Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Bonsly is a monotype rock Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Sudowoodo and was introduced two generations after its final evolution. Bonsly is classified by the Pokedex as the “Bonsai Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Bonsly’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Bonsly.
About Bonsly
As a generation four Pokemon, Bonsly first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime with the episode From Cradle to Save!. In this episode, Brock captures a baby Bonsly and takes care of it throughout his journey. Bonsly will evolve into Sudowoodo when Bonsly is leveled up with the move Mimic learned. This finishes out this Pokemon’s two stage evolution line and Sudowoodo does not evolve further. The Pokedex mentions that Bonsly does not handle water well, and prefers to be in dry areas.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl From Cradle to Save! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Sudowoodo, not known to evolve from another Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | Evolves when leveled up while knowing the move Mimic. |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | In order to adjust the level of fluids in its body, it exudes water from its eyes. This makes it appear to be crying. |
Bonsly Base Stats
| HP | 50 |
| ATTACK | 80 |
| DEFENCE | 95 |
| SP. ATTACK | 10 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 45 |
| SPEED | 10 |
| TOTAL | 290 |
Appearance
Bonsly is a small brown Pokemon that is meant to resemble a potted plant. It may have a leafy appearance, but its entire body is made from rock. In this way, it is closer to a faux plant. There are three green bulbs on top of Bonsly’s head that appear to be berries or fruit, but it does this to bait in prey. Most of its body is brown but the fake berries on top of its head are green. Bonsly is a small Pokemon at only 1 foot and 8 inches, or 0.5 meters, tall.
Behavior
Bonsly is a baby Pokemon, meaning that it is the infant stage of Sudowoodo. It requires great care from its trainer in order to grow to its greatest potential. Bonsly struggles with water and needs to constantly regulate its humidity. It may appear to be crying often, but it is actually expelling water from its body to remain dry. The Pokedex mentions that due to Bonsly’s preferred dry habitats, it can stand out obviously amidst the arid climate.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Bonsly has a specialized lineup of base stats. It has a much higher than average physical attack and defense for a base evolution Pokemon, however, it has a much weaker speed and special lineup of stats as a result. In battle, Bonsly can be a menacing Pokemon as its physical bulk can shut down aggressive physical Pokemon, but it can struggle against special attacking Pokemon. As a monotype ground Pokemon, Bonsly takes 2x damage from fighting, ground, water, steel, and grass type moves. It is immune to no types but will resist normal, poison, flying, and fire type moves.
Best Moveset
In competitive play, Bonsly is typically reserved for the LC (Little Cup) bracket. In this format it can make use of its higher than average base stats. However, Bonsly is not popular in the LC format as there are better alternatives to be utilized. You will want to utilize Bonsly as an aggressive Pokemon, using its high physical stats to pick the best matchup for Bonsly. The Rock Head ability can ensure it stays healthy throughout the battle, and the Life Orb held item can help Bonsly one hit knockout your opponent’s Pokemon. Consider running Rock Polish, Double-Edge, Rock Slide, and Brick Break. This set is aimed at giving Bonsly the most type coverage for your opponent’s Pokemon. It also comes with Rock Polish to give Bonsly a chance to outscale your opponent’s Pokemon.
| Rock Polish | Double-Edge |
| Rock Slide | Brick Break |
How to Catch Bonsly in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Bonsly in Pokemon Go, the only way to do so would be to hatch one from an egg. It does not seem as if Bonsly has appeared naturally in the wild and this is likely due to its final evolution being introduced two generations before Bonsly’s introduction. You can hatch a Bonsly from 5 and 7 km eggs. Since Sudowoodo was introduced before Bonsly, it can also hatch from 10 km eggs. While Bonsly has not appeared as a raid boss, Sudowoodo has been a tier three raid boss at Pokemon Gyms. To evolve Bonsly into a Sudowoodo, you will need 50 candies and walk with Bonsly as your buddy for 15 km.
Trivia
- Bonsly is tied for the lowest base special attack along with Shuckle, Feebas, and Alolan Sandshrew.
- The inspiration for Bonsly’s design is likely based on a bonsai tree, or fake plants in general.
- The name Bonsly is a combination of the words bonsai and sly.
FAQ
At what level does Bonsly evolve?
There is no specific level threshold that Bonsly will evolve. It simply needs to be leveled up with the Mimic ability learned. Bonsly does learn this move naturally upon reaching level 16, so this can be considered the level at which Bonsly evolves. Once your Bonsly evolves into Sudowoodo, you have finished the Pokemon’s evolution line and can move on to collecting other Pokemon.
How do you get Bonsly?
In generation four you can find Bonsly spawning naturally at Trophy Garden. With generation five and six, you would need to breed a Sudowoodo. Generation seven had Bonsly spawning naturally in the wild on Route 1, 5, and Lush Jungle. Finally, generation eight has Bonsly spawning on Bridge Field and Stony Wilderness.
Is Bonsly a good Pokemon?
Bonsly is a unique Pokemon as it is difficult to find a base evolution Pokemon with such significant stat values. While it is not a weak Pokemon by any means, there are simply other alternatives that can fulfill Bonsly’s role more efficiently. To succeed with Bonsly keep it in battle against physical attacking Pokemon, but beware its bad matchups.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Bonsai Pokemon”. While Bonsly’s impact on competitive play is limited to a unique format, it is still unique as a Pokemon that gave a base evolution to a previously standalone evolution line. While Bonsly can often be outclassed, it can be rare to have a high statline base evolution Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Bonsly if you want a physical rock type Pokemon.
