Mixed
Attacker
CTier
85Speed · Above Avg

Attack and Sp. Atk carry most of Nidoking's stat budget. Sp. Def's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 3 Attack EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
High
HP81
C
Attack102
B
Defense77
C
Sp. Atk85
C
Sp. Def75
C
Speed85
C
Total505
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Slow1.06M XP
Height1.4 m
4'07"Average
Weight62.0 kg
136.7 lbsStandard
Base XP227
High Yield
Abilities
Poison PointRare
Has a 30% chance of poisoning attacking Pokémon on contact.
Rivalry
Increases damage inflicted to 1.25× against Pokémon of the same gender, but decreases damage to 0.75× against the opposite gender.
Sheer ForceHATop Pick
Strengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects.
EV Yield
HPAtk+3DefSpASpDSpe
Strong Attack training target
Pokedex Entries

One swing of its mighty tail can snap a telephone pole as if it were a matchstick.

Type-wise, Nidoking takes extra damage from Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic. Electric moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses.

Nidoking Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Water, Ice, Ground, Psychic
0.5x (Resist)Fighting, Bug, Rock, Fairy
0.25x (Resist)Poison
0x (Immune)Electric
Type ChartAvg
4Weak
5Resist
1Immune
Score+1
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
WaterIceGroundPsychic
½xResist
FightingBugRockFairy
¼xResist
Poison
0xImmune
Electric
STAB (7)
GrassFairyFireElectricPoisonRockSteel
How to Beat Nidoking (Best Counters)

Espeon can KO Nidoking with Psyshock (110-130%). Krookodile's Earthquake also KOs at 125-148%.

Espeon
Espeon
Psychic
A
Recommended Build
AbilityMagic Bounce
ItemLeftovers
NatureTimid
Moves
  • Alluring Voice
  • Calm Mind
  • Morning Sun
  • PsyshockSTAB
Damage vs Nidoking
Psyshock 2x
110-130%KO
View Espeon builds →

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). Attack grew the most through evolution (+45 over Nidoran M), and Nidoking peaks at 505 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Nidoran♂ (male)
#032Nidoran♂ (male)
16
Level 16
Nidorino
#033Nidorino
Moon Stone
Moon Stone
Nidoking
#034Nidoking
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Nidoran♂ (male)
Poison
Nidorino
Poison
Nidoking
PoisonGround
HP
46
61+15
81+20
ATK
57
72+15
102+30
DEF
40
57+17
77+20
SP.ATK
40
55+15
85+30
SP.DEF
40
55+15
75+20
SPE
50
65+15
85+20
BST
273D-Tier
365D-Tier+92
505C-Tier+140
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
Attacker
TYPE
Utility
Physical
Mixed

Breeding

Moderate

Breed with Nidoking to get Nidoran M eggs using 278 partners from the Ground and Monster egg groups.

Egg Groups
GroundMonster
Gender
♂100.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachugolduckampharosvenusaurcharizardblastoisemeganiumferaligatrsceptileswampertrhydon
12 of 278·

Nothing fancy here. Nidoking builds around Life Orb for extra damage on every hit for a health trade, Timid nature for the right stat lean, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Sheerforce does its job quietly.

Best Build

All 19 games
Experimental
Ability
Sheer Force
Item
Life OrbPOWER
Best Nature for Nidoking
Timid+SPE

Nidoking best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed

EVs

Special Sweeper Moveset

  • Earth PowerSTAB
  • Sludge WaveSTAB
  • ThunderboltCoverage
  • Ice Beam

Moves

All 19 games

Hard to wall, honestly. Nidoking threatens 13 types beyond its own STAB, with Fighting and Normal standing out. Pair that with Earthquake and Sludge Wave and switchins need to think twice.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Double Kick
D3010030Fighting
Lv 1
Earth Power
S9010010Ground
Lv 1
Flatter
D—10015Dark
Lv 1
Focus Energy
C——30Normal
Lv 1
Fury Attack
—158520Normal
Lv 1
Helping Hand+5
C——20Normal
Lv 1
Horn Attack
—6510025Normal
Lv 1
Leer
D—10030Normal
Lv 1
Megahorn
C1208510Bug
Lv 1
Peck
—3510035Flying
Lv 1
Poison Jab
B8010020Poison
Lv 1
Poison Sting
—1510035Poison
Lv 1
Sludge Wave
S9510010Poison
Lv 1
Toxic
C—9010Poison
Lv 1
Toxic Spikes
C——20Poison

TM Moves

TM
TM45
Attract
C—10015Normal
TM72
Avalanche-4
C6010010Ice
TM14
Blizzard
C110705Ice
TM31
Brick Break
C7510015Fighting
TM83
Bulldoze
C6010020Ground
TM93
Cut
—509530Normal
TM28
Dig
B8010010Ground
TM32
Double Team
———15Normal
TM59
Dragon Pulse
C8510010Dragon
TM26
Earthquake
B10010010Ground
TM58
Endure+4
C——10Normal
TM42
Facade
C7010020Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
B110855Fire
TM35
Flamethrower
S9010015Fire
TM56
Fling
——10010Dark
TM52
Focus Blast
C120705Fighting
TM01
Focus Punch-3
B15010020Fighting
TM68
Giga Impact
B150905Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TM13
Ice Beam
S9010010Ice
TM23
Iron Tail
C1007515Steel
TM84
Poison Jab
B8010020Poison
TM17
Protect+4
C——10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM44
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM05
Roar-6
C——20Normal
TM100
Rock Climb
—908520Normal
TM80
Rock Slide
C759010Rock
TM98
Rock Smash
D4010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
D609515Rock
TM37
Sandstorm
D——10Rock
TM30
Shadow Ball
C8010015Ghost
TM65
Shadow Claw
C7010015Ghost
TM34
Shock Wave
D60—20Electric
TM82
Sleep Talk
C——10Normal
TM36
Sludge Bomb
S9010010Poison
TM76
Stealth Rock
C——20Rock
TM71
Stone Edge
C100805Rock
TM96
Strength
—8010015Normal
TM90
Substitute
C——10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
TM95
Surf
C9010015Water
TM87
Swagger
D—8515Normal
TM12
Taunt
C—10020Dark
TM46
Thief
C6010025Dark
TM25
Thunder
C1107010Electric
TM24
Thunderbolt
S9010015Electric
TM41
Torment
D—10015Dark
TM06
Toxic
C—9010Poison
TM03
Water Pulse
D6010020Water

Egg Moves

Nidoking doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Nidoking can't learn any Tutor moves
All 19 games

You're catching Nidoran♂ (male) first, not Nidoking. Nidoran♂ (male) appears at decent rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.

How to Obtain Nidoking in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

To get Nidoking, start by catching Nidoran♂ (male) through walking and special encounters at Lv. 2-63. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

  1. Nidoran♂ (male)
    Step 1Catch Nidoran♂ (male)
    Route 201
    Shining PearlUsing PokeRadar Lv.3 Route
    20%Early
    Route 201
    Brilliant DiamondUsing PokeRadar Lv.2 Route
    2%Early
    Bogsunk Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Bogsunk Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Dazzling Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Dazzling Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Grassland Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Grassland Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Stargleam Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Stargleam Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Swampy Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Swampy Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
  2. Nidorino
    Step 2Catch or Evolve Nidorino
    Valor Lakefront
    Shining PearlUsing PokeRadar Lv.21-22 Water
    20%Mid
    Route 221
    Shining PearlUsing PokeRadar Lv.29 Route
    20%Mid
    Valor Lakefront
    Brilliant DiamondUsing PokeRadar Lv.22 Water
    2%Mid
    Route 221
    Brilliant DiamondUsing PokeRadar Lv.30 Route
    2%Mid
    Bogsunk Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Bogsunk Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Dazzling Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Dazzling Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Grassland Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Grassland Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Stargleam Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Stargleam Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
    Post
    Post-game
    Swampy Cave
    Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    Swampy Cave
    Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Swamp
    Post
    Post-game
    or evolve from Nidoran♂ (male) (Step 1)
  3. Nidoking
    Step 3Nidoking ✓

  • Sheer Force changes the entire equation for Nidoking. The 505 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as an attacker.

  • Nidoking's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Cloyster (Ice), and Golem (Ground), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Psychic-type attackers are also a problem.

  • Sheer Force is what you want on Nidoking. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Poison Point, Rivalry) work on paper but Sheer Force is what makes Nidoking worth using.

  • Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Nidoking is a mixed attacker with base 102 Attack and 85 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as an attacker.

  • The core moveset is Earthpower, Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and Sludgewave. Earthpower leads at 22% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.

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

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