It is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
Smeargle is best known for its ability to use the move Sketch, which permanently copies the last move used by the opponent. Due to this, it can legitimately have any move in the Pokémon games except for Chatter, Struggle, Tera Starstorm, Revival Blessing, the Starmobiles' signature moves, and Shadow moves — though it could learn Dark Void and Hyperspace Fury prior to Generation IX, it cannot use those moves as they can only be used by Darkrai and Hoopa, respectively. Consequently, it can pass on any Egg Move to Pokémon in the Field Egg Group.
Smeargle is a bipedal, beagle-like Pokémon with white and brown fur. It has a long tail with an end resembling a paintbrush. This paintbrush oozes with paint, and the color of the paint may vary for each Smeargle, as well as change in hue corresponding to its emotions. Smeargle has a footprint on its back that is typically the same color as the paint on the tip of its tail, though Smeargle can have separate back and tail colors in Pokémon Stadium 2. The mark is placed on Smeargle's back as a sign of adulthood. Smeargle's in-game appearances in Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal as well as Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness all depict it with red paint on its back and tail while its Shiny coloration is depicted with green; the inverse is true in the Generation IIIcore series games and in every game from Generation IV onwards. Pokémon Stadium 2 and the anime both depict Smeargle that have blue back and tail colors, with the anime also depicting Smeargle that have yellow back and tail colors. Its Shiny coloration in Stadium 2 can also be seen with teal, orange or indigo paint on its back and tail. Smeargle also has a round structure on its head with a point that resembles a beret. It has floppy, brown ears and a brown collar on its neck. The rings encircling Smeargle's eyes are also brown, as are Smeargle's eyelids. Its arms have two brown bands, and its legs have only one. Each of its limbs has three digits.
Smeargle uses its paint to mark its territory. There are over 5,000 known different marks that Smeargle uses. Each Smeargle's tail is predetermined by the mysterious fluid secreted at the tip of the tail. There are Smeargle fanatics who will pay big money to own one. It can also use its signature move, Sketch, to copy moves from other Pokémon. Smeargle is the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Sketch. Smeargle is often found in urban areas filled with graffiti.
Pokémon Channel: A Smeargle appears in a television program called Smeargle's Art Study. He will rate the painting hanging on the player's bedroom wall, namely a picture the player made.
A special fluid oozes from the tip of its tail. It paints the fluid everywhere to mark its territory. (Pokémon Red, Silver, or Crystal inserted) Once it becomes an adult, it has a tendency to let its comrades plant footprints on its back. (Pokémon Blue, Gold, or Yellow inserted)
Smeargle marks the boundaries of its territory using a body fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. Over 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
A Smeargle marks its territory using a fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. About 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
Smeargle marks the boundaries of its territory using a body fluid that leaks out from the tip of its tail. Over 5,000 different marks left by this Pokémon have been found.
Smeargle can learn practically any set of moves due to Sketch, which permanently copies any move. However, Sketch cannot be used to learn Sketch or Struggle.
Three Smeargle made their main series debut in The Art of Pokémon, under the ownership of Jack Pollockson. These Smeargle were vandalizing the town of Whitestone in an effort to spread Pollockson's art, and became targeted by Team Rocket.
In Battling on the Wing!, a Trainer's Smeargle watched the battles during the Manalo Conference. Another Trainer's Smeargle was waiting in line for Team Rocket's food truck.
In Murkrow Row, a Smeargle was in Joey's bag after Gold helped him get it back.
Prior to Smeargle Smudge, Whitney gave her Smeargle, nicknamed Smea-Smea, to DJ Mary. It painted on Gold's face while he was asleep and battled his Pokémon before running back to DJ Mary at the Goldenrod Radio Tower, where Gold eventually found it. Prior to Out-Odding Oddish, Smea-Smea was returned to Whitney.
Due to its signature moveSketch, Smeargle can legitimately know almost any move, giving it a number of distinctions:
Smeargle can pass down any Egg Move combination to any Pokémon in the Field Egg Group. This was important in Generations II to V, when only the father could pass down Egg Moves.
Hidden Power-evaluating NPCs cannot identify the type of Smeargle's Hidden Power even if Smeargle possesses the move, due to being unable to use the TM for it.
Smeargle is the only Pokémon capable of learning the same move by leveling up more than four times—some Pokémon have the same move available at level 1 as well as by leveling up, while Smeargle has the same move available ten times as it levels up.
In Pokémon Stadium 2, Smeargle can have either red, green or blue back and tail paint colors and its Shiny coloration can have either teal, indigo or orange back and tail paint colors respectively, determined by a combination of its Speed, Defense, Special and AttackDVs.[1]
Uniquely, Pokémon Stadium 2 is the only game in which Smeargle is depicted with additional paint colors that aren't tied to its Shiny coloration. It is also the only instance of the paint on Smeargle's back and tail being shown as two separate colors.
Because it's only ever capable of learning Sketch by level up, and being unable to learn any TM or HM move, Smeargle has both the smallest and the largest move pool out of any Pokémon.
Origin
Smeargle appears to be based on a beagle and a painter. Its tail is used as a paintbrush, its head looks like it is wearing a beret, a hat often associated with painters, and it has a footprint stamped on its back which is a form of art.
Name origin
Smeargle may be a combination of smear and beagle.
Doble may be a combination of dog, daub, and doodle. It may also be derived from doble (Spanish for double), possibly referring to Smeargle's ability to copy moves.
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.
Silk Scarf (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Smeargle images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
