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.
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.
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 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, the Mouse Pokémon. When it runs at full speed, it sends up a thick cloud of sand in order to hide itself.
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.
Sandslash's body is covered by tough spikes, which are hardened sections of its hide. Once a year, the old spikes fall out, to be replaced with new spikes that grow out from beneath the old ones.
Sandslash can roll up its body as if it were a ball covered with large spikes. In battle, this Pokémon will try to make the foe flinch by jabbing it with its spines. It then leaps at the stunned foe to tear wildly with its sharp claws.
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If this would of happened, it would have been the only Pokemon named after a move.
Although being one of the few pure Ground-type Pokémon in the first generations, Sandslash did not learn any damage-dealing Template:Type2 move via leveling up until Generation III.
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.
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".
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.
Soft Sand (5%)
Quick Claw (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Sandslash images on Bulbagarden Archives.
