As a Poison-type, Muk fills a straightforward role. Only weak to Ground and Psychic. Known as the Sludge Pokémon. Known as the Sludge Pokemon. The stat spread favors raw physical power.
Muk's built to absorb hits, not race for knockouts. Special bulk with HP doing the heavy lifting. And the medium-fast 1M XP curve means it won't take forever to bring up, worth 2 HP and Attack EVs.
They love to gather in smelly areas where sludge accumulates, making the stench around them worse.
Its body is made of a powerful poison. Touching it accidentally will cause a fever that requires bed rest.
Muk Weakness
AvgGround and Psychic-type moves hit Muk for super-effective damage. The Poison typing picks up 4 resistances to work with. Muk's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Muk is what Grimer becomes. Breed it for Grimer eggs (average hatch time). A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolution from Grimer pushed Muk to 500 total stats. Sp.Def saw the largest single gain at +50.
How to Evolve
Breed with Muk to get Grimer eggs easily using 31 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Curse, Explosion, Haze and 8 more.
Stickyhold helps Muk stick around while dealing real damage. Black Sludge for Poison-type passive recovery, max HP and Attack EVs for the right balance, and Poisonjab as the main threat. Not the fastest, but it doesn't need to be.
Best Build
Best Muk Moveset
- Poison Jab
- Explosion
- Curse
- Fire Punch
Recommended Teammates
Coverage runs deep. Muk can hit 10 types beyond STAB, including Ground and Normal. The offense anchors on Gunk Shot and Sludge Bomb while TMs handle everything else.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Muk appears at decent spawn rates across 12 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Muk in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Grimer is your first catch on the way to Muk. You'll find walking and surfing encounters from Lv. 15-32 across 20 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch GrimerEASYCeladon CityHeartGoldSurfing on waterLv.15-20CommonEarlyCityEASYCeladon CitySoulSilverSurfing on waterLv.15-20CommonEarlyCityEFFORTLESSRoute 16HeartGoldGrassLv.26-28CommonMidRouteEFFORTLESSRoute 16SoulSilverGrassLv.26-28CommonMidRouteEFFORTLESSRoute 18SoulSilverGrassLv.26-28CommonMidRouteEFFORTLESSRoute 18HeartGoldGrassLv.26-28CommonMidRouteEFFORTLESSRoute 17SoulSilverGrassLv.27-29CommonMidRouteEFFORTLESSRoute 17HeartGoldGrassLv.27-29CommonMidRoute- Step 2Muk ✓MODERATECeladon CityHeartGoldSurfing on waterLv.15UncommonEarlyCityMODERATECeladon CitySoulSilverSurfing on waterLv.15UncommonEarlyCityEASYRoute 18SoulSilverGrassLv.29-30UncommonMidRouteNightEASYRoute 18HeartGoldGrassLv.29-30UncommonMidRouteNightEASYRoute 17SoulSilverGrassLv.30-32UncommonMidRouteNightEASYRoute 17HeartGoldGrassLv.30-32UncommonMidRouteNightCHALLENGINGRoute 16HeartGoldGrassLv.29RareMidRouteCHALLENGINGRoute 16SoulSilverGrassLv.29RareMidRouteCHALLENGINGRoute 18SoulSilverGrassLv.30RareMidRouteMorning/dayCHALLENGINGRoute 18HeartGoldGrassLv.30RareMidRouteMorning/dayCHALLENGINGRoute 17SoulSilverGrassLv.32RareLateRouteMorning/dayCHALLENGINGRoute 17HeartGoldGrassLv.32RareLateRouteMorning/dayor evolve from Grimer (Step 1)
Muk works as a tank with 500 BST behind it. B-Tier on our list — a solid choice for the right team. That 105 base HP does the heavy lifting.
Stench has a 10% chance of making target Pokémon flinch with each hit — that's the one you want on Muk. Poison Touch is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Sticky Hold works too if your team needs something different.
Muk is a physical attacker with base 105 Attack. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. Fits the tank role.
Muk appears in 19 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Available since Red & Blue, Muk appears in 19 games spanning 9 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained an Alolan form in Generation 7.
- 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