Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Spheal is a dual type water and ice Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Walrein and evolves into Sealeo upon reaching the level threshold. Spheal is classified by the Pokedex as the “Clap Pokemon” which indicates its seal-like behavior in clapping. This guide will showcase Spheal’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Spheal.
About Spheal
As a generation three Pokemon, Spheal first appeared in the Ruby and Sapphire season of the anime in the episode The Spheal of Approval. It received a fair share of screen time as Spheal is often used as a supporting character’s Pokemon of choice. Spheal evolves into Sealeo at level 32 and subsequently Walrein at level 44. The Pokedex states that a Spheal will clap to show their enjoyment which explains its epithet.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire The Spheal of Approval |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire |
| Region | Hoenn |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Walrein, evolves into Sealeo |
| 1st Evo level | 32 |
| 2nd Evo level | 44 |
| Pokedex Entry | Spheal is much faster rolling than walking to get around. When groups of this Pokémon eat, they all clap at once to show their pleasure. Because of this, their mealtimes are noisy. |
Spheal Base Stats
| HP | 70 |
| ATTACK | 40 |
| DEFENCE | 50 |
| SP. ATTACK | 55 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 25 |
| TOTAL | 290 |
Appearance
Spheal is a large, round, seal-like Pokemon with a ball shaped body, two flippers, and a wide tail. It has a large mouth with two pointed fangs on the top of its mouth and two black eyes. The two pointed teeth eventually turn into the long walrus tusks once it evolves into Walrein. It has two stubby ears on top of its head and the top half of Spheal is blue with the bottom half being cream colored. Spheal is fairly small at 2 feet and 7 inches, or 0.8 meters, tall.
Behavior
Spheal tend to be found in groups in the wild and they are friendly Pokemon, especially if they are fed berries. A group of Spheal will often clap in excitement when they enjoy their meal. Despite its flippers and tail, it has a difficult time swimming or even walking and instead, a Spheal is often found rolling around like a ball. The Pokedex states that a Spheal’s body is coated in fluffy fur to help protect it from the ice as it is rolling around.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a base evolution Pokemon, there are not many strengths regarding Spheal’s base stats. While it does have a good chunk of health and well rounded defenses, it is quite slow and has a hard time dealing significant damage. As a dual type water and ice type Pokemon, Spheal takes 2x damage from fighting, rock, grass, and electric type moves, it has no immunities but will resist water and ice type moves.
Shiny Spheal
A Shiny Spheal may only change one color in its palette, but even that change makes it a distinct variant. Shiny Spheal has a pink exterior rather than a blue one and while its underbelly remains the same color, it is easy to distinguish between a pink or blue Spheal. Like all shiny Pokemon, a Shiny Spheal gains a starry animation upon entering battle.
Best Moveset
As a base evolution Pokemon, Spheal is exclusively limited to LC (Little Cup) brackets of competitive play. In this format, it only has to face other base evolution Pokemon which puts it on a level playing field. However, even in a format with all base evolution Pokemon, Spheal has a hard time dealing significant damage. It is best to consider a stall strategy with Spheal. Consider running Protect, Substitute, Aqua Ring, and Super Fang/Toxic/Blizzard. Protect can buy you a full turn without worrying about taking damage, Substitute can function in a similar way to Protect, Aqua Ring can sustain your Spheal and finally you have a damage choice option of Super Fang, Toxic, or Blizzard depending on the rest of your team.
| Protect | Substitute |
| Aqua Ring | Super Fang/Toxic/Blizzard |
How to Catch Spheal in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Spheal in Pokemon Go, there are a few ways to do so. As a base evolution Pokemon, it is fairly common to encounter in the wild. You can find boosted spawn rates while it is raining, or in watery areas like docks, harbors, rivers, or even ski resorts. While Spheal has not appeared as a raid boss in Pokemon Gyms, you can find its final evolution Walrein in tier three and tier four raids. You can also hatch a Spheal from 5 km eggs which makes it easy to obtain via a number of methods in Pokemon Go. To evolve your Spheal into Sealeo you will need 25 candies, to evolve into Walrein you will need 100 candies.
Trivia
- The inspiration for Spheal’s design comes from eared seals with a spherical shape.
- The name Spheal is a combination of the words sphere and seal. The inspiration is similar in the Japanese version of its name as Tamazarashi is a combination of the words tama (sphere) and azarashi (seal).
Video
FAQ
Is Spheal any good?
For a base evolution, Spheal has a decent amount of natural resilience. It also has a moveset that can support its natural bulk with moves like Aqua Ring, Protect, and Substitute buying you time for moves like Super Fang or Toxic to whittle your opponents down. As Spheal evolves, it becomes stronger at stalling out your opponents, making Spheal a good defensive option.
What kind of Animal is Spheal?
Spheal is likely based on the eared seal with a sphere theme in mind. The name Spheal is a combination of the words sphere and seal, making it a logical connection that Spheal is likely based on seals. It also depicts behavior of seals as it will clap in excitement upon enjoying a meal.
What Level does Spheal evolve at?
A Spheal will evolve into Sealeo at level 32, and Sealeo will evolve into Walrein at level 44. There are no special conditions to fulfill with evolving Spheal and you just need to reach the level threshold. Once Spheal reaches level 32, you just need to allow the evolution animation to play without pressing the “B” button. After the animation plays, you will have a Sealeo to use.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Clap Pokemon”. While Spheal’s impact on competitive play has proven to be somewhat limited, it offers a straightforward and defensive strategy to utilize. Spheal’s inclusion in the franchise also serves a comedic purpose as seeing a happy seal roll around and clap for food is endearing. Reserve a slot on your team for Spheal if you want to try out a defensive strategy in the Pokemon games.
