Physical
Pivot
430Average
115Fast
CTier

While most trainers evolve Sneasel into Weavile immediately, the unevolved form has a niche with Eviolite boosting its defenses. Psychic moves can't touch it, which offsets the 6 weaknesses somewhat. The stat spread favors raw physical power. A longtime staple going back to Gen 2.

The stat bars tell the story: Speed carries everything and Sp. Atk's dead weight. But this Sharp Claw Pokemon still yields 1 Speed EV per fight on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
430Above
HP55
D
Attack95
B
Defense55
D
Sp. Atk35
F
Sp. Def75
C
Speed115
B
Total430
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Sneasel yields +1 Spe
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+1
Details
Catch60ChallengingMedium Slow1.06M XP0.9m / 2'11"28kg / 61.7 lbs86Base XP
Pokedex Entries

This cunning Pokémon hides under the cover of darkness, waiting to attack its prey.

Scarlet

This is a smart and sneaky Pokémon. A pair may work together to steal eggs by having one lure the parents away.

Violet

Sneasel Weakness

Fragile

Sneasel's Dark/Ice typing leaves it vulnerable to Fighting, Fire, Bug, Rock, Steel, and Fairy moves. Fighting hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Psychic-type attacks completely. At base 115 Speed, Sneasel outspeeds most threats and doesn't need to tank what it can outrun.

4xCriticali
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
0xImmunei
6Weak
3Resist
1Immune
Scorei-8
Stealth Rock25% on switch
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
4x Fighting — Close Combat, Drain Punch, Focus Blast
Abilities
Inner FocusPrevents flinching.
Keen EyePrevents accuracy from being lowered.
PickpocketHASteals attacking Pokémon's held items on contact.

To get Weavile from Sneasel, you need a held item. The evolution method matters here. The evolved forms gain up to 80 total stats over Sneasel.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Sneasel
DarkIce
Weavile
DarkIce
HP
55
70+15
ATK
95
120+25
DEF
55
65+10
SP.ATK
35
45+10
SP.DEF
75
85+10
SPE
115
125+10
BST
430C-Tier
510A-Tier+80
ROLE
Pivot
Sweeper
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding
Very Easy

Breed Sneasel easily with 195 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Bite, Counter, Double Hit and 5 more to offspring.

Egg Groups
Ground
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
8moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachugolduckampharosrhydondewgongarbokgranbullquagsireflaaffyrhyhornpsyduck

the remaining moves is what separates a good sweep from a wasted boost. After Swords Dance, Sneasel threatens a wide range with max Attack and Speed EVs and Life Orb backing every hit.

Best Build

Physical Setup Sweeper
Ability
Innerfocus
Item
Life OrbPOWER
Nature
Jolly+SPE
EVs

Best Sneasel Moveset

  • Triple AxelSTAB
  • Knock OffSTAB
  • Ice ShardSTAB
  • Swords Dance

Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Sneasel won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 10 types means it always has an effective option. Blizzard and Foul Play anchor the STAB core.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
10030Normal
Lv 1
Scratch
4010035Normal
Lv 6
Taunt
10020Dark
Lv 12
Quick Attack+1
4010030Normal
Lv 18
Metal Claw
509535Steel
Lv 24
Icy Wind
559515Ice
Lv 30
Fury Swipes
188015Normal
Lv 36
Hone Claws
15Dark
Lv 42
Beat Up
10010Dark
Lv 48
Agility
30Psychic
Lv 54
Screech
8540Normal
Lv 60
Slash
7010020Normal

TM Moves

Src
TM27
Aerial Ace
6020Flying
TM04
Agility
30Psychic
TM46
Avalanche-4
6010010Ice
TM143
Blizzard
110705Ice
TM58
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
TM129
Calm Mind
20Psychic
TM94
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark
TM55
Dig
8010010Ground
TM47
Endure+4
10Normal
TM25
Facade
7010020Normal
TM03
Fake Tears
10020Dark
TM57
False Swipe
4010040Normal
TM43
Fling
10010Dark
TM192
Focus Punch-3
15010020Fighting
TM62
Foul Play
9510015Dark
TM152
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM130
Helping Hand+5
20Normal
TM135
Ice Beam
9010010Ice
TM69
Ice Punch
7510015Ice
TM187
Icicle Spear
2510030Ice
TM34
Icy Wind
559515Ice
TM181
Knock Off
6510020Dark
TM199
Lash Out
751005Dark
TM12
Low Kick
10020Fighting
TM39
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
TM31
Metal Claw
509535Steel
TM140
Nasty Plot
20Dark
TM83
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM07
Protect+4
10Normal
TM50
Rain Dance
5Water
TM85
Rest
5Psychic
TM134
Reversal
10015Fighting
TM06
Scary Face
10010Normal
TM114
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TM61
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
TM70
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM30
Snarl
559515Dark
TM52
Snowscape
10Ice
TM177
Spite
10010Ghost
TM103
Substitute
10Normal
TM49
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM123
Surf
9010015Water
TM32
Swift
6020Normal
TM88
Swords Dance
20Normal
TM01
Take Down
908520Normal
TM87
Taunt
10020Dark
TM171
Tera Blast
8010010Normal
TM18
Thief
6010025Dark
TM221
Throat Chop
8010015Dark
TM20
Trailblaze
5010020Grass
TM212
Triple Axel
209010Ice
TM229
Upper Hand+3
6510015Fighting
TM11
Water Pulse
6010020Water
TM105
X-Scissor
8010015Bug

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Bite
6010025Dark
Egg
Counter-5
10020Fighting
Egg
Double Hit
359010Normal
Egg
Fake Out+3
4010010Normal
Egg
Feint+2
3010010Normal
Egg
Ice Shard+1
4010030Ice
Egg
Icicle Crash
859010Ice
Egg
Spite
10010Ghost

Tutor Moves

Sneasel can't learn any Tutor moves

high spawn rates in early-game routes across 6 locations. Sneasel's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.

Best Locations

You can catch Sneasel through 6 walking encounters from Lv. 15-60, but availability differs between Scarlet and Violet. Some spots are exclusive to one version.

North Province (Area One) - Mountain
ScarletOverworldLv.15-4036%EarlyRoute
EFFORTLESS
North Province (Area One) - Mountain
VioletOverworldLv.15-4036%EarlyRoute
EFFORTLESS
North Province (Area One) - Snow
ScarletOverworldLv.15-4036%EarlyRoute
EFFORTLESS
North Province (Area One) - Snow
VioletOverworldLv.15-4036%EarlyRoute
EFFORTLESS
The Great Crater of Paldea - Hidden Cave
VioletOverworldLv.15-6030%Early
EFFORTLESS
The Great Crater of Paldea - Hidden Cave
ScarletOverworldLv.15-6030%Early
EFFORTLESS
  • At 430 BST, Sneasel is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Weavile before bringing it to any serious fight.

  • Watch for Hitmonlee (Fighting), Arcanine (Fire), and Scyther (Bug) when using Sneasel. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Hitmonlee is the most dangerous since Fighting moves deal 4x damage. Rock, Steel, and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 6 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Sneasel's base 115 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.

  • Sneasel can evolve into Weavile and Hisuian Sneasler depending on the method. Sneasel is the base form in a 3-stage evolutionary line.

  • Inner Focus prevents flinching — that's the one you want on Sneasel. Pickpocket is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Keen Eye works too if your team needs something different.

  • Sneasel is a physical attacker with base 95 Attack. But the speed tells the real story — base 115 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the pivot role.

  • Sneasel appears in 18 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.

Available since Gold & Silver, Sneasel appears in 18 games spanning 8 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Hisuian form in Generation 8.