Watchog is an upright, meerkat-like Pokémon with large cheeks and a single, pointed incisor sticking out of its mouth. It is mainly reddish-brown with beige cheeks and neck. There is yellow striping on its chest and tail. Its hands, feet, and tail tip are white. Its red eyes have small black pupils and a yellow stripe. Black markings accentuate the eyes at their outer ends. Its tail is almost exclusively depicted standing up straight, although it can also be kept in a relaxed position.[1]
There are luminescent compounds in Watchog's body that allow its stripes and eyes to glow. It uses this ability to threaten predators. Its cheeks can hold a large amount of seeds, which it collects and spits at its opponents. Watchog possess night vision and can view its surroundings in the darkness.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Watchog is the vice-principal at the Serene Village school. He cares highly about the school's reputation and is afraid of problems at the school. He considers the player and partner to be problem children.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
In Emolga and the New Volt Switch!, three Watchog lived in an apple tree, and attacked Emolga, Axew, and Oshawott when they tried to retrieve some apples for Emolga. However, they enraged a Simisear in the process, and were scared away by its Flamethrower.
In The Pokémon Harbor Patrol!, a Watchog was a member of a rescue team managed by a harbor patrolman named Halsey. While originally used only for crowd control and as a lookout, Watchog, with the help of N, proved itself to be a capable and valuable asset to its team.
In A Unova League Evolution!, Cameron was revealed to have used a Watchog during his Vertress Conference battle but lost, its image appearing on the scoreboard.
Black was attacked by a Watchog used by three Team Plasma Grunts in Battle at the Dreamyard. At first, he mistook the pattern on its body as the head of a much larger Pokémon but eventually figured out its true identity. The Watchog was adopted by Amanita and Fennel afterwards.
In Pokémon Black and White, Watchog was the only Pokémon to have the same EV yield as its pre-evolution, and the only evolved Pokémon to only give a single EV, giving one EV in Attack.
Watchog is the only evolved Pokémon with a catch rate of 255.
Despite its Pokédex entries from Black, Y and Alpha Sapphire stating Watchog spits the seeds of berries stored in their cheek pouches, Watchog couldn't learn Bullet Seed until Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
As of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, both of Watchog's abilites have the same effect. However, Watchog is unavailable in these games.
Origin
Watchog's name suggests that it is based on a groundhog, although, like its pre-evolution, it also resembles a chipmunk, meerkat or prairie dog. Its design is possibly based on a road worker, with the body resembling a protective suit and the yellow stripes forming a safety vest. Its penchant for moves that interrupt the standard flow of battle could allude to traffic guards and their ability to override the rules of the road.
Name origin
Watchog may be a combination of watch and groundhog, as well as a play on watchdog.
Miruhog may be a combination of 見る miru (to observe) and groundhog.
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.