Sandshrew Evolution
Sandshrew Abilities
Sandshrew Moves
| Move▲ | Type▲ | Cat.▲ | Pow▲ | Acc▲ | Method▲ | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch | normal | physical | 40 | 100 | Level 1 | Hard, pointed, sharp claws rake the target to inflict damage. |
| Defense Curl | normal | status | – | – | Level 1 | The user curls up and boosts its Defense stat. |
| Poison Sting | poison | physical | 15 | 100 | Level 3 | The user stabs the target with a poisonous stinger to inflict damage. This may also poison the target. |
| Sand Attack | ground | status | – | 100 | Level 6 | Sand is hurled in the target's face, lowering the target's accuracy. |
| Rollout | rock | physical | 30 | 90 | Level 9 | The user continually rolls into the target over five turns. This attack becomes more powerful each time it hits. |
| Fury Cutter | bug | physical | 40 | 95 | Level 12 | The user attacks by slashing the target with scythes, claws, or the like. This attack becomes more powerful if it hits in succession. |
| Rapid Spin | normal | physical | 50 | 100 | Level 15 | The user performs a spin attack that can also eliminate the effects of such moves as Bind, Wrap, and Leech Seed. This also boosts the user's Speed stat. |
| Bulldoze | ground | physical | 60 | 100 | Level 18 | The user strikes everything around it by stomping down on the ground. This lowers the Speed stats of those hit. |
| Swift | normal | special | 60 | – | Level 21 | Star-shaped rays are shot at opposing Pokémon. This attack never misses. |
| Fury Swipes | normal | physical | 18 | 80 | Level 24 | The user attacks by raking the target with claws, scythes, or the like. This move hits two to five times in a row. |
| Agility | psychic | status | – | – | Level 27 | The user relaxes and lightens its body to move faster. This sharply boosts its Speed stat. |
| Slash | normal | physical | 70 | 100 | Level 30 | The target is attacked with a slash of claws, scythes, or the like. This move has a heightened chance of landing a critical hit. |
| Dig | ground | physical | 80 | 100 | Level 33 | The user burrows into the ground on the first turn, then attacks on the next turn. |
| Gyro Ball | steel | physical | – | 100 | Level 36 | The user tackles the target with a high-speed spin. The slower the user is than the target, the greater the move's power. |
| Swords Dance | normal | status | – | – | Level 39 | A frenetic dance to uplift the fighting spirit. This sharply boosts the user's Attack stat. |
| Sandstorm | rock | status | – | – | Level 42 | A five-turn sandstorm is summoned to damage all Pokémon except Rock, Ground, and Steel types. The sandstorm also boosts the Sp. Def stats of Rock types. |
| Earthquake | ground | physical | 100 | 100 | Level 45 | The user sets off an earthquake that strikes every Pokémon around it. |
| Aerial Ace | flying | physical | 60 | – | TM | The user confounds the target with speed, then slashes. This attack never misses. |
| Amnesia | psychic | status | – | – | TM | The user temporarily empties its mind to forget its concerns. This sharply boosts the user's Sp. Def stat. |
| Body Slam | normal | physical | 85 | 100 | TM | The user attacks by dropping onto the target with its full body weight. This may also leave the target with paralysis. |
| Brick Break | fighting | physical | 75 | 100 | TM | The user attacks with a swift chop. This move can also break barriers, such as Light Screen and Reflect. |
| Curse | ghost | status | – | – | TM | A move that has different effects depending on whether the user is a Ghost type or not. |
| Double Edge | normal | physical | 120 | 100 | TM | A reckless life-risking tackle in which the user rushes the target. This also damages the user quite a lot. |
| Earth Power | ground | special | 90 | 100 | TM | The user makes the ground under the target erupt with power. This may also lower the target's Sp. Def stat. |
| Endeavor | normal | physical | – | 100 | TM | The user inflicts damage by cutting down the target's HP to roughly equal the user's HP. |
| Endure | normal | status | – | – | TM | The user endures any attack with at least 1 HP. This move's chance of failing rises if used in succession. |
| Facade | normal | physical | 70 | 100 | TM | This move's power is doubled if the user is poisoned, burned, or paralyzed. |
| False Swipe | normal | physical | 40 | 100 | TM | A restrained attack that prevents the target from fainting. The target is left with at least 1 HP. |
| Fling | dark | physical | – | 100 | TM | The user flings its held item at the target to attack. This move's power and effects depend on the item. |
| Focus Punch | fighting | physical | 150 | 100 | TM | The user focuses its mind before launching a punch. This move fails if the user is hit before using the move. |
| High Horsepower | ground | physical | 95 | 95 | TM | The user fiercely attacks the target using its entire body. |
| Knock Off | dark | physical | 65 | 100 | TM | The user slaps down the target's held item, making it unusable for that battle. This move does more damage if the target has a held item. |
| Leech Life | bug | physical | 80 | 100 | TM | The user drains the target's blood. The user's HP is restored by up to half the damage taken by the target. |
| Low Kick | fighting | physical | – | 100 | TM | A powerful low kick that makes the target fall over. The heavier the target, the greater the move's power. |
| Mud Shot | ground | special | 55 | 95 | TM | The user attacks by hurling a blob of mud at the target. This also lowers the target's Speed stat. |
| Poison Jab | poison | physical | 80 | 100 | TM | The target is stabbed with a tentacle, an arm, or the like steeped in poison. This may also poison the target. |
| Protect | normal | status | – | – | TM | This move enables the user to protect itself from all attacks. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession. |
| Rest | psychic | status | – | – | TM | The user goes to sleep for two turns. This fully restores the user's HP and cures any status conditions. |
| Rock Slide | rock | physical | 75 | 90 | TM | Large boulders are hurled at opposing Pokémon to inflict damage. This may also make the opposing Pokémon flinch. |
| Rock Tomb | rock | physical | 60 | 95 | TM | The user hurls boulders at the target to inflict damage. This also lowers the target's Speed stat by cutting off its movement. |
| Sand Tomb | ground | physical | 35 | 85 | TM | The user traps the target inside a harshly raging sandstorm that inflicts damage for four to five turns. |
| Scorching Sands | ground | special | 70 | 100 | TM | The user throws scorching sand at the target to attack. This may also leave the target with a burn. |
| Shadow Claw | ghost | physical | 70 | 100 | TM | The user attacks by slashing the target with a sharp claw made from shadows. This move has a heightened chance of landing a critical hit. |
| Sleep Talk | normal | status | – | – | TM | The user randomly uses one of the moves it knows. This move can only be used while the user is asleep. |
| Smack Down | rock | physical | 50 | 100 | TM | The user throws a stone or similar projectile to attack the target. If the target is in the air, it will be knocked down to the ground. |
| Spikes | ground | status | – | – | TM | The user lays a trap of spikes at the feet of the opposing team. The spikes will damage opposing Pokémon that switch into battle. |
| Stealth Rock | rock | status | – | – | TM | The user lays a trap of levitating stones around the opposing team. The trap damages opposing Pokémon that switch into battle. |
| Stomping Tantrum | ground | physical | 75 | 100 | TM | Driven by frustration, the user attacks the target. This move's power is doubled if the user's previous move failed. |
| Stone Edge | rock | physical | 100 | 80 | TM | The user stabs the target with sharpened stones. This move has a heightened chance of landing a critical hit. |
| Substitute | normal | status | – | – | TM | The user creates a substitute for itself using some of its own HP. The substitute serves as the user's decoy. |
| Sunny Day | fire | status | – | – | TM | The user intensifies the sun for five turns, powering up Fire-type attacks. The sunlight also lowers the power of Water-type attacks. |
| Super Fang | normal | physical | – | 90 | TM | The user chomps hard on the target with its sharp front fangs. This cuts the target's HP in half. |
| Take Down | normal | physical | 90 | 85 | TM | A reckless full-body charge attack for slamming into the target. This also damages the user a little. |
| Tera Blast | normal | special | 80 | 100 | TM | If the user has Terastallized, it unleashes energy of its Tera Type. This move inflicts damage using the Attack or Sp. Atk stat—whichever is higher for the user. |
| Thief | dark | physical | 60 | 100 | TM | The user attacks and steals the target's held item simultaneously. The user can't steal anything if it already holds an item. |
| Throat Chop | dark | physical | 80 | 100 | TM | The user attacks the target's throat, and the resultant suffering prevents the target from using sound-based moves for two turns. |
| X Scissor | bug | physical | 80 | 100 | TM | The user slashes at the target by crossing its scythes, claws, or the like as if they were a pair of scissors. |
| Counter | fighting | physical | – | 100 | Egg | A retaliatory attack that counters any physical move, inflicting double the damage taken. |
| Flail | normal | physical | – | 100 | Egg | The user flails about aimlessly to attack. The less HP the user has, the greater the move's power. |
| Hone Claws | dark | status | – | – | Egg | The user sharpens its claws to boost its Attack stat and accuracy. |
| Metal Claw | steel | physical | 50 | 95 | Egg | The target is raked with steel claws. This may also boost the user's Attack stat. |
| Mud Slap | ground | special | 20 | 100 | Egg | The user hurls mud in the target's face to inflict damage and lower its accuracy. |
| Night Slash | dark | physical | 70 | 100 | Egg | The user slashes the target the instant an opportunity arises. This move has a heightened chance of landing a critical hit. |
Sandshrew Sprites
Burrows deep underground in arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food.
Its body is dry. When it gets cold at night, its hide is said to become coated with a fine dew.
If it fell from a great height, this POKéMON could save itself by rolling into a ball and bouncing.
Disliking water, it lives in deep burrows in arid areas. It can roll itself instantly into a ball.
It prefers dry, sandy places because it uses the sand to protect itself when threatened.
Sandshrew's Japanese name is Sand (サンド). Here are all the official names for Sandshrew across different languages:
Sandshrew Breeding
How to Get Sandshrew
Sandshrew can be encountered in the wild across multiple Pokemon games. Here is how to obtain Sandshrew in every game where it is available:
About Sandshrew
Sandshrew is a Ground-type Pokemon introduced in Generation 1. With a Base Stat Total (BST) of 300, Sandshrew is classified as a Mouse Pokémon and is part of the Sandshrew → Sandslash → Alolan Sandshrew evolution line.
In competitive play, Sandshrew is placed in the ZU tier where it holds a 0.06% usage rate. Its key abilities are Sand Veil and Sand Rush, which allow it to function as a potent threat in sandstorm teams. Sandshrew is weak to Water, Grass, Ice-type moves, so trainers should plan around these vulnerabilities.
Sandshrew can learn 99 moves across Level-up, TM, Tutor, and Egg methods. Its most popular competitive moves include Swords Dance, Earthquake, Rock Slide, Leech Life. Standing at 0.6m tall and weighing 12kg, Sandshrew has been a fan favorite since its debut in the Kanto region games.