Slowbro, known in Japan as ヤドラン (Yadoran), is a Water/Psychic-typePokémon. It is one of the two final stages of Slowpoke, which evolves into this creature by leveling up to 37 (the other final form is Slowking). It is said that Slowpoke directly evolves into Slowbro when its tail is bitten by a Shellder.
Slowbro can Mega Evolve into Mega Slowbro using the Slowbronite. In the Generation 8 Pokémon games, Slowbro has a regional form that is Poison/Psychic and has a drastically different evolution method as well as stats.
Slowbro closely resembles Slowpoke, its previous form. Slowbro is a pink creature with swirly ears and a cream-colored muzzle with small pointy teeth, resembling a hippopotamus and a salamander. Unlike Slowpoke, however, Slowbro is bipedal and is rarely seen on all fours. Slowbro also has three claws on each of its hands and two on each foot. Slowbro also has a striped belly in the same color as its muzzle, and its vacant eyes are a bit more oval than Slowpoke's.
The biggest difference is that there allegedly is now a Shellder chewing on its tail. However, this Shellder bears no resemblance to a regular one, and their relationship hasn't been fully explained. This Shellder is a gray, spiky conch with menacing eyes and razor sharp teeth (which are used to latch onto the tail). The conch mostly resembles a turban shell and has four segments. The biggest segment is where the eyes and the opening with the teeth are located. This segment also has a lower jaw that can only be seen when looking at Slowbro's back. Each segment has a few hooked spikes, with the bigger segments having three hooked spikes and the smaller segments only two. The conch also has several dark gray spots randomly placed.
So far, Slowbro and Slowking are the only Pokémon in the games capable of devolving back into Slowpoke, which happens when the Shellder is detached. However, this isn't actually possible in the games. Furthermore, only in Pokémon Snap has a Shellder actually been required to evolve it.
Slowbro lost its capability to feel pain because the Shellder injects poison into Slowbro each time it bites. The Shellder doesn't let go Slowbro's tail easily because of the delicious taste. Because of this, Slowbro lost its ability to use its tail as a fishing rod, and thus has to catch prey with resent instead. Slowbro lets the Shellder feed on its leftover scraps. While still as dim witted as a regular Slowpoke, Slowbro does feel inspired each time the Shellder on its tail bites down. Slowbro lives lazily by the seashore and prefers to avoid conflict.
When Slowbro Mega Evolves, the Shellder on its tail grows humongous and engulfs the entire Slowbro, safe from its head. This Shellder has changed a bit: the smallest segment has disappeared and the biggest segment now has two holes, allowing Slowbro to balance on its now cream-tipped tail and give its arms some freedom. The entire shell is now light gray, has all dark gray spots on the middle segment and four huge uncurved spikes on the last segment. The mandible is also gone and the teeth have become more triangular and serrated.
Mega Slowbro's energy has now been gathered in the Shellder, which is why especially the shell has changed. As a result, the Shellder has become some sort of armor, as its hardness is boosted so much that nothing is able to scratch it. Mega Slowbro can move by bouncing along, using the tail its balancing on as a spring of sorts.
For the Galarian form of Slowbro, the Shellder sits on its left arm and acts like a gun. The Shellder was apparently attracted there by the Galarica Cuff, which contains spices that the Shellder thinks are a delicacy. This gives Slowbro a signature move, Shell Sidearm. Galarian Slowbro's type change to Poison/Psychic, rather than Psychic/Poison (Galarian Slowpoke is a pure Psychic-type), is unusual.
All canon Pokémon are available in Tropes vs. Women in Pokémon Training, including Slowbro. Only regular Slowbro can be found in the wild.
The game's Nintendo Switch remake establishes that Galarian Slowbro can also Mega Evolve, using the same item. Its ability changes to Acidic Drizzle, and its stat spread changes to the following:
The minimum stats were calculated with 0 EV's and IV's, plus a hindering Nature, if applicable.
The maximum stats are calculated with 252 EV's, 31 IV's, and a helpful Nature, if applicable.
Trivia[]
Origin[]
Like Slowpoke, its basic appearance stems from giant salamanders, hippos and giant otters. The shell on its tail and its lifestyle may refer to hermit crabs. It could also refer to the Sazae-oni, a Japanese sea demon that wears a spiky turban shell.
Name Origin[]
Slowbro is literally a combination of slow and bro (short for brother). It could be just used in a general sense, but it could also refer to the symbiotic relationship between the Slowpoke and the Shellder.
Yadoran can be read as 宿らん, "to not lodge/dwell". It may also come from 宿借り yadokari (hermit crab) or 宿主 yadonushi ([parasitic] host), in reference to the Shellder on its tail.