Is Ariados Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Spinarak evolves at level 22. Bug/Poison with AbilityInsomnia. Decent Attack but too slow and too fragile for the Johto gym circuit past Morty. Better Bug and Poison options exist by mid-game.
Spinarak trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Bugsy's typing presses Spinarak's defenses.
Spinarak trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Chuck's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Jasmine's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Clair's team hits Ariados's weaknesses hard.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Janine's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Bruno's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Lance's team hits Ariados's weaknesses hard.
Catch Spinarak
Catch Spinarak in New Bark Town (Headbutt, Lv 4-5, limited).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Department Store
- TM28GroundDigPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 26DarkSucker PunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 5
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- TM43NormalSecret PowerPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 20Lake of Rage
- TM10NormalHidden PowerPower 60Accuracy 100%PP 15Lake of Rage
- LV 40PsychicPsychicPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 43PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
Evolve Spinarak to Ariados
Spinarak evolves into Ariados at Level 22. Your Spinarak should hit Level 22 before you reach Morty, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 22)
- LV 22BugBug BitePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Department Store
- TM28GroundDigPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 28DarkSucker PunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 5
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 46PsychicPsychicPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 50PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
How to Get Ariados in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Wild Ariados is a HeartGold-only rarity, surfacing at night on one Kanto route plus the odd Headbutt tree. Most players just catch a Spinarak and evolve it at level 22, and SoulSilver has no choice but to trade for one.
2 locations to catch Ariados31 locations to catch Spinarak
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 8Catch Spinarak at any of the 31 locations below, then level it up to 22 — it evolves into Ariados.
Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7 Badge 8Where To Catch Ariados in HGSS
The only way to get Ariados during the story is evolving Spinarak (Lv 22).
- Step 1Catch SpinarakRoute 37Lv.13-15GrassHeartGoldRate 40%NightRoute 2 - NorthLv.3-4GrassHeartGoldRate 31%NightRoute 2 - SouthLv.3-4GrassHeartGoldRate 31%NightRoute 30Lv.2GrassHeartGoldRate 30%NightRoute 31Lv.3GrassHeartGoldRate 30%NightCherrygrove CityLv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%New Bark TownLv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 29Lv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 30Lv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 31Lv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Pallet TownLv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 1Lv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 2 - NorthLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 2 - SouthLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 22Lv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Viridian CityLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 36Lv.6-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 34Lv.11-12Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%National ParkLv.13-15Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 35Lv.13-14Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Ecruteak CityLv.15-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 37Lv.15-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 38Lv.15-16Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Viridian ForestLv.3-4Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 10%Route 2 - NorthLv.10GrassHeartGoldRate 4%MorningRoute 2 - SouthLv.10GrassHeartGoldRate 4%MorningRoute 39Lv.16-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 47Lv.17-18Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 48Lv.17-18Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Safari Zone GateLv.17-19Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Fuchsia CityLv.21-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 15Lv.21-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 12Lv.22-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 13Lv.22-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 21Lv.24-26Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 14Lv.26-27Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 18Lv.26-27Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 26Lv.31-32Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 27Lv.31-32Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%
- Step 2Ariados ✓Viridian ForestLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 10%Route 2 - NorthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%NightRoute 2 - SouthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%Nightor evolve from Spinarak (Step 1)
Not landing the catch? Calculate Ariados catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Ariados in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Ariados spins its web along Route 2 in HeartGold, though a shiny hatches faster from Masuda breeding. Compare Shiny Ariados odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Ariados Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Ariados preloaded.
Ariados Weakness
Ariados is weak to Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. 4 weaknesses is about average, nothing too hard to play around.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Ariados Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Ariados
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Pewter City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x241-283%KO Zen Headbutt 2x86-102%KO Fire Blast 2x66-78% | ||
 Latios DragonPsychic | S | |
Obtain MethodPewter City Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Latios builds →Dream Eater 2x147-173%KO Fly 2x58-68% | ||
 Ho-Oh Fire | S | |
Obtain MethodBell Tower Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Ho-Oh builds →Brave Bird 2x156-184%KO Overheat 2x178-210%KO Dream Eater 2x85-101%KO Ancient Power 2x51-60% | ||
 Mewtwo Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodCerulean Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Mewtwo builds →Future Sight 2x205-241%KO Fire Blast 2x137-161%KO Stone Edge 2x76-89% Aerial Ace 2x46-54% | ||
 Latias DragonPsychic | S | |
Obtain MethodPewter City Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Latias builds →Dream Eater 2x128-151%KO Fly 2x53-62% | ||
 Skarmory Steel | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Skarmory builds →Fly 2x79-93% Rock Slide 2x44-52% | ||
 Blaziken FireFighting | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Torchic (Silph Co Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Blaziken builds →Flare Blitz 2x146-172%KO Brave Bird 2x97-115%KO Stone Edge 2x81-95% | ||
 Rayquaza Dragon | S | |
Obtain MethodEmbedded Tower Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Rayquaza builds →Fly 2x133-157%KO Overheat 2x155-183%KO Stone Edge 2x99-117%KO | ||
 Charizard Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Charizard builds →Overheat 2x176-208%KO Air Slash 2x96-113%KO Rock Slide 2x46-54% | ||
 Houndoom DarkFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Houndoom builds →Overheat 2x178-210%KO Dream Eater 2x85-101%KO | ||
 Gardevoir Psychic | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Gardevoir builds →Future Sight 2x170-201%KO | ||
 Entei Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Entei builds →Overheat 2x151-178%KO Stone Edge 2x78-92% Extrasensory 2x58-68% | ||
 Dragonite Dragon | A | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Dragonair (Dragons Den Super Rod) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Dragonite builds →Fly 2x122-143%KO Stone Edge 2x89-106%KO Fire Blast 2x94-111%KO | ||
 Moltres Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodMt Silver Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ariados View Moltres builds →Overheat 2x198-234%KO Air Slash 2x108-127%KO Ancient Power 2x57-67% | ||
Ariados Evolutions
Ariados is the evolved form of Spinarak. Breeding produces Spinarak eggs, and they are quick to hatch. Evolving from Spinarak gave Ariados the biggest boost in HP (+30), bringing the total to 390 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Ariados to get Spinarak eggs easily using 48 partners from the Bug egg group. Notable egg moves include Baton Pass, Disable, Poison Jab and 5 more.
HGSS Ariados Best Moveset
Bug/Poison with 90 Attack for physical Bug and Poison hits, but 40 Speed goes last against everything competitive. AbilityInsomnia blocks sleep. The moveset has some physical power anchored by terrible Speed and 70 HP.
Best Build
Ariados best EVs are HP and Attack
Physical Tank Moveset
- Sucker Punch
- Shadow Sneak
- Spider Web
- Poison Jab
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding opens up real options for Ariados. Baton Pass and Disable come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Sludge Bomb and Leech Life and coverage across 7 types.
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
All 18 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It’s hard to tell which end is which.
A single strand of a special string is endlessly spun out of its rear. The string leads back to its nest.
Ariados HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Ariados can work for a story run. It rates C-Tier, a middle-of-the-pack pick, so the Bug/Poison typing decides whether it earns a team slot.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Ariados plays as a trick room. It's slow, so Trick Room or priority moves are key. so pick your spots carefully.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Hardy is the go-to nature for Ariados. Pair it with 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def EVs. Fits the trick room role.
Game Availability
Ariados first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 17 games across 8 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
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
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