Baltoy

A figurine that never stops spinning

The design combines the idea of a balancing toy with a clay figurine from Japan’s Jōmon culture, known as a shakōki-dogū. The silhouette also recalls certain kachina figures from the Hopi people. The outstretched arms and single support are not merely decorative details: they explain how it moves, how it sleeps and the position it maintains even when it is still.

The English name, Baltoy, alludes to a “balancing toy”. The Japanese name, Yajilon, refers to yajirobē, another Japanese toy based on keeping a piece balanced. The reference to clay appears both in the Spanish classification and in the archaeological inspiration behind the design.

Ruins, paintings and cries

Baltoy debuted in the third generation, and its first Pokédex entries already linked it to ancient ruins and wall paintings. Later descriptions emphasised its social behaviour: when it sees other Baltoy, they gather together and cry as one. This combination of archaeological object and gregarious creature sets it apart from Claydol, whose presence is more closely associated with a larger figure and developed psychic powers.

Its availability continued in later generations up to and including the eighth, including its appearance in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. It is not available in the ninth-generation games. Its movepool has also changed over time, but it retains the same identity: Ground- and Psychic-type moves alongside support techniques, screens and field control.

The niche it fills in Little Cup

In Little Cup, the combination of Levitate, Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock allows it to switch into certain attacks from the Ground type, remove hazards and set its own. Its Special Defense of 70 helps against special attackers that do not exploit its weaknesses, while Reflect and Light Screen can protect the team for several turns. Trick Room fits teams that prefer to move later, although its Speed of 55 does not let it control the turn order by itself.

You have to choose its switch-ins carefully. Water, Grass, Ice, Ghost, Dark and Bug attacks threaten it, and its HP of 40 means it cannot withstand many wrong decisions. Earth Power and Psychic cover its two offensive types, but its Special Attack of 40 prevents it from turning those type advantages into consistent knockouts. Explosion offers an aggressive exit once it has fulfilled its support role.

Before looking for Claydol

During the story, Baltoy serves as an early user of control moves and as an answer to Electric-type attacks thanks to its Ground type. Rapid Spin appears at level 3, Confusion at level 6 and Earth Power at level 30, so its usefulness grows gradually. Stealth Rock, Protect, Calm Mind and Trick Room expand its options through TMs.

Its performance changes considerably when it evolves. Baltoy retains the same type combination as Claydol, but the evolutionary jump changes its defensive and offensive possibilities. For that reason, it is worth deciding whether to keep its smaller size for Little Cup or raise it to level 36 before tackling the more demanding areas. In the ancient ruins from its Pokédex entries, the paintings show it alongside people; in battle, its most recognisable mark is left by the hazards it removes and sets.