Slowking was practically built for Trick Room teams. Regenerator recovers a third of its HP every time it switches out, and 110 base Sp. Def gives it real offensive presence. Known as the Royal Pokemon. Introduced in Gen 2.
Sp. Def leads and Speed gets almost nothing. That's Slowking's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Sp. Def EVs.
SLOWKING undertakes research every day in an effort to solve the mysteries of the world. However, this POKéMON apparently forgets everything it has learned if the SHELLDER on its head comes off.
Slowking Weakness
VulnerableSlowking's Water/Psychic typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric, Grass, Bug, Ghost, and Dark moves. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Slowking's special bulk (base 110 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
Out of 2 evolutions from Slowpoke, Slowking comes from the trade route. The method you use determines which form you end up with. Breed through Slowpoke to get eggs. Both Slowking and Slowbro hit 490 total stats from Slowpoke. The difference is how those stats are split.
How to Evolve
Breed with Slowking to get Slowpoke eggs easily using 49 partners from the Monster and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Belly Drum, Future Sight, Mud Sport and 4 more.
Psychic is the main STAB option after a Calm Mind boost. Leftovers gives Slowking passive recovery each turn to survive the setup turn, and max HP and Sp. Atk EVs make the boosted hits count. Double STAB catches resists.
Best Build
Best Slowking Moveset
- Psychic
- Surf
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
The natural movepool does the job, but Belly Drum and Future Sight from the egg pool give Slowking something extra. Pair those with Future Sight and Psychic for STAB and coverage across 7 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Slowking can't be caught in Ruby & Sapphire. Transfer Slowpoke from Red, Yellow, or LeafGreen and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Slowking in Ruby & Sapphire
Step 3Slowking ✓
Regenerator changes the entire equation for Slowking. The 490 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a tank.
Watch for Raikou (Electric), Venusaur (Grass), and Pinsir (Bug) when using Slowking. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Ghost and Dark-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. At base 30 Speed, Slowking won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Regenerator is what you want on Slowking. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Oblivious, Own Tempo) work on paper but Regenerator is what makes Slowking worth using.
Base 30 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Slowking is a special attacker with base 100 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a tank.
Slowking appears in 18 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Since debuting in Gold & Silver, Slowking has appeared in 18 titles over 8 generations. Along the way, it received a Galarian form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGSDebut
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 VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwShGalarian
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A