Stats & Training
Tentacool's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Def leads, Defense trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 1 Sp. Def stat exp, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
As it floats along on the waves, it uses its toxic feelers to stab anything it touches.
Tentacool Weakness
Tentacool is weak to Electric, Ground, and Psychic. 7 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Tentacool's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ground, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Bug, Steel |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x252-297%KO Mud-Slap 2x53-63% | ||
 Marowak Ground | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cubone (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Marowak builds →Dig 2x146-172%KO Thunder Punch 2x30-37% Bone Club 2x119-141%KO Bonemerang 2x93-110%KO | ||
 Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x190-224%KO Dig 2x152-180%KO Mud-Slap 2x39-47% | ||
 Sandslash Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x172-203%KO Mud-Slap 2x46-55% | ||
 Magneton ElectricSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magneton builds →Zap Cannon 2x139-164%KO Thunder 2x128-151%KO Thunder Shock 2x49-57% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x152-179%KO Mud-Slap 2x40-48% | ||
 Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Onix builds →Dig 2x98-116%KO Mud-Slap 2x27-34% | ||
 Cubone Ground | C | |
Obtain MethodGoldenrod City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Cubone builds →Dig 2x102-121%KO Thunder Punch 2x29-35% Bone Club 2x85-102%KO Bonemerang 2x65-77% | ||
 Magnemite ElectricSteel | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnemite builds →Thunder 2x110-131%KO Thunder Shock 2x45-53% | ||
 Sandshrew Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Sandshrew builds →Dig 2x139-165%KO Mud-Slap 2x40-48% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x145-172%KO Mud-Slap 2x40-48% | ||
 Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Graveler builds →Dig 2x159-188%KO Mud-Slap 2x44-52% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Onix builds →Dig 2x95-112%KO Mud-Slap 2x27-32% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Obtain MethodGoldenrod City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Cubone builds →Dig 2x101-120%KO Thunder Punch 2x27-32% Bone Club 2x81-96% Bonemerang 2x64-76% | ||
Magnemite ElectricSteel | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnemite builds →Thunder 2x105-124%KO Thunder Shock 2x40-48% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x142-168%KO Mud-Slap 2x39-47% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Graveler builds →Dig 2x155-183%KO Mud-Slap 2x43-51% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Onix builds →Dig 2x92-109%KO Mud-Slap 2x26-31% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Obtain MethodGoldenrod City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Cubone builds →Dig 2x95-113%KO Thunder Punch 2x26-31% Bone Club 2x79-94% Bonemerang 2x62-74% | ||
Magnemite ElectricSteel | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnemite builds →Thunder 2x103-121%KO Thunder Shock 2x39-47% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x142-168%KO Mud-Slap 2x39-47% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Graveler builds →Dig 2x155-183%KO Mud-Slap 2x43-51% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Onix builds →Dig 2x92-109%KO Mud-Slap 2x26-31% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Obtain MethodGoldenrod City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Cubone builds →Dig 2x95-113%KO Thunder Punch 2x26-31% Bone Club 2x79-94% Bonemerang 2x62-74% | ||
Magnemite ElectricSteel | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnemite builds →Thunder 2x103-121%KO Thunder Shock 2x39-47% | ||
Donphan Ground | B | |
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x142-168%KO Mud-Slap 2x39-47% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Graveler builds →Dig 2x155-183%KO Mud-Slap 2x43-51% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Onix builds →Dig 2x92-109%KO Mud-Slap 2x26-31% | ||
Magnemite ElectricSteel | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnemite builds →Thunder 2x103-121%KO Thunder Shock 2x39-47% | ||
In Crystal, Jolteon can KO Tentacool with Thunderbolt (97-114%). Jynx threatens a KO with Psychic (100-118%). Rhydon's Earthquake also KOs at 272-320%.
 Jolteon Electric | A | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Jolteon builds →Thunderbolt 2x97-114%KO | ||
 Jynx IcePsychic | B | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Jynx builds →Ice Beam25-29% Psychic 2x100-118%KO Thief22-26% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Rhydon builds →Rock Slide102-120%KO Earthquake 2x272-320%KO | ||
 Electabuzz Electric | C | |
Recommended Build ItemScopelens Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Electabuzz builds →Thunder 2x104-122%KO | ||
Crystal Evolution
Tentacool evolves into Tentacruel. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A small partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Evolving adds up to 180 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Tentacool easily with 13 breeding partners from the Water3 egg group. Pass egg moves like Aurora Beam, Haze, Mirror Coat and 2 more to offspring.
Crystal Tentacool Best Moveset
Best Build
Gen 2 build content has limited support (no abilities).
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Breeding opens up real options for Tentacool. Aurora Beam and Haze come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Hydro Pump and Sludge Bomb and Normal and Ice coverage and more.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Crystal Tentacool Locations
Tentacool is available from early-game water routes onward at high spawn rates. 46 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations to Catch Tentacool in Crystal
Tentacool shows up in 46 surfing and fishing spots from Lv. 10-40. Plenty of options, and the list is sorted so the highest-rate locations at each progression stage come first.
Tentacool Guide
Tentacool evolves into Tentacruel at level 30. One evolution, no branching. Solid jump from 335 BST.
Tentacool evolves into Tentacruel at level 30. Takes some grinding. Plan your team around the mid-game wait.
In Crystal, Tentacool does the job early-game if you need a Water/Poison type on your team. Evolve it into Tentacruel before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Tentacool is catchable in Crystal. Check the Locations section above for specific routes, encounter rates, and methods. It also appears in 20 other games across the series.
Game Availability
Tentacool has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 21 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves