#0418 · Sinnoh · Generation 4

Buizel

Sea Weasel Pokémon · Water-type

Buizel is a Water-type Pokémon, the Sea Weasel Pokémon, number 418 (#0418) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the Sinnoh region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 29.5 kg.

Buizel is the Sea Weasel Pokémon, a Water type that spins its two tails like a boat's propeller and wears an inflatable yellow collar as a built-in life jacket. In the anime it can even use the tail trick to fly.

How to pronounce Buizel

Buizel is pronounced BWEE-zul. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Buizel said out loud:

In Japanese it is ブイゼル (Buoysel).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Buizel is an orange, weasel-and-otter-like Pokémon, 0.7 m tall and 29.5 kg. Its yellow collar is a flotation sac, inflated when it breathes in and emptied when it dives. Its two tails spin like a screw to drive it through the water and slice through seaweed. A male has two cream spots on its back, a female only one.

Behaviour

The Pokédex says little about its temperament, but it shows Buizel bobbing at the surface with its head poking out to watch for prey movement. In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the Buizel who runs the Expedition Society's underwater explorations is brave but reckless.

Habitat

Bulbapedia says it usually lives alongside bodies of water. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's South, East and West Provinces, the seas around them and Area Zero, and in 2 star Tera Raid Battles.

Powers

Swift Swim doubles its Speed in rain, and hidden Water Veil prevents burns. It strikes first with Quick Attack and Aqua Jet, and hits harder with Liquidation and Wave Crash. Base Speed 85 but Defense 35 and Special Defense 30 make it quick and fragile.

Name origin

Buizel and its Japanese name may both combine 'buoy' and 'weasel'. The Japanese name is Buoysel (ブイゼル).

Design inspiration

Buizel appears to be based on a weasel and a sea otter, with swim rings and inflatable armbands worked into its body, and its screw-like tails recall a boat's propeller. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Buizel evolves into Floatzel at level 26. It has no branches and no regional forms.

In the games

In Legends: Arceus, Request 4, 'Big Buizel, Little Buizel', has Dorian ask the player to track down a bigger Buizel than his own. It first appeared in Diamond and Pearl, and it cannot be obtained in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Dawn's male Buizel joined her team in 'Buizel Your Way Out Of This!' and was later traded to Ash for his Aipom in 'Throwing the Track Switch', since he cared more about Gym battles than Contests.

Fun facts

• In Ken Sugimori's original Diamond and Pearl artwork, Buizel's left paw is missing a paw pad; the current artwork fixed it.
• Buizel was among three Pokémon unveiled in March 2006 to promote the film Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, alongside Mantyke and Chatot.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, the Buizel that Pearl catches is disobedient, distrustful of humans since the Galactic Bomb left its home dried out.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Buizel (Pokémon) · Serebii: Buizel (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 55
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 35
• Sp. Atk: 60
• Sp. Def: 30
• Speed: 85

Buizel’s base stat total is 330. Its highest stat is Speed.

Type matchups

What is Buizel weak to?

Buizel takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Grass (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Ice (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

How does Buizel evolve?

Buizel evolves into Floatzel at level 26.

The whole family: Buizel, Floatzel.

Abilities

• Swift Swim: Doubles Speed during rain.
• Water Veil (hidden ability): Prevents burns.

Moves

Moves Buizel learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (40)

Buizel can learn 40 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Mud-Slap, Protect, Ice Fang, Water Pulse, Low Kick, Thief, Chilling Water, Facade, Swift, Icy Wind, Rock Tomb, Low Sweep, Fling, Endure, Rain Dance, Dig, Brick Break, Bulk Up, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Waterfall, Rest, Taunt, Substitute, Crunch, Liquidation, Surf, Ice Spinner, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Tera Blast, Roar, Focus Punch, Flip Turn, Whirlpool.

Egg moves (8):Aqua Ring, Baton Pass, Fury Cutter, Fury Swipes, Headbutt, Helping Hand, Mud-Slap, Slash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1, Field.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Speed effort value.
• Base experience yield: 66.

Pokédex entries

It moves freely in the water by spinning its forked tail for propulsion. The resemblance to the screw of a steamboat is coincidental. (Legends: Arceus)

It inflates the flotation sac around its neck and pokes its head out of the water to see what is going on. (Black 2, White 2, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

It swims by rotating its two tails like a screw. When it dives, its flotation sac collapses. (Pearl, X, Omega Ruby)

It spins its two tails like a screw to propel itself through water. The tails also slice clinging seaweed. (Platinum, Black, White)

It inflates its flotation sac, keeping its face above water in order to watch for prey movement. (HeartGold, SoulSilver)

It has a flotation sac that is like an inflatable collar. It floats on water with its head out. (Diamond)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 51% of all Pokémon (29.5 kg).
• Base stat total 330, ranked #741 of 1,025.
• One of 154 Water-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 32 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 55 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 6 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Buizel (Pokémon), Serebii: Buizel (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (BWEE-zul): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Sinnoh region guide · Swift Swim ability · Water Veil ability · Compare Buizel · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 4 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with B · Otter Pokémon · Weasel and Raccoon Pokémon

← Pachirisu | Floatzel →