#0196 · Johto · Generation 2

Espeon

Sun Pokémon · Psychic-type

Espeon is a Psychic-type Pokémon, the Sun Pokémon, number 196 (#0196) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 26.5 kg.

Espeon is the Sun Pokémon, a Psychic type whose fine fur senses tiny shifts in the air, letting it predict the weather and, the Pokédex says, its foes' thoughts. Its forked tail trembles at the tip during a prediction.

How to pronounce Espeon

Espeon is pronounced ES-pee-on. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Espeon said out loud:

In Japanese it is エーフィ (Eifie).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Espeon is a slender, cat-like quadruped with fine lilac fur, large ears, purple eyes and a red gem on its forehead. It is 0.9 m (2'11") tall and weighs 26.5 kg (58.4 lbs). The Pokédex says the gem glows when it releases psychic power and turns dull and dark when its energy runs out. It gathers that power by basking in sunlight, which leaves it poor at night battles.

Behaviour

Espeon is fiercely loyal to any Trainer it judges worthy, and the Pokédex says it developed its precognition to protect them. Another entry tells a different story: it began with no powers at all, and they awoke from a need to protect itself. Bulbapedia adds that it is caring and known to guide people through forests so they do not get lost.

Habitat

The Pokédex habitat is urban, and Bulbapedia says it is rare in the wild. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's North, West and East Provinces.

Powers

Synchronize passes burns, paralysis and poison back to the attacker, and its hidden Ability Magic Bounce reflects most status moves. In Scarlet and Violet it learns Confusion, Psybeam, Morning Sun (its signature move in Generation II, says Bulbapedia), Psychic and Future Sight. Its 130 base Special Attack and 110 Speed make it a fast special attacker.

Name origin

Espeon may combine ESP (extrasensory perception) with 'eon', the ending every Eevee evolution shares. The Japanese name is Eifie (エーフィ), possibly 'esper' plus 'feel'.

Design inspiration

Atsuko Nishida designed Espeon. Its feline shape and forked tail suggest the bakeneko and nekomata, magical cats of Japanese folklore (the nekomata has a forked tail), and the jewel on its head may nod to the carbuncle, a South American creature with a gem or mirror on its brow. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Eevee evolves into Espeon by levelling up in the daytime with high friendship. Bulbapedia adds that a Sun Shard carried in the Bag also works.

In the games

Espeon, the daytime Eeveelution, debuted in Gold and Silver. In Legends: Arceus it appears in space-time distortions in the Alabaster Icelands. In Scarlet and Violet it also shows up in 6 star Tera Raids, and in Legends: Z-A you can evolve Eevee into it, with wild ones in the Mega Dimension DLC's Hyperspace Lumiose.

In the anime

Espeon debuted in 'Espeon, Not Included', where Sakura's Eevee was revealed to have evolved into one. Anabel's Espeon was her last Pokémon against Ash in 'Second Time's the Charm', until Pikachu's Volt Tackle beat it.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia notes that Espeon is the only Eeveelution whose type hits none of the others super effectively.
• FireRed and LeafGreen have no day-night cycle, so an Eevee must be evolved in Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald and traded back, or traded from Colosseum or XD, to add an Espeon or Umbreon to the Pokédex there.
• If you reorder the Pokérap GS into National Dex order, Espeon and Remoraid stay in the same places in the song.
• Its inner ears are blue in the games but often purple in the anime.

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

Base stats

• HP: 65
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 60
• Sp. Atk: 130
• Sp. Def: 95
• Speed: 110

Espeon’s base stat total is 525. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Espeon weak to?

Espeon takes extra damage from Bug (2×), Ghost (2×), Dark (2×) moves.

It resists Fighting (½×), Psychic (½×).

Evolution

What does Espeon evolve from?

Espeon evolves from Eevee (Friendship, during the day).

Espeon is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Sylveon.

• Eevee evolves into Vaporeon (Water Stone).
• Eevee evolves into Jolteon (Thunder Stone).
• Eevee evolves into Flareon (Fire Stone).
• Eevee evolves into Umbreon (Friendship, at night).
• Eevee evolves into Leafeon (Leaf Stone).
• Eevee evolves into Glaceon (Ice Stone).
• Eevee evolves into Sylveon (Friendship, knowing a Fairy-type move).

Abilities

• Synchronize: Copies burns, paralysis, and poison received onto the Pokémon that inflicted them.
• Magic Bounce (hidden ability): Reflects most non-damaging moves back at their user.

Moves

Moves Espeon learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Espeon learns the move the moment it evolves: Confusion.

TM moves (54)

Espeon can learn 54 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Fake Tears, Mud-Slap, Protect, Psybeam, Confuse Ray, Trailblaze, Facade, Swift, Magical Leaf, Draining Kiss, Stored Power, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Psyshock, Dig, Zen Headbutt, Psychic Fangs, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Reflect, Light Screen, Dazzling Gleam, Grass Knot, Thunder Wave, Rest, Imprison, Skill Swap, Power Gem, Substitute, Trick, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Psychic, Calm Mind, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Psychic Terrain, Giga Impact, Trick Room, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Gravity, Weather Ball, Psych Up, Double-Edge, Future Sight, Expanding Force, Curse, Alluring Voice, Psychic Noise.

Egg moves (8), which Eevee can hatch knowing:Curse, Detect, Double Kick, Flail, Mud-Slap, Tickle, Wish, Yawn.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 35 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 4,480).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Sp. Atk effort values.
• Base experience yield: 184.

Pokédex entries

Wields an arcane power with which it can predict the weather and even people's thoughts. When bathed in sunshine, the scarlet orb on its brow glows and builds energy. (Legends: Arceus)

It unleashes psychic power from the orb on its forehead. When its power is exhausted, the orb grows dull and dark. (Moon, Shield)

By reading air currents, it can predict things such as the weather or its foe's next move. (Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver, Sword)

Psychic power builds up in the orb on its forehead as it bathes in the sunshine. Espeon is not good at battling at night. (Ultra Moon)

Although it originally had no powers at all, people say its precognitive faculties were awakened by its need to protect itself. (Ultra Sun)

It can instantaneously sense its opponent's movements by feeling air currents with its fine fur. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Sp. Atk among Gen 2 Pokémon: 130.
• Fastest Psychic type in Gen 2: 110 Speed, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Psychic types in Gen 2: 130.
• Taller than 43% of all Pokémon (0.9 m).
• Heavier than 48% of all Pokémon (26.5 kg).
• Base stat total 525, ranked #189 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Sp. Atk, ranked #34 of 1,025.
• One of 102 Psychic-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 87 purple Pokémon.
• Number 45 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
• Part of an evolution family of 9 Pokémon.
• Can learn 73 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 13 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: Espeon (Pokémon), Serebii: Espeon (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ES-pee-on): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Psychic-type Pokémon · Espeon vs Umbreon · Espeon vs Sylveon · Johto region guide · Synchronize ability · Magic Bounce ability · Compare Espeon · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 2 Psychic-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Purple Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with E · Cat Pokémon

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