---
title: "Hippopotas (#0449): Stats, Weaknesses, Moves & Lore | pokee.si"
url: "https://pokee.si/pokemon/hippopotas"
description: "Hippopotas (#0449): Ground-type Hippo Pokémon from Sinnoh. Base stat total 330. Stats, matchups, evolutions, moves, every Pokédex entry and lore on pokee.si."
last_updated: "2026-10-21"
publisher: "pokee.si: a Pokédex for families (unofficial fan site)"
last_checked: "2026-10-20"
---

#0449 · Sinnoh · Generation 4

# Hippopotas

Hippo Pokémon · Ground-type

![Hippopotas official artwork](https://pokee.si/img/art/449.webp)

Hippopotas is a [Ground](https://pokee.si/types/ground)-type Pokémon, the Hippo Pokémon, number 449 (#0449) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the [Sinnoh](https://pokee.si/guide/regions/sinnoh) region. It is 0.8 m tall and weighs 49.5 kg.

Hippopotas is the Hippo Pokémon, a desert Ground type that wraps itself in sand as protection against germs and gives off sand instead of sweat. It dislikes getting wet, which makes it the opposite of a real hippo.

## How to pronounce Hippopotas

Hippopotas is pronounced **hip-oh-POT-us**. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Hippopotas said out loud:

[Listen](https://pokee.si/audio/names/449.mp3)

In Japanese it is ヒポポタス.

Hear every other name on the [Pokémon pronunciation guide](https://pokee.si/pronounce).

## Lore

### Biology

Hippopotas is a stocky, hippo-like quadruped, 0.8 m tall and 49.5 kg, with a big snout, round nostrils, blunt teeth, and eyes and small ears perched on top of its head. A male is tan with dark brown patches, and a female has the colours reversed. The Pokédex says it crosses the sand with its nostrils shut and its mouth open, gulping down sand together with its prey, then blows the sand back out through its nose.

### Behaviour

Hippopotas is active in the day and burrows into the sand to stay warm through cold desert nights. The Pokédex says it forms colonies of around 10. Despite its size it is hard to spot, because it lurks beneath the soil.

### Habitat

The Pokédex says it lives in arid places. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's Asado Desert, and in Legends: Z-A in Wild Zone 7 of Magenta District.

### Diet

Its prey, swallowed with mouthfuls of sand; the Pokédex does not say what the prey is.

### Powers

Its Ability is Sand Stream, which whips up a sandstorm when it enters battle, with Sand Force hidden. It uses Sand Attack and Sand Tomb, tunnels with Dig, bites with Crunch and puts foes to sleep with Yawn. With base Defense 78 it is sturdy.

### Name origin

Hippopotas comes from 'hippopotamus' and may also include 'potash', an earthy substance used as fertiliser. The Japanese name is Hippopotas (ヒポポタス).

### Design inspiration

Hippopotas is based on a hippopotamus, but its habits are the reverse of the real animal's: hippos are more active at night and spend their days in water. The pattern on its skin also resembles desert military camouflage.

### Evolution notes

It evolves into Hippowdon at level 34.

### In the games

In Super Mystery Dungeon a male Hippopotas in Serene Village talks with a French accent. Players first met the species in Diamond and Pearl, and in Scarlet and Violet it is wild and in 3-star Tera Raids, and it is in Legends: Z-A and, in Hyperspace Lumiose, the Mega Dimension DLC.

### In the anime

Debuted in 'Mass Hip-Po-Sis!', where Ash and his friends rescued a lost Hippopotas, who liked riding on Ash's head, and returned him to his herd. In the film 'Hoopa and the Clash of Ages' a borrowed Hippopotas helped restore the broken Prison Bottle.

### Fun facts

- Despite their gender differences, Hippopotas and Hippowdon each have just one official Ken Sugimori artwork, and Bulbapedia says it shows the male.
- In 'Mass Hip-Po-Sis!', Jessie has trouble saying its species name.
- Its base Speed of 32 makes it the slowest Ground type in Generation IV.

Sources: [Bulbapedia: Hippopotas (Pokémon)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Hippopotas_(Pok%C3%A9mon)) · [Serebii: Hippopotas (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sv/hippopotas/)

## Base stats

- HP: **68**
- Attack: **72**
- Defense: **78**
- Sp. Atk: **38**
- Sp. Def: **42**
- Speed: **32**

Hippopotas’s base stat total is **330**. Its highest stat is Defense.

## Type matchups

### What is Hippopotas weak to?

Hippopotas takes extra damage from [Water](https://pokee.si/types/water) (2×), [Grass](https://pokee.si/types/grass) (2×), [Ice](https://pokee.si/types/ice) (2×) moves.

It resists [Poison](https://pokee.si/types/poison) (½×), [Rock](https://pokee.si/types/rock) (½×).

It is immune to [Electric](https://pokee.si/types/electric) moves.

## Evolution

### How does Hippopotas evolve?

Hippopotas evolves into [Hippowdon](https://pokee.si/pokemon/hippowdon) at level 34.

The whole family: **Hippopotas**, [Hippowdon](https://pokee.si/pokemon/hippowdon).

## Abilities

- [Sand Stream](https://pokee.si/abilities/sand-stream): Summons a sandstorm for five turns upon entering battle (eight with a Smooth Rock).
- [Sand Force](https://pokee.si/abilities/sand-force) (hidden ability): Strengthens Rock, Ground, and Steel moves to 1.3× their power during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.

## Moves

### Moves Hippopotas learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Sand Attack](https://pokee.si/moves/sand-attack) | Ground | Status | — |
| 1 | [Tackle](https://pokee.si/moves/tackle) | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 4 | [Bite](https://pokee.si/moves/bite) | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 8 | [Yawn](https://pokee.si/moves/yawn) | Normal | Status | — |
| 12 | [Sand Tomb](https://pokee.si/moves/sand-tomb) | Ground | Physical | 35 |
| 16 | [Dig](https://pokee.si/moves/dig) | Ground | Physical | 80 |
| 20 | [Crunch](https://pokee.si/moves/crunch) | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 24 | [Sandstorm](https://pokee.si/moves/sandstorm) | Rock | Status | — |
| 28 | [Take Down](https://pokee.si/moves/take-down) | Normal | Physical | 90 |
| 32 | [Roar](https://pokee.si/moves/roar) | Normal | Status | — |
| 36 | [Rest](https://pokee.si/moves/rest) | Psychic | Status | — |
| 40 | [Earthquake](https://pokee.si/moves/earthquake) | Ground | Physical | 100 |
| 44 | [Double-Edge](https://pokee.si/moves/double-edge) | Normal | Physical | 120 |
| 48 | [Fissure](https://pokee.si/moves/fissure) | Ground | Physical | — |
| 52 | [Slack Off](https://pokee.si/moves/slack-off) | Normal | Status | — |

### TM moves (36)

Hippopotas can learn 36 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: [Take Down](https://pokee.si/moves/take-down), [Mud-Slap](https://pokee.si/moves/mud-slap), [Protect](https://pokee.si/moves/protect), [Fire Fang](https://pokee.si/moves/fire-fang), [Thunder Fang](https://pokee.si/moves/thunder-fang), [Ice Fang](https://pokee.si/moves/ice-fang), [Facade](https://pokee.si/moves/facade), [Bulldoze](https://pokee.si/moves/bulldoze), [Mud Shot](https://pokee.si/moves/mud-shot), [Rock Tomb](https://pokee.si/moves/rock-tomb), [Endure](https://pokee.si/moves/endure), [Sunny Day](https://pokee.si/moves/sunny-day), [Sandstorm](https://pokee.si/moves/sandstorm), [Dig](https://pokee.si/moves/dig), [Body Slam](https://pokee.si/moves/body-slam), [Sleep Talk](https://pokee.si/moves/sleep-talk), [Stomping Tantrum](https://pokee.si/moves/stomping-tantrum), [Rest](https://pokee.si/moves/rest), [Rock Slide](https://pokee.si/moves/rock-slide), [Body Press](https://pokee.si/moves/body-press), [Substitute](https://pokee.si/moves/substitute), [Crunch](https://pokee.si/moves/crunch), [Stealth Rock](https://pokee.si/moves/stealth-rock), [Amnesia](https://pokee.si/moves/amnesia), [Helping Hand](https://pokee.si/moves/helping-hand), [Earth Power](https://pokee.si/moves/earth-power), [Earthquake](https://pokee.si/moves/earthquake), [Stone Edge](https://pokee.si/moves/stone-edge), [Tera Blast](https://pokee.si/moves/tera-blast), [Roar](https://pokee.si/moves/roar), [Sand Tomb](https://pokee.si/moves/sand-tomb), [High Horsepower](https://pokee.si/moves/high-horsepower), [Double-Edge](https://pokee.si/moves/double-edge), [Muddy Water](https://pokee.si/moves/muddy-water), [Scorching Sands](https://pokee.si/moves/scorching-sands), [Curse](https://pokee.si/moves/curse).

Egg moves (5):[Curse](https://pokee.si/moves/curse), [Spit Up](https://pokee.si/moves/spit-up), [Stockpile](https://pokee.si/moves/stockpile), [Swallow](https://pokee.si/moves/swallow), [Whirlwind](https://pokee.si/moves/whirlwind).

## Breeding & training

- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Field.
- Egg cycles: 30 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,840).
- Catch rate: 140 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
- Base experience yield: 66.

## Pokédex entries

Though large and languid, Hippopotas is difficult to detect due to its tendency to burrow into and lurk beneath the soil. When agitated or excited, it expels sand from its nostrils. *(Legends: Arceus)*

This Pokémon is active during the day and passes the cold desert nights burrowed snugly into the sand. *(Shield)*

It moves through the sands with its mouth open, swallowing sand along with its prey. It gets rid of the sand by spouting it from its nose. *(Sword)*

It enshrouds itself with sand to protect itself from germs. It does not enjoy getting wet. *(Pearl, Y, Alpha Sapphire)*

It lives in arid places. Instead of perspiration, it expels grainy sand from its body. *(Diamond, X, Omega Ruby)*

It shuts its nostrils tight then travels through sand as if walking. They form colonies of around 10. *(Black 2, White 2)*

## Names around the world

- **Japanese**: ヒポポタス
- **Romaji**: Hippopotas
- **French**: Hippopotas
- **German**: Hippopotas
- **Spanish**: Hippopotas
- **Italian**: Hippopotas
- **Korean**: 히포포타스
- **Chinese (Simplified)**: 沙河马
- **Chinese (Traditional)**: 沙河馬

## Trivia

- Slowest Ground type in Gen 4: 32 Speed.
- Taller than 39% of all Pokémon (0.8 m).
- Heavier than 66% of all Pokémon (49.5 kg).
- Base stat total 330, ranked #741 of 1,025.
- One of 75 Ground-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 147 brown Pokémon.
- Number 63 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 46 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 140: about 18.3% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 8 distinct Pokédex entries.

## Sources and fact-checking

- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: [PokéAPI](https://pokeapi.co) open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from [Bulbapedia: Hippopotas (Pokémon)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Hippopotas_(Pok%C3%A9mon)), [Serebii: Hippopotas (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sv/hippopotas/).
- Pronunciation (hip-oh-POT-us): 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

[Ground-type Pokémon](https://pokee.si/types/ground) · [Sinnoh region guide](https://pokee.si/guide/regions/sinnoh) · [Sand Stream ability](https://pokee.si/abilities/sand-stream) · [Sand Force ability](https://pokee.si/abilities/sand-force) · [Compare Hippopotas](https://pokee.si/compare?ids=449) · [Full Pokédex](https://pokee.si/pokedex) · [Type chart](https://pokee.si/types) · [All moves](https://pokee.si/moves)

## Browse similar Pokémon

[Gen 4 Ground-type Pokémon](https://pokee.si/types/ground/gen-4) · [Gen 4 Pokémon list](https://pokee.si/pokedex/gen-4) · [Brown Pokémon list](https://pokee.si/colours/brown) · [Field egg group](https://pokee.si/egg-groups/field) · [Pokémon that start with H](https://pokee.si/pokemon-names/h) · [Rhino and Hippo Pokémon](https://pokee.si/animals/rhino)

← [Lucario](https://pokee.si/pokemon/lucario) | [Hippowdon](https://pokee.si/pokemon/hippowdon) →

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Source: https://pokee.si/pokemon/hippopotas (HTML page). pokee.si is an unofficial fan site and is not affiliated with Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK or The Pokémon Company. Pokémon and all related names and images are © their respective owners.