDef+1SpASpDSpe
Details
Catch140ModerateSlow1.25M XP0.8m / 2'07"49.5kg / 109.1 lbs66Base XP
Pokedex Entries

It shuts its nostrils tight, then travels through sand as if walking. They form colonies of around 10.

Scarlet

It shrouds itself in sand to ward off germs. It travels easily through the sands of the desert.

Violet

Hippopotas Weakness

Avg

Water, Grass, and Ice-type moves hit Hippopotas for super-effective damage. The upside? Electric-type moves can't touch it at all. Hippopotas's physical bulk (base 78 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

4xCriticali
None
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
3Weak
2Resist
1Immune
Scorei-1
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Sand StreamSummons a sandstorm that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Sand ForceHAStrengthens rock, ground, and steel moves to 1.3× their power during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.

Hippopotas is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Hippowdon. Check the evolution method below. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are slow to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 195 total stats over Hippopotas.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Hippopotas
Ground
Hippowdon
Ground
HP
68
108+40
ATK
72
112+40
DEF
78
118+40
SP.ATK
38
68+30
SP.DEF
42
72+30
SPE
32
47+15
BST
330C-Tier
525B-Tier+195
ROLE
Balanced
Tank
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding
Easy

Breed Hippopotas easily with 195 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Curse, Spit Up, Stockpile and 2 more to offspring.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
30 cycles·7,710 steps
Moderate~8 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
5moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachugolduckampharosrhydondewgongarbokgranbullquagsireflaaffyrhyhornpsyduck

Lead with Hippopotas, set Stealth Rock, and keep pressure on. Sand Stream and Eviolite buy the time it needs, with a spread EV build EVs letting it take hits while controlling the hazard game. Slack Off keeps it healthy between hits.

Best Build

Hazard Setter
Ability
Sand Stream
Item
EvioliteBULK
Nature
Impish+DEF
EVs

Best Hippopotas Moveset

  • EarthquakeSTAB
  • Stealth Rock
  • Slack Off
  • Ice Fang

Don't skip the egg moves. Hippopotas picks up Curse and Spit Up only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Earthquake and High Horsepower while coverage across 8 types adds range.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Sand Attack
10015Ground
Lv 1
Tackle
4010035Normal
Lv 4
Bite
6010025Dark
Lv 8
Yawn
10Normal
Lv 12
Sand Tomb
358515Ground
Lv 16
Dig
8010010Ground
Lv 20
Crunch
8010015Dark
Lv 24
Sandstorm
10Rock
Lv 28
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 32
Roar-6
20Normal
Lv 36
Rest
5Psychic
Lv 40
Earthquake
10010010Ground
Lv 44
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Lv 48
Fissure
305Ground
Lv 52
Slack Off
5Normal

TM Moves

Src
TM128
Amnesia
20Psychic
TM89
Body Press
8010010Fighting
TM66
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM28
Bulldoze
6010020Ground
TM108
Crunch
8010015Dark
TM224
Curse
10Ghost
TM55
Dig
8010010Ground
TM204
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
TM133
Earth Power
9010010Ground
TM149
Earthquake
10010010Ground
TM47
Endure+4
10Normal
TM25
Facade
7010020Normal
TM08
Fire Fang
659515Fire
TM130
Helping Hand+5
20Normal
TM186
High Horsepower
959510Ground
TM10
Ice Fang
659515Ice
TM35
Mud Shot
559515Ground
TM05
Mud-Slap
2010010Ground
TM209
Muddy Water
908510Water
TM07
Protect+4
10Normal
TM85
Rest
5Psychic
TM172
Roar-6
20Normal
TM86
Rock Slide
759010Rock
TM36
Rock Tomb
609515Rock
TM176
Sand Tomb
358515Ground
TM51
Sandstorm
10Rock
TM215
Scorching Sands
7010010Ground
TM70
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM116
Stealth Rock
20Rock
TM84
Stomping Tantrum
7510010Ground
TM150
Stone Edge
100805Rock
TM103
Substitute
10Normal
TM49
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM01
Take Down
908520Normal
TM171
Tera Blast
8010010Normal
TM09
Thunder Fang
659515Electric

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Curse
10Ghost
Egg
Spit Up
10010Normal
Egg
Stockpile
20Normal
Egg
Swallow
10Normal
Egg
Whirlwind-6
20Normal

Tutor Moves

Hippopotas can't learn any Tutor moves

Hippopotas's scattered across 2 spots in mid-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

Asado Desert - Desert
VioletOverworldLv.20-3836%MidDesert
EFFORTLESS
Asado Desert - Desert
ScarletOverworldLv.20-3836%MidDesert
EFFORTLESS
  • At 330 BST, Hippopotas is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Hippowdon before bringing it to any serious fight.

  • Watch for Starmie (Water), Breloom (Grass), and Weavile (Ice) when using Hippopotas. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. At base 32 Speed, Hippopotas won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.

  • Hippopotas evolves into Hippowdon at level 34. Hippopotas is the base form of this evolutionary line.

  • Hippopotas gets Sand Stream and Sand Force. But Sand Stream is the one that matters — it's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.

  • Hippopotas is a physical attacker with base 72 Attack. But the speed tells the real story — base 32 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go.

  • Hippopotas appears in 14 games, including Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver, and Diamond & Pearl.

Debuting in Diamond & Pearl, Hippopotas appears in 14 games across 6 generations. A reliable presence in a solid number of games, typically found through catching or hatching as a base form.