Technician boosts weaker moves to surprising damage levels, letting Smeargle hit way above its stat class. Normal typing helps — Ghost moves can't touch it, and only a single type hits it super-effectively. Introduced in Gen 2.
Speed and HP carry most of Smeargle's stat budget. Attack's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 1 Speed EV. Follows a fast 800K XP curve.
It marks its territory by using its tail like a paintbrush. There are more than 5,000 different marks.
Smeargle Weakness
GoodSmeargle's Normal typing leaves it vulnerable to Fighting moves. It shrugs off Ghost-type attacks completely. Just 1 weak spot to worry about, which keeps teambuilding straightforward.
Smeargle doesn't evolve, so breeding's where the action is. You'll find a massive partner pool across one egg group, and eggs are average hatch time.
How to Evolve
Breed Smeargle easily with 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
Baton Pass keeps your team's momentum going. Smeargle doesn't need to stay in long, Focus Sash provides a guaranteed survive from full HP and max HP and Speed EVs make every visit count. Baton Pass threatens on the way out. Moody adds passive value.
Best Build
Best Smeargle Moveset
- Baton Pass
- Spore
- Minimize
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Not a lot to pick from. Smeargle gets Normal STAB for same-type damage, and limited coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Not a lot to pick from. Smeargle gets Normal STAB for same-type damage, and limited coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Not a lot to pick from. Smeargle gets Normal STAB for same-type damage, and limited coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Not a lot to pick from. Smeargle gets Normal STAB for same-type damage, and limited coverage rounds things out. You're building around what's available rather than choosing from a deep bench.
Smeargle doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Gold, Crystal, or Brilliant Diamond to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Smeargle is only available through the PokeRadar in this game. No standard wild encounters here. 2 spots are listed below with details on how to trigger them. These become available in mid-game encounter areas.
Best Locations
Smeargle appears at moderate rates across 4 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations
walking encounters for Smeargle across 4 spots at Lv. 6-10. The catch is that Ultra Moon and Ultra Sun don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
decent spawn rates for Smeargle across 4 locations in early-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations
4 spots to find Smeargle at Lv. 7-10 via walking. Not all of them exist in both Moon and Sun versions, so filter by your copy below.
Technician changes the entire equation for Smeargle. The 250 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier.
Watch for Hitmonlee (Fighting) when using Smeargle. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Smeargle doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Normal-type Pokemon with a 250 base stat total.
Technician is what you want on Smeargle. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Own Tempo, Moody) work on paper but Technician is what makes Smeargle worth using.
Base 75 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Smeargle is leaning toward the physical side (base 20 Attack). Defensively? Fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Smeargle appears in 16 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Available in 16 titles since its debut in Gold & Silver, Smeargle spans 8 generations of Pokemon games. It's accessible through wild encounters in most mainline games.
- 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 VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A