#0237 · Johto · Generation 2

Hitmontop

Handstand Pokémon · Fighting-type

Hitmontop is a Fighting-type Pokémon, the Handstand Pokémon, number 237 (#0237) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 1.4 m tall and weighs 48 kg.

Hitmontop is the Handstand Pokémon, a Fighting type that spins on its head like a top while it kicks. The Pokédex claims the spinning boosts its destructive power tenfold, and says it gets around faster spinning than it does walking.

How to pronounce Hitmontop

Hitmontop is pronounced HIT-mon-top. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Hitmontop said out loud:

In Japanese it is カポエラー (Kapoerer).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Hitmontop is a round, mostly blue Pokémon, 1.4 m tall and 48 kg. It has a triangle of brown on its chest, short legs with white bands and big blue feet with a round brown pad underneath. Its round brown head carries a single horn that the Pokédex says is made of the same material as fur and claws and keeps growing all its life.

Behaviour

Hitmontop starts with a handstand to throw off an opponent's timing, then shows off fancy, dance-like kicks. The Pokédex warns that anyone enchanted by them may get drilled hard. It can spin fast enough to bore into the ground.

Habitat

Its Pokédex habitat is Urban, and Bulbapedia puts it in towns and cities. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives by trade or transfer, then appears in the Indigo Disk's Terarium, including 5-star Tera Raid Battles. It is not available in Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Intimidate lowers foes' Attack on entry, Technician strengthens weaker moves and the hidden Steadfast raises Speed when it flinches. It learns Triple Kick on evolving, which Bulbapedia says it alone could learn before Generation VII and again in Generation IX, and later learns Rapid Spin and Close Combat. With 95 Attack, 95 Defense and 110 Special Defense it is the sturdiest of the three Hitmons.

Name origin

Hitmontop may combine 'hit', 'monster' and 'top'. The Japanese name is Kapoerer (カポエラー), which may come from capoeira, a martial art from Angola and Brazil with plenty of spinning kicks.

Design inspiration

Hitmontop seems to combine a spinning top with a capoeira fighter. Bulbapedia notes that Tyrogue needs equal Attack and Defense to become it, like a top needing balance to stay upright.

Evolution notes

Evolves from Tyrogue at level 20 if Tyrogue's Attack and Defense are equal.

In the games

The only way to get a Hitmontop in Gold and Silver, where it debuted, is to evolve a Tyrogue. In Colosseum a Shadow Hitmontop is found at the Relic Stone, and in Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra it appears in Max Raid Battles and the Max Lair.

In the anime

Hitmontop made its animated series debut in 'Two Hits and a Miss' under Chigusa, who used it to teach her students more graceful Fighting attacks. Bea's Hitmontop first battled in 'Octo-Gridlock at the Gym!', facing Ash in her World Coronation Series rematch.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says it can learn more priority moves than any other Pokémon, 14 with increased priority, and ties with Hitmonchan at eight by level up.
• Unlike Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, none of its names in any language derives from a famous person, according to Bulbapedia.
• Bulbapedia says that of Tyrogue's three Evolutions, only Hitmontop cannot hand its signature move back to Tyrogue by breeding.

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

Base stats

• HP: 50
• Attack: 95
• Defense: 95
• Sp. Atk: 35
• Sp. Def: 110
• Speed: 70

Hitmontop’s base stat total is 455. Its highest stat is Sp. Def.

Type matchups

What is Hitmontop weak to?

Hitmontop takes extra damage from Flying (2×), Psychic (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.

It resists Bug (½×), Rock (½×), Dark (½×).

Evolution

What does Hitmontop evolve from?

Hitmontop evolves from Tyrogue at level 20 (Attack equals Defense).

Hitmontop is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Tyrogue, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Hitmontop.

• Tyrogue evolves into Hitmonlee at level 20 (Attack higher than Defense).
• Tyrogue evolves into Hitmonchan at level 20 (Defense higher than Attack).

Abilities

• Intimidate: Lowers opponents' Attack one stage upon entering battle.
• Technician: Strengthens moves of 60 base power or less to 1.5× their power.
• Steadfast (hidden ability): Raises Speed one stage upon flinching.

Moves

Moves Hitmontop learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Hitmontop learns the move the moment it evolves: Triple Kick.

TM moves (41)

Hitmontop can learn 41 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Protect, Low Kick, Thief, Facade, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Swift, Low Sweep, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Dig, Brick Break, Bulk Up, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Rest, Rock Slide, Substitute, Drill Run, Ice Spinner, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Reversal, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Giga Impact, Focus Blast, Close Combat, Tera Blast, Gyro Ball, Vacuum Wave, Uproar, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Triple Axel, Coaching, Upper Hand.

Egg moves (7):Bullet Punch, Counter, Feint, High Jump Kick, Mach Punch, Rapid Spin, Vacuum Wave.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 100% male, 0% female.
• Egg groups: Human-Like.
• Egg cycles: 25 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 3,200).
• 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. Def effort values.
• Base experience yield: 159.

Pokédex entries

After doing a handstand to throw off the opponent's timing, it presents its fancy kick moves. (Crystal, Shield)

It launches kicks while spinning. If it spins at high speed, it may bore its way into the ground. (Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver, Sword)

Hitmontop spins on its head at high speed, all the while delivering kicks. This technique is a remarkable mix of both offense and defense at the same time. The Pokémon travels faster spinning than it does walking. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

If you are enchanted by its smooth, dance-like kicks, you may get a closer experience with one than you'd like. (HeartGold, Y)

It fights while spinning like a top. The centrifugal force boosts its destructive power by 10. (Black 2, White 2, X)

It fights while spinning like a top. The centrifugal force boosts its destructive power by ten. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Defense among Fighting types in Gen 2: 95.
• Highest Sp. Def among Fighting types in Gen 2: 110.
• Taller than 68% of all Pokémon (1.4 m).
• Heavier than 66% of all Pokémon (48 kg).
• Base stat total 455, ranked #494 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Sp. Def, ranked #71 of 1,025.
• One of 73 Fighting-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 86 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
• Part of an evolution family of 4 Pokémon.
• Can learn 56 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% 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 open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Hitmontop (Pokémon), Serebii: Hitmontop (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (HIT-mon-top): 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

Fighting-type Pokémon · Hitmontop vs Hitmonlee · Hitmontop vs Hitmonchan · Johto region guide · Intimidate ability · Technician ability · Steadfast ability · Compare Hitmontop · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 2 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Human-Like egg group · Pokémon that start with H

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