Slowpoke is a pink Pokémon that resembles a cross between a salamander and a hippopotamus. It has vacant eyes that never seem focused, curled ears, and a rounded, tan muzzle. It has four legs, each of which ends in a single white claw. Its long, tapering tail has a white tip. This tail drips a sweet, sappy substance that is attractive to many species of fish. Slowpoke uses the tail as a fishing lure. The tail often breaks off, but it will grow back. Slowpoke tails are considered a delicacy and commonly used as a cooking ingredient: in Alola, they are often dried and used in home-cooked stews, while in Galar, they are smoked and packaged as a curry ingredient. Slowpoke is also known to dive underwater to hunt, but is often itself caught instead.
Slowpoke has a notoriously dim intellect and often forgets what it was doing. It takes a long time to respond to outside stimuli. For example, it can take up to five seconds to process pain and can take an entire day to notice when its tail has been bitten. Slowpoke is commonly found at the water's edge. In some places, it is believed that Slowpoke's yawn causes rain. This Pokémon is worshiped in those areas. Its vacant expression is said to help some people relax, whilst causing irritation to others. It is posited that those who lead hectic lives are most likely to become relaxed. As mentioned in Pokémon Sleep, researchers have debated if Slowpoke is either awake or asleep while it stands around doing nothing.[1]
Galarian Slowpoke's body is a slightly different shade of pink, and it has gained yellow colorations on its forehead and tail. This tail is always down and is said to have a spicy taste.
Galarian Slowpoke's diet consists of eating spices. Much like its Kantonian counterpart, Galarian Slowpoke is known to relax on seashores and riverbanks without a care in the world. However, sometimes it will get a very sharp look in its eyes as if it is about to think of something tremendous, although it will quickly forget and return to its normal expression afterward.
It is believed that this behavior, along with the spicy taste of its tail, is a result of Galarica particles built up from its diet of native Galarica seeds affecting its brain and body.[2] This diet also affects Slowpoke's two different Evolutions, including the Shellder that attaches to it, which is induced by either the Galarica Cuff or the Galarica Wreath. Due to the scent of the spice emanating from its tail, the Galarian Slowpoke often has difficulties while fishing. They can also be found in the Coastal Biome of Blueberry Academy's Terarium, where Galar's regional life is simulated.
It lazes vacantly near water. If something bites its tail, it won't even notice for a whole day. (Pokémon Red, Silver, or Crystal inserted) A sweet sap leaks from its tail's tip. Although not nutritious, the tail is pleasant to chew on. (Pokémon Blue, Gold, or Yellow inserted)
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
It catches prey by dipping its tail in water at the side of a river. But it often forgets what it is doing and spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
Slowpoke uses its tail to catch prey by dipping it in water at the side of a river. However, this Pokémon often forgets what it's doing and often spends entire days just loafing at water's edge.
He had no idea how fast or slow he was, but when everyone was surprised by his speed, he started to realize his speed is incredible. He is an honest and good kid.
Clears Pokémon icons and gimmicks to the left horizontally and to the lower left vertically, then replaces surrounding icons with icons of the most common Pokémon.
Powered-Up Skill:
Clears more Pokémon icons and gimmicks to the left horizontally and to the lower left vertically, then replaces many surrounding icons with icons of the most common Pokémon.
This Pokémon is always idle, so it's hard to tell if it's awake or asleep. Even researchers are divided on whether Slowpoke sleeps, but Slowpoke doesn't seem bothered either way.
In A Crowning Achievement, multiple Slowpoke were trying to reach a King's Rock to evolve into Slowking in order to help find a better habitat for the group. In this episode, Alice Telesu's Slowpoke, nicknamed Arthur, evolved into a Slowking when its head was bitten by a Shellder while it was wearing the King's Rock.
Slowpoke debuted in Island of the Giant Pokémon, where Ash's Pokémon asked one for help when they were stranded on a beach, but it didn't respond. It evolved into a Slowbro at the very end of the episode.
Four Slowpoke appeared in Securing the Future!, with two under the ownership of different Trainers and the other two being wild. They joined the rest of Alola in showering Necrozma with light so it could return to its true form.
Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokémon. A Water and Psychic type. Slowpoke's tail often falls off, but it doesn't hurt, and a new one grows quickly, so the Slowpoke doesn't seem to mind. It takes a little time for them to feel pain.
Slowpoke. Galarian form. The Dopey Pokémon. A Psychic type. This form of Slowpoke lives in the Galarregion. Their facial expressions are normally spacey, but sometimes, they appear focused. Because they eat Galarica seeds from the Galar region, their tails have a spicy flavor.
Ashcaught a giant Slowpoke in Ash vs. Gary. He later traded it to Gary Oak for a photo of his sister May. After this, they found out that Slowpoke had evolved into a Slowbro.
In Ursaring Major, a herd of Slowpoke in Azalea Town had their tails cut off by Team Rocket, causing the Slowpoke Well to stop providing water. Gold proceeds to tire one out with his Aipom, prompting it to yawn and therefore cause the well to start flowing again.
In A Flaaffy Kerfuffle, a Slowpoke appeared as one of the Pokémon in Professor Oak's fantasy when he explains that Trainers should only have six Pokémon with them.
Giovanni stole Slowpoke from Kurt prior to Find Slowpoke!! in order to profit from its tail as it is worth a lot of money. Kurt was able to retrieve the Slowpoke from Giovanni before Giovanni was able to get its tail.
A Slowpoke appears on a channel called Slowpoke's Weather Report. Depending on what weather Slowpoke predicts (rain, cloudy, or clear), the weather in the game will change too, affecting the Pokémon that appear in different areas.
Sometimes, the Slowpoke will fall asleep in the middle of the forecast. This may even result in the weather remaining the same, depending on how long it sleeps.
In the Poké Floats stage, Slowpoke appears as a Poké Float. It initially has its tail curled towards its body, but the tail lazily becomes straight over time. After an amount of time with the tail stretched out, Slowpoke leaves, making room for the next float, Wooper.
Slowpoke appears as a Master Spirit. Unlike other Master Spirits who own dojos, his dojo specifically allows spirits to forget styles that they have learned from other dojos.
Celestial
Slowpoke appeared in the music video for Celestial.
Trivia
Ken Sugimori artwork showing Slowpoke's striped underside
The Japanese and international versions of Pokémon Silver have different sprites for Slowpoke, with the Japanese versions having a fatter and striped belly similar to that which Slowbro and Slowking sport. It is unknown why this was changed. However, its striped underside is still partially visible in all of its Gold and Crystal sprites. This striped belly does not appear to be a true error, as it has been seen in artwork by Ken Sugimori, though it is from Generation I.
Slowpoke is the only Pokémon whose multiple Evolutions have different total EV yields: Slowbro has an EV yield of 2, while Slowking has an EV yield of 3.
Despite numerous Pokédex entries stating its lack of response to a bite on its tail, in Pokémon Snap it is shown to quickly react to Shellder's bite. This may be due to Shellder's venom stimulating a quicker response, or simply an oversight, if not an intentional game mechanic to speed the process along.
The Pokémon Company posted a Slowpoke-themed reggae music video onto their Japanese channel titled どないやねん ヤドン (What's Going on, Yadon?). The song was later dubbed and posted to the English-language channel under the title of Slowpoke Song.
Though the species has appeared repeatedly, no Slowpoke has ever been seen using an attack in the animated series.
Slowpoke has the lowest base Speed stat of all Psychic-type Pokémon.
It also has the lowest base Speed stat of all Pokémon introduced in Generation I.
Slowpoke has the fewest move differences between regional forms, having almost identical learnsets with only two differences. The Galarian form learns Acid instead of Water Gun at level 6 and can learn TR81, Foul Play. However, in Generation IX, both forms are able to learn TM062 Foul Play, resulting in there only being one difference between their learnsets.
Slowpoke is the only Pokémon with a regional form with a branched Evolution.
It is also the only Pokémon to not only not gain a new type in its regional form, but also lose one type without changing the other.
When Galarian Slowpoke was first released, it was affected by the Eviolite despite being unable to evolve at the time (possibly because its Evolutions were still programmed in or planned).
Galarian Slowpoke is the only Pokémon with a branched Evolution where both evolved forms share identical type combinations with each other, but not their pre-evolved form.
Unlike most regional forms, Galarian Slowpoke has a different cry from its regular form.
Slowpoke, its Galarian form, and their evolved forms are the only Psychic-type Pokémon in the Monster Egg Group.
Galarian Slowpoke is the first regional form Pokémon to be added in an update.
Galarian Slowpoke is the first Galarian form that can be caught outside of Galar.
Slowpoke's appearance may be based on hippopotamuses and giant salamanders. Due to its marine nature, physical appearance, and association with shellfish, Slowpoke may also be based on a sea otter. Its ability to grow a new tail if it is cut off may be inspired by the biological processes of autotomy and regeneration seen in some species of lizards and salamanders.
Name origin
Slowpoke is literally slowpoke, a term for someone who is slow.
Yadon may be a combination of 宿借り yadokari (hermit crab), 宿主 yadonushi (parasitic host), and 鈍 don (dull). It may also be a shortening of ヤドラン Yadoran, Slowbro's Japanese name.
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ヤドン Yadon
From 宿借り yadokari, 宿主 yadonushi, ヤドラン Yadoran, and 鈍 don
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Berry (100%)
King's Rock (2%)
Lagging Tail (5%)
+ 
For other sprites and images, please see Slowpoke images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
