Pokemon Grookey Sword & Shield guide: evolutions, moves, strengths & weaknesses

Looking to master Grookey in Pokemon Sword and Shield? We’ve got all the information you need including evolutions, best moves, strengths, and weaknesses.

Grookey made its debut alongside Sobble and Scorbunny as part of the Gen 8 starter trio in Sword and Shield on the Nintendo Switch. Like most starter Pokemon, it’s become incredibly popular and has gained a big following of loyal trainers.

Known as the ‘Chimp Pokemon’, Grookey is a cute grass-type creature that originates in the Galar region. Its design appears to be based on a spider monkey, and its name is a hybrid of the words ‘groove’ and ‘monkey’.

Grookey’s Pokedex entry in Sword is as follows: “When it uses its special stick to strike up a beat, the sound waves produced carry revitalizing energy to the plants and flowers in the area.”

What is Grookey weak and strong against?

Being a grass-type Pokemon, Grookey and its evolutions will take more damage from fire, flying, poison, bug, and ice-type moves. They will take less damage from ground, water, grass, and electric-type moves.

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When using grass-type moves, Grookey will have an advantage against ground, rock, and water-type Pokemon. It won’t necessarily have an advantage when using non-grass-type moves against these types.

What moves can Grookey learn by leveling up?

Grookey starts out with just Scratch and Growl, but it can learn a further nine moves by leveling up.

The final move it can learn is Endeavor at level 36. After this, you’ll need to evolve Grookey to Thwackey and then Rillaboom if you want to keep learning moves through leveling up.

What does Grookey evolve into?

Grookey evolves into Thwackey at Level 16. Like the form before it, Thwackey is a pure grass-type Pokemon, meaning it shares the same strengths and weaknesses.

It then evolves into its final evolution Rillaboom at Level 35. Rillaboom is also a pure grass-type, so it also shares the same strengths and weaknesses as Grookey and Thwackey.

All three forms have the Overgrow ability, which boosts the power of grass-type moves by 50% when at less than or equal to 1/3 HP.

Where to find Grookey in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Grookey is one of three starter Pokemon in Sword and Shield, meaning players will have the opportunity to acquire one at the very beginning of the game. If you’re set on getting one, you should probably do this, as Grookey, Sobble, and Scorbunny don’t appear in the wild.

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If you didn’t choose Grookey as your starter Pokemon, you’ll need to set up a trade with another trainer who has one. You can do this with friends, turn to the internet for help, or try your luck with the unpredictable Surprise Trades feature.

How to get Shiny Grookey

As you can’t find Grookey in the wild, you won’t be able to hunt for a Shiny version like you would with most other Pokemon.

What you can do, though, is breed Grookey with another Pokemon in the same egg group, which will give you a small chance of hatching a Shiny. It will take you a while, but if you’re determined, it’s the only way.

A more refined way to do this and guarantee you’ll hatch the Pokemon you’re after is to breed Grookey with Ditto. Anytime Ditto is bred with another Pokemon, the egg will hatch the species that isn’t Ditto.

You can find Ditto at the Lake of Outrage, so you’ll want to head there and catch yourself one. If you’re confused as to how breeding works in general then you can check out our nursery and breeding guide.