Sneasel

#215 Sneasel
Sneasel's artwork for HeartGold and SoulSilver.
Category	Sharp Claw Pokémon
Original Region	Johto
National Dex Nr.	#215
Johto Dex Nr.	#115
Generation	2
Pokémon Color	Black
Type(s)	Dark/Ice
Ability/ies	Inner Focus, Keen Eye (Hidden: Pickpocket)
Average Height	2'11"
Average Weight	61.7 lbs.
Evolves Into	Weavile

Sneasel (Japanese: ニューラ Nyula) is a dual type Dark/Ice Pokémon.

It evolves into Weavile when leveled up holding a Razor Claw during the night.

Biology

Sneasel is a bipedal Pokémon that resembles both cats and weasels. It is primarily bluish black with three bright red feathers for its tail and a single one on its left ear. The ear feather is shorter on the female than on the male. The other ear is short and pointed, and it has narrow red eyes. On its forehead and chest are yellow, oval markings. It has red eyes with black eyelash-like markings on the edges. It has long limbs with two large, retractable claws on its hands and feet.

Sneasel is a notoriously vicious Pokémon, which is perfectly capable of using its claws to do substantial damage. The claws are also used for climbing trees in its forest home. Sneasel steals eggs from unattended Pidgey nests. Sneasel has been known to form pairs to hunt. One will lure the parents away from the nest, while the other steals the eggs. Its former signature move, Beat Up, allows it to call on its teammates to attack its opponent.

Statistics

Trivia

• Sneasel is one of fourteen Pokémon that one could collect foreign Pokédex entries for in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.
• No other Pokémon has the same type combination as Sneasel and its evolution, Weavile.
• Sneasel has the highest base Speed of all Pokémon that can evolve.
• In Pokémon Gold and Silver, Sneasel's skin was brown and it had turquoise feathers. This was rectified to match the original artwork in Crystal.
• Sneasel can be seen as a parallel to Gligar. Both of them are dual-types, have the same base stat total, evolve into Pokémon that were introduced in Generation IV, and do so by leveling up at night while holding items both containing the word razor.

Origin

Sneasel appears to be based on the kamaitachi, weasel demons with sickles on their front legs. Its Ice typing may also be a nod to the kamaitachi's association with ice and snow. It also shares similar traits with cats and weasels, from unusually cruel behaviors to even superstition, from cat demons or black cats of Western witchcraft, to Japanese superstition of weasels, being known in their respective cultures for being sneaky and associated with "evil" and misfortune. Its eye markings are similar to that of ones in Egyptian style, possibly Horus's.

Name Origin

Sneasel is a combination of sneaky and weasel. It may also derive from sneeze, an action associated with having a cold or being cold, referring to its Ice-type.

Names in other Languages

National Pokédex
← #214: Heracross	#215: Sneasel	#216: Teddiursa →