Wobbuffet
Wobbuffet is a Psychic-type Pokémon, the Patient Pokémon, number 202 (#0202) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 1.3 m tall and weighs 28.5 kg.
Wobbuffet is the Patient Pokémon, a soft cyan Psychic type that never attacks first and fights only by sending your own blows straight back. It guards its black tail fiercely, which the Pokédex takes as proof the tail hides a secret.
How to pronounce Wobbuffet
Wobbuffet is pronounced WOB-uh-fet. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Wobbuffet said out loud:
In Japanese it is ソーナンス (Sonans).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Wobbuffet is a tall, soft-bodied, cyan Pokémon with squinting eyes, a jagged upper lip, flat arms and four stubby legs. Its black tail carries two eyespots, and females have a red mark on the mouth that looks like lipstick. It is 1.3 m (4'03") tall and weighs 28.5 kg (62.8 lbs).
Behaviour
Wobbuffet is docile and hates light and shocks. If it is hit it inflates its body and strikes back, and if its tail is attacked it turns suddenly ferocious. When two meet they compete to outlast each other, sometimes by going longest without food.
Habitat
The Pokédex lists Wobbuffet as a cave Pokémon that waits in the dark for nightfall. It is not available in Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A.
Powers
Its Ability is Shadow Tag, which stops foes from switching out, and its hidden Ability is Telepathy. It has no real attack: its moves are Counter, Mirror Coat, Safeguard and Destiny Bond, plus Encore, Charm and Amnesia, so it wins only by turning the enemy's power against it. Apart from its huge HP, every base stat sits between 33 and 58.
Name origin
Wobbuffet may combine 'wobble' and 'buffet' (to strike repeatedly), and might twist 'What about that?'. Its Japanese name, Sonans (ソーナンス), sounds like 'sō nansu', 'that's the way it is', an answer to Wynaut's Japanese name Sohnano ('Really?').
Design inspiration
Hironobu Yoshida designed Wobbuffet, and Jeff Kalles suggested its English name. Bulbapedia suggests a punching bag, or karma, since it only does harm if harmed first. Its forehead-touching habit may nod to the comedian Sanpei Hayashiya. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Wobbuffet evolves from Wynaut at level 15.
In the games
In Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, a Wobbuffet and a Wynaut send you to Uproar Forest and then help remodel your rescue base, and that Wobbuffet is the one character in the game who only ever says its own name. It debuted in Gold and Silver.
In the anime
Jessie's Wobbuffet joined her when she accidentally traded her Lickitung for it in 'Tricks of the Trade', and it has popped out of its Poké Ball to shout its name in almost every episode since, except most of the Black & White series, when it stayed behind at Team Rocket's headquarters. 'Wobbu-Palooza!' features a town where everyone, including the local Officer Jenny, owns one.
Fun facts
- Its base HP of 190 is the highest of any Psychic type.
- In Generation III, two Wobbuffet holding Leftovers could battle forever, since neither could do lasting damage and Shadow Tag stopped both switching; Shadow Tag and Struggle changed in Generation IV, probably because of it.
- Before Generation V, only Wobbuffet and Wynaut could have the Ability Shadow Tag.
Base stats
- HP: 190
- Attack: 33
- Defense: 58
- Sp. Atk: 33
- Sp. Def: 58
- Speed: 33
Wobbuffet’s base stat total is 405. Its highest stat is HP.
Type matchups
What is Wobbuffet weak to?
Wobbuffet takes extra damage from Bug (2×), Ghost (2×), Dark (2×) moves.
It resists Fighting (½×), Psychic (½×).
Evolution
What does Wobbuffet evolve from?
Wobbuffet evolves from Wynaut at level 15.
Wobbuffet is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Wynaut, Wobbuffet.
Abilities
- Shadow Tag: Prevents opponents from fleeing or switching out.
- Telepathy (hidden ability): Protects against friendly Pokémon's damaging moves.
Moves
Moves Wobbuffet learns by level up in Sword / Shield
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo | Counter | Fighting | Physical | — |
| Evo | Mirror Coat | Psychic | Special | — |
| Evo | Safeguard | Normal | Status | — |
| Evo | Destiny Bond | Ghost | Status | — |
| 1 | Splash | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Charm | Fairy | Status | — |
| 1 | Encore | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — |
| 1 | Counter | Fighting | Physical | — |
| 1 | Mirror Coat | Psychic | Special | — |
| 1 | Safeguard | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Destiny Bond | Ghost | Status | — |
“Evo” means Wobbuffet learns the move the moment it evolves: Counter, Mirror Coat, Safeguard and Destiny Bond.
TM moves (4)
Wobbuffet can learn 4 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Safeguard, Charm, Amnesia, Encore.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Amorphous.
- 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 (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 2 HP effort values.
- Base experience yield: 142.
Pokédex entries
To keep its pitchblack tail hidden, it lives quietly in the darkness. It is never first to attack. (Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver, Y, Shield)
It hates light and shock. If attacked, it inflates its body to pump up its counterstrike. (Gold, LeafGreen, Sword)
Wobbuffet does nothing but endure attacks - it won't attack on its own. However, it won't endure an attack on its tail. When that happens, the Pokémon will try to take the foe with it using Destiny Bond. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
If two or more Wobbuffet meet, they will turn competitive and try to outdo each other's endurance. However, they may try to see which one can endure the longest without food. Trainers need to beware of this habit. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
It hates light and shock. If attacked, it inflates its body to build up its counterstrike. (HeartGold, X)
It desperately tries to keep its black tail hidden. It is said to be proof the tail hides a secret. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ソーナンス |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Sonans |
| French | Qulbutoké |
| German | Woingenau |
| Spanish | Wobbuffet |
| Italian | Wobbuffet |
| Korean | 마자용 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 果然翁 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 果然翁 |
Trivia
- Highest HP among Psychic types: 190.
- Highest HP among Psychic types in Gen 2: 190.
- Taller than 64% of all Pokémon (1.3 m).
- Heavier than 50% of all Pokémon (28.5 kg).
- Base stat total 405, ranked #605 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is HP, ranked #5 of 1,025.
- One of 102 Psychic-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 170 blue Pokémon.
- Number 51 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 8 different moves in Sword / Shield.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 8 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: Wobbuffet (Pokémon), Serebii: Wobbuffet (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (WOB-uh-fet): 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
Psychic-type Pokémon · Johto region guide · Shadow Tag ability · Telepathy ability · Compare Wobbuffet · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 2 Psychic-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Amorphous egg group · Pokémon that start with W