Introduced in generation five, with the Pokemon Black and White games, Galvantula is a dual type bug/electric Pokemon. It is the final evolution of Joltik and is not known to evolve into any other Pokemon. Galvantula is classified by the Pokedex as the “EleSpider Pokemon”, which is a combination of the words electric and spider. This guide will showcase Galvantula’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Galvantula.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm_BiT19IAM
About Galvantula
As a generation five Pokemon, Galvantula first appeared in the Black and White season of the anime in the episode Hatched to be Wild!. It played a minor role here where it preyed on Ash’s newly hatched Scraggy. Galvantula is a two stage evolution with Joltik as its pre-evolution and this means that Galvantula is the final evolution and does not evolve further. The Pokedex states that Galvantula will lay a web to trap their prey and they can send electricity throughout their web.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Black and White Scraggy - Hatched to be Wild! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Black and White |
| Region | Unova |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Joltik, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 36 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | They employ an electrically charged web to trap their prey. While it is immobilized by shock, they leisurely consume it. |
Galvantula Base Stats
| HP | 70 |
| ATTACK | 77 |
| DEFENCE | 60 |
| SP. ATTACK | 97 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 60 |
| SPEED | 108 |
| TOTAL | 472 |
Appearance
Galvantula is a spider-like Pokemon that has a yellow body with blue tufts of fur on the back end of its body and pink stripes on its back. Despite its design depicting a spider, Galvantula only has four legs and six eyes. Two of its eyes are much larger than the others and the other four sit in a 2x2 pattern on its forehead. Galvantula is a rather small Pokemon at only 2 feet and 7 inches, or 0.8 meters, tall.
Behavior
Many of Galvantula’s appearances in the anime have been minor roles, so what we know about its behavior is mostly through the Pokedex. It has been depicted as a social Pokemon and is often accompanied by multiple other Galvantula. The Pokedex states that they will set an electrically charged web to trap their prey. Not only that, its fur is capable of conducting electricity and contact with Galvantula’s fur can cause paralysis for three full days.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Galvantula’s stat distribution is relatively mediocre as while it does have a respectable speed stat, it has very little elsewhere. However, it leans towards a special attacker with the ability Compound Eyes alongside its quickness. As a dual type bug/electric Pokemon, Galvantula is 2x weak to rock and fire type moves, immune to no types but resistant to fighting, steel, grass, and electric type moves.
Shiny Galvantula
It can be easy to miss a Shiny Galvantula unless you are very perceptive. Only the pink fur on Galvantula’s body has changed to a dark gray, and while its eyes also turn to a darker color. Those are the obvious changes but the body also switches to a darker shade of yellow from its original colour palette. Yet, it is still easy to miss without a comparison between regular and Shiny Galvantula. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Galvantula will gain a starry animation upon entering battle.
Credit to TrainerParshen on Deviantart for the below picture.
Best Moveset
Galvantula is best used as an offensive special attacker as while it does have a tough time on its own, it can provide some good support for your team. With the ability Compound Eyes, you will not miss often and thus Use a Life Orb, as a held item, to compensate for its relatively low power. Consider running Sticky Web, Thunder, Bug Buzz, Energy Ball/Giga Drain for the best chance of success. Sticky Web can ensure that Galvantula can often go first, Thunder and Bug Buzz benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) and function as Galvantula’s main source of damage, and finally, Energy Ball and Giga Drain can be interchangeable as a type coverage options.
| Sticky Web | Thunder |
| Bug Buzz | Energy Ball/Giga Drain |
How to Catch Galvantula in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Galvantula in Pokemon Go, the easiest way would be to obtain a Joltik and eventually evolve it into Galvantula. Like most final evolutions, it is far easier to encounter its base evolution, as compared to the final evolution, in the wild. You can also hatch a Joltik from 5 km eggs as long as it is from an adventure sync egg. You will need 50 Joltik candies in order to evolve it into Galvantula. Unfortunately, it does not seem as if Galvantula has appeared as a raid boss in the past and thus you will have to do it the hard way if you want one.
Trivia
- The name Galvantula is a combination of the words galvanism and tarantula.
- The design for Galvantula is likely based on tarantulas in real life.
FAQ
Is Galvantula any good?
Galvantula is decently fast and can disable your opponent’s speed with the move Sticky Web. It also has the ability Compound Eyes which can prevent low accuracy moves from missing too often. However, most of Galvantula’s stats are mildly weak and you will need a lot of support in order to get it up to par.
What is Galvantula good against?
You can utilize Galvantula against fast Pokemon alongside other hazards that you can set up against your opponent. A combination of Sticky Web, Stealth Rocks/Spikes, and strong defensive Pokemon can force your opponent into a bad position. As a dual type bug and electric Pokemon, Galvantula is also good against grass, dark, psychic, flying, and water types.
How big is a Galvantula?
It is relatively small at only 2 feet and 7 inches, (or 0.8 meters) tall. Galvantula is not meant to be horrifying nightmare fuel for arachnophobes but rather an intelligent hunter with an arsenal of tricks. Both in terms of lore and gameplay, Galvantula fits this role rather nicely.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “EleSpider Pokemon”. While Galvantula’s place in competitive brackets has only risen to the middle of tier lists, it is still a threatening Pokemon. Its impressive speed stat makes it tough to handle especially since it can disable an opponent's threats even after it leaves the battlefield. Reserve a slot on your team for Galvantula if you want to run a Pokemon that does not miss often, can slow down your opponents, and act as a threat.
