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#143
Default
190
ATK
169
DEF
330
STA
Lvl 50Max CP
3647
Lvl 40
3225
Lvl 25Weather Boost
2304
Lvl 20Raids/Eggs
1843
Lvl 15Research
1382

PvE Analysis

A defensive behemoth since day 1, Snorlax remains one of the best Pokemon to frustrate players of opposing teams by lazing atop a gym. Power creep has somewhat tamed Snorlax, who now especially fears Fighting-types such as Conkeldurr and Lucario. The importance of good gym defense also matters much less than it did before.

Since the enemy of most raids is the clock, Snorlax is basically worthless in raids. Super Effective damage is paramount to raids, and Snorlax's lack of STAB moves that can deal Super Effective damage combined with its somewhat lackluster attack stat makes it seem like it's napping on the job.

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

Lick or Zen Headbutt + AnyBest
  • Don't use Yawn* on Snorlax. Ever.
  • In general, Lick is superior to Zen Headbutt when strengths/resistances aren't an issue.
  • Outrage, Super Power, Earthquake, and Heavy Slam can be used to make Snorlax into a budget attacker with any of their respective types, though Snorlax isn't great in these roles.
  • Lick and Hyper Beam provide maximum neutral damage together.
  • Skull Bash is inferior to Hyper Beam, Body Slam is a step further down, and Return is as well. They also don't offer Super Effective damage against any type.

Best PvE Defensive Moveset

Zen Headbutt + Body Slam, Heavy Slam, Outrage, or SuperpowerBest
  • Don't use Yawn* on Snorlax. Ever.

  • Zen Headbutt has far better defensive DPS than Lick, and it hurts Fighting-types seeking to prey on Snorlax.

  • Body Slam is tricky to dodge, as it comes with little warning and can happen in quick succession.

  • Heavy Slam can have the tricky properties of Body Slam while dealing effective damage to Tyranitar that are commonly used to attack Snorlax. It takes more energy to use, though.

  • Superpower is easier to dodge, but its wide coverage can be very useful.

  • Outrage can be very nice as dragons are very common gym attackers, but it's not hard to dodge.

  • Earthquake is usable thanks to its wide coverage, but is too expensive, easy to dodge, and doesn't have a huge damage benefit over other option.

  • Return is one of the hardest moves to dodge in the game, but its lower power makes it less effective on defense.

  • Hyper Beam, if it hits, maims most attackers, but is very telegraphed and thus easy to dodge.

PvP Analysis

Lick + Body Slam and Superpower or Earthquake

Lick is Snorlax's only real option with regards to its fast moves. Zen Headbutt is really bad.

Body Slam is pretty much a requirement in order to use Snorlax for PvP. Without it Snorlax is unable to pressure shields effectively, and has no real options to shield-bait. Your secondary charged move of choice is going to depend on the format. Superpower is at its most notable in formats heavy with Steel-types (hi, Master League), though the Fighting-type coverage is very often relevant. Earthquake is meaningfully slower, but it's a solid nuke where needed, and it helps solidify a strong matchup against Giratina (among other things). Outrage and Skull Bash are generally considered outclassed, though they have seen experimentation and can catch your opponents by surprise.

Great League2 / 5

Snorlax is a bulky Normal-type with interesting coverage options such as Superpower and Outrage. In this League, Snorlax is often outclassed by the bulkier Lickitung, who also has Lick + Body Slam and can function as a pseudo-Grass Pokemon with Power Whip. Season 20 nerfed Snorlax's primary weapon, Body Slam, and buffed other Normal-type options such as Lickilicky and Dunsparce, leaving Snorlax very much relegated to being a limited cup pick.

Ultra League3 / 5

Though Snorlax's coverage options allow it to threaten a good portion of the Ultra League core meta, it is once again outclassed by the bulkier and spammier Lickilicky. It was once a part of Ultra League's core meta, but powercreep and the introduction to stronger counters have significantly reduced Snorlax's viability.

Master League3 / 5

Snorlax was once a decent pick in the Master League as a generalist that also completely walls Ghost-type Pokemon. Many years of powercreep have left Snorlax unable to keep up, with extremely powerful Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Palkia-O effortlessly outmatching its damage. It became a staple pick in the Master Premier cup, but the nerf to Body Slam in Season 20 shuts it down. Snorlax has to contend with a similar Normal-type option in Ursaluna, who packs superior stats and greater damage output overall.

Vulnerable
Fighting
160%
Resistant
Ghost
39.1%
Purification Cost
5 Candy + 5,000 Stardust
Second Charge Move Cost
75,000 Stardust + 75 Candy
Flee Rate
9 %
Buddy Distance
5 KM
Catch Rate
5 %
Female Ratio
12.5 %
Male Ratio
87.5 %