Arbok punches above its weight class thanks to Intimidate. It lowers the opponent's Attack on switch-in, which is enough to make up for stats that don't impress on their own. Only weak to Ground and Psychic. Known as the Cobra Pokemon.
Arbok's spread isn't flashy. Attack leads, HP trails, 2 stats clear the bar. Moderately hard to find and worth 2 Attack EVs, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
The pattern on its belly appears to be a frightening face. Weak foes will flee just at the sight of the pattern.
To intimidate foes, it spreads its chest wide and makes eerie sounds by expelling air from its mouth.
Arbok Weakness
GoodArbok is weak to Ground and Psychic-type moves. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Arbok leans offensive (base 95 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.
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 Attack (+35), bringing the total to 448 stats.
Breed with Arbok to get Ekans eggs easily from the Dragon and Ground egg groups. Notable egg moves include Beat Up, Disable, Iron Tail and 9 more.
Arbok runs a standard setup attacker set. Impish nature with max HP and Defense EVs shapes the build, while Air Balloon brings temporary Ground immunity. Intimidate supports the kit from the background.
Best Build
Best Arbok Moveset
- Gunk Shot
- Coil
- Glare
- Aqua Tail
Recommended Teammates
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 10 types means almost nothing walls Arbok cleanly, with Belch and Gunk Shot anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Finding Arbok at moderate rates takes patience. 2 spots are available in mid-game routes, but the rate difference between them matters. Lock in the top one from the sorted list below.
Where To Catch Arbok in X & Y
Ekans is your first catch on the way to Arbok. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 17-25 across 4 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch EkansCHALLENGINGRoute 14YGrassLv.17RareMidRouteHorde battleCHALLENGINGRoute 14XGrassLv.17RareMidRouteHorde battle
Step 2Arbok ✓CHALLENGINGRoute 19YGrassLv.25RareMidRouteHorde battleCHALLENGINGRoute 19XGrassLv.25RareMidRouteHorde battleor evolve from Ekans (Step 1)
Don't let Arbok's 448 base stat total fool you. Intimidate is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.
Ekans evolves into Arbok at level 22. Arbok is the fully evolved form. It sits at 448 BST in its evolved form.
Run Intimidate on Arbok. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Arbok also gets Shed Skin and Unnerve, but they don't compare.
Arbok fills the balanced role. It's leaning toward the physical side (base 95 Attack). Base 80 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Arbok appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Arbok has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A