Stats & Training
Sandshrew's spread isn't flashy. Defense leads, Special trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Easy to catch and worth 1 Defense stat exp, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Its body is dry. When it gets cold at night, its hide is said to become coated with a fine dew.
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 |
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
 Exeggutor GrassPsychic | S | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Exeggutor builds →Solar Beam 2x316-372%KO Mega Drain 2x108-127%KO | ||
 Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x230-271%KO Ice Beam 2x190-223%KO Bubble Beam 2x90-107%KO Water Gun 2x57-67% | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x161-190%KO Blizzard 2x107-126%KO Ice Beam 2x88-104%KO Surf 2x132-156%KO | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Cerulean City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 2x261-307%KO Razor Leaf 2x122-144%KO Vine Whip 2x99-118%KO Mega Drain 2x90-106%KO | ||
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Vileplume builds →Petal Dance 2x283-334%KO Solar Beam 2x283-334%KO Mega Drain 2x95-113%KO | ||
 Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
 Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodCerulean City Gift | ||
 Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
 Paras BugGrass | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodCerulean City Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
 Squirtle Water | D | |
Obtain MethodVermilion City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Squirtle builds →Bubble Beam 2x82-98% Bubble 2x51-61% Water Gun 2x51-61% | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Mega Drain 2x70-83% Absorb 2x37-43% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodCerulean City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x83-99% Vine Whip 2x70-83% Mega Drain 2x63-75% | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x74-87% Mega Drain 2x67-79% | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Squirtle Water | D | |
Obtain MethodVermilion City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Squirtle builds →Ice Beam 2x74-87% Bubble Beam 2x80-95% Bubble 2x53-63% Water Gun 2x53-63% | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | B | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Lapras builds →Ice Beam 2x167-196%KO Bubble Beam 2x119-141%KO Water Gun 2x75-89% | ||
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Mega Drain 2x69-81% Absorb 2x37-44% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodCerulean City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x84-100%KO Vine Whip 2x69-81% Mega Drain 2x63-74% | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x75-89% Mega Drain 2x65-78% | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
 Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Tangela builds →Vine Whip 2x98-116%KO Mega Drain 2x87-103%KO Absorb 2x46-55% | ||
 Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Oddish builds →Petal Dance 2x202-239%KO Mega Drain 2x71-84% Absorb 2x38-45% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodCerulean City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x85-100%KO Vine Whip 2x71-84% Mega Drain 2x62-74% | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Bellsprout builds →Razor Leaf 2x90-106%KO Vine Whip 2x73-87% Mega Drain 2x66-77% | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x222-262%KO Ice Beam 2x181-214%KO Bubble Beam 2x87-103%KO Water Gun 2x54-64% | ||
Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 2x253-297%KO Vine Whip 2x97-114%KO Mega Drain 2x86-102%KO Absorb 2x45-53% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x168-198%KO Mega Drain 2x58-69% | ||
 Weepinbell GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x222-262%KO Razor Leaf 2x103-122%KO Vine Whip 2x84-99% Mega Drain 2x75-89% | ||
 Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x222-262%KO Solar Beam 2x222-262%KO Mega Drain 2x75-89% Absorb 2x38-46% | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x230-271%KO Ice Beam 2x190-223%KO Bubble Beam 2x90-107%KO Water Gun 2x57-67% | ||
Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 2x261-307%KO Vine Whip 2x99-118%KO Mega Drain 2x90-106%KO Absorb 2x46-55% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x175-206%KO Mega Drain 2x61-72% | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x228-269%KO Razor Leaf 2x106-125%KO Vine Whip 2x87-103%KO Mega Drain 2x77-91% | ||
Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x228-269%KO Solar Beam 2x228-269%KO Mega Drain 2x77-91% Absorb 2x41-48% | ||
In Yellow, Cloyster can KO Sandshrew with Blizzard (212-249%). Articuno threatens a KO with Blizzard (232-273%).
 Cloyster WaterIce | A | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Cloyster builds →Explosion82-96% Clamp 2x68-81% Blizzard 2x212-249%KO | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x232-273%KO Hyper Beam45-53% Ice Beam 2x189-223%KO | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Sandshrew View Victreebel builds →Wrap6-7% | ||
Yellow Evolution
A Ground type with 310 stats, Sandshrew has a chain leading to Sandslash. Breeding won't work. The evolved forms gain up to 140 total stats over Sandshrew. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Yellow Sandshrew Best Moveset
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Without TMs, Sandshrew's movepool is bare bones. With them, you get Normal and Poison coverage and more on top of Earthquake and Dig for STAB. The natural kit handles basics, but TMs are doing the real work.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Yellow Sandshrew Locations
decent spawn rates for Sandshrew across 3 locations in early-game routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Best Locations to Catch Sandshrew in Yellow
3 walking spots from Lv. 8-12 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 310 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 Yellow, 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 Yellow. 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