The Snake Pokemon. A Red version exclusive found on Route 4. Ekans evolves into Arbok at level 22, though neither form makes much of an impact.
274HP35Attack60Defense44Speed55Sp.Def40Sp.Atk40
Ekans
Arbok
Weak to
Physical
Balanced
55Speed · Slow

Is Ekans Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?

Red version only. Ekans shows up early on Route 4 but Poison typing doesn't carry much weight in Red and Blue. Not many important trainers are weak to Poison, so Arbok ends up being more of a team filler than a key contributor. Usable if you like it, but you won't miss it if you skip it.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadBTGGEEGEGGEEEBrockGym 1EkansCatchableMistyGym 2ArbokEvolveSurgeGym 3ErikaGym 4KogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6BlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Brock
Gym 1
Bad

Brock's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ekans here.

Risky
Geodude
Lv 12
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleDefense Curl
Avoid
Onix
Lv 14
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleScreechBide
Misty
Gym 2
Tough

Misty's typing presses Ekans's defenses.

Even
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Risky
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Good

Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.

You Win
Voltorb
Lv 21
Electric
Soundproof
TackleScreechSonic Boom
You Win
Pikachu
Lv 18
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunder WaveQuick Attack
Even
Raichu
Lv 24
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunderbolt
Erika
Gym 4
Good

Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.

Even
Victreebel
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafWrapPoison PowderSleep Powder
Easy KO
Tangela
Lv 24
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBind
Even
Vileplume
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DancePoison PowderMega DrainSleep Powder
Koga
Gym 5
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.

You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
You Win
Muk
Lv 39
Poison
Stench
DisablePoison GasMinimizeSludge
You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Risky
Weezing
Lv 43
Poison
Levitate
SmogSludgeToxicSelf Destruct
Sabrina
Gym 6
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.

Even
Kadabra
Lv 38
Psychic
Synchronize
DisablePsybeamRecoverPsychic
Even
Mr Mime
Lv 37
Psychic
Soundproof
ConfusionBarrierLight ScreenDouble Slap
You Win
Venomoth
Lv 38
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Poison PowderLeech LifeStun SporePsybeam
Risky
Alakazam
Lv 43
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsywaveReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Good

Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.

Easy KO
Growlithe
Lv 42
Fire
Intimidate
EmberLeerTake DownAgility
Easy KO
Ponyta
Lv 40
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
You Win
Rapidash
Lv 42
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
You Win
Arcanine
Lv 47
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberFire BlastTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Giovanni's team.

You Win
Rhyhorn
Lv 45
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFury AttackHorn Drill
Risky
Dugtrio
Lv 42
Ground
Sand Veil
GrowlDigSand AttackSlash
Even
Nidoqueen
Lv 44
PoisonGround
Poison Point
ScratchTail WhipBody SlamPoison Sting
Even
Nidoking
Lv 45
PoisonGround
Poison Point
TackleHorn AttackPoison StingThrash
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 50
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFissureHorn Drill
Lorelei
Elite Four
Good

Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.

You Win
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
GrowlAurora BeamRestTake Down
You Win
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampAurora BeamSpike Cannon
You Win
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
GrowlWater GunWithdrawAmnesia
You Win
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchBody SlamThrash
Even
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Good

Arbok has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.

You Win
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Even
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchMega PunchCounter
Even
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Jump KickFocus EnergyHigh Jump KickMega Kick
You Win
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Even
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerFocus EnergyFissureSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.

Risky
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Even
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicConfuse RayWing AttackHaze
Even
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Even
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
BiteGlareScreechAcid
Risky
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeToxicDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.

Even
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
Even
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Even
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Risky
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
SupersonicBiteTake DownHyper Beam
Even
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
AgilitySlamBarrierHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Even

Arbok trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.

You Win
Pidgeot
Lv 61
NormalFlying
Keen Eye
WhirlwindWing AttackSky AttackMirror Move
Even
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicReflect
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 61
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Tail WhipFury AttackHorn DrillLeer
Even
Gyarados
Lv 61
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
You Win
Arcanine
Lv 63
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberLeerTake Down
Even
Venusaur
Lv 65
GrassPoison
Overgrow
Razor LeafGrowthMega DrainSolar Beam

Catchable

Available after Badge 1
Type
Poison
Tier
E

Catch Ekans on Route 4 (walking, Lv 6-12, common).

View Ekans locations

Evolve Ekans to Arbok

Level 22
Type
Poison
Tier
E

Ekans evolves into Arbok at Level 22. Your Ekans should hit Level 22 before you reach Lt. Surge, at typical leveling pace.

View Arbok locations

Recommended Moves

How to Get Ekans in Red & Blue

Red exclusive, with six grass encounters spread across six different routes. Ekans is the Red counterpart to Blue's Sandshrew, so Blue players need a trade to get one.

Red Exclusive: Trade with Blue for Sandshrew. See every Red & Blue version exclusive

6 locations to catch Ekans

Encountered via tall grass encounters

Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8

Where To Catch Ekans in RB

Ekans is where the line starts, caught through walking encounters at Lv. 6-26. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

To plan your throws, open the Red & Blue catch rate calculator with Ekans preloaded.

Ekans Weakness

Ekans's Poison typing leaves it vulnerable to Ground, Psychic, and Bug. Not too many gaps in the chart, 3 weaknesses to account for.

Ekans Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Ground, Psychic, Bug
0.5x (Resist)Grass, Fighting, Poison
Gen I Type Chart
  • 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 Ekans Weak Against

Vulnerable
3Weak
3Resist
0Immune
Score-3
4xCritical
None
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None

What is Ekans Strong Against

2Strong
4Resisted
0Immune
Score-2
2xStrong
0xImmune
None

Best Pokemon Against Ekans

Geodude
Geodude
RockGround
C
Kadabra
Kadabra
Psychic
B
Paras
Paras
BugGrass
C
Butterfree
Butterfree
BugFlying
C
Beedrill
Beedrill
BugPoison
C

Ekans Evolutions

A Poison type with 274 stats, Ekans has a chain leading to Arbok. Breeding won't work. The evolved forms gain up to 174 total stats over Ekans. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Ekans
Poison
Arbok
Poison
HP
35
60+25
ATK
60
95+35
DEF
44
69+25
SP.ATK
40
65+25
SP.DEF
54
79+25
SPE
55
80+25
BST
288E-Tier
448E-Tier+160
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

RB Ekans Best Moveset

Poison pre-evolution with nothing to offer. The stats are too low and Poison typing provides no offensive or defensive edge. No path to relevance before evolving.

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Ekans
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • WrapCoverage
  • Mega Drain
  • SubstituteUtility
  • Rock Slide

Moves List

The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Ekans's Normal and Dark coverage and more all comes from technical machines, built on top of Acid and Poison Sting for same-type damage. Double-Edge and Earthquake are the payoff moves.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
——10030Normal
Lv 1
Wrap
S158520Normal
Lv 10
Poison Sting
D2210035Poison
Lv 17
Bite
D6010025Normal
Lv 24
Glare
D—7530Normal
Lv 31
Screech
D—8540Normal
Lv 38
Acid
D6010030Poison

TM Moves

All 17 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four

TM
TM34D——10Normal
TM08
Body SlamS.S. Annebadge 2
D8510015Normal
TM32
Double TeamSafari Zonebadge 3
———15Normal
TM10
Double-EdgeRocket Hideoutbadge 3
C12010015Normal
TM26
EarthquakeSilph Co.badge 5
C10010010Ground
TM27——305Ground
TM21B4010010Grass
TM31
MimicSaffron Citybadge 5
D——10Normal
TM20
RageRoute 15badge 3
D2010020Normal
TM44
RestS.S. Annebadge 2
C——10Psychic
TM48B759010Rock
TM40
Skull BashSafari Zonebadge 4
C10010010Normal
HM04
StrengthFuchsia Citybadge 4
—8010015Normal
TM50
SubstituteRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
B——10Normal
TM09
Take DownSilph Co.badge 3
D908520Normal
TM06C—9010Poison

Tutor Moves

Ekans can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Below
HP35
F
Attack60
C
Defense44
D
Sp. Atk40
D
Sp. Def40
D
Speed55
D
Total274
Details
Catch Rate
Guaranteed255 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height2.0 m
Weight6.9 kg
Base XP58
EV Yield
HPAtk+1DefSpASpDSpe
Attack training source
Pokedex Entry

Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds, such as PIDGEY and SPEAROW, whole.

Pokemon Red / Pokemon Blue

Ekans Red & Blue Guide

  • In Red & Blue, for a casual playthrough, Ekans works as a placeholder. Poison coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Arbok. That's where the stats start mattering.

Game Availability

Present since Red & Blue, Ekans appears in 20 games spanning 9 generations. Gen 1 originals like Ekans have the longest track record of availability in the series.

Explore

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