#0536 · Unova · Generation 5

Palpitoad

Vibration Pokémon · Water/Ground-type

Palpitoad is a Water/Ground-type Pokémon, the Vibration Pokémon, number 536 (#0536) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.8 m tall and weighs 17 kg.

Palpitoad's cries can be sublimely pleasing to the ear, and the bigger the lumps on its body, the broader its singing range. The bumps on its head can also set water rolling or make the ground tremble like an earthquake.

How to pronounce Palpitoad

Palpitoad is pronounced PAL-pih-tohd. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Palpitoad said out loud:

In Japanese it is ガマガル (Gamagaru).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Palpitoad is 0.8 m tall and 17 kg, a mostly blue, egg-shaped toad with a tan oval marking running from belly to forehead and a downturned mouth. Three turquoise half-spheres ring its head, and light blue bumps stretch across its back. An oval white tail and three-toed feet finish the picture.

Behaviour

Palpitoad wears down its prey with sound waves strong enough to cause headaches. It then wraps them up in its long sticky tongue, which it also uses to immobilise opponents.

Habitat

The Pokédex says it is at home both in water and on land. In Black and White it is found on Route 8, in Icirrus City and at the Moor of Icirrus, and in Sword and Shield it ranges from North Lake Miloch to Giant's Seat and Bridge Field.

Powers

Its Abilities are Swift Swim and Hydration, with Water Absorb hidden. Its Water and Ground typing gives it a single weakness, Grass, though that hit is four times as strong. It learns Muddy Water, Hyper Voice, Bubble Beam and Hydro Pump by level, and it is a sturdy middle stage with 75 HP.

Name origin

Palpitoad may combine 'palpitation' and 'toad'. The Japanese name is Gamagaru (ガマガル), possibly from gamagaeru, the Japanese common toad.

Design inspiration

Palpitoad seems to be built on a toad tadpole. It may also nod to the Surinam toad, an aquatic amphibian with egg pockets across its back that senses vibrations underwater, much as the Pokédex has Palpitoad making them.

Evolution notes

Evolves from Tympole at level 25 and into Seismitoad at level 36.

In the games

Palpitoad is back in Sword and Shield, where the Crown Tundra's Max Lair Dynamax Adventures also include it, after its debut in Black and White. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet and in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Palpitoad debuted in 'Ash and Trip's Third Battle!', where Trip tried to catch it with his Vanillite but it escaped because of Ash's clumsiness. Ash later caught a Palpitoad in 'Facing Fear with Eyes Wide Open!'.

Fun facts

• Palpitoad and Seismitoad share the Vibration Pokémon category with Vibrava.
• In 'Battling the King of the Mines!', Clay's Palpitoad beat Oshawott in a Gym battle but fell when Snivy used Attract to infatuate it and then knocked it out with Leaf Storm.
• In X and Y, Bulbapedia lists the Ground-type Friend Safari as the only place to meet a wild Palpitoad.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Palpitoad (Pokémon) · Serebii: Palpitoad (Sword/Shield Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 75
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 55
• Sp. Atk: 65
• Sp. Def: 55
• Speed: 69

Palpitoad’s base stat total is 384. Its highest stat is HP.

Type matchups

What is Palpitoad weak to?

Palpitoad takes extra damage from Grass (4×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Poison (½×), Rock (½×), Steel (½×).

It is immune to Electric moves.

Evolution

What does Palpitoad evolve from?

Palpitoad evolves from Tympole at level 25.

How does Palpitoad evolve?

Palpitoad evolves into Seismitoad at level 36.

The whole family: Tympole, Palpitoad, Seismitoad.

Abilities

• Swift Swim: Doubles Speed during rain.
• Hydration: Cures any major status ailment after each turn during rain.
• Water Absorb (hidden ability): Absorbs Water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.

Moves

Moves Palpitoad learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (29)

Palpitoad can learn 29 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Screech, Rest, Snore, Protect, Icy Wind, Attract, Rain Dance, Hail, Facade, Weather Ball, Bounce, Mud Shot, Round, Bulldoze, Hydro Pump, Surf, Substitute, Sludge Bomb, Endure, Sleep Talk, Uproar, Hyper Voice, Muddy Water, Earth Power, Power Whip, Stealth Rock, Sludge Wave, Scald, Venom Drench.

Egg moves (4), which Tympole can hatch knowing:Mist, Mud-Slap, Toxic, Water Pulse.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 120 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 2 HP effort values.
• Base experience yield: 134.

Pokédex entries

On occasion, their cries are sublimely pleasing to the ear. Palpitoad with larger lumps on their bodies can sing with a wider range of sounds. (Shield)

It weakens its prey with sound waves intense enough to cause headaches, then entangles them with its sticky tongue. (Sword)

It lives in the water and on land. It uses its long, sticky tongue to immobilize its opponents. (Black 2, White 2, Y, Alpha Sapphire)

When they vibrate the bumps on their heads, they can make waves in water or earthquake-like vibrations on land. (Black, X, Omega Ruby)

It lives in the water and on land. It uses its long, sticky tongue to capture prey. (White)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 39% of all Pokémon (0.8 m).
• Heavier than 38% of all Pokémon (17 kg).
• Base stat total 384, ranked #659 of 1,025.
• One of 9 Pokémon that are both Water and Ground.
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 43 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 40 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 120: about 15.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 5 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: Palpitoad (Pokémon), Serebii: Palpitoad (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (PAL-pih-tohd): 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

Water-type Pokémon · Ground-type Pokémon · Water/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Unova region guide · Swift Swim ability · Hydration ability · Water Absorb ability · Compare Palpitoad · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 5 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Pokémon that start with P · Frog Pokémon

← Tympole | Seismitoad →