Shedinja
Shedinja is a Bug/Ghost-type Pokémon, the Shed Pokémon, number 292 (#0292) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.8 m tall and weighs 1.2 kg.
Shedinja is an empty bug shell that came to life when a Nincada evolved, a Bug and Ghost type with just 1 HP that does not even breathe. Its Ability makes most attacks useless.
How to pronounce Shedinja
Shedinja is pronounced sheh-DIN-juh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Shedinja said out loud:
In Japanese it is ヌケニン (Nukenin).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Shedinja resembles a cicada's shed exoskeleton, 0.8 m tall and 1.2 kg, with a light brown body, a grey abdomen, four protrusions instead of legs and a white crescent halo above its head. A hole between its tattered wings shows a completely hollow, dark body with no internal organs, according to Bulbapedia.
Behaviour
Shedinja hardly behaves at all. The Pokédex says it floats without moving its wings, does not twitch and does not breathe. Its back has a crack, and looking in is said to steal your spirit.
Habitat
Bulbapedia files it with forest Pokémon, though it is made rather than found. In Sword and Shield it can be met in Max Raid Battle dens.
Powers
Wonder Guard shields it from every hit that is not super effective, so only Fire, Flying, Rock, Ghost and Dark moves can hurt it, and Bulbapedia lists it as the sole known Pokémon able to have the Ability. The catch is its 1 HP. It attacks with Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak and Phantom Force, and base Attack 90 is its best stat.
Name origin
Shedinja may combine 'shed' (to cast off a shell) with 'ninja'. The Japanese name is Nukenin (ヌケニン), which may combine nukegara (empty shell) with ninja, and puns on nukenin, a fugitive ninja.
Design inspiration
Shedinja looks like the husk a cicada sheds, and on the ninja technique utsusemi, leaving a dummy behind to fool pursuers. Its halo and Wonder Guard may also suggest a guardian angel. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Shedinja appears when Nincada evolves into Ninjask with a free party slot and, from Generation IV onwards, a spare Poké Ball in the bag.
In the games
In Ruby and Sapphire, where it first appeared, Shedinja can only be had through a Nincada's evolution. It is not available in Scarlet, Violet or Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Shedinja debuted in 'The Princess and the Togepi' as Colonel Hansen's main battling Pokémon. In 'The Spectral Express!', a wild Ninjask left a Shedinja behind when it evolved, and it slipped into one of Goh's empty Poké Balls to become his Pokémon.
Fun facts
- Shedinja's HP is a fixed 1; by the normal formula, Bulbapedia says, even a level 1 Pokémon with its base HP would have at least 11.
- From Generation IV onwards, Bulbapedia says, no other Pokémon can faint itself from full health with Struggle recoil.
- It inherits the Trainer ID, Secret ID and personality value of its Nincada, so it is Shiny exactly when the Nincada was.
- In Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, Shedinja arrives automatically when you obtain Ninjask.
Base stats
- HP: 1
- Attack: 90
- Defense: 45
- Sp. Atk: 30
- Sp. Def: 30
- Speed: 40
Shedinja’s base stat total is 236. Its highest stat is Attack.
Type matchups
What is Shedinja weak to?
Shedinja takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Rock (2×), Ghost (2×), Dark (2×) moves.
It resists Grass (½×), Poison (½×), Ground (½×), Bug (½×).
It is immune to Normal, Fighting moves.
Evolution
What does Shedinja evolve from?
Shedinja evolves from Nincada (Spare Poké Ball in the bag).
Shedinja is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Nincada, Ninjask, Shedinja.
Abilities
- Wonder Guard: Protects against damaging moves that are not super effective.
Moves
Moves Shedinja learns by level up in Sword / Shield
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 |
| 1 | Grudge | Ghost | Status | — |
| 1 | Mud-Slap | Ground | Special | 20 |
| 1 | Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 |
| 1 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 |
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | Sand Attack | Ground | Status | — |
| 1 | Harden | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 15 | Confuse Ray | Ghost | Status | — |
| 23 | Absorb | Grass | Special | 20 |
| 29 | Shadow Sneak | Ghost | Physical | 40 |
| 36 | Fury Swipes | Normal | Physical | 18 |
| 43 | Mind Reader | Normal | Status | — |
| 50 | Shadow Ball | Ghost | Special | 80 |
| 57 | Spite | Ghost | Status | — |
| 64 | Phantom Force | Ghost | Physical | 90 |
TM moves (28)
Shedinja can learn 28 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Hyper Beam, Giga Impact, Solar Beam, Dig, Rest, Thief, Snore, Protect, Giga Drain, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Will-O-Wisp, Facade, Shadow Claw, Round, Hex, Phantom Force, False Swipe, Agility, Leech Life, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, Trick, X-Scissor, Bug Buzz, Ally Switch.
Egg moves (5), which Nincada can hatch knowing:Bug Bite, Final Gambit, Flail, Gust, Night Slash.
Move tutor moves (2): Poltergeist, Skitter Smack.
Breeding & training
- Gender: genderless.
- Egg groups: Mineral.
- Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
- Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Slow Then Very Fast (600,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 2 HP effort values.
- Base experience yield: 83.
Pokédex entries
A strange Pokémon--it flies without moving its wings, has a hollow shell for a body, and does not breathe. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Shield)
A most peculiar Pokémon that somehow appears in a Poké Ball when a Nincada evolves. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y, Sword)
Shedinja is a peculiar Pokémon. It seems to appear unsought in a Poké Ball after a Nincada evolves. This bizarre Pokémon is entirely immobile - it doesn't even breathe. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
Shedinja's hard body doesn't move - not even a twitch. In fact, its body appears to be merely a hollow shell. It is believed that this Pokémon will steal the spirit of anyone peering into its hollow body from its back. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
A discarded bug shell that came to life. Peering into the crack on its back is said to steal one's spirit. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)
A peculiar Pokémon that floats in air even though its wings remain completely still. The inside of its body is hollow and utterly dark. (Emerald)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ヌケニン |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Nukenin |
| French | Munja |
| German | Ninjatom |
| Spanish | Shedinja |
| Italian | Shedinja |
| Korean | 껍질몬 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 脱壳忍者 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 脫殼忍者 |
Trivia
- Lowest base stat total among Ghost types: 236.
- Lightest Bug type in Gen 3: 1.2 kg.
- Lightest Ghost type in Gen 3: 1.2 kg.
- Lowest base stat total among Ghost types in Gen 3: 236.
- The only Pokémon with the Bug/Ghost typing.
- Taller than 39% of all Pokémon (0.8 m).
- Heavier than 5% of all Pokémon (1.2 kg).
- Base stat total 236, ranked #991 of 1,025.
- One of 1 Pokémon that are both Bug and Ghost.
- One of 147 brown Pokémon.
- Number 41 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 47 different moves in Sword / Shield.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 6 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: Shedinja (Pokémon), Serebii: Shedinja (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (sheh-DIN-juh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Bug-type Pokémon · Ghost-type Pokémon · Bug/Ghost weaknesses and matchups · Shedinja vs Ninjask · Hoenn region guide · Wonder Guard ability · Compare Shedinja · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 3 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Ghost-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Mineral egg group · Pokémon that start with S · Bug Pokémon