Stats & Training
Tirtouga's all-in on Defense at the expense of Speed. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 1 Defense EV and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Restored from a fossil, this Pokémon can dive to depths beyond half a mile.
About 100 million years ago, these Pokémon swam in oceans. It is thought they also went on land to attack prey.
Tirtouga Weakness
Tirtouga is weak to Grass, Electric, Fighting, and Ground. Watch out for Grass attacks, those deal 4x damage. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Solid Rock reduces SE moves damage, further improving the defensive spread. Tirtouga's physical bulk (base 103 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Fighting, Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Ice, Poison, Flying |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
 Snivy Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodNuvema Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Snivy builds →Leaf Tornado 4x133-158%KO Vine Whip 4x61-74% | ||
 Pansage Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodDreamyard Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Pansage builds →Low Sweep 2x30-35% Vine Whip 4x61-74% | ||
 Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
 Scraggy DarkFighting | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Scraggy builds →Focus Blast 2x98-116%KO Brick Break 2x58-68% Low Sweep 2x53-63% | ||
 Drilbur Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Drilbur builds →Dig 2x67-79% Mud-Slap 2x21-26% | ||
 Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x178-211%KO Solar Beam 4x358-422%KO Magical Leaf 4x183-216%KO Rock Smash 2x34-42% | ||
 Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x319-375%KO Mega Drain 4x111-131%KO | ||
 Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x422-497%KO Mega Drain 4x150-178%KO | ||
 Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x239-281%KO Razor Leaf 4x80-94% | ||
Lileep RockGrass | D | |
Obtain MethodNacrene City Gift | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x168-199%KO Solar Beam 4x336-397%KO Magical Leaf 4x172-203%KO Rock Smash 2x34-41% | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x303-357%KO Mega Drain 4x109-130%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x399-470%KO Mega Drain 4x138-162%KO | ||
 Maractus Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Maractus builds →Solar Beam 4x385-454%KO Giga Drain 4x247-292%KO Needle Arm 4x96-114%KO Mega Drain 4x138-162%KO | ||
Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x227-268%KO Razor Leaf 4x76-89% | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x175-207%KO Solar Beam 4x351-414%KO Magical Leaf 4x182-214%KO Rock Smash 2x36-43% | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x310-364%KO Mega Drain 4x108-129%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x406-479%KO Mega Drain 4x139-164%KO | ||
Maractus Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Maractus builds →Solar Beam 4x400-471%KO Giga Drain 4x255-300%KO Needle Arm 4x96-114%KO Mega Drain 4x139-164%KO | ||
Swadloon BugGrass | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Swadloon builds →Solar Beam 4x230-271%KO Razor Leaf 4x73-86% | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x177-210%KO Solar Beam 4x356-419%KO Magical Leaf 4x181-213%KO Rock Smash 2x35-42% | ||
 Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x153-181%KO Rock Smash 2x16-19% | ||
 Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x296-348%KO Razor Leaf 4x103-123%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x317-374%KO Mega Drain 4x110-129%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x422-497%KO Mega Drain 4x147-174%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x173-204%KO Solar Beam 4x347-408%KO Giga Drain 4x217-256%KO Magical Leaf 4x178-210%KO | ||
Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x143-169%KO Thunderbolt 2x36-43% Rock Smash 2x15-17% | ||
Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x282-332%KO Leaf Blade 4x158-186%KO Razor Leaf 4x99-117%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x307-361%KO Mega Drain 4x109-128%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x406-478%KO Mega Drain 4x138-163%KO | ||
Virizion GrassFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodPinwheel Forest Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Virizion builds →Focus Blast 2x177-209%KO Solar Beam 4x354-418%KO Sacred Sword 2x72-86% Giga Drain 4x222-263%KO | ||
Ferroseed GrassSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Ferroseed builds →Solar Beam 4x146-171%KO Thunderbolt 2x36-43% Rock Smash 2x15-18% | ||
Leavanny BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Leavanny builds →Solar Beam 4x291-343%KO Leaf Blade 4x163-193%KO Razor Leaf 4x100-118%KO | ||
Whimsicott Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Whimsicott builds →Solar Beam 4x313-370%KO Mega Drain 4x109-129%KO | ||
Lilligant Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Lilligant builds →Solar Beam 4x414-488%KO Mega Drain 4x141-166%KO | ||
In Black & White, Excadrill can KO Tirtouga with Earthquake (133-157%). Conkeldurr threatens a KO with Drain Punch (112-133%). Magnezone's Thunderbolt also KOs at 243-287%.
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySandforce ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x133-157%KO Rapid Spin11-13% Rock Slide33-39% | ||
 Conkeldurr Fighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityGuts ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Conkeldurr builds →Drain Punch 2x112-133%KO Mach Punch 2x60-71% | ||
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemAir Balloon NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Magnezone builds →Thunderbolt 2x243-287%KO Flash Cannon108-128%KO Volt Switch 2x189-223%KO | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Breloom builds →Mach Punch 2x74-88% Bullet Seed 4x96-112%KO | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityOvergrow ItemBlack Sludge NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Tirtouga View Venusaur builds →Giga Drain 4x309-364%KO Sludge Bomb46-54% | ||
Black & White Evolution
Tirtouga evolves into Carracosta. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. Plenty of partners for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are slow to hatch. Evolving adds up to 140 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Tirtouga with 78 breeding partners from the Water1 and Water3 egg groups. Pass egg moves like Bide, Body Slam, Flail and 6 more to offspring.
Black & White Tirtouga Best Moveset
For an attacker, Tirtouga wants spread EVs and Stickybarb. The Hardy nature tilts toward balanced duty, and Sturdy contributes without taking a move slot.
Best Build
Tirtouga best EVs are Attack
Utility Moveset
- Unknown
- Dive
- Dig
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Egg moves make a real difference. Tirtouga gets Bide and Body Slam exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Normal and Dark coverage and more rounds out the picture alongside Hydro Pump and Stone Edge.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Tirtouga in Black & White
Tirtouga is handed to you at Nacrene City. No encounter rates or random spawns involved, so there's nothing to grind. Check the location details below for the exact conditions to trigger it.
Best Locations to Catch Tirtouga in Black & White
Tirtouga Guide
In Black & White, Tirtouga isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Carracosta to unlock its full potential. At 355 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
In Black & White, Tirtouga's biggest threats include Venusaur (Grass), Jolteon (Electric), and Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Venusaur is the most dangerous since Grass moves deal 4x damage. Ground-type attackers are also a problem. At base 22 Speed, Tirtouga won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
In Black & White, Run Swift Swim on Tirtouga. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Tirtouga also gets Solid Rock and Sturdy, but they don't compare.
In Black & White, Swift Swim is the hidden ability. It doubles Speed during rain. Worth hunting for if you want Tirtouga to compete at a higher level.
In Black & White, Tirtouga fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 78 Attack. Base 22 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Game Availability
Introduced in Black & White, Tirtouga has appeared in 7 games across 6 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
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 5BWDebut
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