Palossand's built to absorb hits, not race for knockouts. Physical bulk with Defense doing the heavy lifting. And the medium-fast 1M XP curve means it won't take forever to bring up, worth 2 Defense EVs.
The terrifying Palossand drags smaller Pokémon into its sandy body. Once its victims are trapped, it drains them of their vitality whenever it pleases.
From the hollows in its arms, it fires the bones of its victims, which are all dried up after being drained of their vitality.
Type-wise, Palossand takes extra damage from Water, Grass, Ice, Ghost, and Dark. Normal, Electric, and Fighting moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. Palossand's physical bulk (base 110 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Ice, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Bug, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Normal, Electric, Fighting |
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySharpness ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Palossand View Kleavor builds →U Turn11-13% | ||
 Mudsdale Ground | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStamina ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Palossand View Mudsdale builds →Earthquake24-28% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityIronfist ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves View Pawmot builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Palossand View Coalossal builds →Flamethrower28-32% Scald 2x33-39% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityQuarkdrive ItemBooster Energy NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Palossand View Iron Treads builds →Earthquake27-32% Knock Off 2x24-28% | ||
Palossand is what Sandygast becomes. Breed it for Sandygast eggs (quick to hatch). Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are quick to hatch. The evolution from Sandygast pushed Palossand to 480 total stats. HP saw the largest single gain at +30. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Palossand to get Sandygast eggs easily using 63 partners from the Indeterminate egg group.
The build centers on Stealth Rock and survivability. Rocky Helmet means chip damage on every physical hit received, and max HP and Defense EVs give Palossand the bulk to set up repeatedly. Watercompaction adds another layer of staying power.
Best Build
Palossand best EVs are HP and Defense
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Shore Up
- Stealth Rock
- Shadow Ball
- Scorching Sands
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Amnesia
Recommended Teammates
Special Tank Moveset
- Earth Power
- Shore Up
- Shadow Ball
- Chilling Water
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Tank Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Amnesia
Recommended Teammates
Bulky Support Moveset
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Curse
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Winds & Waves has not been released yet. Build info will be available after launch.
Check back after the game launches for competitive build content.
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Shore Up
- Stealth Rock
- Shadow Ball
- Scorching Sands
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Amnesia
Recommended Teammates
Special Tank Moveset
- Earth Power
- Shore Up
- Shadow Ball
- Chilling Water
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Tank Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Amnesia
Recommended Teammates
Bulky Support Moveset
- Shore Up
- Earth Power
- Curse
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Mixed Attacker Moveset
- Destiny Bond
- Shadow Ball
- Ancient Power
- Bulldoze
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Earth Power
- Shore Up
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Bulky Support Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Shore Up
- Sandstorm
- Sand Tomb
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Most of Palossand's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Poltergeist and Earthquake, but Grass and Normal and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Winds & Waves is still unreleased. Palossand's learnable moves will be confirmed closer to the game's launch.
Most of Palossand's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Earthquake and Earth Power, but Grass and Bug and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.
The egg pool carries weight here. Ancient Power and Curse aren't available any other way for Palossand, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Poltergeist and Earthquake for solid options.
moderate rates across 10 locations for Palossand in late-game routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Where To Catch Palossand in Scarlet & Violet
The path to Palossand starts with Sandygast at Lv. 16-61 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch SandygastEast Province (Area One) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidEast Province (Area One) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidEast Province (Area Two) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidEast Province (Area Two) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidSouth Province (Area Five) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidSouth Province (Area Five) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidWest Province (Area Two) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidWest Province (Area Two) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.16-46 Route36%MidCasseroya Lake - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Water8%LateCasseroya Lake - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Water8%Late
Step 2Palossand ✓Casseroya Lake - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Water8%LateCasseroya Lake - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Water8%LateEast Province (Area One) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateEast Province (Area One) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateEast Province (Area Two) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateEast Province (Area Two) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateSouth Province (Area Five) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateSouth Province (Area Five) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateWest Province (Area Two) - BeachVioletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%LateWest Province (Area Two) - BeachScarletOverworld Lv.42-61 Route8%Lateor evolve from Sandygast (Step 1)
Winds & Waves hasn't launched yet, so encounter data for Palossand isn't confirmed. In other games, it's available in Sun, Ultra Sun, or Scarlet.
No wild encounters for Palossand in Legends: Z-A. Bring Sandygast over from Sun, Ultra Sun, or Scarlet, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.
How to Obtain Palossand in Legends: Z-A
- Step 1Obtain Sandygast
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to Legends: Z-A to continue the evolution chain.
Also found in:
- Step 2Palossand ✓
You're catching Sandygast first, not Palossand. Sandygast appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Palossand in Sword & Shield
Step 1Catch SandygastLoop Lagoon - BeachSwordOverworld Lv.16-21100%MidAll WeatherLoop Lagoon - BeachShieldOverworld Lv.16-21100%MidAll Weather
Step 2Palossand ✓
Palossand works as a tank with 480 BST behind it. B-Tier on our list: a solid choice for the right team. That 110 base Defense does the heavy lifting.
Palossand's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Exeggutor (Grass), and Walrein (Ice), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Ghost and Dark-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. At base 35 Speed, Palossand won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Water Compaction is the go-to ability for Palossand. It raises this Pokémon's Defense by two stages when it's hit by a Water move. Its hidden ability Sand Veil can work in specific setups.
Palossand is a special attacker with base 100 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 35 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. Fits the tank role.
The core moveset is Shoreup, Stealth Rock, Shadow Ball, and Scorching Sands. Shoreup leads at 24% usage. This set covers the tank role with a mix of damage and utility.
Since Sun & Moon, Palossand has been obtainable in 6 games. A Generation 7 debut means a shorter history, but Palossand has appeared steadily across every generation since.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
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 7SMDebut
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