#0289 · Hoenn · Generation 3

Slaking

Lazy Pokémon · Normal-type

Slaking is a Normal-type Pokémon, the Lazy Pokémon, number 289 (#0289) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 2 m tall and weighs 130.5 kg.

Slaking is the Lazy Pokémon, billed by the Pokédex as the world's laziest, yet Bulbapedia notes it has a higher base stat total than any other Pokémon that is not Legendary, Mythical or Mega Evolved. The Pokédex says it can release pent-up energy all at once with horrifying power.

How to pronounce Slaking

Slaking is pronounced SLAK-ing. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Slaking said out loud:

In Japanese it is ケッキング (Kekking).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Slaking is a huge, hefty, ape-like biped, 2 m tall and 130.5 kg, with shaggy brown fur and a white collar of fur that runs over its head to a small tuft. The Pokédex says rings over 0.9 m (a yard) across appear in the fields where it lives, left by eating every blade of grass it can reach.

Behaviour

Slaking spends nearly all day lying on its side, moving to a new spot only when the grass within reach runs out. The Pokédex says its lounging is really saving energy for striking back.

Habitat

In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's North Province and the Socarrat Trail, and The Indigo Disk adds the Terarium's Coastal Biome.

Diet

The Pokédex says it eats the grass within its reach, and Bulbapedia adds ripened fruit that falls from trees.

Powers

Its Ability Truant makes it skip every second turn, the price of its power. It hits with Hammer Arm and Mega Kick and learns Earthquake by TM. With base HP 150 and Attack 160 it is a huge hitter that must survive its own idle turns.

Name origin

Slaking may combine 'slack' and 'king', as well as playing on 'slacking'. The Japanese name is Kekking (ケッキング), which may combine kekkin (absence from work) with 'king'.

Design inspiration

Slaking seems to be based on giant ground sloths, given its size, with a gorilla-like build. Bulbapedia, citing a 2003 Nintendo Dream interview, says its laziness comes from imagining a Slakoth that finds motivation and then decides it is not worth the effort.

Evolution notes

Slaking evolves from Vigoroth at level 36, learning Swagger as it does.

In the games

Slaking is the signature Pokémon of Norman, the Petalburg City Gym Leader, whose Ruby and Sapphire team has two Slaking, at levels 28 and 31. In Scarlet and Violet it appears in 5-star Tera Raid Battles, and it is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Norman's Slaking debuted in 'Love, Petalburg Style', and in the next episode Ash's Grovyle beat it in the Gym battle, winning Ash the Balance Badge. In 'Slaking Kong', multiple Slaking play a major role.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia notes Slaking and Regigigas share a base stat total and the highest Normal-type Attack, and both have a hindering Ability: Truant and Slow Start.
• Change one letter of Slaking to get Seaking, which Bulbapedia says is the only such pair of Pokémon that are not evolutions, duo counterparts or convergent species.
• In Scarlet and Violet, each of Slaking and Vigoroth has access to at least one move from each of the 18 types.

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

Base stats

• HP: 150
• Attack: 160
• Defense: 100
• Sp. Atk: 95
• Sp. Def: 65
• Speed: 100

Slaking’s base stat total is 670. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Slaking weak to?

Slaking takes extra damage from Fighting (2×) moves.

It is immune to Ghost moves.

Evolution

What does Slaking evolve from?

Slaking evolves from Vigoroth at level 36.

Slaking is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking.

• Slakoth evolves into Vigoroth at level 18.

Abilities

• Truant: Skips every second turn.

Moves

Moves Slaking learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Slaking learns the move the moment it evolves: Swagger.

TM moves (79)

Slaking can learn 79 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Low Kick, Thief, Trailblaze, Pounce, Chilling Water, Facade, Aerial Ace, Bulldoze, Metal Claw, Icy Wind, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Low Sweep, Fling, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Dig, False Swipe, Brick Break, Zen Headbutt, Shadow Claw, Bulk Up, Body Slam, Fire Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Drain Punch, Metronome, Thunder Wave, Poison Jab, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Taunt, Body Press, Gunk Shot, Substitute, X-Scissor, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Heavy Slam, Encore, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Play Rough, Amnesia, Helping Hand, Reversal, Ice Beam, Fire Blast, Blizzard, Wild Charge, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Outrage, Focus Blast, Hyper Beam, Thunder, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Smack Down, Knock Off, High Horsepower, Uproar, Focus Punch, Lash Out, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Throat Chop, Curse, Hard Press.

Egg moves (9), which Slakoth can hatch knowing:After You, Body Slam, Crush Claw, Curse, Hammer Arm, Night Slash, Slash, Snore, Tickle.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• 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 (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 3 HP effort values.
• Base experience yield: 252.

Pokédex entries

Wherever Slaking live, rings of over a yard in diameter appear in grassy fields. They are made by the Pokémon as it eats all the grass within reach while lying prone on the ground. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

Slaking spends all day lying down and lolling about. It eats grass growing within its reach. If it eats all the grass it can reach, this Pokémon reluctantly moves to another spot. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

It is the world's most slothful Pokémon. However, it can exert horrifying power by releasing pent-up energy all at once. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y)

The world's laziest Pokémon. It moves to another spot when there's no food left within its reach. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, X)

This Pokémon lives lying on its side. It only rolls over and moves when there is no more grass to eat. (Black 2, White 2)

The world's laziest Pokémon. When it is lounging, it is actually saving energy for striking back. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Attack among Normal types: 160, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Attack among Gen 3 Pokémon: 160.
• Heaviest Normal type in Gen 3: 130.5 kg.
• Tallest Normal type in Gen 3: 2 m.
• Highest HP among Normal types in Gen 3: 150.
• Highest Attack among Normal types in Gen 3: 160.
• Highest Defense among Normal types in Gen 3: 100.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Normal types in Gen 3: 95.
• Highest base stat total among Normal types in Gen 3: 670.
• Taller than 87% of all Pokémon (2 m).
• Heavier than 87% of all Pokémon (130.5 kg).
• Base stat total 670, ranked #16 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Attack, ranked #3 of 1,025.
• One of 131 Normal-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 38 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 95 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 7 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: Slaking (Pokémon), Bulbapedia: Norman, Serebii: Slaking (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (SLAK-ing): 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

Normal-type Pokémon · Slaking vs Snorlax · Hoenn region guide · Truant ability · Compare Slaking · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Normal-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with S · Monkey and Ape Pokémon

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