Sandy Shocks
Sandy Shocks is a Electric/Ground-type Pokémon, the Paradox Pokémon, number 989 (#0989) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 9 and comes from the Paldea region. It is 2.3 m tall and weighs 60 kg.
Sandy Shocks is a Paradox Pokémon built from magnets and iron filings, which a paranormal magazine links to Magneton by saying some scientists believe it is one that has survived 10,000 years. The Violet Pokédex says it only slightly resembles one, and the Scarlet Pokédex adds that no records exist of anyone catching it.
How to pronounce Sandy Shocks
Sandy Shocks is pronounced SAN-dee SHOKS. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Sandy Shocks said out loud:
In Japanese it is スナノケガワ (Sunanokegawa).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Sandy Shocks has a metallic body made of three units that look like ancient Magnemite. Each unit has yellow eyes, and unlike Magneton's they blink separately. The top unit has war-paint-like markings, a dusting of iron filings and horseshoe magnets standing in for hair, while each lower unit has one long magnet that works as a leg. A line of floating screws, their tips dusted with filings, hangs between the lower units like a tail. It is 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) tall and weighs 60 kg (132.3 lb), and it walks by bending its magnets instead of floating.
Behaviour
The in-game magazine, as Bulbapedia summarises it, says Sandy Shocks has an aggressive disposition and that some witnesses say it attacked them. The Scarlet Pokédex says data on it is lacking, but its traits match a creature pictured in an expedition journal.
Habitat
The in-game magazine says it has allegedly been sighted in Paldea's more arid regions, Bulbapedia says. In Scarlet it is found in Area Zero, and Violet players get one by trading with Scarlet.
Powers
Its only Ability is Protosynthesis, which raises its highest stat in harsh sunlight or when it holds Booster Energy. Special Attack is its highest at 121, so that is what gets the boost. It uses Thunder Shock, Spark, Discharge and Earth Power, and Tri Attack, Charge Beam and Magnetic Flux. That 121 is the highest base Special Attack of any Ground type, and with 101 Speed it is a quick special attacker.
Name origin
Sandy Shocks is literally 'sandy shocks'; 'shock' can mean a jolt of electricity or a thick tuft of hair. The Japanese name is Sunanokegawa (スナノケガワ), from suna no kegawa, 'sandy fur'.
Design inspiration
Sandy Shocks is based on Magneton. Bulbapedia suggests its tufts may be iron filings or ironsand, which fits its name and Ground type, and that they resemble a caveman's messy hair. Its stilt legs and long tail may recall long-necked dinosaurs, and the tail may also look like an electrical insulator on a transmission tower. These are fan readings.
In the games
Sandy Shocks is one of the ancient Paradox Pokémon of Scarlet and Violet, where it debuted, and it is not available in Legends: Z-A. A Sandy Shocks and Iron Thorns Spotlight raid event ran from 24 to 26 May 2024.
In the anime
In its debut episode, 'Total-lie Awesome Pokémon in Area Zero?!', Roy ran into a Sandy Shocks in Area Zero and beat it with his Crocalor.
Fun facts
- It weighs exactly the same as Magneton, 60 kg, and Bulbapedia says no other Paradox Pokémon matches the weight of its apparent relative.
- Bulbapedia suggests that its modern parts, magnets and screws, among ancient Pokémon may refer to 'out-of-place artifacts', objects that seem to belong to the wrong time.
- Its Electric and Ground typing may play on electrical grounding, since it touches the earth instead of floating like Magneton.
Base stats
- HP: 85
- Attack: 81
- Defense: 97
- Sp. Atk: 121
- Sp. Def: 85
- Speed: 101
Sandy Shocks’s base stat total is 570. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk.
Type matchups
What is Sandy Shocks weak to?
Sandy Shocks takes extra damage from Water (2×), Grass (2×), Ice (2×), Ground (2×) moves.
It resists Poison (½×), Flying (½×), Rock (½×), Steel (½×).
It is immune to Electric moves.
Evolution
Sandy Shocks does not evolve, and it does not evolve from any other Pokémon.
Abilities
- Protosynthesis: Raises highest stat in harsh sunlight, or if holding Booster Energy.
Moves
Moves Sandy Shocks learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder Wave | Electric | Status | — |
| 1 | Electric Terrain | Electric | Status | — |
| 1 | Supersonic | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Thunder Shock | Electric | Special | 40 |
| 7 | Spark | Electric | Physical | 65 |
| 14 | Bulldoze | Ground | Physical | 60 |
| 21 | Charge Beam | Electric | Special | 50 |
| 28 | Tri Attack | Normal | Special | 80 |
| 35 | Screech | Normal | Status | — |
| 42 | Heavy Slam | Steel | Physical | — |
| 49 | Metal Sound | Steel | Status | — |
| 56 | Discharge | Electric | Special | 80 |
| 63 | Earth Power | Ground | Special | 90 |
| 70 | Mirror Coat | Psychic | Special | — |
| 77 | Gravity | Psychic | Status | — |
| 84 | Zap Cannon | Electric | Special | 120 |
| 91 | Magnetic Flux | Electric | Status | — |
TM moves (45)
Sandy Shocks can learn 45 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Charge Beam, Facade, Bulldoze, Swift, Mud Shot, Endure, Volt Switch, Sunny Day, Sandstorm, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Electro Ball, Reflect, Light Screen, Thunder Wave, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Body Press, Spikes, Flash Cannon, Eerie Impulse, Power Gem, Substitute, Iron Defense, Stealth Rock, Heavy Slam, Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Electric Terrain, Wild Charge, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Hyper Beam, Thunder, Tera Blast, Charge, Sand Tomb, Gravity, High Horsepower, Supercell Slam, Electroweb, Scorching Sands, Metal Sound.
Egg moves (1):Sunny Day.
Breeding & training
- Gender: genderless.
- Egg groups: Undiscovered.
- Egg cycles: 50 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 6,400).
- Catch rate: 30 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 0.
- Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 3 Sp. Atk effort values.
- Base experience yield: 285.
Pokédex entries
It slightly resembles a Magneton that lived for 10,000 years and was featured in an article in a paranormal magazine. (Violet)
No records exist of this Pokémon being caught. Data is lacking, but the Pokémon's traits match up with a creature shown in an expedition journal. (Scarlet)
Names around the world
| Japanese | スナノケガワ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Sunanokegawa |
| French | Pelage-Sablé |
| German | Sandfell |
| Spanish | Pelarena |
| Italian | Peldisabbia |
| Korean | 모래털가죽 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 沙铁皮 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 沙鐵皮 |
Trivia
- Highest Sp. Atk among Ground types: 121.
- Highest Sp. Atk among Ground types in Gen 9: 121.
- Taller than 92% of all Pokémon (2.3 m).
- Heavier than 71% of all Pokémon (60 kg).
- Base stat total 570, ranked #93 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is Sp. Atk, ranked #74 of 1,025.
- One of 2 Pokémon that are both Electric and Ground.
- One of 107 gray Pokémon.
- Number 84 of 120 Pokémon introduced in Generation 9 (Paldea).
- Can learn 54 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 30: about 3.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 2 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: Sandy Shocks (Pokémon), Serebii: Sandy Shocks (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex), Bulbapedia: Protosynthesis (Ability).
- Pronunciation (SAN-dee SHOKS): no English source says it out loud, so it is our best guess from the parts of the name.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Electric-type Pokémon · Ground-type Pokémon · Electric/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Sandy Shocks vs Magneton · Paldea region guide · Protosynthesis ability · Compare Sandy Shocks · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 9 Electric-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · No Eggs Discovered egg group · Pokémon that start with S
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