Stats & Training
Shellder's spread isn't flashy. Defense leads, Sp. Def trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Common in the wild and worth 1 Defense EV, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
The sand that accumulates inside its shell eventually becomes a pearl. But the pearl gets in the way, so it spits it out and discards it.
Even when its shell is closed, its tongue still hangs out. If you give its tongue a good yank, the shock will cause Shellder to open its shell.
Shellder Weakness
Type-wise, Shellder takes extra damage from Electric and Grass. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Shellder's physical bulk (base 100 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel |
 Decidueye GrassGhost | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Rowlet (Route 1 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Decidueye builds →Leaf Storm 2x373-440%KO Leaf Blade 2x104-123%KO Razor Leaf 2x65-77% Leafage 2x49-57% | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Venusaur builds →Petal Dance 2x345-406%KO Solar Beam 2x345-406%KO Petal Blizzard 2x85-100%KO Razor Leaf 2x53-63% | ||
 Vikavolt BugElectric | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Vikavolt builds →Zap Cannon 2x473-557%KO Thunderbolt 2x356-420%KO Spark 2x55-66% | ||
 Cottonee GrassFairy | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Cottonee builds →Solar Beam 2x165-194%KO Energy Ball 2x126-149%KO Giga Drain 2x104-123%KO Razor Leaf 2x27-31% | ||
 Petilil Grass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Petilil builds →Leaf Storm 2x281-331%KO Energy Ball 2x196-231%KO Giga Drain 2x165-194%KO Magical Leaf 2x130-154%KO | ||
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Zapdos can KO Shellder with Thunderbolt (356-419%). Kartana's Knock Off hits Shellder for 45-54%. Amoonguss's Giga Drain also KOs at 193-227%.
 Zapdos Electric | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Zapdos builds →Heat Wave63-74% Thunderbolt 2x356-419%KO | ||
 Kartana GrassSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityBeastboost ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Kartana builds →Knock Off45-54% | ||
 Amoonguss GrassPoison | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureSassy Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain 2x193-227%KO | ||
 Rotom ElectricGhost | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemColbur Berry NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Shellder View Rotom builds →Volt Switch 2x199-234%KO Hex93-109%KO | ||
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Evolution
Evolving Shellder into Cloyster takes an evolution item. It's not a simple level-up, so check the chain details below. Evolving adds up to 220 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Shellder easily with 33 breeding partners from the Water3 egg group. Pass egg moves like Aqua Ring, Avalanche, Barrier and 9 more to offspring.
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Shellder Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
The egg pool carries weight here. Aqua Ring and Avalanche aren't available any other way for Shellder, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Hydro Pump and Surf for solid options.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Shellder Locations
Shellder is available from early-game fishing spots onward at high spawn rates. 4 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 Shellder in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Catching Shellder here means fishing. All 4 encounters require Super Rod at Lv. 10-22, and there aren't any overworld spawns in this game.
Shellder Guide
Shellder evolves into Cloyster using a Water Stone. One evolution, no branching. Solid jump from 305 BST.
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Shellder does the job early-game if you need a Water type on your team. Evolve it into Cloyster before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Shellder is catchable in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Check the Locations section above for specific routes, encounter rates, and methods. It also appears in 19 other games across the series.
Shellder is available in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Across the full series, it appears in 20 games total.
Game Availability
Shellder has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 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