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 EV, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Its body is virtually composed of water. It shoots strange beams from its crystal-like eyes.
It drifts in sea currents. Countless fishermen are hurt by its poison stingers.
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 |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Lunatone RockPsychic | C | |
Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Pachirisu Electric | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Pachirisu builds →Thunderbolt 2x54-64% Spark 2x71-86% | ||
Cubone Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Cubone builds →Bone Club 2x77-91% Bonemerang 2x63-75% | ||
Elekid Electric | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Elekid builds →Thunderbolt 2x68-80% Shock Wave 2x45-54% Thunder Shock 2x30-38% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x188-222%KO Dig 2x149-177%KO Mud Bomb 2x52-62% Mud Shot 2x45-53% | ||
Lunatone RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Lunatone builds →Dream Eater 2x97-115%KO Earthquake 2x90-107%KO Psychic 2x90-107%KO Confusion 2x52-62% | ||
Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Solrock builds →Dream Eater 2x66-78% Earthquake 2x134-159%KO Psychic 2x62-74% Confusion 2x34-41% | ||
Gligar Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gligar builds →Earthquake 2x170-201%KO Dig 2x136-160%KO | ||
Gible DragonGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gible builds →Earthquake 2x160-189%KO Dig 2x129-152%KO Sand Tomb 2x59-70% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x186-219%KO Dig 2x149-176%KO Mud Bomb 2x47-56% Mud Shot 2x41-49% | ||
Lunatone RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Lunatone builds →Dream Eater 2x95-113%KO Earthquake 2x87-104%KO Psychic 2x86-102%KO Confusion 2x51-60% | ||
Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Solrock builds →Dream Eater 2x66-78% Earthquake 2x133-158%KO Psychic 2x60-71% Confusion 2x35-42% | ||
Gligar Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gligar builds →Earthquake 2x167-198%KO Dig 2x134-159%KO | ||
Gible DragonGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gible builds →Earthquake 2x159-187%KO Dig 2x128-152%KO Sand Tomb 2x60-71% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gastrodon builds →Earthquake 2x177-209%KO Dig 2x143-170%KO Mud Bomb 2x61-72% Mud-Slap 2x22-26% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x183-215%KO Dig 2x147-173%KO Mud Bomb 2x47-55% Mud Shot 2x41-49% | ||
Steelix SteelGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Steelix builds →Earthquake 2x183-215%KO Dig 2x147-173%KO Thunder Fang 2x79-93% | ||
Lunatone RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Lunatone builds →Dream Eater 2x93-111%KO Earthquake 2x86-102%KO Psychic 2x86-101%KO Confusion 2x49-59% | ||
Gible DragonGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gible builds →Earthquake 2x154-183%KO Dig 2x124-147%KO Sand Tomb 2x58-68% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gastrodon builds →Earthquake 2x177-208%KO Dig 2x143-168%KO Mud Bomb 2x59-70% Mud-Slap 2x20-24% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x182-214%KO Dig 2x145-171%KO Mud Bomb 2x46-55% Mud Shot 2x39-46% | ||
Steelix SteelGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Steelix builds →Earthquake 2x182-214%KO Dig 2x145-171%KO Thunder Fang 2x80-94% | ||
Lunatone RockPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Lunatone builds →Dream Eater 2x93-110%KO Earthquake 2x88-104%KO Psychic 2x83-98% Confusion 2x49-58% | ||
Gible DragonGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gible builds →Earthquake 2x156-184%KO Dig 2x124-147%KO Sand Tomb 2x57-67% | ||
Bronzong SteelPsychic | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Bronzong builds →Future Sight 2x98-116%KO Earthquake 2x130-153%KO Dream Eater 2x82-97% Psychic 2x76-89% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gastrodon builds →Earthquake 2x184-216%KO Dig 2x147-173%KO Mud Bomb 2x61-73% Mud-Slap 2x20-24% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Quagsire builds →Earthquake 2x188-222%KO Dig 2x151-178%KO Mud Bomb 2x48-57% Mud Shot 2x41-49% | ||
Steelix SteelGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Steelix builds →Earthquake 2x188-222%KO Dig 2x151-178%KO Thunder Fang 2x82-97% | ||
Gible DragonGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gible builds →Earthquake 2x160-189%KO Dig 2x131-154%KO Sand Tomb 2x59-70% | ||
In Diamond & Pearl, Magnezone can KO Tentacool with Thunderbolt (135-159%). Gliscor threatens a KO with Earthquake (209-246%).
Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Magnezone builds →Thunderbolt 2x135-159%KO Explosion121-143%KO | ||
Gliscor Ground | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityHypercutter ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gliscor builds →Earthquake 2x209-246%KO Ice Fang23-27% | ||
Celebi PsychicGrass | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves View Celebi builds →
| ||
Jolteon Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityVoltabsorb ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Jolteon builds →Thunderbolt 2x179-210%KO Shadow Ball53-62% | ||
Garchomp DragonGround | C | |
Ground is super effective against TentacoolView Garchomp → | ||
Diamond & Pearl Evolution
Tentacool evolves into Tentacruel. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A decent 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 21 breeding partners from the Water3 egg group. Pass egg moves like Acupressure, Aurora Beam, Confuse Ray and 5 more to offspring.
Diamond & Pearl Tentacool Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 4.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Breeding opens up real options for Tentacool. Acupressure and Aurora Beam 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
Transfer Moves
Diamond & Pearl Tentacool Locations
Tentacool is available from mid-game water routes onward at high spawn rates. 24 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 Diamond & Pearl
24 surfing encounters at Lv. 20-30 for Tentacool across Diamond and Pearl. A few locations are version-exclusive, so your copy of the game affects what's available.
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 Diamond & Pearl, 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 Diamond & Pearl. 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
