Chespin
Chespin is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Spiny Nut Pokémon, number 650 (#0650) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 6 and comes from the Kalos region. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 9 kg.
Chespin is the Spiny Nut Pokémon, one of the three Kalos starters. Its head quills are soft until it tenses them, and then, the Pokédex says, they can pierce rock.
How to pronounce Chespin
Chespin is pronounced CHES-pin. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Chespin said out loud:
In Japanese it is ハリマロン (Harimaron).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Chespin is a small, light brown, hedgehog-like Pokémon, 0.4 m tall and 9 kg, with rodent-like front teeth and a red triangular nose. A tough green shell covers its back from head to halfway down its tail, with leaf-like spikes around its face and a small hole near the back of its head. Seven in eight Chespin are male.
Behaviour
Chespin is curious, which gets it into trouble, but it stays optimistic and shrugs off small details, Bulbapedia says. The Pokédex claims its wooden shell is so thick that a truck could hit it head-on without bothering it. Before a headbutt it tenses up and its head spikes sharpen to points.
Habitat
The Pokédex gives it no habitat, though Bulbapedia says it has recently been seen living in Blueberry Academy's Terarium. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives by trade, or in The Indigo Disk in Chargestone Cavern. In Legends: Z-A it lives in Wild Zone 17 in Vert District, and in the Mega Dimension DLC it appears in Grass-type wild zones in Hyperspace Lumiose.
Diet
Berries. Violet's Pokédex says plenty of them make the bark shell on its head and body sturdier.
Powers
Its Ability Overgrow boosts Grass moves when its HP is low, and its Hidden Ability Bulletproof blocks ball and bomb moves. In Scarlet and Violet's data it starts with Vine Whip, learns Rollout at level 8, Pin Missile at 18, and Wood Hammer at 48. With base HP 56 and Defense 65 it is a modest but sturdy early partner that grows into a tank.
Name origin
Chespin may combine 'chestnut', 'urchin' (an old word for hedgehog), 'pin', 'chinkapin' (a chestnut tree) and the Latin spina, 'thorn'. The Japanese name is Harimaron (ハリマロン), which may blend harinezumi (hedgehog), hari (needle) and marron, the French for chestnut.
Design inspiration
Bulbapedia says Chespin is built on a hedgehog, and it also seems to be modelled on a chestnut shoot or bur. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Chespin evolves into Quilladin at level 16, and Quilladin evolves into Chesnaught at level 36.
In the games
Chespin is one of the three Kalos partner Pokémon offered at the start of X and Y, alongside Fennekin and Froakie. It later became a wild Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet's DLC and in Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Clemont's Chespin first appeared in 'Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!', where Professor Sycamore gave it to him. Sycamore offered a Chespin to Serena in 'A Battle of Aerial Mobility!' before she chose Fennekin.
Fun facts
- Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Xerneas and Yveltal were the first Generation VI Pokémon shown to the public, in a Pokémon Direct on 8 January 2013.
- Before Generation VII, Chespin and its evolutions were the only Pokémon that could have the Ability Bulletproof.
- Bulbapedia says Chespin is the only species with a base stat total of 313; before Generation VII, Woobat also had that total.
- In the anime, Mairin's Chespin, Chespie, stays outside its Poké Ball.
Base stats
- HP: 56
- Attack: 61
- Defense: 65
- Sp. Atk: 48
- Sp. Def: 45
- Speed: 38
Chespin’s base stat total is 313. Its highest stat is Defense.
Type matchups
What is Chespin weak to?
Chespin takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Poison (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.
It resists Water (½×), Electric (½×), Grass (½×), Ground (½×).
Evolution
How does Chespin evolve?
Chespin evolves into Quilladin at level 16.
The whole family: Chespin, Quilladin, Chesnaught.
- Quilladin evolves into Chesnaught at level 36.
Abilities
- Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
- Bulletproof (hidden ability): Protects against bullet, ball, and bomb-based moves.
Moves
Moves Chespin learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vine Whip | Grass | Physical | 45 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — |
| 8 | Rollout | Rock | Physical | 30 |
| 11 | Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 15 | Leech Seed | Grass | Status | — |
| 18 | Pin Missile | Bug | Physical | 25 |
| 27 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 |
| 32 | Seed Bomb | Grass | Physical | 80 |
| 35 | Mud Shot | Ground | Special | 55 |
| 42 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 |
| 45 | Pain Split | Normal | Status | — |
| 48 | Wood Hammer | Grass | Physical | 120 |
TM moves (50)
Chespin can learn 50 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Low Kick, Trailblaze, Facade, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Metal Claw, Swift, Magical Leaf, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Dig, Bullet Seed, Brick Break, Zen Headbutt, Shadow Claw, Body Slam, Thunder Punch, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Drain Punch, Reflect, Grass Knot, Poison Jab, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Spikes, Iron Head, Substitute, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Helping Hand, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Leaf Storm, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Super Fang, Focus Punch, Grassy Glide, Pain Split, Endeavor, Curse.
Egg moves (7):Belly Drum, Curse, Quick Guard, Spikes, Super Fang, Synthesis, Wide Guard.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
- Egg groups: Field.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
- Base experience yield: 63.
Pokédex entries
Such a thick shell of wood covers its head and back that even a direct hit from a truck wouldn't faze it. (Y, Alpha Sapphire)
The quills on its head are usually soft. When it flexes them, the points become so hard and sharp that they can pierce rock. (X, Omega Ruby)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ハリマロン |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Harimaron |
| French | Marisson |
| German | Igamaro |
| Spanish | Chespin |
| Italian | Chespin |
| Korean | 도치마론 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 哈力栗 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 哈力栗 |
Trivia
- Shortest Grass type in Gen 6: 0.4 m, shared with 2 others.
- Slowest Grass type in Gen 6: 38 Speed, shared with 1 other.
- Taller than 11% of all Pokémon (0.4 m).
- Heavier than 26% of all Pokémon (9 kg).
- Base stat total 313, ranked #802 of 1,025.
- One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 1 of 72 Pokémon introduced in Generation 6 (Kalos).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 61 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 2 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: Chespin (Pokémon), Serebii: Chespin (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (CHES-pin): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Grass-type Pokémon · Chespin vs Fennekin · Chespin vs Froakie · Kalos region guide · Overgrow ability · Bulletproof ability · Compare Chespin · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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