Grapploct Pokemon: Evolution, Stats & Everything You Need to Know

Grapploct is a Fighting-type Pokemon originally known as the “Jujitsu Pokemon.” It is listed as entry 853 in the National Pokedex. Grapploct first appeared in Generation VIII in Pokémon Sword and Pokemon Shield. It has a look as a sea creature that is an octopus and has learned human martial arts. Grapploct is one of the special ideas in the history of Pokémon.

Grapploct comes from a creature called Clobbopus. It brings physical power to any trainers team. If you want to build a Fighting-type team use advanced trapping strategies or finish your regional Pokédex it is important to know how Grapploct evolves what its stats are what moves it can use and where it can be found. Below is a full guide about every part of Grapploct.

What Is Grapploct?

Grapploct is a Fighting-type Pokemon known as the Jujitsu Pokemon (853 in the National Pokedex). It looks like a blue octopus with a yellow mark on its face. It has eight tentacles. Four of them act like arms for grabbing and hitting opponents. Three of them help it stand up on land. One of them wraps around its middle like a martial arts belt.

The idea for Grapploct comes from octopuses and old martial arts like jujutsu, catch wrestling and professional wrestling. It also refers to a sport from the 1960s called “octopus wrestling,” where people would go into the water and wrestle octopuses.

Physical. Standard Metrics:

National Pokédex Number: 853

Primary Type: Fighting

Classification: Jujitsu Pokémon

Height: 1.6 meters (5 feet, 03 inches)

Weight: 39.0 kilograms (86.0 pounds)

Egg Groups: Water 1 and Human-Like

Gender Ratio: 50% Male / 50% Female

In battle Grapploct is famous for its grip. According to stories and in-game entries its body is mostly muscle. It holds opponents with its tentacles so they cannot move and then knocks them out.

Grapploct Evolution. How to Evolve Clobbopus

Clobbopus turns into Grapploct when it learns the move Taunt and gains a level. It does not use level thresholds, evolution stones, or friendship values. This makes its evolution method different from more straightforward evolution lines such as the Eevee evolutions. 

Step-by-Step Evolution Guide for Players:

1. Get a Clobbopus: Catch a Clobbopus in areas like Route 9 or the Wild Area in Pokémon Sword & Shield, or get one from an egg at the Nursery. 
2. Teach Clobbopus the Move Taunt:  

   Natural Level-Up: Clobbopus evolves into Grapploct when it levels up while knowing Taunt. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Clobbopus learns Taunt at level 35, but there is no specific evolution level requirement. 

   Accelerated Learning: You can teach Clobbopus Taunt earlier than Level 35 using TR37 in Generation VIII, TM087 or TM068 in later generations, or the Move Reminder in a Pokémon Center. 

3. Level Up Clobbopus: Once Clobbopus has Taunt, increase its level by one using battle experience, EXP Candies, or Rare Candy. 
4. Evolution Completion: When Clobbopus gains a level while knowing Taunt, it evolves into Grapploct. 

Note: This evolution line has two stages: Clobbopus evolves into Grapploct and does not evolve further. When Clobbopus becomes Grapploct . Octolock was Grapploct’s signature move before Generation IX.  For players interested in comparing different evolution requirements, the Skwovet evolution guide covers another example of how Pokémon evolution can work.

Grapploct Base Stats

Stat	Value
HP	80
Attack	118
Defense	90
Sp. Atk	70
Sp. Def	80
Speed	42
Total	480

Takeaway: Grapploct is an attacker with solid bulk. Grapploct’s low Speed means Grapploct is meant to take hits and perform heavy Fighting‑type sweeps  than to strike first.

Grapploct Abilities

• Limber: This ability stops Grapploct from being affected by the Paralysis status condition.
• Technician: This ability increases the power of moves that have a base power of 60 or less by 1.5 times.

Understanding abilities and stats is also useful when comparing Pokémon for competitive battles or experimenting with teams in Pokémon Showdown. 

Best Grapploct Moves

• Signature Move. Octolock: Octolock lowers an opponent’s Defense and Special Defense by one stage at the end of each turn. Stops the opponent from switching out. (Before Generation IX only Grapploct could learn this move.)
• Close Combat: A high‑damage Fighting move that gives Grapploct a Same‑Type Attack Bonus.
• Superpower: Another Fighting move that gives Grapploct a Same‑Type Attack Bonus.
• Drain Punch: A Fighting move that restores Grapploct’s HP based on the damage it deals.
• Technician: Boosts the power of moves with a base power of 60 or less by 50%, making moves such as Circle Throw and Power-Up Punch more powerful when Grapploct has this Hidden Ability.
• Bulk Up: Increases Grapploct’s Attack and Defense to make Grapploct more durable and stronger.
• Knock Off: A Dark‑type move that removes the opponent’s held item.

Type Effectiveness. Grapploct’s. Weaknesses

• Weak to: Flying, Psychic, Fairy
• Resistant to: Rock, Bug, Dark
• Strategic Note: Grapploct has physical Defense and a high Attack. However Grapploct’s pure Fighting type makes Grapploct very vulnerable to fast special‑attacking Psychic, Flying and Fairy Pokemon.

When building a team, understanding type matchups is important across the wider Pokémon series, including newer games such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 

Is Grapploct a Good Pokémon?  

• Grapploct is average for casual play, but quite weak in competitive battles. 
• While it has a cool design and a unique gimmick, its low speed and lack of pure Water-typing heavily limit its effectiveness. 

Best Grapploct Moveset for Pokémon Sword and Shield 

The best moveset for Grapploct depends on whether you are using it for a Main Story Playthrough (Sword & Shield) or in Competitive PvP Battles. 

1. Best Story Mode / Casual Play Moveset 

This set leverages Grapploct’s physical strength while keeping it healed and capable of handling its major type weaknesses. 

• Drain Punch (STAB Fighting, high damage + HP recovery) 
• Drain Punch (STAB Fighting, high damage + HP recovery)
• Liquidation (Physical Water-type coverage against Ground/Rock/Fire)
• Ice Punch (Coverage against Flying and Dragon types)
• Sucker Punch or Payback (Coverage against Psychic and Ghost types; Payback is great because Grapploct almost always moves second)
• Item: Leftovers or Muscle Band
• Ability: Technician (boosts low-power coverage moves) or Limber (prevents Paralysis)

2. Best “Octolock” Gimmick Moveset  

If you want to capitalize on Grapploct’s signature move to trap and weaken defensive walls, use this disruption set: 

• Octolock (Traps the opponent and lowers Def/SpDef by 1 stage every turn) 
• Drain Punch (Heals Grapploct while capitalizing on the opponent’s lowered Defense)
• Sucker Punch (Priority Dark-type attack to hit fast Psychic/Ghost switch-ins before they attack)
• Bulk Up or Taunt (Bulk Up increases Attack/Defense; Taunt prevents walls from healing or using status moves while trapped)
• Item: Leftovers (gives Grapploct passive healing while Octolock ticks down)

3. Best Competitive Wallbreaker Set (Choice Band)   

Because Grapploct is too slow to boost its stats safely in high-level battles, running an immediate-damage Choice Band set is its most viable competitive option:  

• Close Combat (Maximum Fighting STAB power)
• Liquidation (Strong neutral coverage)
• Ice Punch (Hits Flying and Grass types)
• Sucker Punch (Essential priority move to hit faster Ghost and Psychic types)
• Item: Choice Band
• Ability: Limber
• EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 Attack / 4 Sp. Def (Adamant or Brave Nature)

Grapploct Best Nature & Held Items   

Because Grapploct relies on high Attack and low Speed, choosing the right Nature and Held Item focuses entirely on maximizing its physical damage or keeping it alive long enough to use moves like Octolock or Drain Punch A Pokémon Nature Chart can also help players understand how different Natures affect a Pokémon’s stats. 

Best Natures  

• Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack): The absolute best choice overall. It boosts Grapploct’s already impressive 118 base Attack while lowering Special Attack, a stat it never uses.
• Brave (+Attack, -Speed): Ideal if you are running Grapploct on a Trick Room team, where moving slower makes you attack first in battle.
• Impish (+Defense, -Special Attack) or Careful (+Special Defense, -Special Attack): Good secondary options for tanky, defensive Octolock builds that prioritize taking hits over raw damage output.

Best Held Item

Held Item	Best Used For	Why It Works
Leftovers	Main Story / Octolock Trapper	Restores $1/16$ of maximum HP at the end of every turn. Crucial for stalling trapped opponents while Octolock drops their stats.
Choice Band	Competitive Wallbreaker	Boosts Attack by 50% but locks you into one move.
Assault Vest	Bulky Attacker	Increases Special Defense by 50% but prevents status moves. Helps Grapploct survive powerful Special attacks while dealing damage back
Expert Belt	Playthrough Coverage	Increases damage of super-effective moves by 20%. Great for capitalizing on Grapploct’s wide coverage pool (Water, Ice, Dark).

Where to Find Grapploct

• Pokemon Sword and Shield: Evolve Clobbopus (found on Route 9 or in Wild Area lakes) into Grapploct. Grapploct can also be seen wandering in Route 9 and in Wild Area water locations when certain weather conditions occur.
• Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus: Grapploct does not appear in these games.
• Pokemon Violet: Grapploct can be obtained through DLC. By transferring it through Pokémon Home.
• Pokemon Legends: Z‑A: Grapploct’s availability is not. May be limited until the full regional Pokédex is released.

Grapploct vs. Clobbopus  

Grapploct is the direct, fully evolved form of Clobbopus. Clobbopus is the unevolved base Pokémon, while Grapploct is strictly superior in terms of combat stats, battle capability, and move access. 

Key Comparison

Feature	Clobbopus	Grapploct
Stage	Basic (Unevolved)	Stage 1 (Evolution)
Type	Pure Fighting	Pure Fighting
Base Stat Total	310	480
Attack	68	118
Defense / Sp. Def	60 / 50	90 / 80
HP	50	80
Speed	32	42
Signature Move	None	Octolock

How to Evolve Clobbopus into Grapploct

To evolve Clobbopus, it must level up while knowing the move Taunt:

1. Learn Taunt: Clobbopus naturally learns Taunt at Level 35 in Generation 8 (Sword & Shield) or Level 29 in Generation 9 (Scarlet & Violet). Alternatively, you can teach it Taunt via TM037.
2. Level Up: Gain one level while Taunt is equipped in its 4 active moves, and it will immediately evolve into Grapploct.

Is Clobbopus Useful on Its Own?

• Little Cup (LC) Competitive Play: Clobbopus is playable only in “Little Cup”—a competitive format exclusively for unevolved, Level-5 Pokémon. There, it functions as a decent physical attacker with access to Technician.
• Eviolite Tank: Equipping Clobbopus with an Eviolite (which boosts the Defense and Special Defense of unevolved Pokémon by 50%) gives it decent bulk, but its low HP and Attack still make Grapploct the far better choice for any standard play.

Grapploct in the Anime & Games

• Anime Presence: Bea, the Fighting‑type Gym Leader from Galar uses a Grapploct in the World Coronation Series. In the series Bea’s Grapploct defeats Ash’s Riolu in a battle.
• Trading Card Game (TCG): Grapploct is featured in Sword and Shield expansion sets. The cards usually focus on damage trapping or disrupting other Pokémon on the bench.

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