Scraggy is a bipedal, lizard-like Pokémon. Its oval eyes are set to the sides of its head, and its teeth appear to be constantly exposed. There is a small red scale on its yellow head. Below the yellow portion of its head, its body is cream-colored with thin arms and a red, scaly belly. It carries its loose, yellow skin around its legs, resembling trousers, which garner them more respect the saggier they are. Some of the loose skin seems to trail off to form or cover a tail.
This pelt is rubbery and can be raised to its neck to reduce the damage it takes from attacks. Scraggy is easily engaged in battle, as it will attack anyone that so much as meets its gaze with a headbutt from its thick cranium. The skull is extremely hard. They are known to take pride in their sturdy skulls, causing them to suddenly headbutt everything. However, the weight of its skull makes it hard for Scraggy to balance itself. Scraggy travel in small groups, walking around lazily. Scraggy is said to evolve into Scrafty once its skin is completely stretched out.
Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity: Scraggy originally ran a scheme with Gurdurr, a former local carpenter in Post Town that has been ripping Pokémon off saying that he'll build stuff for them if they get gems for him at Stony Cave. Scraggy would then bump into the client on their way into town and steal the gems. The gullible Pokémon would then keep going out to Stony Cave to get gems for Gurdurr. When the player and partner discovered the scheme at Hazy Pass thanks to Gurdurr's two apprentices, Timburr, they jumped out to engage both Scraggy and Gurdurr in battle. After their defeat, Scraggy ran away, while Gurdurr ventured further up the mountain, where the player, partner, and Timburr would eventually convince him to become a carpenter again. Scraggy was later apprehended, and Quagsire forces him to work for the benefit of the player and partner by opening a shop and helping their team remember moves. Scraggy still holds a grudge against the team for revealing him and started to tease the team with nicknames, only to get reprimanded by Quagsire. He also explains the seasonal V-Wave wind to the player and partner on the day that Victini arrives in town.
Spoilers end here.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation V.
Ash's Pokémon Egg hatched into a Scraggy in Scraggy—Hatched to be Wild!, thus also marking the species' debut. He had a headstrong and overconfident personality, and he constantly viewed new Pokémon as opponents for him to beat.
Scraggy, the Shedding Pokémon. The lower half of Scraggy's body is covered by a tough rubbery skin and when someone makes eye contact it responds with Headbutt.
A Scraggy appeared in BWGP04, under the ownership of Takurō.
Pokémon Adventures
In Wheeling and Dealing, a Scraggy and a Scrafty stole an accordion that was going to be used in a BW Agency commercial. They were later found and defeated by Black.
Scraggy may be based on a lizard. With its sagging molted skin "pants", Scraggy may also partially be inspired by stereotypes of various youth subcultures, namely hip hop and punk.
Name origin
Scraggy may be derived from scraggy (scrawny) or scraggly. It may also involve scrappy (feisty), saggy, and baggy.
Zuruggu may be derived from 狡 zuru (sly fellow), 狡い zurui (crafty), or ずるずる zuruzuru (onomatopoeia for dragging slowly).