
Is Phanpy Good in Gold & Silver Playthrough?
Silver version only, Route 45. Donphan evolves at 25 and is a strong physical Ground-type. Arrives late but the raw Attack power handles the remaining Johto content and most of Kanto. Silver players get a solid Ground option that Gold players need to trade for.
Phanpy has the type edge here and should clean up Falkner's team.
Phanpy has the type edge here and should clean up Bugsy's team.
Phanpy trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Phanpy has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Chuck's team hits Phanpy's weaknesses hard.
Phanpy has the type edge here and should clean up Jasmine's team.
Phanpy trades roughly evenly with Pryce's team.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Donphan has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Erika's team hits Donphan's weaknesses hard.
Donphan has the type edge here and should clean up Janine's team.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Donphan has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Donphan has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.
Will's team hits Donphan's weaknesses hard.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Donphan trades roughly evenly with Bruno's team.
Donphan has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Catch Phanpy on Route 45 (walking, Lv 20, uncommon).
- STARTING (Lv 20)
- LV 20NormalTackle40100%35
- After Falkner
- TM02NormalHeadbutt70100%15
- After Bugsy
- TM08FightingRock Smash40100%15
- After Whitney
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- TM13NormalSnore50100%15
- LV 25NormalTake Down9085%20
- After Jasmine
- TM10NormalHidden Power60100%15
- LV 49NormalDouble-Edge120100%15
Your Phanpy should hit Level 25 before you reach Clair, at typical leveling pace.
- STARTING (Lv 25)
- LV 25NormalHorn Attack65100%25
- After Falkner
- TM02NormalHeadbutt70100%15
- After Bugsy
- TM08FightingRock Smash40100%15
- After Whitney
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- TM13NormalSnore50100%15
- After Jasmine
- TM10NormalHidden Power60100%15
- LV 41NormalRapid Spin50100%40
- LV 49GroundEarthquake150100%10
How to Get Phanpy in Gold & Silver
Phanpy appears at moderate rates across 1 spots in mid-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Phanpy in GS
Phanpy is your first catch on the way to Phanpy. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 20-50 across 8 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Phanpy ✓Route 45Lv.20GrassSilverRate 10%
Step 2Catch or Evolve into DonphanMt. Silver - 1FLv.44CaveSilverRate 30%Victory Road - 1FLv.33CaveSilverRate 20%Route 28Lv.40GrassSilverRate 20%Mt. Silver - OutsideLv.42CaveSilverRate 20%Mt. Silver - 2FLv.47CaveSilverRate 20%Mt. Silver - Side chambersLv.47CaveSilverRate 20%Mt. Silver - SummitLv.50CaveSilverRate 10%or evolve from Phanpy (Step 1)
Phanpy Weakness
Phanpy's Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, and Ice. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. 3 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
| 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
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
What is Phanpy Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Phanpy
Chikorita Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodNew Bark Town Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Totodile Water | C | |
Obtain MethodNew Bark Town Gift | ||
Chikorita Grass | D | |
Obtain MethodNew Bark Town Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Hoppip Grass | D | |
Totodile Water | C | |
Obtain MethodNew Bark Town Gift | ||
Oddish GrassPoison | C | |
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Blizzard 2x149-175%KO Water Gun 2x53-63% | ||
Skiploom Grass | C | |
Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
Croconaw Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Croconaw builds →Blizzard 2x75-89% Water Gun 2x42-50% | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 32 Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Quagsire builds →Ice Punch 2x51-61% Water Gun 2x42-50% | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Surf 2x112-132%KO Blizzard 2x142-168%KO | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 32 Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Quagsire builds →Surf 2x90-107%KO Ice Punch 2x48-57% | ||
Croconaw Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Croconaw builds →Surf 2x85-100%KO Blizzard 2x73-86% | ||
Skiploom Grass | C | |
Bayleef Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Surf 2x112-133%KO Blizzard 2x142-167%KO | ||
Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Feraligatr builds →Surf 2x106-125%KO Blizzard 2x90-106%KO | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 32 Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Quagsire builds →Surf 2x91-108%KO Ice Punch 2x49-58% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x86-102%KO Blizzard 2x72-85% | ||
Jumpluff Grass | C | |
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Surf 2x109-129%KO Blizzard 2x138-162%KO | ||
Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Feraligatr builds →Surf 2x105-124%KO Blizzard 2x87-103%KO | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 32 Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Quagsire builds →Surf 2x91-107%KO Ice Punch 2x48-57% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x86-102%KO Blizzard 2x72-84% | ||
Jumpluff Grass | C | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodLake Of Rage Good Rod Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Gyarados builds →Surf 2x86-102%KO Blizzard 2x72-84% | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Surf 2x109-129%KO Blizzard 2x138-162%KO | ||
Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Feraligatr builds →Surf 2x105-124%KO Blizzard 2x87-103%KO | ||
Quagsire WaterGround | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 32 Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Quagsire builds →Surf 2x91-107%KO Ice Punch 2x48-57% | ||
Azumarill Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x86-102%KO Blizzard 2x72-84% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodLake Of Rage Good Rod Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Gyarados builds →Surf 2x86-102%KO Blizzard 2x72-84% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | B | |
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Lapras builds →Surf 2x109-129%KO Blizzard 2x138-162%KO | ||
Feraligatr Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Feraligatr builds →Surf 2x105-124%KO Blizzard 2x87-103%KO | ||
Delibird Ice | C | |
Tangela Grass | C | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodLake Of Rage Good Rod Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Gyarados builds →Hydro Pump 2x110-130%KO Blizzard 2x73-86% | ||
Jumpluff Grass | C | |
Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | C | |
In Gold & Silver, Starmie can KO Phanpy with Surf (123-145%).
Starmie WaterPsychic | A | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Phanpy View Starmie builds →Surf 2x123-145%KO Rapid Spin14-16% | ||
Phanpy Evolutions
Phanpy evolves into Donphan. It's a two-stage chain with the method shown below. Plenty of partners for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. The evolved forms gain up to 170 total stats over Phanpy. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
GS Phanpy Best Moveset
Ground pre-evolution with stats too low for competitive play. MoveEarthquake exists at reduced power. Donphan takes over with the Attack and bulk to make the Ground role function.
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Mud Slap
- Double Edge
- Take Down
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Ancient Power and Body Slam from the egg pool give Phanpy something extra. Pair those with Earthquake and Mud-Slap for STAB and Normal and Rock coverage for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
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
It swings its long snout around playfully, but because it is so strong, that can be dangerous.
As a sign of affection, it bumps with its snout. However, it is so strong, it may send you flying.
Phanpy Gold & Silver Guide
In Gold & Silver, Phanpy does the job early-game if you need a Ground type on your team. Evolve it into Donphan before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
Game Availability
Phanpy first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 16 games across 9 generations. Obtainable through catching or hatching as a base form in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut

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