Safari Ball - The Story of Mudbray

Welcome to Safari Ball, a field guide series that explores how Pokémon evolve through behavior, emotion, and environment.

The first time you hear them, it’s not a gallop. It’s a rhythm. A slow, steady drumming through the soil that feels like the earth itself is humming. You turn toward the sound, and there among sunbaked fields or rocky roads is Mudbray, the Ground-type Pokémon that wears mud like armor and walks through life with quiet weight. From its humble donkey-like form to the monumental power of Mudsdale, this evolution line teaches us how emotional strength isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s as steady as a heartbeat and just as vital.

Mudbray

"It has a stubborn, individualistic disposition. Eating dirt, making mud, and playing in the mire all form part of its daily routine."

—Pokémon Moon

Mudbray may look small, but every step it takes leaves a deeper print than you’d expect. Covered in thick, handmade mud from its own regurgitated dirt, according to Pokémon Scarlet, “This Pokémon covers itself in mud that it has regurgitated. The mud won’t dry out even if it’s exposed to the sun for a long time.” That mud isn’t just armor, it’s comfort, grounding, and identity. Mudbray needs to eat dirt, create mud, and coat itself daily just to feel okay. According to Pokémon Ultra Sun, “If it isn’t showered with mud on a daily basis, it gets stressed out and stops listening to its Trainer.”

This behavior might seem odd until you think about how humans rely on small routines to stay centered. Just like Mudbray, many of us feel better when we take our morning walk, sit with a warm drink, or return to a familiar place. For Mudbray, its dirt isn’t just dirt. It’s stability in a world that keeps shifting.

Despite its size, Mudbray holds an almost unbelievable power. According to Pokémon Violet, “Its pace doesn't change even when it's loaded with 50 times its own body weight.” With a body weight of 242.5 pounds, that means Mudbray can carry over 12,000 pounds! That is the equivalent of a moving truck or a small elephant. According to Pokémon Ultra Moon, “Possessing mighty power, Mudbray can be loaded with 50 times its own body weight and will be totally fine.” But what allows it to do that?

The secret is in its relationship with the ground. According to Pokémon Sun, “The mud stuck to Mudbray's hooves enhances its grip and its powerful running gait.” The thick cream-colored mud surrounding its feet improves both traction and strength, allowing it to traverse rough terrain without slipping. According to Pokémon Shield, “It eats dirt to create mud and smears this mud all over its feet, giving them the grip needed to walk on rough terrain without slipping.” It isn’t flashy, but it works because Mudbray has learned to trust the ground beneath it, and itself.

Each of Mudbray’s abilities deepens this story:

• Own Tempo keeps it emotionally balanced, resisting pressure from outside distractions.

• Stamina rewards its endurance. The more it’s challenged, the stronger it becomes.

• Inner Focus helps it stay present, unshaken even in unfamiliar territory.

Symbolically, Mudbray is the spirit of endurance. It reminds us that even the smallest steps, repeated with patience, can carry us through the heaviest days. And as it grows, something begins to shift. That strength doesn’t just stay within. It starts to shape the world around it.

🌱 Want to explore more Ground-type behavior? [Visit our Ground-type Field Guide →]

Mudsdale

"It remains calm and unmoving no matter the situation. It mixes dirt with the saliva in its mouth to make a special kind of mud."
—Pokémon Ultra Sun

When Mudbray evolves at level 30, it becomes Mudsdale and everything changes. The wild, joyful stomping in the mud becomes something heavier. More grounded. More controlled.

Mudsdale doesn’t flinch. According to Pokémon Ultra Sun, “It remains calm and unmoving no matter the situation.” This Pokémon is defined by emotional fortitude, the ability to feel deeply without being overtaken. The mud that once comforted Mudbray now becomes armor and power. It's like someone who used to write in a journal to process their feelings, and later turns those same words into a speech that helps others. What once soothed them now protects and empowers.  According to Pokémon Sword, “Mud that hardens around a Mudsdale's legs sets harder than stone.” It doesn’t just help with movement, it turns its legs into tools of both protection and expression. One kick can turn a large truck into scrap!

Mudsdale’s mud is also a form of craftsmanship. According to Pokémon Sun, “It spits a mud that provides resistance to both wind and rain, so the walls of old houses were often coated with it.” In Pokémon Scarlet, this mud is even used for pottery. That same mixture of dirt and saliva becomes a symbol of legacy, a reminder that what grounds us can also be shared, shaped, and passed on. Just like how a parent might teach their child how to knead dough, or mix clay, or plant in the same garden where they once learned. It’s not just a skill being passed down, it’s a memory, a feeling, a sense of place.

Its stamina is legendary. According to Pokémon Ultra Moon, “It can trudge mountain roads without rest for three days and three nights, all the while dragging a 10-ton load.” According to Pokémon Shield, “Mudsdale has so much stamina that it could carry over 10 tons across the Galar region without rest or sleep.” But unlike Mudbray, who builds strength by moving and growing through experience, Mudsdale carries its strength with unshaken certainity, even without motion. It doesn’t need to chase victory. It stands its ground and that’s enough for it.

This is the main difference between the two. Mudbray builds strength by moving through the world with joy and repetition. Mudsdale protects that strength by planting its feet and standing firm. Both need the dirt, but Mudbray dances in it. Mudsdale becomes one with it.

It teaches us that strength doesn’t always mean pushing forward. Sometimes, strength is knowing when to stay put. When to hold. When to trust that the ground will catch you.

Mudbray used High Horsepower

Mudbray and Mudsdale walk slow, but they walk with purpose. From playful mud rituals to earth-shaking kicks, they remind us that grounding ourselves emotionally, physically, and spiritually is what gives us strength that lasts. In a world that rushes, they choose steadiness. In moments of strain, they show what it means to endure without breaking.

Their story isn’t flashy. It’s rooted.

And in that stillness, we find power.

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