#0088 · Kanto · Generation 1

Grimer

Sludge Pokémon · Poison-type

Grimer is a Poison-type Pokémon, the Sludge Pokémon, number 88 (#0088) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 30 kg.

Grimer is the Sludge Pokémon, a living puddle of purple muck that the Pokédex says was born when polluted sludge was hit by X-rays from the moon. Nothing grows where it has been.

How to pronounce Grimer

Grimer is pronounced GRY-mer. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Grimer said out loud:

In Japanese it is ベトベター (Betbeter).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Grimer is an amorphous purple blob with two beady eyes, a gaping mouth and two small three-fingered arms. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 30 kg. Its body is packed with bacteria and constantly oozes germ-filled fluid, and the Pokédex says it dies if the germs run low. Pieces that break off grow into new Grimer.

Behaviour

Grimer has no solid shape, so it squeezes through almost any gap and slips into sewer pipes to drink the dirty water. The Ultra Moon entry says factories now release clean water, leaving Grimer with nothing to eat and close to extinction.

Habitat

The Pokédex habitat list puts Grimer in urban areas, and Bulbapedia adds polluted lakes and streams. In Scarlet and Violet the Kantonian form lives in Area Two of Paldea's East and West Provinces, and the Alolan form in The Indigo Disk's Coastal Biome and Torchlit Labyrinth.

Diet

Grimer feeds on filth, especially the slimy industrial waste pumped out of factories.

Powers

Its Abilities are Stench and Sticky Hold, with Poison Touch hidden. Grimer uses Sludge Bomb and Gunk Shot and hardens with Acid Armor. Alolan Grimer is Poison and Dark, eats solid rubbish, grows blunt crystal 'teeth' of toxin and has no stench; its Abilities include Gluttony and the hidden Power of Alchemy. With 80 HP and 80 Attack but only 25 Speed, Grimer is bulky and slow.

Name origin

Grimer may come from 'grime', meaning dirt or filth. The Japanese name is Betbeter (ベトベター), which may derive from betobeto or betabeta, both Japanese words for sticky.

Design inspiration

Ken Sugimori designed Grimer, and Hitoshi Ariga designed the Alolan form. Bulbapedia says Grimer appears to be living sludge, and may also recall Dorotabō, a one-eyed yōkai said to rise from neglected, muddy rice fields. Alolan Grimer may be modelled on an oil slick. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Grimer evolves into Muk at level 38, and Alolan Grimer evolves into Alolan Muk at the same level.

In the games

In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, an Alolan Grimer sits stuck in the emptied pool outside the Shady House in Po Town. Grimer debuted in Generation I and is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Grimer debuted in a flashback in 'Pokémon Scent-sation!', where Erika recalls a Grimer cornering her as a girl until a passing Gloom defended her. Goh caught his Grimer in 'Dreams Are Made of These!'.

Fun facts

• The Spaceworld '97 demo hints that Grimer once had a small pre-evolution called Betobebī (ベトベビー), drawn with a nose or pacifier.
• In 'Sparks Fly for Magnemite', Grimer reeks so badly that people hold their noses, yet by 'Camping It Up!' one hugs Dawn on sight and nobody complains.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Koga wears a Grimer as a ninja outfit.

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

Base stats

• HP: 80
• Attack: 80
• Defense: 50
• Sp. Atk: 40
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 25

Grimer’s base stat total is 325. Its highest stat is HP and Attack.

Type matchups

What is Grimer weak to?

Grimer takes extra damage from Ground (2×), Psychic (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Poison (½×), Bug (½×), Fairy (½×).

Evolution

How does Grimer evolve?

Grimer evolves into Muk (Level 38; Alolan Grimer: Level 38).

The whole family: Grimer, Muk.

Forms

• Alolan Grimer (Alolan form): Poison/Dark-type, base stat total 325 (HP 80, Attack 80, Defense 50, Sp. Atk 40, Sp. Def 50, Speed 25). Abilities: Poison Touch, Gluttony, Power of Alchemy (hidden).

Abilities

• Stench: Has a 10% chance of making target Pokémon flinch with each hit.
• Sticky Hold: Prevents a held item from being removed by other Pokémon.
• Poison Touch (hidden ability): Has a 30% chance of poisoning target Pokémon upon contact.

Moves

Moves Grimer learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (47)

Grimer can learn 47 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Acid Spray, Confuse Ray, Thief, Facade, Hex, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Fling, Venoshock, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Dig, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Drain Punch, Metronome, Poison Jab, Rest, Rock Slide, Taunt, Imprison, Gunk Shot, Substitute, Giga Drain, Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Helping Hand, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Thunder, Tera Blast, Haze, Toxic, Pain Split, Sludge Wave, Curse.

Egg moves (9):Acid Spray, Curse, Haze, Mean Look, Shadow Punch, Shadow Sneak, Spit Up, Stockpile, Swallow.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Amorphous.
• 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 HP effort value.
• Base experience yield: 65.

Pokédex entries

Made of congealed sludge. It smells too putrid to touch. Even weeds won't grow in its path. (Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

The wastewater coming from factories is clean these days, so Grimer have nothing to eat. They're said to be on the verge of extinction. (Ultra Moon)

It was born from sludge on the ocean floor. In a sterile environment, the germs within its body can't multiply, and it dies. (Ultra Sun)

It was born from sludge transformed by exposure to X-rays from the moon. When its internal load of germs decreases, it dies. (Moon)

Its main source of food is the slimy industrial waste of factories. This Pokémon's numbers have been decreasing in recent years. (Sun)

Grimer emerged from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germinfested fluid from all over its body. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Slowest Poison type in Gen 1: 25 Speed.
• Taller than 43% of all Pokémon (0.9 m).
• Heavier than 52% of all Pokémon (30 kg).
• Base stat total 325, ranked #761 of 1,025.
• One of 83 Poison-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 87 purple Pokémon.
• Number 88 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 63 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 17 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: Grimer (Pokémon), Serebii: Grimer (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (GRY-mer): 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

Poison-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Stench ability · Sticky Hold ability · Poison Touch ability · Compare Grimer · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Poison-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Purple Pokémon list · Amorphous egg group · Pokémon that start with G

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