Is Tentacool Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Surfing encounter across all of Johto's waterways. Water/Poison with AbilityClear Body preventing stat drops or AbilityLiquid Ooze punishing drain moves. Tentacruel at level 30 has strong special Defense. You'll run into Tentacool whether you want to or not.
Tentacool has the type edge here and should clean up Falkner's team.
Tentacool trades roughly evenly with Bugsy's team.
Tentacool trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Tentacool trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Chuck's typing presses Tentacool's defenses.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Janine's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.
Gift
Tentacool is given to you as a gift in Cianwood City at Lv 15. Requires exactly one Pokémon in the party and all 540 PC storage slots empty before receiving Tentacool. Receive from the man in the Cianwood City Pokemon Center with one Pokemon in your party and empty PC boxes.
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- LV 19WaterBubble BeamPower 98Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- LV 29WaterWater PulsePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 33PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Pryce
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Item ball on Ice Path 1F
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 40WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
Catch Tentacool
Catch Tentacool in New Bark Town (Old Rod fishing, Lv 10, rare).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- LV 19WaterBubble BeamPower 98Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- LV 29WaterWater PulsePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 33PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Pryce
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Item ball on Ice Path 1F
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 40WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
Evolve Tentacool to Tentacruel
Tentacool evolves into Tentacruel at Level 30. Your Tentacool should hit Level 30 before you reach Jasmine, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 30)
- LV 30WaterBubble BeamPower 98Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%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 Pryce
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Item ball on Ice Path 1F
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 36PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 49WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
How to Get Tentacool in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Tentacool floods the sea, ninety-eight encounters across twenty-one locations by surf and every rod. Common on nearly all open water, the jellyfish is the default ocean catch the moment you start surfing between towns.
Wild Tentacool may be holding when caught:
Poison Barb (5% chance) An item to be held by a Pokemon. It is a small, poisonous barb that ups the power of Poison-type moves.21 locations to catch Tentacool
Encountered via fishing with a Rod, Surfing
Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Tentacool in HGSS
Tentacool is the chain's first catch. You'll find surfing, fishing, and more encounters from Lv. 10-40 across 164 total spots in the chain.
- Step 1Tentacool ✓Cherrygrove CityLv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Cianwood CityLv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%New Bark TownLv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Olivine CityLv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 34Lv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 40Lv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 41Lv.10-25Surfing on waterSoulSilverRate 90%Route 27Lv.15-20Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 32Lv.10-20Surfing on waterRate 60%Union Cave - B2FLv.10-20Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 41Lv.15-25Surfing on waterHeartGoldRate 60%Route 47Lv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 60%Whirl Islands - 1FLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 60%New Bark TownLv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 32Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 41Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 47Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Cinnabar IslandLv.10Old RodRate 15%Pallet TownLv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 12Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 13Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 20Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 21Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 26Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Route 27Lv.10Old RodRate 15%Vermilion City - CityLv.10Old RodRate 15%Cianwood CityLv.15Gift from NPCLimitedRequires exactly one Pokémon in the party and all 540 PC storage slots empty before receiving TentacoolRoute 26Lv.25-30Surfing on waterRate 90%Cinnabar IslandLv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Pallet TownLv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 19Lv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 20Lv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 21Lv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Vermilion City - CityLv.30-35Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 12Lv.20Good RodRate 60%Route 13Lv.20Good RodRate 60%Route 12Lv.25Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 13Lv.25Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 32Lv.20Good RodRate 55%New Bark TownLv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 41Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 47Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Cinnabar IslandLv.20Good RodRate 30%Pallet TownLv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 20Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 21Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 26Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 27Lv.20Good RodRate 30%Vermilion City - CityLv.20Good RodRate 30%Route 32Lv.40Super RodRate 70%Route 12Lv.40Super RodRate 70%Route 13Lv.40Super RodRate 70%
- Step 2Catch or Evolve into TentacruelRoute 41Lv.15-25Surfing on waterHeartGoldRate 30%Whirl Islands - B2FLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 30%Cherrygrove CityLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Cianwood CityLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%New Bark TownLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Olivine CityLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 32Lv.15-36Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 34Lv.15-29Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 40Lv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 41Lv.15-25Surfing on waterSoulSilverRate 10%Union Cave - B2FLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Whirl Islands - 1FLv.15-25Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 27Lv.20Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 12Lv.25Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 13Lv.25Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 26Lv.30Surfing on waterRate 10%New Bark TownLv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 41Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 47Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Cinnabar IslandLv.40Super RodRate 20%Pallet TownLv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 20Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 21Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 26Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Route 27Lv.40Super RodRate 20%Vermilion City - CityLv.40Super RodRate 20%Cinnabar IslandLv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%Pallet TownLv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 19Lv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 20Lv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 21Lv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%Vermilion City - CityLv.35Surfing on waterRate 10%or evolve from Tentacool (Step 1)
Not landing the catch? Calculate Tentacool catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Tentacool in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Tentacool floats through the waters off Cinnabar Island and Pallet Town, but breeding it Masuda-style is the fastest way to a shiny. Compare Shiny Tentacool odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Tentacool 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 Tentacool preloaded.
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)
What is Tentacool Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Tentacool
 Gardevoir Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Gardevoir builds →Psychic 2x110-130%KO Thunderbolt 2x77-92% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
 Ampharos Electric | C | |
 Jolteon Electric | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Jolteon builds →Thunderbolt 2x104-123%KO Dig 2x83-99% | ||
 Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Obtain MethodCliff Edge Gate Surfing | ||
 Luxray Electric | C | |
 Sandslash Ground | B | |
 Plusle Electric | B | |
 Hypno Psychic | C | |
 Electrode Electric | B | |
Obtain MethodTeam Rocket Hq Interact Encounter | ||
 Minun Electric | C | |
 Bronzong SteelPsychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Bronzong builds →Extrasensory 2x70-83% Charge Beam 2x30-36% | ||
 Grumpig Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacool View Grumpig builds →Psybeam 2x64-76% Charge Beam 2x33-39% | ||
Tentacool Evolutions
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 take an average time to hatch. 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 Water 3 egg group. Pass egg moves like Acupressure, Aurora Beam, Confuse Ray and 6 more to offspring.
HGSS Tentacool Best Moveset
Remarkable 100 Sp. Def for an unevolved Pokemon, absorbing special attacks that fully evolved Pokemon can't. Water/Poison typing resists five types. The moveset absorbs special damage but deals almost none back at 50 Sp. Atk. Evolve to Tentacruel.
Best Build
Tentacool best EVs are HP and Speed
Bulky Support Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Knock Off
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
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.
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 23 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
When the tide goes out, dehydrated TENTACOOL remains can be found washed up on the shore.
It drifts aimlessly in waves. Very difficult to see in water, it may not be noticed until it stings.
Tentacool HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
Yes. Wild Tentacool in HeartGold & SoulSilver can hold Poison Barb (5%). Use Thief (TM46) or Covet to swipe the held item without affecting your catch chance. Quickest way to farm rare items like Poison Barb.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, 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.
Game Availability
Tentacool has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 21 titles across all 9 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 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 8SwSh
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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