
Is Arbok Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?
Arbok hits decent for the mid-game but struggles to find targets that actually take big damage from Poison. Most of the important fights are against Rock, Ground, Psychic, or Water teams, and Arbok can't threaten any of them. Fills a slot if you need a body, but there are better options by the time it evolves.
Brock's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ekans here.
Misty's typing presses Ekans's defenses.
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 Blue's team.
Catch Ekans
Catch Ekans on Route 4 (walking, Lv 6-12, common).
Recommended Moves
- After Brock
- TM28GroundDigPower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Returned by the Team Rocket thief after you defeat him in Cerulean City
- After Misty
- TM08NormalBody SlamPower 85Accuracy 100%PP 15S.S. Anne
- After Lt. Surge
- TM10NormalDouble-EdgePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 15Rocket Hideout
- TM09NormalTake DownPower 90Accuracy 85%PP 20Silph Co.
- TM48RockRock SlidePower 75Accuracy 90%PP 10Celadon Department Store roof
- After Erika
- TM40NormalSkull BashPower 100Accuracy 100%PP 15Safari Zone
- HM04NormalStrengthPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Fuchsia City
- After Koga
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Silph Co.
Evolve Ekans to Arbok
Ekans evolves into Arbok at Level 22. Your Ekans should hit Level 22 before you reach Lt. Surge, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- After Brock
- TM28GroundDigPower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Returned by the Team Rocket thief after you defeat him in Cerulean City
- After Misty
- TM08NormalBody SlamPower 85Accuracy 100%PP 15S.S. Anne
- After Lt. Surge
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Rocket Game Corner
- TM10NormalDouble-EdgePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 15Rocket Hideout
- LV 27NormalGlarePower —Accuracy 75%PP 30
- After Erika
- TM40NormalSkull BashPower 100Accuracy 100%PP 15Safari Zone
- HM04NormalStrengthPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 15Fuchsia City
- After Koga
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Silph Co.
How to Get Arbok in Red & Blue
Stays Red exclusive like Ekans before it. Arbok has just three wild spots, two of them deep inside Cerulean Cave at high levels, so evolving an Ekans at level 22 is the simpler route.
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 RB
Ekans gets you Arbok sooner: catch it (before Badge 2) and evolve it at Lv 22. Wild Arbok first appears at Route 23 (after Badge 7).
Step 2Arbok ✓Route 23Lv.41GrassRedRate 5%Cerulean Cave - 1FLv.52CaveRedRate 10%Cerulean Cave - B1FLv.57CaveRedRate 5%or evolve from Ekans (Step 1)
Not landing the catch? Calculate Arbok catch rates for Red & Blue by ball, status, and HP.
Arbok Weakness
Arbok is weak to Ground, Psychic, and Bug. 3 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground, Psychic, Bug |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Poison |
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
What is Arbok Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Arbok
Rhydon GroundRock | S | |
Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Nidorino (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Nidorina (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
Hypno Psychic | C | |
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | S | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Kadabra builds →Psychic 2x126-149%KO Dig 2x36-43% | ||
Starmie WaterPsychic | S | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Staryu (Route 19 Super Rod) | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Dugtrio Ground | B | |
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Parasect builds →Dig 2x73-86% Leech Life 2x24-29% | ||
Slowbro WaterPsychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Slowbro builds →Psychic 2x107-127%KO Earthquake 2x60-71% | ||
Onix RockGround | C | |
Venomoth BugPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Arbok View Venomoth builds →Psychic 2x67-79% Leech Life 2x19-22% | ||
Arbok Evolutions
Arbok is the evolved form of Ekans, reached at level 22. A Poison type at 424 stats that still can't breed. Evolving from Ekans gave Arbok the biggest boost in HP (+25), bringing the total to 424 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
RB Arbok Best Moveset
Poison typing has no offensive value and the stats can't support a defensive role. Physical moves like MoveEarthquake do most of the work since Poison attacks don't threaten anything at the top. A filler pick with nothing unique.
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Wrap
- Earthquake
- Glare
- Hyper Beam
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
TMs define Arbok's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Acid and Poison Sting, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it Normal and Dark coverage and more. That's where the options open up.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- 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.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM 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 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
All 18 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It is rumored that the ferocious warning markings on its belly differ from area to area.
Arbok Red & Blue Guide
Honestly, in Red & Blue Arbok is a tough sell. It rates just E-Tier, and stronger Poison options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.
In Red & Blue, Arbok plays as a balanced. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully.
Game Availability
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.
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 7Let's Go

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
Explore
Where to go next after Arbok.