Shuckle

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Shuckle
Image:Shuckle.png
National Pokédex
Scizor - Shuckle (#213) - Heracross
Johto Pokédex
Kingler - Shuckle (#166) - Staryu
Japanese name Tsubotsubo
Evolves from None
Evolves into None
Generation Second
Species Mold Pokémon
Type Bug / Rock
Height 2 ft 0 in (0.60 m)
Weight 45.2 lb (20.5 kg)
Ability Sturdy/Gluttony(the latter from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl onwards)

Shuckle (ツボツボ? Tsubotsubo in original Japanese language versions) is one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon from the Pokémon Franchise – a series of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri.

Shuckle's name is derived from the words shuck, a husk, pod, or shell, with the suffix -le, possibly from the word turtle. Its Japanese name, Tsubotsubo, is a repetition of the word ツボ (tsubo), the Japanese for pot or jar, which refers to its rock/ceramic shell.

Contents

[edit] Biological characteristics

Shuckle's appearance resembles that of a scale insect. Its soft yellow body has four legs and is covered by a hard, vase-like red shell which has eight openings for Shuckle to stick its head and four appendages out of.

[edit] Biological characteristics

Shuckle is a diurnal Pokémon. It makes its home amid rocks, withdrawing into its rock-like shell and hiding among, under or within them. Shuckle employs a fluid secreted by its toes to dissolve rocks and carve them in a shape fit for its nest.

Shuckle's diet consists of berries, which it stores inside its shell to eat later. If stored long enough, the berries will eventually decompose and mix with Shuckle's natural fluids to form a viscous liquid that makes a healing beverage aptly called "berry juice". If berry juice is held by a Shuckle long enough, it hardens into "rare candy."

While Shuckle's shell grants it unparalleled defense, it renders it very slow. Nothing else about Shuckle is terribly noteworthy either.

It is rumored that blue-shelled Shuckle (shiny Shuckle) produce a much more potent healing beverage than their much more commonly seen red-shelled counterparts. Their berry juice may also raise Pokémon stats and abilities. The rare candy of a shiny Shuckle may add to their stats during level-up.

Occasionally, Shuckle use their natural liquids not just on rocks, but on opposing Pokémon. They are acids that can melt rock and even poison Pokémon too.

[edit] In the video games

Shuckle first appeared in Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal. In Cianwood City one is given to the player to take care of by a trainer who has had all his other Pokémon stolen by the Rival. Wild Shuckle may also be found by using Rock Smash on breakable rocks around Cianwood City, in the Ice Path, and on Route 40 during the daytime or morning hours.

In Pokémon Emerald, Shuckle is found in the Safari Zone, where the breakable rocks are in the mountains, after you beat the Elite Four. In Pokémon Colosseum, Shuckle is a Shadow Pokémon and can be Snagged in the Deep Colosseum. In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Shuckle can be found in the Altering Cave through proper use of the e-card reader. In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Duking will trade you a Shuckle for a Surskit.

Shuckle is a collection of extremes: It is tied with Munchlax for the lowest Speed of all Pokémon and its Hit Points and Attack are almost the lowest as well. On the other hand, both its Defense and Special Defense are the highest of all Pokémon.

Strategies concerning Shuckle usually have it using moves that deal a set portion of damage indirectly over time (such as Toxic, Wrap or Sandstorm), while it weathers any hits it receives thanks to its high defenses, which is actually the highest in the game. Due to its low Hit Points, Shuckle is itself vulnerable to moves which bypass its defense, such as the aforementioned Toxic and Wrap, as well as Seismic Toss and Night Shade. Moves such as Double Team, Protect and Rest attempt to counter this.

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Shuckle can learn a new move called Power Trick which exchanges its Attack stat with its Defense. This could lead to some interesting new strategies for Shuckle, as the move essentially gives it enormous strength and pathetic defense. Since Shuckle is still the slowest Pokémon, the move Trick Room can be used. Since Trick Room makes the slower Pokémon go first, a Shuckle will become the fastest Pokémon. Since it then has a huge Attack stat and is faster than every Pokémon, it can easily sweep an entire opposing team.

Despite being a Bug-type, Shuckle can't learn any Bug-type moves (except Hidden Power if it is Bug type), being one of the few Pokémon that can't learn a move from both of its types.

[edit] In the anime

The Shuckle species was featured in episode #172 (A Better Pill To Swallow), in which an old man is making medicine using Shuckle. Apparently, Shuckle shells contain an enzyme which can give berries medicinal properties while turning into juice. In particular, a medicine made in the shell of a shiny Shuckle would give the drinker greater ability to raise Pokémon. Team Rocket find this rare Shuckle and, having eavesdropped on the legend, drink its juice. However, while it may have medicinal properties, raw Shiny Shuckle juice also have a pheromone side-effect -- thousands of Shuckle and even Pikachu and Meowth are attracted to Team Rocket, but just before the stealing starts the Old man sprays the Pokémon with a powder which destroys the pheromone effect and leaving Team Rocket to be frazzled by Pikachu (as always).

[edit] In the trading card game

Shuckle is much less special in card format than it is in the video games. It has made 4 Basic appearances in the following sets:

  • Neo Genesis (Grass-type)
  • Neo Revelation (Ground-type)
  • Skyridge (Grass-type)
  • EX Unseen Forces (Ground-type)

[edit] References

Publications
  • Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
  • Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
  • Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

[edit] External links

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