Is Nidoking Good in Black 2 & White 2 Playthrough?
Poison/Ground at Moon Stone with AbilityPoison Point. If imported, one of the widest coverage attackers you can field. Handles Elesa, contributes everywhere with TM moves. A top-tier import for players willing to trade.
Nidoran♂ (male) has the type edge here and should clean up Cheren's team.
Nidoran♂ (male) trades roughly evenly with Roxie's team.
Nidoran♂ (male) has the type edge here and should clean up Burgh's team.
Nidoran♂ (male) has the type edge here and should clean up Elesa's team.
Nidoran♂ (male) trades roughly evenly with Clay's team.
Nidoran♂ (male) trades roughly evenly with Skyla's team.
Drayden's team hits Nidoran♂ (male)'s weaknesses hard.
Nidoran♂ (male) trades roughly evenly with Marlon's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Shauntal's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Grimsley's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Caitlin's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Marshal's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Iris's team.
Catch Nidoran M on Route 2 (Hidden Grotto, Lv 55-59).
You can pick up the Moon Stone in Chargestone Cave. 9 other locations are also available.
How to Get Nidoking in Black 2 & White 2
Nidoking can't be caught in Black 2 & White 2. Transfer Nidoran♂ (male) from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Nidoking in B2W2
Step 1Obtain Nidoran♂ (male)CARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Black & WhiteAvailableCatch in Black & White via Walking · White Forest, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Walking · Route 22. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Walking · Route 9. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Walking · Route 35. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Walking · National Park. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Walking · Safari Zone. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Diamond & PearlNot TradeableAppears in Diamond & Pearl via Pokeradar · Route 201. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Nidorino- Step 3Nidoking ✓
Nidoking Weakness
Type-wise, Nidoking takes extra damage from Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic. Electric moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ice, Ground, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fighting, Bug, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Nidoking Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Nidoking
 Oshawott Water | D | |
Obtain MethodAspertia City Gift | ||
 Sandslash Ground | C | |
 Solosis Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Solosis builds →Future Sight 2x95-113%KO | ||
 Sigilyph Psychic | C | |
 Glaceon Ice | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Glaceon builds →Icy Wind 2x62-74% Dig 2x34-40% | ||
 Dewott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Dewott builds →Razor Shell 2x56-66% Dig 2x39-46% | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
 Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Samurott builds →Surf 2x92-109%KO Dig 2x48-56% | ||
Sandslash Ground | C | |
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x92-109%KO Aurora Beam 2x44-52% Dig 2x34-40% | ||
 Duosion Psychic | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Duosion builds →Future Sight 2x109-128%KO | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
 Gliscor Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gliscor builds →Dig 2x71-84% Ice Fang 2x38-45% | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Samurott builds →Surf 2x93-110%KO Blizzard 2x79-93% Dig 2x49-57% | ||
 Beheeyem Psychic | C | |
Sandslash Ground | C | |
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Gliscor Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gliscor builds →Dig 2x69-81% Ice Fang 2x37-44% | ||
Samurott Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Oshawott (Aspertia City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Samurott builds →Surf 2x92-109%KO Blizzard 2x77-91% Dig 2x48-57% | ||
Beheeyem Psychic | C | |
Sandslash Ground | C | |
 Bronzong SteelPsychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Bronzong builds →Future Sight 2x75-88% Earthquake 2x54-63% | ||
Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
 Azelf Psychic | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 23 Interact Encounter | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Glaceon builds →Ice Beam 2x108-127%KO Dig 2x32-38% | ||
 Kyurem DragonIce | B | |
Obtain MethodGiant Chasm Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kyurem builds →Ice Beam 2x108-127%KO Psychic 2x68-81% | ||
In Black 2 & White 2, Latios threatens a KO with Surf (123-145%). Starmie deals 83-98% with Hydro Pump.
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Ferrothorn builds →
| ||
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Latios builds →Draco Meteor88-104%KO Surf 2x123-145%KO Dragon Pulse58-68% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityAnalytic ItemAir Balloon NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Starmie builds →Rapid Spin11-13% Ice Beam 2x68-81% Hydro Pump 2x83-98% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Alakazam builds →Focus Blast28-33% Psychic 2x84-100%KO Shadow Ball37-44% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
Nidoking Evolutions
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). Sp.Atk grew the most through evolution (+45 over Nidoran M), and Nidoking peaks at 495 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Nidoking to get Nidoran M eggs using 181 partners from the Ground and Monster egg groups. Notable egg moves include Amnesia, Beat Up, Chip Away and 10 more.
B2W2 Nidoking Best Moveset
Coverage moves boosted by AbilitySheer Force at zero Held ItemLife Orb HP cost make Nidoking a threat opponents can't switch into safely. 85 Sp. Atk fires MoveEarth Power, MoveIce Beam, and MoveThunderbolt for coverage that hits every type combination. The moveset answers defensive cores by attacking their weakest points.
Best Build
Nidoking best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Sludge Wave
- Flamethrower
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Hard to wall, honestly. Nidoking threatens 14 types beyond its own STAB, with Fighting and Flying standing out. Pair that with Earthquake and Sludge Wave and switchins need to think twice.
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
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
One swing of its mighty tail can snap a telephone pole as if it were a matchstick.
Nidoking Black 2 & White 2 Guide
In Black 2 & White 2, Sheer Force changes the entire equation for Nidoking. The 495 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier. Earthpower with Life Orb is the standard set.
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 special attacker with base 85 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.
For Black 2 & White 2, the core moveset is Earthpower, Ice Beam, Sludgewave, and Flamethrower. Earthpower leads at 0% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
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
- 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 7LGPE
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