Is Slowpoke Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Slowpoke Well from the very start of the game. Water/Psychic with AbilityOblivious preventing infatuation. The Team Rocket storyline in Azalea Town puts Slowpoke front and center. Slowbro at level 37 is the practical payoff for keeping one.
Slowpoke trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Slowpoke has the type edge here and should clean up Bugsy's team.
Slowpoke trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Slowpoke has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Morty:
Slowpoke trades roughly evenly with Chuck's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Chuck:
Slowpoke has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Jasmine:
Slowpoke trades roughly evenly with Pryce's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Pryce:
Slowbro trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Clair:
Slowbro resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Brock:
Slowbro trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Misty:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Lt. Surge:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Erika:
Slowbro resists most of Janine's coverage and hits back hard.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Janine:
Slowbro trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Sabrina:
Slowbro resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Blaine:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Blue:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Will:
Slowbro resists most of Koga's coverage and hits back hard.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Koga:
Slowbro resists most of Bruno's coverage and hits back hard.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Bruno:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Karen:
Slowbro has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.
Your evolution path matters here. Pick a branch to see how it fares against Lance:
Catchable
Catch Slowpoke in Slowpoke Well (walking, Lv 6-8, uncommon).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM35FireFlamethrowerPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 15Goldenrod Game Corner
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- LV 29WaterWater PulsePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 34PsychicZen HeadbuttPower 120Accuracy 90%PP 15
- After Clair
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Victory Road
- LV 48PsychicPsychicPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10
Evolve Slowpoke to Slowbro
Slowpoke evolves into Slowbro at Level 37. Your Slowpoke should hit Level 37 before you reach Clair, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 37)
- LV 37PsychicZen HeadbuttPower 120Accuracy 90%PP 15
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM35FireFlamethrowerPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 15Goldenrod Game Corner
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- After Clair
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Victory Road
- LV 54PsychicPsychicPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10
Evolve Slowpoke to Slowking
Slowpoke evolves into Slowking when traded. Most players are ready to trade before reaching Clair.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 34)
- LV 34PsychicZen HeadbuttPower 120Accuracy 90%PP 15
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- After Clair
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Victory Road
- LV 48PsychicPsychicPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10
How to Get Slowpoke in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Slowpoke lazes around the water at three spots by surf and grass, common in the 5 to 25 range. Famously associated with its own well in Azalea, the dopey pink Pokemon is an easy mid-game catch near the coast.
Wild Slowpoke may be holding when caught:
Lagging Tail (5% chance) An item to be held by a Pokemon. It is tremendously heavy and makes the holder move slower than usual.3 locations to catch Slowpoke
Encountered via Surfing, tall grass encounters
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Slowpoke in HGSS
Slowpoke is where the line starts, caught through walking and surfing encounters at Lv. 5-25. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Slowpoke ✓
Available in-game· 2 pathsPick one
Not landing the catch? Calculate Slowpoke catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Slowpoke in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Slowpoke lazes around the Slowpoke Well and Tohjo Falls, but breeding it Masuda-style is the fastest way to a shiny. Compare Shiny Slowpoke odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Slowpoke Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Slowpoke preloaded.
Slowpoke Weakness
Slowpoke's Water/Psychic typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric, Grass, Bug, Ghost, and Dark. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Slowpoke's physical bulk (base 65 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass, Bug, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Fighting, Psychic, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Slowpoke Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Slowpoke
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
 Carnivine Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Carnivine builds →Solar Beam 2x155-183%KO Bite 2x40-48% | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Leafeon Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Leafeon builds →Solar Beam 2x114-134%KO Shadow Ball 2x52-62% | ||
 Yanmega Bug | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Yanmega builds →Solar Beam 2x126-149%KO Silver Wind 2x97-114%KO Shadow Ball 2x85-101%KO Night Slash 2x39-46% | ||
 Scyther Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Scyther builds →U-turn 2x78-93% Pursuit 2x31-37% | ||
 Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x114-134%KO Leech Life 2x23-28% | ||
 Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
 Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Absol builds →Payback 2x64-76% Shadow Claw 2x59-69% Thunderbolt 2x71-85% | ||
 Flaaffy Electric | C | |
 Pinsir Bug | C | |
 Magnemite ElectricSteel | C | |
 Plusle Electric | B | |
 Skiploom Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Slowpoke View Skiploom builds →Solar Beam 2x97-114%KO U-turn 2x29-34% | ||
Slowpoke Evolutions
From here, Slowpoke's line branches into Slowbro and Slowking. That's 2 possible evolutions, each with its own method. The evolved forms gain up to 175 total stats over Slowpoke. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Slowpoke easily with 63 breeding partners from the Monster and Water 1 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Belly Drum, Block, Future Sight and 7 more to offspring.
HGSS Slowpoke Best Moveset
Water/Psychic with 90 HP and 65 Defense providing some bulk, but 15 Speed means the moveset goes last against literally everything. AbilityOwn Tempo prevents confusion. Evolve to Slowbro for real defensive presence.
Best Build
Slowpoke best EVs are Defense and Attack
Support Moveset
- Slack Off
- Aqua Tail
- Zen Headbutt
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Belly Drum and Block from the egg pool give Slowpoke something extra. Pair those with Future Sight and Psychic for STAB and coverage across 7 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
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
All 27 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It lazes vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won’t even notice for a whole day.
A sweet sap leaks from its tail’s tip. Although not nutritious, the tail is pleasant to chew on.
Slowpoke HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- Where in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone can I find Slowpoke?
See the Locations section above for where to find Slowpoke in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Slowpoke from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Slowpoke easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
No. Slowpoke only evolves into Slowking through a real trade. There is no in-game alternative in HeartGold & SoulSilver. The King's Rock must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
Yes. Wild Slowpoke in HeartGold & SoulSilver can hold Lagging Tail (5%). Use Thief (TM46) or Covet to swipe the held item without affecting your catch chance. Quickest way to farm rare items like Lagging Tail.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, you can run Slowpoke through the first few routes without issues. 315 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Slowbro as fast as you can.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Slowpoke has appeared in 21 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received a Galarian form in Generation 8, 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 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGalarian
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
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