Physical
Balanced
BTier
85Speed · Above Avg

Stats & Training

An unusually even spread gives Nidoking flexibility. Attack barely edges ahead. But Sp. Def isn't far off. Tough to catch and follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve. Yields 3 Attack stat exp.

Base Stats
Above
HP81
C
Attack92
B
Defense77
C
Sp. Atk85
C
Sp. Def75
C
Speed85
C
Total495
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
Abilities were introduced in Generation III. Shown below for reference.
Poison Point
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 ForceHA
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

It swings its big tail around during battle. If its foe flinches, it will charge with its sturdy body.

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.

Nidoking Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Water, Ice, Ground, Psychic
0.5x (Resist)Fighting, Bug, Rock
0.25x (Resist)Poison
0x (Immune)Electric
Type ChartAvg
4Weak
4Resist
1Immune
Score0
Gen II Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
  • Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
WaterIceGroundPsychic
½xResist
FightingBugRock
¼xResist
Poison
0xImmune
Electric
STAB (6)
GrassFireElectricPoisonRockSteel
How to Beat Nidoking in Gold & Silver (Best Counters)

In Gold & Silver, Cloyster's Surf hits Nidoking for 71-84%.

Cloyster
CloysterWears down with Toxic, threatens with Spikes, walls physical sets
WaterIce
S
Recommended Build
ItemLeftovers
Moves
  • SpikesHazard
  • SurfSTAB
  • Explosion
  • ToxicUtility
Damage vs Nidoking
Surf 2x
71-84%
Explosion
70-83%
View Cloyster builds →

Gold & Silver Evolution

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

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 66 partners from the Ground and Monster egg groups. Notable egg moves include Amnesia, Beat Up, Confusion and 4 more.

Egg Groups
GroundMonster
Gender
♂100.0%
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
7moves
Breed With (best first)
raichupikachugolduckampharosvenusaurcharizardblastoisemeganiumferaligatrrhydonslowbroslowking
12 of 66·

Gold & Silver Nidoking Best Moveset

Best Build

Solid pick
Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 2
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Nature
Not in Gen 2

Utility Moveset

  • EarthquakeSTAB
  • Ice Beam
  • Lovely Kiss
  • ThunderCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Snorlax
SnorlaxGood
Cloyster
CloysterGood
Zapdos
ZapdosGood

Moves

Hard to wall, honestly. Nidoking threatens 11 types beyond its own STAB, with Fighting and Normal standing out. Pair that with Earthquake and Mud-Slap and switchins need to think twice.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Double Kick
—3010030Fighting
Lv 1
Horn Attack
—6510025Normal
Lv 1
Poison Sting
—1510035Poison
Lv 1
Tackle
D3510035Normal
Lv 23
Thrash
—12010020Normal

TM Moves

TM
TM45
Attract
D—10015Normal
TM14
Blizzard
C120705Ice
TM03
Curse
C——10Ghost
TM40
Defense Curl
D——40Normal
TM43
Detect+4
D——5Fighting
TM32
Double Team
———15Normal
TM01
Dynamic Punch
D100505Fighting
TM26
Earthquake
S10010010Ground
TM20
Endure+4
D——10Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
C120855Fire
TM48
Fire Punch
C7510015Fire
TM21
Frustration
D—10020Normal
TM49
Fury Cutter
—109520Bug
TM02
Headbutt
C7010015Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
—6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TM33
Ice Punch
C7510015Ice
TM16
Icy Wind
D559515Ice
TM23
Iron Tail
C1007515Steel
TM31
Mud-Slap
D2010010Ground
TM17
Protect+4
C——10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM44
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM27
Return
D—10020Normal
TM05
Roar-6
C——20Normal
TM08
Rock Smash
—2010015Fighting
TM37
Sandstorm
D——10Rock
TM30
Shadow Ball
C8010015Ghost
TM35
Sleep Talk
C——10Normal
TM13
Snore
—4010015Normal
HM04
Strength
C8010015Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
HM03
Surf
C9510015Water
TM34
Swagger
C—8515Normal
TM46
Thief
B6010025Dark
TM25
Thunder
A1207010Electric
TM41
Thunder Punch
C7510015Electric
TM06
Toxic
C—8510Poison

Egg Moves

Egg
Egg
Amnesia
D——20Psychic
Egg
Beat Up
——10010Dark
Egg
Confusion
D5010025Psychic
Egg
Counter-5
D—10020Fighting
Egg
Disable
D—5520Normal
Egg
Supersonic
——5520Normal
Egg
Take Down
C908520Normal

Tutor Moves

Nidoking can't learn any Tutor moves

How to Get Nidoking in Gold & Silver

Can't catch Nidoking directly. Start with Nidoran♂ (male) at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 3-stage chain from Nidoran♂ (male) to Nidoking is where the leveling time goes.

How to Obtain Nidoking in Gold & Silver

Nidoran♂ (male) is your first catch on the way to Nidoking. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 12-23 across 10 total spots in the chain.

  1. Nidoran♂ (male)
    Step 1Catch Nidoran♂ (male)
    Route 35
    GoldGrass Lv.12 Route
    30%Early
    Route 35
    SilverGrass Lv.12 Route
    30%Early
    Route 36
    GoldGrass Lv.12 Route
    30%Early
    Route 36
    SilverGrass Lv.12 Route
    30%Early
  2. Nidorino
    Step 2Catch or Evolve Nidorino
    Route 13
    GoldGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Route 13
    SilverGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Route 14
    GoldGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Route 14
    SilverGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Route 15
    SilverGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Route 15
    GoldGrass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    or evolve from Nidoran♂ (male) (Step 1)
  3. Nidoking
    Step 3Nidoking ✓

Nidoking Guide

  • For Gold & Silver, we rate Nidoking B-Tier: a solid option in Gold & Silver for the right team. At 495 BST, the stats are spread pretty evenly. Earthquake with Leftovers is the standard set.

  • In Gold & Silver, 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.

  • Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Nidoking is a physical attacker with base 92 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.

  • For Gold & Silver, the core moveset is Earthquake, Ice Beam, Lovely Kiss, and Thunder. Earthquake leads at 25% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.

  • In Gold & Silver, the best way to handle Nidoking: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Water, Ice, and Ground-type attackers hit hardest.

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

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