Snivy
Snivy is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Grass Snake Pokémon, number 495 (#0495) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 8.1 kg.
Snivy is the Grass Snake Pokémon, Unova's cool-headed Grass starter. It photosynthesises through its tail and handles its vines better than its short arms, and the Pokédex calls it very intelligent and calm.
How to pronounce Snivy
Snivy is pronounced SNY-vee. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Snivy said out loud:
In Japanese it is ツタージャ (Tsutarja).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Snivy is a slim, bipedal reptile, 0.6 m tall and 8.1 kg, mostly green with a cream belly, a yellow stripe down its back and tail, and yellow marks ringing its big eyes. Two curved, leaf-like structures bend back from its shoulders, and a large three-pronged leaf grows from its tail. The Pokédex says it photosynthesises by bathing the tail in sunlight, which makes Snivy swifter, and that the tail droops when Snivy is unwell.
Behaviour
Snivy is calm, collected and very intelligent, and it prefers to avoid groups. The Scarlet and Violet Pokédex says it controls its vines skilfully to make up for its short arms.
Habitat
The Pokédex names no habitat. Bulbapedia says it was recently spotted in the Blueberry Academy Terarium, and The Indigo Disk expansion puts it in the Terarium's Savanna Biome. Elsewhere in Scarlet and Violet it arrives through Pokémon HOME or trade, and it is not in Legends: Z-A.
Powers
Its Ability Overgrow strengthens Grass moves when its HP is low, and its hidden Ability Contrary reverses stat changes. Snivy learns Vine Whip, Leaf Blade, Giga Drain and Coil, and Leaf Storm at level 40. Its best base stat is Speed at 63, and its total of 308 is modest even for a starter.
Name origin
Snivy may combine 'snake' and 'ivy', with 'snide', 'sly' or 'savvy' perhaps hinting at its attitude. The Japanese name is Tsutarja [Tsutāja] (ツタージャ), from tsuta (Japanese creeper) and ja ('snake').
Design inspiration
Reiko Tanoue designed Snivy, drawing on a picture book about snakes that look like vines. Bulbapedia says Tanoue gave it arms and legs so it looks less threatening and more appealing, and that the line grows more snake-like as it evolves. Real snakes it may reflect include the vine snake, tree snake and green snake, which are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Snivy evolves into Servine at level 17, and Servine into Serperior at level 36.
In the games
Snivy is one of three starters you choose from in Black and White, alongside Tepig and Oshawott, and Bianca offers it again in Black 2 and White 2. You can also play as it in Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity and Super Mystery Dungeon, and in PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond.
In the anime
Trip's Snivy debuted in 'In the Shadow of Zekrom!' and beat Ash's Pikachu with Leaf Tornado when Pikachu could not use Electric moves. Ash later caught his own Snivy in 'Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!', after her Attract had foiled his mostly male team.
Fun facts
- Bulbapedia says fans nicknamed it 'Smugleaf' soon after its reveal, and the name was picked up by Kotaku and by Official Nintendo Magazine.
- In Black and White its base experience yield was only 28, set low so a first partner would not out-level Cheren after beating Bianca; it was raised to 62 in Black 2 and White 2.
- In the 3DS and Wii U Super Smash Bros. games Snivy uses Razor Leaf, a move Bulbapedia says it cannot legally learn.
- It and the other Black and White first partners were first shown as silhouettes on Pokémon Sunday on 9 May 2010, then in full in CoroCoro's June 2010 issue.
Base stats
- HP: 45
- Attack: 45
- Defense: 55
- Sp. Atk: 45
- Sp. Def: 55
- Speed: 63
Snivy’s base stat total is 308. Its highest stat is Speed.
Type matchups
What is Snivy weak to?
Snivy takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Poison (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.
It resists Water (½×), Electric (½×), Grass (½×), Ground (½×).
Evolution
How does Snivy evolve?
Snivy evolves into Servine at level 17.
The whole family: Snivy, Servine, Serperior.
Abilities
- Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
- Contrary (hidden ability): Inverts stat changes.
Moves
Moves Snivy learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 4 | Leer | Normal | Status | — |
| 7 | Vine Whip | Grass | Physical | 45 |
| 10 | Wrap | Normal | Physical | 15 |
| 13 | Growth | Normal | Status | — |
| 16 | Magical Leaf | Grass | Special | 60 |
| 19 | Leech Seed | Grass | Status | — |
| 22 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 |
| 25 | Slam | Normal | Physical | 80 |
| 28 | Leaf Blade | Grass | Physical | 90 |
| 31 | Coil | Poison | Status | — |
| 34 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 |
| 37 | Gastro Acid | Poison | Status | — |
| 40 | Leaf Storm | Grass | Special | 130 |
TM moves (32)
Snivy can learn 32 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Trailblaze, Facade, Aerial Ace, Swift, Magical Leaf, Endure, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Reflect, Light Screen, Grass Knot, Rest, Taunt, Swords Dance, Substitute, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Calm Mind, Helping Hand, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Leaf Storm, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Knock Off, Grassy Glide, Double-Edge, Petal Blizzard.
Egg moves (7):Glare, Iron Tail, Mean Look, Mirror Coat, Sweet Scent, Synthesis, Twister.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
- Egg groups: Field, Grass.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 45 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 1 Speed effort value.
- Base experience yield: 62.
Pokédex entries
They photosynthesize by bathing their tails in sunlight. When they are not feeling well, their tails droop. (White, Y, Alpha Sapphire)
Being exposed to sunlight makes its movements swifter. It uses vines more adeptly than its hands. (Black 2, White 2, X, Omega Ruby)
It is very intelligent and calm. Being exposed to lots of sunlight makes its movements swifter. (Black)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ツタージャ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Tsutarja |
| French | Vipélierre |
| German | Serpifeu |
| Spanish | Snivy |
| Italian | Snivy |
| Korean | 주리비얀 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 藤藤蛇 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 藤藤蛇 |
Trivia
- Taller than 25% of all Pokémon (0.6 m).
- Heavier than 24% of all Pokémon (8.1 kg).
- Base stat total 308, ranked #825 of 1,025.
- One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 2 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 50 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 3 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: Snivy (Pokémon), Serebii: Snivy (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (SNY-vee): 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
Grass-type Pokémon · Snivy vs Tepig · Snivy vs Oshawott · Unova region guide · Overgrow ability · Contrary ability · Compare Snivy · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 5 Grass-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Field egg group · Grass egg group · Pokémon that start with S · Snake Pokémon