Is Sandslash Good in Yellow Playthrough?
Accessible to every player in Yellow, not just Blue owners. Sandslash takes physical hits well and puts in steady work against the late gyms. Water and Ice are problems at the E4, but for the story stretch it gets the job done.
Brock's typing presses Sandshrew's defenses.
Misty's team hits Sandshrew's weaknesses hard.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Lorelei's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Agatha's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Catch Sandshrew on Route 3 (walking, Lv 8-10, uncommon).
- After Brock
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- LV 17NormalSlash70100%20
- After Misty
- TM08NormalBody Slam85100%15
- After Erika
- TM40NormalSkull Bash130100%10
- TM10NormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- After Koga
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- TM09NormalTake Down9085%20
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
Your Sandshrew should hit Level 22 before you reach Lt. Surge, at typical leveling pace.
- After Brock
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- After Misty
- TM08NormalBody Slam85100%15
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- TM40NormalSkull Bash130100%10
- TM10NormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- After Koga
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- TM03NormalSwords Dance—100%20
How to Get Sandslash in Yellow
Sandslash appears at moderate rates across 2 spots in endgame 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 Sandslash in Y
Sandshrew is your first catch on the way to Sandslash. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 8-56 across 5 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch SandshrewRoute 3Lv.8-10GrassRate 15%Route 4Lv.8-10GrassRate 15%Mt. Moon - 1FLv.12CaveRate 4%
Step 2Sandslash ✓Cerulean Cave - 1FLv.52CaveRate 10%Cerulean Cave - 2FLv.56CaveRate 10%or evolve from Sandshrew (Step 1)
Sandslash Weakness
Sandslash is weak to Water, Grass, and Ice. On the flip side, it's immune to Electric-type moves entirely. Sandslash'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 |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
What is Sandslash Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Sandslash
 Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) | ||
 Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
 Oddish GrassPoison | C | |
 Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Vermilion City Gift) | ||
Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | C | |
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Bubble Beam 2x56-66% Ice Beam 2x52-62% | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vaporeon builds →Bubble Beam 2x84-99% Ice Beam 2x81-97% | ||
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vileplume builds →Petal Dance 2x92-109%KO | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Vermilion City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Wartortle builds →Bubble Beam 2x58-69% Ice Beam 2x54-64% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Bubble Beam 2x55-65% Ice Beam 2x53-62% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vileplume builds →Petal Dance 2x92-108%KO | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | B | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Lapras builds →Ice Beam 2x102-121%KO Bubble Beam 2x70-84% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vaporeon builds →Bubble Beam 2x87-102%KO Ice Beam 2x81-97% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Surf 2x77-92% Ice Beam 2x51-61% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x123-146%KO Ice Beam 2x82-97% | ||
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Vileplume builds →Petal Dance 2x92-108%KO | ||
Lapras WaterIce | B | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Lapras builds →Surf 2x101-119%KO Ice Beam 2x101-119%KO | ||
 Blastoise Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Vermilion City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Blastoise builds →Surf 2x101-119%KO Ice Beam 2x67-79% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x93-110%KO Blizzard 2x57-68% | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Tangela Grass | C | |
Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
 Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x129-152%KO Bubble Beam 2x51-60% | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x98-116%KO Blizzard 2x60-71% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Tangela Grass | C | |
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x127-150%KO Bubble Beam 2x51-60% | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x96-114%KO Blizzard 2x59-70% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Tangela Grass | C | |
In Yellow, Snorlax's Self-Destruct hits Sandslash for 49-58%. Exeggutor deals 54-64% with Explosion.
S | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Snorlax builds →Body Slam21-25% Self Destruct49-58% Earthquake25-30% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Chansey builds →Ice Beam 2x33-38% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Exeggutor builds →Psychic44-52% Explosion54-64% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Tauros builds →Body Slam19-23% Hyper Beam34-41% Earthquake23-27% Blizzard 2x44-52% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Zapdos builds →Drill Peck17-20% | ||
Sandslash Evolutions
Sandslash is the evolved form of Sandshrew, reached at level 22. A Ground type at 460 stats that still can't breed. Special grew the most through evolution (+35 over Sandshrew), and Sandslash peaks at 460 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Y Sandslash Best Moveset
MoveSwords Dance doubles the 100 Attack stat, and MoveEarthquake is one of the most powerful physical moves available. The combo sounds devastating, but 65 Speed means setting up safely is the hard part. Goes down to any special attacker before the boost matters.
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Hyper Beam
- Body Slam
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
TMs carry this one. Sandslash learns Earthquake and Dig naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Poison and beyond give it real matchup play.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It is skilled at slashing enemies with its claws. If broken, they start to grow back in a day.
Sandslash Yellow Guide
For Yellow, we rate Sandslash C-Tier: a niche pick in Yellow's meta. At 460 BST, it fits the attacker role. Earthquake anchors the moveset.
At base 65 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Sandslash is a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as an attacker.
For Yellow, the core moveset is Earthquake, Swords Dance, Hyper Beam, and Body Slam. Earthquake leads at 0% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.
In Yellow, the best way to handle Sandslash: Faster attackers outpace it. Anything with a super-effective STAB move and decent speed can revenge kill.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Sandslash has appeared in 20 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves