Slowking is a Slowpoke with a Shellder latched onto its head. Therefore, it looks much like a bipedal Slowpoke with its Shellder resembling a crown. It differs from its pre-evolution in the shape of its eyes, having scales on its belly and having a shorter tail. There is a small red gem on the upper part of the "crown". Slowking also has a spiny red and white ruff around its neck.
A Slowpoke's evolution into Slowpoke is triggered by a Shellder biting on its head. This is often the result of the Slowpoke holding a King's Rock, attracting Shellder to bite its head rather than its tail. Shellder's bite releases venom into Slowpoke's brain, causing a chemical chain-reaction which unlocks a superior intelligence and extraordinary power. The Shellder injects more venom into Slowking every time it yawns. The more venom the Shellder releases, the more intelligent Slowking will become. However, if the Shellder on its head comes off, it will forget everything it has learned.
Slowking's intelligence can match that of a human and it attempts to constantly learn more. Its inspiration and intuition are also highly developed. Slowpoke is able to stay calm in any situation and plan situations with effective results. In the anime, it can understand and speak the human language. According to The Complete Pokémon Pocket Guide, it has such an easy-going personality that it never gets stressed.
Slowking lives by the water's edge. Because Slowking is much more intelligent than Slowpoke or Slowbro, wild Slowking lead colonies of wild Slowpoke and Slowbro in times of crisis.
It is very likely that Slowking is an omnivore. In Slowking's Day, Slowking was shown eating seaweed and drinking coconut milk. It may also feed on fish as well, much like Slowpoke and Slowbro.
In the anime
Slowking in the anime
Major appearances
Slowking first appeared in The Power of One. This talkingSlowking gave Ash advice on where to find the orbs. This same Slowking made another appearance in a special episode called Slowking's Day that showed what he does on a daily basis.
Slowking made its first anime appearance in A Crowning Achievement, where a colony of Slowpoke are attempting to reach the King's Rock in order to evolve into one so that they could help save the colony from a drought. The Slowpoke were faced with many problems since the King's Rock was also surrounded by Shellder and when ever they fail to reach it they evolve into a Slowbro instead. One Slowpoke named Arthur, which was owned by Alice, tries and eventually succeeds. In the end, he leaves Alice in order to be the leader for the colony. It reappeared in Larvitar and Unown's vision in the episode Address Unown.
A hint of Slowking's existence first appeared in Bang the Drum, Slowbro, while Lorelei was musing on Slowbro's enhanced abilities after it had been bitten by Shellder. She remarked that Slowpoke would likely have further improved abilities if it was bitten on its head.
However, Slowking's proper debut was in Oh, It's Ho-Oh!, under the ownership of Sham. It was able to use its Snore alongside Carl's Magcargo to attack even when asleep. However, a double Giga Drain defeated them both.
Slowking appeared once more under the ownership of Lorelei herself in PS277, and was used to escape the Icefall Cave when Carr detonated his Forretress, as well as to battle Sird.
In the Platinum arc, Charon was seen in possession of a Slowking. This Slowking was used to provoke Giratina into attacking Pearl, and later was used to attack Pearl again when Diamond was "killed." It was later abandoned toward the end of the arc.
Slowking undertakes research every day in an effort to solve the mysteries of the world. However, this Pokémon apparently forgets everything it has learned if the Shellder on its head comes off.
Slowking is the only Pokémon with a catch rate of 70.
In the TCG, Slowking's Southern Islands card is the only card depicting a Pokémon introduced after Generation I to have a square evolution box, in Japan only. In English, the Southern Islands collection used the Neo-era designs, which, like all later card layouts, feature a circular evolution box.
The Shellder of Slowbro's Shiny form is gold, like a Shiny Shellder. This is not so for Shiny Slowking.
Origin
Slowking's shell makes it similar to hermit crabs, though it is physically similar to giant otters, giant salamanders, and hippopotamuses. Its shell "crown" may also be a reference to the mythical sazae-oni, a magical sea demon of Japanese folklore distinguished by its spiny "sazae" or "turban shaped" snail shell. It is also based on a king, as the growth around its neck is based on a king's ruff while its shell is similar to a crown.
Name origin
Slowking is a combination of slow and king.
Yadoking is a combination of 宿借り yadokari (hermit crab) and king. Alternatively, it may also derive from 宿主 yadonushi ([parasitic] host), based on its relationship with Shellder in its evolutions.
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.