#0220 · Johto · Generation 2

Swinub

Pig Pokémon · Ice/Ground-type

Swinub is a Ice/Ground-type Pokémon, the Pig Pokémon, number 220 (#0220) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 6.5 kg.

Swinub is a small, shaggy Ice and Ground piglet whose eyes always look closed, yet whose nose can find mushrooms buried under ice and, the Pokédex says, sometimes digs up hot springs. In Hisui people have relied on that talent since ancient times.

How to pronounce Swinub

Swinub is pronounced SWY-nub. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Swinub said out loud:

In Japanese it is ウリムー (Urimoo).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Swinub is a small pig whose thick, brown, striped hair is so shaggy that it hides its tuft-like legs and makes it look like a legless lump. Its snout is pink and its eyes seem permanently shut. It is 0.4 m (1 ft 4 in) tall and weighs 6.5 kg (14.3 lb). The Crystal Pokédex says its nose is tough enough that frozen ground is no problem.

Behaviour

Swinub drags its snout along the ground to root out food, and when it catches an enticing smell it charges off to find the source. Bulbapedia adds that it lives in cold places.

Habitat

The Pokédex lists it as a cave Pokémon, and Bulbapedia says it lives in cold mountains and frozen tundra. In Scarlet and Violet it is found across Kitakami, in The Teal Mask expansion, and in 2-star Tera Raids; it is not available in Legends: Z-A.

Diet

The Pokédex says its favourite food is a mushroom growing under withered grass, and Bulbapedia adds that it also eats Berries.

Powers

Oblivious stops it being charmed, Snow Cloak raises its evasion in snowy weather, and Thick Fat, its hidden Ability, halves damage from Fire and Ice moves. In Scarlet and Violet it learns Powder Snow, Ice Shard and Icy Wind, plus Earthquake and Blizzard late on. Its stats are low, with 50 at best.

Name origin

Swinub may combine 'swine' with 'nub' (for its lump-like nose) or 'cub'. The Japanese name is Urimoo (ウリムー), which may blend uribō (瓜坊, 'wild boar piglet') with būbū, the sound of oinking.

Design inspiration

Swinub's size and look seem to mix a wild boar piglet with a long-haired guinea pig. Its hot-spring talent may echo the Bath legend of King Bladud, whose pigs were said to find the springs. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Swinub evolves into Piloswine at level 33, which then becomes Mamoswine.

In the games

In Legends: Arceus, Swinub roams the Crimson Mirelands and Alabaster Icelands. It debuted in Gold and Silver as a wild Pokémon found on the Ice Path.

In the anime

Dawn caught her Swinub in 'Hungry for the Good Life!'. Three Swinub named Sue, Ein and Ub debuted in 'Spring Fever', helping Peggy and her father hunt for hot spring sites.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia says Swinub's eyes have been seen open only once, in the Pokémon Adventures manga, when Pryce told his Swinub to dodge a Skiploom's attack.
• HeartGold and SoulSilver's code lists Mud Shot as a 'new' Egg Move for Swinub, even though it had been able to learn it by breeding since Generation III.
• Its Shiny form has been green like a watermelon since Generation IV, which Bulbapedia suggests may reference the 瓜 (uri, 'melon') in uribō.

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

Base stats

• HP: 50
• Attack: 50
• Defense: 40
• Sp. Atk: 30
• Sp. Def: 30
• Speed: 50

Swinub’s base stat total is 250. Its highest stat is HP and Attack and Speed.

Type matchups

What is Swinub weak to?

Swinub takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Water (2×), Grass (2×), Fighting (2×), Steel (2×) moves.

It resists Poison (½×).

It is immune to Electric moves.

Evolution

How does Swinub evolve?

Swinub evolves into Piloswine at level 33.

The whole family: Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine.

• Piloswine evolves into Mamoswine (Level up, knowing Ancient Power).

Abilities

• Oblivious: Prevents infatuation and protects against Captivate.
• Snow Cloak: Increases evasion to 1.25× during snow or hail. Protects against hail damage.
• Thick Fat (hidden ability): Halves damage from Fire and Ice moves.

Moves

Moves Swinub learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (42)

Swinub can learn 42 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Ice Fang, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Icy Wind, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Avalanche, Endure, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Snowscape, Dig, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Substitute, Stealth Rock, Amnesia, Earth Power, Reversal, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Tera Blast, Roar, Haze, Sand Tomb, Smack Down, High Horsepower, Icicle Spear, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Curse.

Egg moves (7):Ancient Power, Bite, Curse, Double-Edge, Fissure, Freeze-Dry, Icicle Crash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 225 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 50.

Pokédex entries

Swinub excels at sniffing out mushrooms buried beneath grass or snow. Since ancient times, the people of Hisui have often relied upon this skill. (Legends: Arceus)

If it smells something enticing, it dashes off headlong to find the source of the aroma. (FireRed, SoulSilver, Y, Shield)

It rubs its snout on the ground to find and dig up food. It sometimes discovers hot springs. (Gold, LeafGreen, HeartGold, X, Sword)

Swinub roots for food by rubbing its snout against the ground. Its favorite food is a mushroom that grows under the cover of dead grass. This Pokémon occasionally roots out hot springs. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

Rooting the tip of its snout into the ground, it searches for food. Sometimes it even digs up a hot spring. (Black 2, White 2)

It has a very sensitive nose. It can locate mushrooms, berries, and even hot springs buried under ice. (Platinum, Black, White)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Shortest Ice type in Gen 2: 0.4 m, shared with 1 other.
• Slowest Ice type in Gen 2: 50 Speed, shared with 1 other.
• Lowest base stat total among Ice types in Gen 2: 250.
• Lightest Ground type in Gen 2: 6.5 kg.
• Shortest Ground type in Gen 2: 0.4 m, shared with 1 other.
• Taller than 11% of all Pokémon (0.4 m).
• Heavier than 19% of all Pokémon (6.5 kg).
• Base stat total 250, ranked #967 of 1,025.
• One of 3 Pokémon that are both Ice and Ground.
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 69 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 52 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 225: about 29.4% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 10 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: Swinub (Pokémon), Serebii: Swinub (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (SWY-nub): 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

Ice-type Pokémon · Ground-type Pokémon · Ice/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Johto region guide · Oblivious ability · Snow Cloak ability · Thick Fat ability · Compare Swinub · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 2 Ice-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Ground-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with S · Pig and Boar Pokémon

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