Introduced in generation five, with the Pokemon Black and White games, Cryogonal is a monotype ice Pokemon. It is a standalone Pokemon, which means that it does not have any other Pokemon in its evolution line. Cryogonal is classified by the Pokedex as the “Crystallizing Pokemon” which is a nod to its general snowflake-like design. This guide will showcase Cryogonal’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Cryogonal.
About Cryogonal
As a generation five Pokemon, Cryogonal first appeared in the Black and White season of the anime with the episode Caution: Icy Battle Conditions!, where it played as one of gym leader Brycen’s Pokemon. Cryogonal is not known to evolve from or into any other Pokemon which makes it a standalone Pokemon. The Pokedex states that Cryogonal can potentially melt, but it can refreeze even after melting.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Black and White Caution: Icy Battle Conditions! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Black and White |
| Region | Unova |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve from or into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | When its body temperature goes up, it turns into steam and vanishes. When its temperature lowers, it returns to ice. |
Cryogonal Base Stats
Cryogonal received a slight buff from generation seven onward. It got a slight boost to its physical defense as well as its health pool, making it more resilient in general.
(Generation 5-6)
| HP | 70 |
| ATTACK | 50 |
| DEFENCE | 30 |
| SP. ATTACK | 95 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 135 |
| SPEED | 105 |
| TOTAL | 485 |
(Generation 7+)
| HP | 80 |
| ATTACK | 50 |
| DEFENCE | 50 |
| SP. ATTACK | 95 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 135 |
| SPEED | 105 |
| TOTAL | 515 |
Appearance
Cryogonal is a large, hexagonal shaped, snowflake Pokemon which floats in the air. It has a face made of what resembles snowfall with two large blue orbs that make up its eyes. Most of its body is varying shades of blue and there are ornamental crystals at each point of the hexagon that forms its body. A Cryogonal has an unknown gender, meaning that it is neither male or female when you encounter one. Cryogonal is 3 feet and 7 inches, or 1.1 meters, tall.
Behavior
Many of Cryogonal’s appearances in the anime showcase it in battle. While it is shown to be reliable in battle, it also seems to travel in packs in the wild. Groups of Cryogonal will stick together, likely to keep each other cool and prevent each other from melting. A Cryogonal will be born in snow clouds and they can use their icy chains to freeze prey. During summer time, Cryogonals are nowhere to be seen.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While Cryogonal is relatively frail in terms of physical defense and general health pool, it has a respectable special attack, a strong special defense, and a fast speed stat for an ice type Pokemon. Despite its strong special defense, it is typically used as an offensive Pokemon as ice types do not have a good defensive typing. As a monotype ice Pokemon, Cryogonal takes 2x damage from fighting, rock, steel, and fire type moves. Not only that, thanks to its ability Levitate, it is immune to ground, but will only resist ice type moves.
Best Moveset
Cryogonal has not been particularly powerful in competitive battle since its introduction. While its speed and special attack stat are decent, it struggles to stay alive against many different types of Pokemon. Thus it is best to utilize Cryogonal for its moveset and offensive capabilities rather than attempt to stall a game out. Consider running Rapid Spin/Defog, Recover, Freeze-Dry, and Hidden Power Fire. Rapid Spin/Defog can ensure your side of the field remains clear of hazards, Recover can keep your Cryogonal healthy against special attacking Pokemon, Freeze-Dry benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), and finally Hidden Power Fire is typically used as type coverage.
| Rapid Spin/Defog | Recover |
| Freeze-Dry | Hidden Power Fire |
How to Catch Cryogonal in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Cryogonal in Pokemon Go, there are a few ways of doing so. You can expect to find Cryogonal in the wild near bodies of water, ski resorts, and even grassy areas. It is relatively rare and it will not spawn as frequently as other Pokemon, especially since it is a standalone Pokemon. Instead, to make things easier it also appears as a raid boss in tier three raids at Pokemon Gyms. Unfortunately, Cryogonal has not appeared in any egg, so you will need to hunt for one in the wild or keep your eyes peeled on tier three raids. Luckily, Cryogonal does not evolve into any other Pokemon so any candies you collect can go back into powering it up.
Trivia
- Despite being a genderless Pokemon, Cryogonal was capable of learning the move Attract through TMs. Since it is a genderless Pokemon, it had no effect in battle.
- The inspiration for Cryogonal’s design likely comes from snowflakes.
- The name Cryogonal is a combination of the Greek prefix cryo-(icy cold) and the suffix -gon (angle)
Video
FAQ
How rare is Cryogonal?
In the games where you can encounter a Cryogonal, it tends to have much lower spawn rates than the other Pokemon you can encounter. In Black and White, you can find Cryogonal in Twist Mountain at a 1% encounter rate. It is much rarer than other Pokemon, but you can obtain this exclusive ice type with enough diligence.
Is Cryogonal a Legendary?
There is nothing about Cryogonal that classifies it as a legendary Pokemon. It can be encountered more than once per save file, it can be bred at a Pokemon Daycare, and its catch rate is not low enough to classify it as a legendary Pokemon. Cryogonal is not a legendary Pokemon.
What does a Cryogonal evolve from?
Cryogonal is a standalone Pokemon, meaning that it does not evolve from or into any other Pokemon. Once you have obtained a Cryogonal there is no pre-evolution or final evolution that you will need to collect as well. The evolution line starts and ends with Cryogonal.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Crystallizing Pokemon”. While Cryogonal has not had the biggest impact on competitive battling, it is still considered an exclusive Pokemon. Even though it may not be the strongest Pokemon in the game, it can still hold its own as a fast, special attacking and defensive Pokemon. Reserve a slot for Cryogonal on your team if you want an ice type Pokemon that can take a few hits while also keeping up with other offensive Pokemon.
