Torterra
Torterra is a Grass/Ground-type Pokémon, the Continent Pokémon, number 389 (#0389) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the Sinnoh region. It is 2.2 m tall and weighs 310 kg.
Torterra is the Continent Pokémon, a Grass and Ground tortoise with a whole tree and a mountain range on its back. Small Pokémon nest on its shell, and the Pokédex says some are born there and never leave.
How to pronounce Torterra
Torterra is pronounced tor-TAIR-uh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Torterra said out loud:
In Japanese it is ドダイトス (Dodaitose).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Torterra is a huge, bulky tortoise, 2.2 m tall and 310 kg. One oak-like tree and three stony, mountain-shaped peaks rise from its shell, beside a patch of soil, and a white rim runs around the edge. Its upper body is green and its lower body brown, with a jagged, snapping-turtle mouth, two big cheek spikes and four-toed feet that look like jagged stones.
Behaviour
Torterra is usually motionless, and the Pokédex says small Pokémon gather on its unmoving back to build nests. It has been known to migrate in groups in search of clean water, and the Pearl entry says such herds have been mistaken for moving forests. The Legends: Arceus entry calls its strength peerless, and another entry says ancient people imagined a gigantic Torterra living beneath the ground.
Habitat
The Pokédex names no fixed habitat. In Legends: Arceus it lives in the Crimson Mirelands, around the Holm of Trials.
Powers
Torterra has Overgrow, and the hidden Shell Armor blocks critical hits. The Grass and Ground typing gives it a 4 times weakness to Ice and an immunity to Electric moves. It learns Earthquake the moment it evolves in Scarlet and Violet, plus Wood Hammer and, at level 63, Headlong Rush. With 109 Attack and 105 Defense it is a heavy bruiser, but it is slow.
Name origin
Torterra may combine 'tortoise' and terra, Latin for 'earth'. The Japanese name is Dodaitose (ドダイトス), which may combine do ('earth'), dai ('large'), dodai ('foundation') and 'tortoise'.
Design inspiration
Torterra seems modelled on a snapping turtle, and its spiked bulk may recall extinct turtles such as Meiolania and Proganochelys. A living landmass on its back may come from the World Turtle of various mythologies. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Torterra is the final form of Turtwig, evolving from Grotle at level 32.
In the games
Torterra, which first appeared in Diamond and Pearl, is used by Gardenia in her post-game rematches in Platinum and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and by Rika of the Paldea Elite Four in The Indigo Disk rematches. In Scarlet and Violet it is obtained by evolving Grotle in The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk, and Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Torterra's anime debut came in 'Top-Down Training!', which showed that Paul's Torterra was his first partner Pokémon. Ash's Grotle evolved into one during a battle against Team Rocket in 'The Fleeing Tower of Sunyshore!'.
Fun facts
- Torterra shares its Continent Pokémon category with Groudon.
- Its 56 base Speed is the lowest of any fully evolved starter, setting aside Mega Evolutions.
- In the live-action film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, Torterra are shown at a laboratory where scientists have modified them for growth, and mountain-sized ones lie dormant nearby, Bulbapedia says.
- In Pokémon Platinum's Amity Square, Torterra's sprite shows the wrong side of its body when you walk to the right.
Base stats
- HP: 95
- Attack: 109
- Defense: 105
- Sp. Atk: 75
- Sp. Def: 85
- Speed: 56
Torterra’s base stat total is 525. Its highest stat is Attack.
Type matchups
What is Torterra weak to?
Torterra takes extra damage from Ice (4×), Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Bug (2×) moves.
It resists Ground (½×), Rock (½×).
It is immune to Electric moves.
Evolution
What does Torterra evolve from?
Torterra evolves from Grotle at level 32.
Torterra is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Turtwig, Grotle, Torterra.
Abilities
- Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
- Shell Armor (hidden ability): Protects against critical hits.
Moves
Moves Torterra learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo | Earthquake | Ground | Physical | 100 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | Absorb | Grass | Special | 20 |
| 1 | Razor Leaf | Grass | Physical | 55 |
| 1 | Withdraw | Water | Status | — |
| 1 | Wood Hammer | Grass | Physical | 120 |
| 17 | Curse | Ghost | Status | — |
| 22 | Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 27 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 |
| 33 | Leech Seed | Grass | Status | — |
| 39 | Synthesis | Grass | Status | — |
| 45 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 51 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 |
| 57 | Leaf Storm | Grass | Special | 130 |
| 63 | Headlong Rush | Ground | Physical | 120 |
“Evo” means Torterra learns the move the moment it evolves: Earthquake.
TM moves (58)
Torterra can learn 58 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Magical Leaf, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Endure, Sunny Day, Sandstorm, Bullet Seed, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Reflect, Light Screen, Rock Blast, Grass Knot, Stomping Tantrum, Rest, Rock Slide, Swords Dance, Body Press, Iron Head, Substitute, Iron Defense, Crunch, Giga Drain, Stealth Rock, Hyper Voice, Energy Ball, Heavy Slam, Amnesia, Earth Power, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Giga Impact, Frenzy Plant, Outrage, Leaf Storm, Hyper Beam, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Sand Tomb, Smack Down, High Horsepower, Grassy Glide, Double-Edge, Scorching Sands, Curse, Hard Press.
Egg moves (11):Double-Edge, Growth, Shell Smash, Spit Up, Stockpile, Superpower, Swallow, Thrash, Tickle, Wide Guard, Worry Seed.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
- Egg groups: Monster, 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 2 Attack and 1 Defense effort values.
- Base experience yield: 236.
Pokédex entries
This remarkable, large-bodied Pokémon would serve beautifully as borrowed scenery for a garden, and its strength is peerless. Torterra roams the wilderness in search of clean water. (Legends: Arceus)
Small Pokémon occasionally gather on its unmoving back to begin building their nests. (Diamond, Y, Alpha Sapphire)
Ancient people imagined that beneath the ground, a gigantic Torterra dwelled. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, X, Omega Ruby)
Some Pokémon are born on a Torterra's back and spend their entire life there. (Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)
Groups of this Pokémon migrating in search of water have been mistaken for “moving forests.” (Pearl)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ドダイトス |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Dodaitose |
| French | Torterra |
| German | Chelterrar |
| Spanish | Torterra |
| Italian | Torterra |
| Korean | 토대부기 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 土台龟 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 土台龜 |
Trivia
- Heaviest Grass type: 310 kg.
- Heaviest Grass type in Gen 4: 310 kg.
- Tallest Grass type in Gen 4: 2.2 m, shared with 1 other.
- Heaviest Ground type in Gen 4: 310 kg.
- Highest Sp. Def among Ground types in Gen 4: 85, shared with 1 other.
- Taller than 91% of all Pokémon (2.2 m).
- Heavier than 96% of all Pokémon (310 kg).
- Base stat total 525, ranked #189 of 1,025.
- One of 3 Pokémon that are both Grass and Ground.
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 3 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 78 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 5 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: Torterra (Pokémon), Serebii: Torterra (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (tor-TAIR-uh): 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 · Ground-type Pokémon · Grass/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Torterra vs Infernape · Torterra vs Empoleon · Torterra vs Venusaur · Sinnoh region guide · Overgrow ability · Shell Armor ability · Compare Torterra · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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