The final evolution of Mudkip and one of the three starter Pokemon of generation three, Swampert is a dual-type ground/water type Pokemon. Out of the three Hoenn starters, Swampert is one of the most powerful, as it naturally beats most of the gyms you encounter in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Thanks to its typing, it will only take damage from grass-type moves, albeit at 4x effectiveness. This guide will showcase Swampert’s appearances in the anime, its capabilities in battle, as well as other general facts about Swampert.
About Swampert
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire Abandon Ship! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire |
| Region | Hoenn |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Mudkip, evolves from Marshtomp |
| 1st Evo level | 16 |
| 2nd Evo level | 36 |
| Pokedex Entry | Swampert is very strong. It has enough power to easily drag a boulder weighing more than a ton. This Pokémon also has powerful vision that lets it see even in murky water. |
Swampert Base Stats
| HP | 100 |
| ATTACK | 110 |
| DEFENCE | 90 |
| SP. ATTACK | 85 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 60 |
| TOTAL | 535 |
Appearance of Swampert
Swampert resembles a watery lizard. Covered in fins and spikes, Swampert is 4 feet and 11 inches, or 1.5 meters tall. The outside of its body is covered in blue, its fins are darker blue, and the spikes on its body are orange. Swampert has four legs, it typically walks on its four legs, but can sometimes be seen standing on two legs. It has a long fan-shaped tail, and its arms and legs end in three-fingered toes.
Behavior of Swampert
Swampert is capable of swimming incredibly fast and can lift boulders that weigh over a ton. As a denizen of swamps, it is capable of seeing through murky water. Its fins are also very sensitive and are used by Swampert to sense changes in waves. Truly, representative of its ground/water typing, it is capable of swimming quickly as well as creating nests out of boulders. In Swampert’s appearances in the anime, it is shown to be quite athletic and capable of packing a punch.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Swampert’s biggest selling point is its resistance towards other types. Only grass-type moves are able to get through Swampert with ease, every other type of move will be resisted or regularly effective. While Swampert is a physical attacker, it is also moderately bulky and can often live through many attacks. Its biggest weakness is its speed stat, since it is so slow, if you keep it against a Pokemon with access to a grass move, your Swampert will not last long.
Mega Swampert
Mega Swampert gains the 100 stat boost to base stats that most mega evolutions benefit from. Luckily for Mega Swampert, these stat boosts go exactly where it benefits its regular statline. All of Mega Swampert’s bulky stats get higher, and its physical attack goes from good to exceptional. With the added benefit of getting the ability swift swim, Mega Swampert also gets a roundabout boost to his speed stat giving it a somewhat free option of setting up.
Best Moveset
In terms of moveset, you will want to take Mega Swampert any chance you get to in competitive Pokemon battles. This means that for a held item, it will be reserved for Swampertite, but with Mega Swampert’s swift swim ability, it may as well be a stat-boosting held item. For a moveset, you will want Waterfall, Earthquake, Ice Punch, and Stealth Rock/Superpower. The waterfall is a physical attacking STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) benefitting, Earthquake is more of the same story, Ice Punch is used for combatting dragons and other types, while Stealth Rock/Superpower can be used interchangeably depending on what Pokemon are giving your team trouble.
| Waterfall | Earthquake |
| Ice Punch | Stealth Rock/Superpower |
How to Catch Swampert in Pokemon Go
As a water-type starter, you can easily get a Swampert by locating enough Mudkips in your area. It will take 25 Mudkip candies to evolve into Marshtomp and 100 candies to evolve into Swampert. There has been a level 4 Swampert raid in the past, so it is possible that it is reintroduced into the rotation at some point. Regardless, keep your eyes peeled for a Mudkip or a Swampert raid if you want to be sure to catch one.
Video Guide
Trivia
- Out of all the starter Pokemon available in the games, Swampert has the highest base stat total.
- Picking Swampert to counter other gyms in generation three may be intriguing, but you will also have to deal with your rival’s Pokemon having a 4x effectiveness against your starter.
- The name Swampert is a portmanteau of the words swamp and rampart.
FAQs
Q. Why is Swampert the best Starter?
Because Swampert counters almost every gym in generation three, it is a good starter to take to be solid throughout your whole playthrough. However, keep in mind if you take Swampert, you will need to take a Pokemon that can cover grass types. Especially since if you take Swampert, your rival will take a grass-type starter. The generation three starter is incredibly fast so it is unlikely your Swampert will be able to help you with rival battles.
Q. Which is Better Greninja or Swampert?
Greninja is much faster, however, Swampert has higher base stat totals. In truth, it depends on if you need a bulky attacking Pokemon through Swampert, or if you want an agile sweeping Pokemon that can end battles before they have a chance. One offers a high-risk high rewards type of behavior, the other is more solid against a wider range. Pick whichever one interests you more.
Q. Why is Swampert so Good?
As mentioned above, Swampert has one of the highest base stat totals. It is also very good in the generation it came out in for countering enemy gyms. In addition to the fact that it is truly only weak to one type of Pokemon, it can be quite the force to be reckoned with. Swampert is also good in competitive battles, so it is a solid Pokemon on all accounts.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything about this powerful water-type starter in generation three. Swampert has managed to survive the test of time with the addition of its mega evolution. It was quite powerful throughout the casual and competitive play. Along with its appearances in the anime and other media many fans of the franchise have come to know Swampert’s name by its incredible capabilities. Give a slot to Swampert on your team and you will not regret it.
