Is Tentacruel Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Fast Water/Poison with excellent Sp. Def. Walls Lucian's Psychic-types with Poison typing and handles Flint. Not going to win battles quickly, but it rarely goes down either. A solid defensive option for the E4.
Tentacool resists most of Roark's coverage and hits back hard.
Tentacool trades roughly evenly with Gardenia's team.
Tentacool trades roughly evenly with Maylene's team.
Crasher Wake's team hits Tentacool's weaknesses hard.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Fantina's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Byron's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Candice's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Volkner's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Aaron's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Bertha's team.
Tentacruel has the type edge here and should clean up Flint's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Lucian's team.
Tentacruel trades roughly evenly with Cynthia's team.
Catch Tentacruel on Route 205 (Surf, Lv 20-40, uncommon).
Catch Tentacool on Route 205 (Surf, Lv 20-30, common).
How to Get Tentacruel in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Tentacruel is available from mid-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.
Where To Catch Tentacruel in BDSP
To get Tentacruel, start by catching Tentacool through surfing and walking encounters at Lv. 20-55. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch TentacoolCanalave CityLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Fuego IronworksLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Iron Island - OutsideLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Pastoria CityLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 205 - SouthLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 213Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 218Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 219Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 220Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 221Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Route 222Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Valley WindworksLv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 60%Bogsunk CavernLv.42-46GrassRequires Icicle BadgeFountainspring CaveLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeRiverbank CaveLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeStill-Water CavernLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeSwampy CaveLv.42-46GrassRequires Icicle Badge
Step 2Tentacruel ✓Canalave CityLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Fuego IronworksLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Iron Island - OutsideLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Pastoria CityLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 205 - SouthLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 213Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 218Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 219Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 220Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 221Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 222Lv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Valley WindworksLv.20-40Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 223Lv.35-45Surfing on waterRate 60%Sunyshore CityLv.35-45Surfing on waterRate 60%Pokémon LeagueLv.35-45Surfing on waterRate 35%Route 224Lv.40-55Surfing on waterRate 35%Bogsunk CavernLv.42-46GrassRequires Icicle BadgeFountainspring CaveLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeRiverbank CaveLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeStill-Water CavernLv.42-46CaveRequires Icicle BadgeSwampy CaveLv.42-46GrassRequires Icicle BadgeRoute 226Lv.40-55Surfing on waterRate 5%Route 230Lv.40-55Surfing on waterRate 5%or evolve from Tentacool (Step 1)
Tentacruel Weakness
Electric, Ground, and Psychic moves hit Tentacruel for super-effective damage. With 8 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Tentacruel's special bulk (base 120 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 |
What is Tentacruel Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Tentacruel
 Marowak Ground | C | |
 Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x78-93% Shock Wave 2x31-37% | ||
 Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
 Hypno Psychic | C | |
 Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Mr. Mime builds →Dream Eater 2x68-80% Thunderbolt 2x40-47% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x75-89% Shock Wave 2x31-37% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
 Grumpig Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Grumpig builds →Dream Eater 2x60-71% Shock Wave 2x25-30% Bulldoze 2x24-28% | ||
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x74-88% Shock Wave 2x30-36% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Grumpig Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Grumpig builds →Dream Eater 2x58-68% Shock Wave 2x24-29% Bulldoze 2x23-28% | ||
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x73-86% Shock Wave 2x30-35% | ||
 Chimecho Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Chimecho builds →Dream Eater 2x60-70% Shock Wave 2x24-29% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Grumpig Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Grumpig builds →Dream Eater 2x58-68% Shock Wave 2x24-29% Bulldoze 2x23-27% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
 Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x73-86% Shock Wave 2x30-35% | ||
Chimecho Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Chimecho builds →Dream Eater 2x60-70% Shock Wave 2x24-29% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Raikou's Thunderbolt hits Tentacruel for 64-76%. Gardevoir's Psychic hits Tentacruel for 68-80%.
 Raikou Electric | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Raikou builds →Thunderbolt 2x64-76% Scald9-11% Aura Sphere9-11% | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tentacruel View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast18-21% Psychic 2x68-80% Shadow Ball20-24% | ||
Tentacruel Evolutions
Evolved from Tentacool. Tentacruel is the final form in this two-stage line. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. HP grew the most through evolution (+40 over Tentacool), and Tentacruel peaks at 515 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Tentacruel to get Tentacool eggs easily using 21 partners from the Water3 egg group. Notable egg moves include Acupressure, Aqua Ring, Aurora Beam and 7 more.
BDSP Tentacruel Best Moveset
Dropped from S-tier but B still reflects 120 Sp. Def, 100 Speed, and MoveRapid Spin for hazard removal. Hidden AbilityRain Dish adds passive rain healing the moveset didn't have in the original Gen 4. Water/Poison TermStab at 80 Sp. Atk keeps offensive pressure alive alongside the defensive utility.
Best Build
Tentacruel best EVs are HP and Defense
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off
- Toxic Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Don't skip the egg moves. Tentacruel picks up Acupressure and Aqua Ring only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Hydro Pump and Sludge Wave while coverage across 7 types adds range.
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
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
With 80 tentacles for ensnaring victims, it prevents escape until the prey is weakened by poison.
It alerts others to danger by stridently flashing the red orbs on its head.
Tentacruel Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
For Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, we rate Tentacruel C-Tier: a niche pick in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl's meta. At 515 BST, it fits the pivot role. Rapid Spin with Black Sludge is the standard set.
Clear Body prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon. That's the one you want on Tentacruel. Rain Dish is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Liquid Ooze works too if your team needs something different.
Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Tentacruel is a mixed attacker with base 70 Attack and 80 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a pivot.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, run Rapid Spin, Scald, Knock Off, and Toxic Spikes on Tentacruel. Rapid Spin is the most common pick at 0% usage. Scald provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Tentacruel has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
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 7LGPE
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