Sandslash (Pokémon)

Sandslash サンドパン Sandpan

Artwork from FR/LG

Type Species  Ground  Mouse Pokémon Ability Exp. at 100 Sand Veil 1,000,000 Pokédex Kanto #028 Johto #049 Hoenn #113 Sinnoh #— Browser Fiore R— Almia R-195 Height Weight 3'03" 65.0 lbs. Pokédex color Footprint Body style Catch rate Yellow 90 Gender ratio 50% male 50% female Egg groups Egg cycles Ground 21 (5355 steps*) EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 2 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Exp. 163 External links On Legendary Pokémon Pokédex: Generation III Generation IV On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV On Eevee's Pokédex (Gen. I-IV) On Psypoke Pokédex On Pokecharms Pokédex (Gen. III-IV) On Marriland Pokédex (Gen. IV) Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Sandslash (Japanese: サンドパン Sandpan) is a Ground-type Pokémon.

It evolves from Sandshrew starting at level 22.

Biology

Physiology

Sandslash is a ground-dwelling pholidote notable for its offensive and defensive capabilities. Its body is mostly covered in sharp quills formed from its tough, dry hide. It can curl into a large ball to protect its underbelly, and in this position it can roll to attack or escape. Its primary weapon is the large claws on its paws, which can be used to slash at enemies but which also useful for burrowing quickly and can sometimes be poisoned. Its claws and spikes can both break off and are shed regularly, but grow back quickly.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

Sandslash are able to roll themselves into sharp balls of spikes, which can be used to both attack and defend themselves. In this ball form Sandslash can protect themselves from heatstroke, and can even kick up a dust storm. Sandslash is also adept at climbing trees, and is prone to ambush its enemies from above.

Like most evolved Pokémon, Sandslash can generate a Hyper Beam.

Behavior

In the wild, Sandslash are more offensive than their pre-evolution, Sandshrew, but are still mostly defensive by nature. They spend much of their time hidden underground in their burrows, and will kick up sand or curl into a ball to escape predators. It will also curl into a ball to prevent heatstroke during the high temperatures of the daytime in its habitat. Although it is known to regrow its claws and spines if broken or snapped off, it does seem to have habitual molting, for once a year the old spikes fall out, to be replaced with new spikes that grow out from beneath the old spikes.

When needed, they can perform a variety of techniques to attack enemies, including slashing at them, rolling at them while curled up, and even climbing trees and attacking from above.

Habitat

Rough-terrain Pokémon

They are adapted to dry, arid areas. Thus, they can mostly be found in deserts and grasslands, and sometimes in river valleys or the upper levels of caves as well. Wherever they are, they live underground in burrows.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Sandslash do not require a lot of water, due to a very efficient system of staying hydrated with minimal moisture. They hunt for prey in the wild.

In the anime

A Trainer and his Sandslash

Major appearances

In Good 'Quil Hunting, a Pokémon Trainer named Koji informed Ash about a place that was good for catching Cyndaquil. After Ash captured a Cyndaquil, the trainer challenged Ash to a 1-on-1 Pokémon battle to determine who'd keep the Cyndaquil. Koji used a Sandslash against Ash's Cyndaquil and lost.

In Bulbasaur... the Ambassador, several Sandslash helped dig a new lake for the Grass-type Pokémon at Professor Oak's Lab.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness, Sandslash was a member of Team Razor Wind, along with Scyther and Zangoose. The trio of clawed Pokémon were first seen being blasted out of the Wigglytuff Guild. Team Razor Wind overheard that Team Poképals were assigned with the task of traveling to the Labyrinth Cave to get a Gabite Scale for an ailing Shinx, and decided to attempt beating the Poképals. Unfortunately for Team Razor Wind, Gabite beat them up.

Minor appearances

Sandslash first appeared in To Master the Onixpected. It was stuck underneath the rocky skin of a giant Onix and causing so much pain, that the Rock Snake Pokémon was on a rampage. Bruno helped to get the Sandslash out.

A Sandslash owned by Corey was one of the Pokémon that was captured and cloned by Mewtwo in Mewtwo Strikes Back. When Team Rocket saw this Pokémon being cloned, it was mistaken for its pre-evolution, Sandshrew. The Sandslash clone was seen again in Mewtwo Returns.

Sandslash also made a cameo in Numero Uno Articuno as a Pokémon belonging to Noland.

In Gymbaliar! a Sandslash was under the ownership of a boy Trainer battling Jessie for "a Badge". It lost to Jessie's (then) Croagunk.

A group of Sandslash also appeared in Historical Mystery Tour!.

Pokédex entries

In the manga

In Pokémon Adventures, Sandslash's most dominant appearance was in When Sandslash Gets Rowdy. While trying to find out their location, Gold and Silver are attacked by a swarm of spiky balls, which are revealed to be Sandslash migrating in response to the wrath of Lugia.

In the TCG

Main article: Sandslash (TCG)

Game data

NPC appearances

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness: Sandslash is one of the members of Team Razor Wind.

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

Held items

Game		Held Item(s)
Red*	Blue*	Berry (100%)
Yellow*
FireRed	LeafGreen	Soft Sand (5%) (LeafGreen only)
Diamond	Pearl	Quick Claw (5%)
Platinum
* The Pokémon must be traded to a Generation II game in order for the item to appear.

Stats

Base stats

Pokéthlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

By leveling up

By TM/HM

By breeding

By tutoring

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball
	Acquisition: Evolve
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
	Acquisition: Evolve
Pokémon Trozei!
	Rarity: Rare
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team
Body size: 1	Recruit Rate: Evolve	Friend Area: Furnace Desert
Phrases
51%-100% HP	Let me take them on with the spikes on my back and my big claws!
26%-50% HP	Uh-oh, not good. My health is down to half.
1%-25% HP	I'm beat... I don't have the energy to shake my spikes...
Level Up	There! I leveled! My claws are even sharper!
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness
Body size: 1	Recruit Rate: 0.5%	IQ Group: D
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
Group:  Ground	Poké Assist: ( Ground )	Field Move: (Tunnel ×1)
"It hurls lumps of sand to attack."

Evolution

Unevolved Sandshrew  Ground

Level 22 →

First evolution Sandslash  Ground

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow	Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal			Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald	FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum	HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back

For other sprites and images, please see Sandslash images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Sandslash's original name was "Sandstorm".
  • If this had happened, it would have been the only Pokémon with the same name as a move.
• Although being one of the few pure Ground-type Pokémon in the first generations, Sandslash did not learn any damage-dealing Ground-type move via leveling up until Generation III.
• Although its species is the Mouse Pokémon, non of the animals it draws its design inspiration from are actually rodents.
• Both Sandshrew and Sandslash are mentioned to have poisonous claws, similar to how some species of the shrew are poisonous.

Origin

Sandslash share various physical traits with both hedgehogs and pangolins.

Name origin

Sandslash's name is a combination of sand and slash, referring to its long claws. Its Japanese name may be a combination of sand and pangolin.

In other languages

• German: Sandamer - From Sand.
• French: Sablaireau - From sable (sand) and blaireau (badger).
• Korean: 고지 Koji
• Chinese (Hong Kong and Taiwan): 穿山王 Chuan Shan Wáng - A portmanteau of 穿山甲 Chuan Shan Jia (pangolin and 王 (king). Literally "king of going through mountains".

External links

Notes

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.