Introduced in generation one, with the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Wartortle is a monotype water Pokemon. It is classified by the Pokedex as the turtle Pokemon. Wartortle is the middle stage evolution of the water starter representative of generation one, Squirtle, and eventually evolves into Blastoise. This guide will showcase Wartortle’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Wartortle.
About Wartortle
Wartortle was part of the original 151 Pokemon released to the world from the first Pokemon games. On top of this, it is also the middle stage evolution of the water starter line in generation one. It made its first appearance in the original series with the episode The Pokemon Water War. Wartortle evolves from Squirtle at level 16 and evolves into Blastoise at level 36. The Pokedex states that the large fin-like ears on its head are used to maintain balance while swimming.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series The Pokemon Water War |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Evolves from Squirtle, evolves into Blastoise |
| 1st Evo level | 16 |
| 2nd Evo level | 36 |
| Pokedex Entry | Often hides in water to stalk unwary prey. For swimming fast, it moves its ears to maintain balance. |
Wartortle Base Stats
| HP | 59 |
| ATTACK | 63 |
| DEFENCE | 80 |
| SP. ATTACK | 65 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 80 |
| SPEED | 58 |
| TOTAL | 405 |
Appearance
The Pokedex classifies Wartortle as the “Turtle Pokemon” and its appearance mimics real life turtles except the fact that it’s a bipedal Pokemon. While most of its body is blue, its shell is brown on the outside and yellow on the inside with a white line separating the two colors. Wartortle also has a long wave-shaped tail and two fin shaped ears. The inside of Wartortle’s mouth has two pointed teeth and the ends of Wartortle’s hand have three pointed claws. It is relatively short at only 3 feet and 3 inches, or 1 meter, tall.
Behavior
Even though Ash had caught a Squirtle, most of Wartortle’s depictions come from May’s Wartortle. It was often showcased as a plucky adolescent that was willing to prove its worth in battle. Wartortle’s boisterous attitude was distinct from Ash’s Squirtle as the later seasons did not typically feature the trainer’s Pokemon and their emotional arcs. The Pokedex states that some Wartortles are said to live over 10,000 years and their tails are a symbol of its longevity.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a mid stage evolution, Wartortle’s stats leave a bit to be desired. Its bulk is beginning to show, as its best stats are its physical and special defense. As a monotype water Pokemon, it has good resistances to most types in the game. Wartortle will take 2x damage from grass and electric moves but it is resistant to steel, fire, water, and ice type moves. However, in competitive play, it is restricted to minor brackets like NFE (Not Fully Evolved).
Shiny Wartortle
It can be nearly impossible to tell the difference between Shiny Squirtle/Blastoise and regular Squirtle/Blastoise but luckily, Shiny Wartortle is quite distinct from its regular form. The inside of Shiny Wartortle’s shell is orange and the outside is green. There is an ever so slight difference to the hue of the blue between Shiny Wartortle and Regular Wartortle, but it can be hard to discern the difference without comparing the two side by side. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Wartortle gains a starry animation upon entering battle.
Best Moveset
There is little reason to run Wartortle in competitive play other than in the NFE (Not Fully Evolved) brackets of competitive battle. It has one move that sets it apart from other supportive Pokemon, Rapid Spin, which clears hazards from your side of the field while also dealing small amounts of damage. To see success with Wartortle in these brackets, consider running Rapid Spin, Scald, Foresight, and Toxic. Rapid Spin can help keep your team healthy, Scald benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) and functions as Wartortle’s primary source of damage, Foresight can help you with ghost types, and Toxic will give inevitability through a powerful poison effect.
| Rapid Spin | Scald |
| Foresight | Toxic |
How to Catch Wartortle in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Wartortle in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to go about it would be to capture a Squirtle and evolve it into a Wartortle. While Wartortle can spawn in the wild, it is a rarer spawn as compared to a Squirtle. As a monotype water Pokemon, search near watery areas like harbors, lakes, rivers, and docks to have a boosted chance of seeing these Pokemon. Wartortle has also appeared as a tier one and tier two raid boss in the past, so keep your eyes peeled on Pokemon Gyms to see if there is one spawning near you. It will cost 25 Squirtle candies to evolve Squirtle into Wartortle, and another 100 to evolve it into Blastoise.
Video
Trivia
- Early depictions of Wartortle’s design show that its ears were originally going to be the same color as its skin, but it was changed for its introduction in generation one.
- The inspiration for Wartortle’s design likely comes from Japanese folklore of the minogame, a turtle which lived for 10,000 years and had a tail made from seaweed.
- The name Wartortle is a portmanteau of the words warrior and turtle.
FAQ
Is Wartortle better than Blastoise?
There is almost no reason to consider Wartortle instead of Blastoise. Like most Pokemon, their fully evolved forms are much more powerful and this is especially so for the starter Pokemon. On top of this, Blastoise gets access to a mega evolution making it much more powerful than Wartortle.
What are Wartortle’s Special abilities?
Wartortle has access to two different abilities, Rain Dish and Torrent. Torrent is much more likely as it is not its hidden ability, but Torrent will only activate when your Pokemon is in red health bar status. Rain Dish will heal your Wartortle while rain is in effect during battle.
What Animal is Wartortle based on?
The Pokedex classifies Wartortle as a turtle Pokemon but which turtle specifically is never officially stated. The inspiration for Wartortle’s design likely comes from the minogame, a Japanese folktale creature that resembled a turtle which lived for 10,000 years.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this turtle Pokemon. While Wartortle and its evolution line may not have had the biggest impact on competitive play, it is quite remarkable. Its status as a starter Pokemon, as well as its evolution being part of the box art of the original generation one games, cements its place as a revered Pokemon. Even 25 years later, Wartortle still resides in the hearts and minds of fans of the franchise everywhere.
