Stats & Training
Sandshrew's spread isn't flashy. Defense leads, Sp. Atk trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Easy to catch and worth 1 Defense EV, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It burrows and lives underground. If threatened, it curls itself up into a ball for protection.
Burrows deep underground in arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for prey.
Sandshrew Weakness
Sandshrew's Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, and Ice. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. Sandshrew's physical bulk (base 85 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Grass, Ice |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
 Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Bullet Seed 2x43-52% Absorb 2x37-46% | ||
 Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Vine Whip 2x72-85% Bullet Seed 2x43-52% | ||
 Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x76-91% Bullet Seed 2x43-52% | ||
 Paras BugGrass | D | |
 Squirtle Water | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Squirtle builds →Waterfall 2x98-117%KO Water Pulse 2x76-91% Bubble 2x54-65% Water Gun 2x54-65% | ||
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Bullet Seed 2x43-52% Absorb 2x37-46% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Vine Whip 2x72-85% Bullet Seed 2x43-52% | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x76-91% Bullet Seed 2x43-52% | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Squirtle Water | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Squirtle builds →Waterfall 2x98-117%KO Water Pulse 2x76-91% Bubble 2x54-65% Water Gun 2x54-65% | ||
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Giga Drain 2x124-146%KO Bullet Seed 2x43-51% Absorb 2x37-43% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Giga Drain 2x113-134%KO Razor Leaf 2x83-99% Vine Whip 2x70-83% Bullet Seed 2x39-47% | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Giga Drain 2x117-138%KO Vine Whip 2x74-87% Bullet Seed 2x43-51% | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Paras builds →Giga Drain 2x89-107%KO Bullet Seed 2x33-39% | ||
Squirtle Water | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Squirtle builds →Ice Beam 2x74-87% Waterfall 2x100-118%KO Water Pulse 2x76-91% Bubble 2x53-63% | ||
 Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Giga Drain 2x106-126%KO Bullet Seed 2x38-45% | ||
 Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Giga Drain 2x138-164%KO Bullet Seed 2x50-59% Absorb 2x41-49% | ||
 Weepinbell GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Giga Drain 2x138-164%KO Vine Whip 2x85-101%KO Bullet Seed 2x50-59% | ||
 Exeggcute GrassPsychic | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Exeggcute builds →Giga Drain 2x106-126%KO Bullet Seed 2x38-45% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Giga Drain 2x115-136%KO Razor Leaf 2x85-101%KO Vine Whip 2x71-84% Bullet Seed 2x41-49% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Giga Drain 2x106-126%KO Bullet Seed 2x38-45% | ||
Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Giga Drain 2x138-164%KO Bullet Seed 2x50-59% Absorb 2x41-49% | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Giga Drain 2x138-164%KO Vine Whip 2x85-101%KO Bullet Seed 2x50-59% | ||
Exeggcute GrassPsychic | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Exeggcute builds →Giga Drain 2x106-126%KO Bullet Seed 2x38-45% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Giga Drain 2x115-136%KO Razor Leaf 2x85-101%KO Vine Whip 2x71-84% Bullet Seed 2x41-49% | ||
 Articuno Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x222-262%KO Ice Beam 2x181-214%KO Water Pulse 2x81-97% Powder Snow 2x81-97% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x168-198%KO Giga Drain 2x105-125%KO Bullet Seed 2x36-43% | ||
Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x222-262%KO Solar Beam 2x222-262%KO Giga Drain 2x140-165%KO Bullet Seed 2x49-58% | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x222-262%KO Giga Drain 2x140-165%KO Razor Leaf 2x103-122%KO Vine Whip 2x84-99% | ||
Exeggcute GrassPsychic | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Exeggcute builds →Solar Beam 2x168-198%KO Giga Drain 2x105-125%KO Bullet Seed 2x36-43% | ||
Articuno Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x230-271%KO Ice Beam 2x190-223%KO Water Pulse 2x84-99% Powder Snow 2x86-101%KO | ||
 Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 2x261-307%KO Giga Drain 2x165-194%KO Vine Whip 2x99-118%KO Mega Drain 2x90-106%KO | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x175-206%KO Giga Drain 2x110-130%KO Bullet Seed 2x38-46% | ||
Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x228-269%KO Solar Beam 2x228-269%KO Giga Drain 2x145-170%KO Bullet Seed 2x50-60% | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x228-269%KO Giga Drain 2x145-170%KO Razor Leaf 2x106-125%KO Vine Whip 2x87-103%KO | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Swampert can KO Sandshrew with Hydro Pump (212-249%). Gyarados's Earthquake hits Sandshrew for 56-66%.
 Swampert WaterGround | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Swampert builds →Earthquake56-66% Ice Beam 2x115-136%KO Hydro Pump 2x212-249%KO | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Earthquake56-66% | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityEffect Spore ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Breloom builds →Mach Punch32-37% | ||
 Regice Ice | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemLeftovers NatureQuiet Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Regice builds →Ice Beam 2x253-298%KO Explosion59-69% | ||
FireRed & LeafGreen Evolution
Sandshrew evolves into Sandslash. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 150 total stats over Sandshrew. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Sandshrew easily with 102 breeding partners from the Ground egg group. Pass egg moves like Counter, Crush Claw, Flail and 5 more to offspring.
FireRed & LeafGreen Sandshrew Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 3.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
You'll want to breed for Counter and Crush Claw on Sandshrew. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Earthquake and Dig, they expand what Sandshrew can actually threaten in practice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
FireRed & LeafGreen Sandshrew Locations
high spawn rates in early-game routes across 6 locations. Sandshrew's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.
Best Locations to Catch Sandshrew in FireRed & LeafGreen
6 walking spots from Lv. 6-34 for Sandshrew. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.
Sandshrew Guide
Get Sandshrew to Sandslash at level 22. At 300 BST, Sandshrew is just the starting point.
Level 22 gets you Sandslash. Not the fastest evolution, so consider Exp. Share or route grinding to speed it up.
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Sandshrew does the job early-game if you need a Ground type on your team. Evolve it into Sandslash before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
You can find Sandshrew in FireRed & LeafGreen. The Locations section has the full breakdown of routes and encounter details. It also appears in 19 other games across the series.
Game Availability
Sandshrew first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 20 games across 10 generations. It later gained an Alolan form in Generation 7, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.
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 7SMAlolan
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