Turtwig
Turtwig is a Grass-type Pokémon, the Tiny Leaf Pokémon, number 387 (#0387) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 4 and comes from the Sinnoh region. It is 0.4 m tall and weighs 10.2 kg.
Turtwig is the Tiny Leaf Pokémon, a Grass-type Sinnoh starter whose shell is made of hardened soil. The Pokédex says a moist shell means a healthy Turtwig, and the leaf on its head droops when it is thirsty.
How to pronounce Turtwig
Turtwig is pronounced TURT-wig. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Turtwig said out loud:
In Japanese it is ナエトル (Naetle).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Turtwig is a small, light green, four-legged turtle, 0.4 m tall and 10.2 kg. Its brown shell, made of earth and minerals, has a thick black stripe and rim, and a pair of small leaves grows from a brown patch on its head. The Pokédex says the shell is hardened soil.
Behaviour
Turtwig likes sunshine: the Legends: Arceus entry says it grows more energetic the more light it gets. Starters are rarely seen in the wild, so Bulbapedia says Turtwig is usually found with Trainers. In the anime, the one in Professor Rowan's lab is relaxed, eats almost constantly and ignores the Chimchar and Piplup squabbling beside it.
Habitat
The Pokédex says it lives along lakes, though Bulbapedia notes a wild Turtwig is hard to find and has recently been seen in the Terarium of Blueberry Academy.
Diet
It makes energy by photosynthesis through its whole body and also drinks water, which the Pokédex says hardens its soil shell.
Powers
Its Ability Overgrow strengthens Grass moves by 1.5 times once its HP drops to a third or below, and the hidden Ability Shell Armor blocks critical hits. It learns Razor Leaf, Leech Seed and Synthesis, and its Leaf Storm arrives at level 45. With 68 base Attack, 64 Defense and only 31 Speed, it is a sturdy starter that hits back slowly.
Name origin
Turtwig may combine 'turtle' and 'twig'. The Japanese name is Naetle (ナエトル), possibly from nae ('sprout') and 'turtle'.
Design inspiration
Turtwig seems modelled on a land-dwelling turtle, and Bulbapedia suggests the Asian box turtles. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Turtwig evolves into Grotle at level 18, and Grotle becomes Torterra at level 32.
In the games
Turtwig is one of the three partner Pokémon that Professor Rowan offers in Diamond and Pearl, its first games, and if you pick Piplup your rival Barry takes Turtwig. It returned in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and in Legends: Arceus. In Scarlet and Violet, The Teal Mask gives it as an Egg gift on Reveler's Road and The Indigo Disk spawns it in the Terarium's Canyon Biome; Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Ash's Turtwig joined his team in 'Gettin' Twiggy With It!' and grew up alongside him through the Sinnoh series. Gardenia used a Turtwig against Ash in 'The Grass Menagerie'.
Fun facts
- At 10.2 kg Turtwig is the heaviest first-stage starter and, with 31 base Speed, the slowest.
- Bulbapedia notes that Turtwig alone among starters already knows Withdraw when you first receive it, and since Withdraw is a Water move, it is also the only Grass starter to learn a Water move by levelling up.
- It can learn Shell Smash and Wide Guard as Egg moves in Scarlet and Violet.
Base stats
- HP: 55
- Attack: 68
- Defense: 64
- Sp. Atk: 45
- Sp. Def: 55
- Speed: 31
Turtwig’s base stat total is 318. Its highest stat is Attack.
Type matchups
What is Turtwig weak to?
Turtwig 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 Turtwig evolve?
Turtwig evolves into Grotle at level 18.
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 Turtwig learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 5 | Withdraw | Water | Status | — |
| 9 | Absorb | Grass | Special | 20 |
| 13 | Razor Leaf | Grass | Physical | 55 |
| 17 | Curse | Ghost | Status | — |
| 21 | Bite | Dark | Physical | 60 |
| 25 | Mega Drain | Grass | Special | 40 |
| 29 | Leech Seed | Grass | Status | — |
| 33 | Synthesis | Grass | Status | — |
| 37 | Crunch | Dark | Physical | 80 |
| 41 | Giga Drain | Grass | Special | 75 |
| 45 | Leaf Storm | Grass | Special | 130 |
TM moves (40)
Turtwig can learn 40 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Protect, Trailblaze, Facade, Bulldoze, Magical Leaf, Mud Shot, Endure, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Reflect, Light Screen, Grass Knot, Rest, Swords Dance, Iron Head, Substitute, Crunch, Giga Drain, Stealth Rock, Energy Ball, Heavy Slam, Amnesia, Earth Power, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Leaf Storm, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Roar, Sand Tomb, Smack Down, Grassy Glide, Double-Edge, Curse.
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 1 Attack effort value.
- Base experience yield: 64.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon becomes more energetic the more sunlight there is. The part resembling a shell is similar to silt and is slightly damp and warm to the touch. (Legends: Arceus)
It undertakes photosynthesis with its body, making oxygen. The leaf on its head wilts if it is thirsty. (Pearl, Y, Alpha Sapphire)
Photosynthesis occurs across its body under the sun. The shell on its back is actually hardened soil. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, X, Omega Ruby)
The shell on its back is made of soil. On a very healthy Turtwig, the shell should feel moist. (Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)
Made from soil, the shell on its back hardens when it drinks water. It lives along lakes. (Diamond)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ナエトル |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Naetle |
| French | Tortipouss |
| German | Chelast |
| Spanish | Turtwig |
| Italian | Turtwig |
| Korean | 모부기 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 草苗龟 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 草苗龜 |
Trivia
- Slowest Grass type in Gen 4: 31 Speed.
- Taller than 11% of all Pokémon (0.4 m).
- Heavier than 28% of all Pokémon (10.2 kg).
- Base stat total 318, ranked #787 of 1,025.
- One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 130 green Pokémon.
- Number 1 of 107 Pokémon introduced in Generation 4 (Sinnoh).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 58 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: Turtwig (Pokémon), Serebii: Turtwig (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (TURT-wig): 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 · Turtwig vs Chimchar · Turtwig vs Piplup · Sinnoh region guide · Overgrow ability · Shell Armor ability · Compare Turtwig · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 4 Grass-type Pokémon · Gen 4 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Grass egg group · Pokémon that start with T · Turtle Pokémon