
Is Nidoking Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
One of the best Pokemon in FRLG and it's available before the second gym. Moon Stone Nidoking handles Surge, Koga, Blaine, and Giovanni through Ground coverage. Learns almost every TM in the game. AbilityPoison Point is a bonus on top of an already loaded kit. Blue's Rhydon at the Championship falls to Ground. Nidoking stays relevant from Mt. Moon to the Hall of Fame.
Nidoran♂ (male) trades roughly evenly with Brock's team.
Nidorino trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Nidorino trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Nidoking resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Terry's team.
Nidoran M can be received through an in-game trade on Route 3.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM36PoisonSludge Bomb135100%10
- TM14IceBlizzard11070%5
- TM13IceIce Beam90100%10
- TM24ElectricThunderbolt90100%15
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Your Nidoran♂ (male) should hit Level 16 before you reach Misty, at typical leveling pace.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM36PoisonSludge Bomb135100%10
- TM14IceBlizzard11070%5
- TM13IceIce Beam90100%10
- TM24ElectricThunderbolt90100%15
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
You can pick up the Moon Stone in Mt. Moon. 3 other locations are also available.
- STARTING (Lv 24)
- LV 24NormalThrash120100%10
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- After Erika
- TM36PoisonSludge Bomb135100%10
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- LV 43BugMegahorn12085%10
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch150100%20
- After Giovanni
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Nidoking in FireRed & LeafGreen
Nidoking takes a Moon Stone on Nidorino. If you already used one on Nidoqueen, you'll need to track down another. No wild encounters.
Catch Nidoran♂ (male) or Nidorino at any of these 5 spots to eventually evolve into Nidoking.
Encountered via tall grass encounters
- 1Catch Nidoran♂ (male)
- 2
- 3Evolve NidokingUse Moon Stone
How to Obtain Nidoking in FRLG
Nidoran♂ (male) is your first catch on the way to Nidoking. You'll find walking and trade encounters from Lv. 6-33 across 17 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch Nidoran♂ (male)Route 3Lv.6-7GrassFireRedRate 14%Route 3Lv.6GrassLeafGreenRate 1%Route 5Lv.7In-game tradeLeafGreenLimitedTrade for (give Nidoran♀)Underground Path 5-6Lv.7In-game tradeLeafGreenLimitedTrade for (give Nidoran♀)
Step 2Catch or Evolve NidorinoSafari Zone - NorthLv.30FloorFireRedRate 10%Safari Zone - WestLv.30FloorFireRedRate 10%Safari Zone - NorthLv.30FloorLeafGreenRate 5%Route 11Lv.16In-game tradeLeafGreenLimitedTrade for (give Nidorina)or evolve from Nidoran♂ (male) (Step 1)
Step 3Nidoking ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Four Island Pokemon Day Care to receive a Nidoking egg. Requires the Rainbow Pass to access Four Island.
Nidoking Weakness
Type-wise, Nidoking takes extra damage from Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic. Electric moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ice, Ground, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fighting, Bug, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Nidoking Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Nidoking
Squirtle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x91-107%KO Water Pulse 2x32-39% | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 2x59-70% Dig 2x30-36% | ||
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x91-107%KO Water Pulse 2x32-39% | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 2x59-70% Dig 2x30-36% | ||
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x76-89% Ice Beam 2x36-43% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Vaporeon builds →Waterfall 2x81-96% Ice Beam 2x63-74% Dig 2x27-32% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gyarados builds →Earthquake 2x72-85% Waterfall 2x51-61% Ice Beam 2x39-47% | ||
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x86-102%KO Ice Beam 2x47-55% Water Pulse 2x30-36% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x76-91% Ice Beam 2x37-43% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x96-113%KO Ice Beam 2x64-75% Dig 2x26-32% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gyarados builds →Earthquake 2x74-87% Surf 2x62-74% Ice Beam 2x42-49% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x129-153%KO | ||
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x86-102%KO Surf 2x48-57% Ice Beam 2x48-57% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x76-91% Ice Beam 2x37-43% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x129-153%KO | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x96-113%KO Ice Beam 2x64-75% Dig 2x26-32% | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Lapras builds →Surf 2x79-93% Ice Beam 2x79-93% Psychic 2x49-58% | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gyarados builds →Earthquake 2x74-87% Surf 2x62-74% Ice Beam 2x42-49% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x74-88% Ice Beam 2x33-39% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x124-147%KO | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x92-108%KO Ice Beam 2x61-72% Dig 2x27-31% | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodSilph Co Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Lapras builds →Surf 2x74-88% Ice Beam 2x74-88% Psychic 2x47-56% | ||
Blastoise Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Blastoise builds →Surf 2x74-88% Earthquake 2x50-60% Ice Beam 2x50-59% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x76-90% Ice Beam 2x35-41% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x129-152%KO | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gyarados builds →Earthquake 2x72-86% Hydro Pump 2x75-88% Ice Beam 2x40-47% | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x114-135%KO Ice Beam 2x33-38% Surf 2x33-38% | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Articuno builds →Ice Beam 2x85-100%KO Water Pulse 2x36-42% | ||
Deoxys Psychic | A | |
Obtain MethodBirth Island Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Deoxys builds →Psycho Boost 2x181-213%KO Ice Beam 2x82-97% Water Pulse 2x52-61% | ||
Mewtwo Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodCerulean Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Mewtwo builds →Psychic 2x120-141%KO Ice Beam 2x84-100%KO Earthquake 2x65-76% Water Pulse 2x53-63% | ||
Lugia Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodNavel Rock Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Lugia builds →Psychic 2x76-89% Earthquake 2x55-65% Hydro Pump 2x67-79% Ice Beam 2x53-63% | ||
Suicune Water | A | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Suicune builds →Surf 2x80-95% Ice Beam 2x53-63% Dig 2x29-34% | ||
Donphan Ground | B | |
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemMagnet NatureModest Moves View Magneton builds →
| ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVoltabsorb ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Jolteon builds →
| ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Zapdos builds →
| ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityKeeneye ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin11-14% Explosion56-66% Earthquake 2x45-53% | ||
Nidoking Evolutions
Getting Nidoking requires an evolution item, not just grinding levels. The chain starts at Nidoran♂ (male). Breed this form to get Nidoran♂ (male) eggs (average hatch time). Sp.Atk grew the most through evolution (+45 over Nidoran M), and Nidoking peaks at 495 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Nidoking to get Nidoran M eggs using 102 partners from the Ground and Monster egg groups. Notable egg moves include Amnesia, Beat Up, Confusion and 4 more.
FRLG Nidoking Best Moveset
102 Attack and 85 Sp. Atk hit from both sides, making Nidoking one of the more versatile physical attackers. AbilityPoison Point adds contact poison. MoveEarthquake for Ground TermStab plus MoveMegahorn and MoveIce Beam give the moveset coverage that few opponents resist completely. 85 Speed is just fast enough to act before defenders can recover.
Best Build
Nidoking best EVs are Speed and Defense
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Hard to wall, honestly. Nidoking threatens 13 types beyond its own STAB, with Fighting and Flying standing out. Pair that with Earthquake and Sludge Bomb and switchins need to think twice.
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
Reminder Moves
Base Stats
It is recognized by its rock-hard hide and its extended horn. Be careful with the horn as it contains venom.
It uses its powerful tail in battle to smash, constrict, then break the prey’s bones.
Nidoking FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
Nidoking is obtained in Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen by evolving Nidorino using a Moon Stone.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Nidoking has appeared in 19 games — most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
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