
Is Arbok Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
AbilityIntimidate makes Arbok a utility option in FRLG that it never was in the originals. Switch in against a physical attacker, drop its Attack, then swap to something with better coverage. Poison doesn't threaten Koga, Sabrina, or any E4 member directly. Arbok contributes by weakening opponents, not by winning fights outright. FireRed only.
Brock's typing presses Ekans's defenses.
Ekans trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Giovanni's team.
Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.
Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Arbok trades roughly evenly with Terry's team.
Catch Ekans on Route 4 (walking, Lv 6-12, common).
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM36PoisonSludge Bomb135100%10
- TM23SteelIron Tail10075%15
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- TM19GrassGiga Drain75100%10
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Your Ekans should hit Level 22 before you reach Lt. Surge, at typical leveling pace.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM36PoisonSludge Bomb135100%10
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- TM19GrassGiga Drain75100%10
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Arbok in FireRed & LeafGreen
Rare at all four spots and FireRed exclusive. Arbok only appears on the endgame stretch to the Elite Four. Good luck finding one wild.
Wild Arbok may be holding when caught:
2 locations to catch Arbok6 locations to catch Ekans
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Catch Ekans at any of the 6 locations below, then level it up to 22 — it evolves into Arbok.
Where To Catch Arbok in FRLG
The path to Arbok starts with Ekans at Lv. 6-46 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 2Arbok ✓Route 23Lv.44GrassFireRedRate 5%Victory Road - 1FLv.44CaveFireRedRate 5%Victory Road - 3FLv.44CaveFireRedRate 5%Victory Road - 2FLv.46CaveFireRedRate 5%or evolve from Ekans (Step 1)
Arbok Weakness
Arbok is weak to Ground and Psychic. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Only 2 weaknesses makes it relatively easy to build around defensively.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Poison, Bug |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Arbok Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Arbok
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Houndour's Fire Blast hits Arbok for 37-44%. Pineco's Explosion hits Arbok for 66-77%. Swalot's Explosion also KOs at 106-125%.
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityEarlybird ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Houndour builds →Pursuit14-16% Fire Blast37-44% Crunch27-32% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Pineco builds →Explosion66-77% Rapid Spin13-16% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLiquidooze ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Swalot builds →Sludge Bomb19-23% Explosion106-125%KO Body Slam36-43% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemSalacberry NatureHasty Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Charmeleon builds →Fire Blast31-36% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityShedskin ItemLeftovers NatureMild Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Seviper builds →Giga Drain17-20% Flamethrower42-49% Sludge Bomb17-20% | ||
Arbok Evolutions
Arbok is the evolved form of Ekans. Breeding produces Ekans eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Ekans gave Arbok the biggest boost in HP (+25), bringing the total to 438 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
Breeding
Breed with Arbok to get Ekans eggs easily using 27 partners from the Dragon and Ground egg groups. Notable egg moves include Beat Up, Poison Fang, Pursuit and 2 more.
FRLG Arbok Best Moveset
95 Attack with Poison TermStab from MoveSludge Bomb on the physical side where Poison moves land. AbilityIntimidate cuts the opponent's Attack on every switch-in, making Arbok function as a physical check despite modest bulk. The moveset provides Intimidate support with enough output to threaten what it blocks.
Best Build
Arbok best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Sludge Bomb
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Glare
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding opens up real options for Arbok. Beat Up and Poison Fang come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Sludge Bomb and Poison Fang and Dark and Normal coverage and more.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
The pattern on its belly appears to be a frightening face. Weak foes will flee just at the sight of the pattern.
It is rumored that the ferocious warning markings on its belly differ from area to area.
Arbok FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
- Is Arbok exclusive to FireRed or LeafGreen?
Arbok is exclusive to Pokemon FireRed. LeafGreen players have to trade for one.

See the Locations section above for where to find Arbok in FireRed.
How to trade in FireRed and LeafGreen
GBA cartridges: You need a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable and both players' FireRed/LeafGreen cartridges. Trade at the Cable Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, which opens up shortly after Oak gives you the Pokedex.Nintendo Switch (2026 release): Trading uses local wireless only. There is no online play, and no Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required. Both players head to the Pokemon Wireless Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, then step into a Union Room. Up to four other players can join. Available once you have the Pokedex from Professor Oak.
Game Availability
Arbok has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORAS

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves