Mid-stage Pokemon like Sandile rarely see competitive play outside of special formats. It's a waypoint on the road to Krookodile, which is where the real potential kicks in. Part of the Gen 5 roster. Electric and Psychic moves can't touch it, which offsets the 6 weaknesses somewhat.
Nothing fancy in Sandile's spread. It leans physical with Attack out front. And you'll get 1 Attack EV per KO for it. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
It submerges itself in sand and moves as if swimming. This wise behavior keeps its enemies from finding it and maintains its temperature.
They live hidden under hot desert sands in order to keep their body temperature from dropping.
Sandile Weakness
AvgSandile's Ground/Dark typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy moves. It shrugs off Electric and Psychic-type attacks completely. The Ground/Dark typing picks up 4 resistances to work with.
Sandile kicks off a three-stage evolution line through Krokorok all the way to Krookodile. For breeding, average hatch time with a massive partner pool via one egg group. The evolved forms gain up to 227 total stats over Sandile.
How to Evolve
Breed Sandile easily with 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
You commit to a move every time Sandile comes in. Choice Scarf gives speed patching through item lock, and Moxie adds to that. A spread EV build EVs make sure the locked move actually hurts. Double STAB covers the rest.
Best Build
Best Sandile Moveset
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
Recommended Teammates
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Sandile's coverage across 9 types all comes from technical machines, built on top of Earthquake and Foul Play for same-type damage. Foul Play and Earthquake are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Sandile won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 10 types means it always has an effective option. Earthquake and Earth Power anchor the STAB core.
The natural movepool does the job, but Aqua Tail and Counter from the egg pool give Sandile something extra. Pair those with Earthquake and Foul Play for STAB and coverage across 9 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
The natural movepool does the job, but Beat Up and Counter from the egg pool give Sandile something extra. Pair those with Earthquake and Foul Play for STAB and coverage across 8 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
Easy grab on Sandile with high spawn rates across 2 locations in early-game routes. The sorted list below shows the full spread so you can pick the most convenient spot.
Best Locations
Sandile doesn't appear in Legends: Z-A. Transfer it from Black, Black 2, or Sword to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Sandile is available from early-game routes onward at high spawn rates. 18 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations
18 walking encounters at Lv. 10-24 for Sandile across Shield and Sword. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
Sandile can't be caught in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Bring it over from Black, Black 2, or Sword instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Sandile is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Catch in the wild in:
Then trade to Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon.
Also found in:
At 292 BST, Sandile is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Krokorok before bringing it to any serious fight.
Sandile evolves into Krokorok at level 29. Sandile is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.
Sandile gets Intimidate, Moxie, and Anger Point. But Intimidate is the one that matters — it's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Sandile is a mixed attacker — base 72 Attack and 35 Sp. Atk. Fragile — can't afford to take many hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — at base 65 Speed, it won't be moving first often.
Sandile appears in 9 games, including Black & White, Black 2 & White 2, and X & Y.
Since Black & White, Sandile has been obtainable in 9 games. A Generation 5 debut means a shorter history, but Sandile has appeared steadily across every generation since.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
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 VBWDebut
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 VIISM
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