Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Tangrowth is a monotype grass Pokemon. It is the second stage evolution of its two stage evolution line and evolves from Tangela when it is leveled while it knows the move Ancient Power. Tangrowth is classified by the Pokedex as the “Vine Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Tangrowth’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Tangrowth.
About Tangrowth
As a generation four Pokemon, Tangrowth first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime in the episode Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!. In this episode, a Tangrowth is trying its best to save a dying tree deep in the forest. The Pokedex mentions that Tangrowth can ensnare its prey with its vine-like arms, and it can lose arms without worry.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Promoting Healthy Tangrowth! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Evolves from Tangela, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | Evolves when Tangela levels while knowing the move Ancient power |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | When it remains still, it appears to be a large shrub. Unsuspecting prey that wander near get ensnared by its vines. |
Tangrowth Base Stats
| HP | 100 |
| ATTACK | 100 |
| DEFENCE | 125 |
| SP. ATTACK | 110 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 50 |
| TOTAL | 535 |
Appearance
Tangrowth is a large blue Pokemon that seems like an overgrowth of twisted vines wrapped together. It has two large eyes at the center of its face and its entire body seems like a mess of vines growing over themselves. It has two long and slender vine arms with red tips. Most of its body is a blue-green color, except for the red at the tips of its arms and the base of its body. Tangrowth is a massive Pokemon at 6 feet and 7 inches, or 2 meters, tall.
Behavior
Tangrowth’s large mass makes it a resilient Pokemon in the wild. It can lose its arms without much worry and still quickly recover. In fact, it will measure the growth of its own vines and rip them off if they grow too long. In the wild, Tangrowth will lie in wait for prey to mistake it for a large shrub and then it will ensnare its prey with vines. It prefers warm climates as its vines will grow more quickly. The Pokedex mentions that Tangrowth’s arms will grow back immediately when they are cut off.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Tangrowth has an impressive lineup of base stats as its health, physical attack and defense, and its special attack are powerful. While its special defense and speed are below average, it is still a formidable Pokemon in battle thanks to its other high stats. As a monotype grass Pokemon, Tangrowth takes 2x damage from flying, poison, bug, fire, and ice type moves. It has no immunities but is resistant to ground, water, grass, and electric type moves.
Best Moveset
Tangrowth has recently proven itself incredibly capable in competitive play. While it was near the middle of tier lists with its debut generation, it has since been ranked near the top of tier lists thanks to its defensive capabilities. With Rocky Helmet or Leftovers, as a held item, along with its Regenerator ability, Tangrowth can prove to be a difficult Pokemon to remove. Consider running Sleep Powder, Giga Drain, Knock Off, and Hidden Power Fire/Leech Seed. This set seeks to disable your opponent, heal off of your main source of damage, deal with problematic items, and cover troublesome types. Leech Seed can be considered if you want to maximize Tangrowth’s longevity in battle.
| Sleep Powder | Giga Drain |
| Knock Off | Hidden Power Fire/Leech Seed |
How to Catch Tangrowth in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Tangrowth in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first obtain a Tangela and eventually evolve it into a Tangrowth. This is because like most final evolutions, its base evolution spawns more commonly in the wild. You can find Tangela spawning in the wild, at a boosted rate, near parks, farmlands, forests, hiking trails, gardens, and other grassy areas. Tangela can also be hatched from 2, 5, and 7 km eggs but while Tangrowth has not appeared as a raid boss, Tangela has been featured as a tier one raid boss at Pokemon Gyms. To evolve Tangela into a Tangrowth you will need 100 candies and a Sinnoh Stone.
Trivia
- Tangrowth was not originally available in the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. It became more easily available with the release of Pokemon Platinum.
- The inspiration for Tangela’s design is likely based on the swamp monster from the short story “It!” by Theodore Sturgeon.
- The name Tangrowth is a combination of the words tangle and growth.
FAQ
What is Tangrowth good for?
While Tangrowth is not the fastest Pokemon, it has an excellent amount of bulk and its offensive stats are powerful. It is best used as a defensive Pokemon, seeking to disable your opponents and outlast the opposing Pokemon. Both of its attack stats are powerful so it can defeat both special oriented Pokemon and physical oriented Pokemon.
How does Tangrowth evolve?
Tangrowth is the final evolution of its two stage evolution line and it evolves from Tangela once it is leveled as long as it knows the move Ancient Power. There is no level threshold for this evolution and your Tangela can evolve as soon as it learns Ancient Power. It typically learns this move naturally at level 24.
What number is Tangrowth?
Tangrowth is the 465th Pokemon in the Pokedex. The Pokedex will label every Pokemon with a number typically sequentially with its evolutions. However, Pokemon that were released in a prior generation will gain priority over sequential order with evolutions. Therefore, you can use this number to remind yourself which generation a Pokemon was released in.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Vine Pokemon”. While it took some time for Tangrowth to reach the top tiers of competitive play, it has proven itself as a powerful defensive Pokemon. It is capable of disabling your opponent’s Pokemon with sleep, heal itself through a variety of moves, and deal significant damage. Reserve a slot on your team for Tangrowth if you want a defensive grass type Pokemon.
