Is Nidoking Good in Emerald Playthrough?
Nidoking hits harder than Nidoqueen but takes hits worse. AbilityPoison Point Poison/Ground with offensive stats that push through Sidney and Glacia. Wallace's Water Champion fight is where the Ground typing becomes a liability. Steven's postgame Steel team is the real payoff for keeping Nidoking around.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Roxanne's team.
Nidoking resists most of Brawly's coverage and hits back hard.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Wattson's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Flannery's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Norman's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Winona's team.
Tate & Liza's team hits Nidoking's weaknesses hard.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Juan's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Sidney's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Phoebe's team.
Nidoking has the type edge here and should clean up Glacia's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Drake's team.
Nidoking trades roughly evenly with Wallace's team.
Trade
Nidoking cannot be caught in this game. It must be traded in from a compatible game where it appears in the wild. Cross-region trading typically becomes available after defeating the Elite Four.
Recommended Moves
- After Brawly
- TM35FireFlamethrowerPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 15Mauville Game Corner
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Mauville Game Corner
- After Norman
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Dewford Town
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 115
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- After Tate & Liza
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 150Accuracy 100%PP 10Seafloor Cavern
- TUTORNormalDouble-EdgePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Sootopolis City
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalMega KickPower 120Accuracy 75%PP 5Battle Frontier
- TUTORNormalBody SlamPower 85Accuracy 100%PP 15Battle Frontier
- TUTORNormalMega PunchPower 80Accuracy 85%PP 20Battle Frontier
- TUTORFireFire PunchPower 75Accuracy 100%PP 15Battle Frontier
- TUTORIceIce PunchPower 75Accuracy 100%PP 15Battle Frontier
- TUTORRockRock SlidePower 75Accuracy 90%PP 10Battle Frontier
- TUTORElectricThunder PunchPower 75Accuracy 100%PP 15Battle Frontier
How to Get Nidoking in Emerald
Nidoking is uncatchable in Emerald. Move the Nidoran-M line in, reach Nidorino at level 16, then apply a Moon Stone for the final form. Plan around that stone since they are limited.
How to Obtain Nidoking in E
- Step 1Obtain Nidoran♂ (male)CARTRIDGE TRADEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenAvailableCatch in FireRed & LeafGreen via Walking · Safari Zone, 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 22. 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 · Route 35 · the Yanma swarm that Bug Catcher Arnie reports by. 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.LATER APPEARANCEfrom PlatinumNot TradeableAppears in Platinum via Pokeradar · Route 201. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
- Step 2Evolve into Nidorino
- Step 3Nidoking ✓
How to Get Shiny Nidoking in Emerald
Nidoking is missing from Emerald, so pick up a shiny in a Generation 3 title that carries it and slot it into your team through a standard link trade. See every game where Shiny Nidoking can be hunted
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 |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Nidoking Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Nidoking
 Groudon Ground | S | |
Obtain MethodTerra Cave Interact Encounter | ||
 Latios DragonPsychic | S | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Latios builds →Psychic 2x103-121%KO Surf 2x73-86% Ice Beam 2x73-86% Earthquake 2x55-65% | ||
 Deoxys Psychic | A | |
Obtain MethodBirth Island Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Deoxys builds →Psycho Boost 2x181-213%KO Ice Beam 2x82-97% Water Pulse 2x52-61% | ||
 Kyogre Water | S | |
Obtain MethodMarine Cave Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kyogre builds →Hydro Pump 2x155-183%KO Ice Beam 2x82-97% Earthquake 2x60-71% | ||
 Latias DragonPsychic | S | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Latias builds →Psychic 2x90-106%KO Surf 2x63-74% Ice Beam 2x63-74% Earthquake 2x50-59% | ||
 Lugia Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodNavel Rock Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Lugia builds →Psychic 2x76-89% Earthquake 2x55-65% Hydro Pump 2x67-79% Ice Beam 2x53-63% | ||
 Gardevoir Psychic | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Gardevoir builds →Future Sight 2x133-156%KO | ||
 Flygon GroundDragon | B | |
 Mew Psychic | B | |
Obtain MethodFaraway Island Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Mew builds →Psychic 2x83-98% Earthquake 2x60-71% Ice Beam 2x58-69% Surf 2x58-69% | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
 Gligar Ground | C | |
 Kadabra Psychic | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x128-151%KO | ||
 Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodMeteor Falls Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nidoking View Solrock builds →Earthquake 2x58-68% Psychic 2x52-61% | ||
 Xatu Psychic | C | |
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 102 partners from the Field and Monster egg groups. Notable egg moves include Amnesia, Beat Up, Confusion and 4 more.
E Nidoking Best Moveset
Mixed attacker covering nine types across physical and special moves. 102 Attack fires MoveEarthquake and MoveMegahorn while 85 Sp. Atk handles MoveIce Beam and MoveThunderbolt. AbilityPoison Point adds contact poison. The moveset is nearly impossible to block completely because of the sheer coverage spread.
Best Build
Nidoking best EVs are Speed and Defense
Utility Moveset
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Hard to wall, honestly. Nidoking threatens 13 types beyond its own STAB, with Fighting and Flying standing out. Pair that with Earthquake and Sludge Bomb 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
All 38 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Base Stats
A NIDOKING’s thick tail packs enormously destructive power capable of toppling a metal transmission tower. Once it goes on a rampage, there is no stopping it.
Nidoking Emerald Guide
In Emerald, Nidoking plays as a balanced. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully. Earthquake is the primary attack.
In Emerald, Nidoking pairs best with Tyranitar, Aerodactyl, and Zapdos. Tyranitar has Decent synergy and covers what Nidoking can't handle on its own.
In Emerald, Rash is the go-to nature for Nidoking. That's +Sp. Atk / -Sp. Def. Pair it with 92 Atk / 148 Def / 116 SpA / 152 Spe EVs. Fits the balanced role.
No. Nidoking isn't catchable in Emerald. Obtain one in FireRed or LeafGreen, then trade it over.
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 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
Explore
Where to go next after Nidoking.
Keep playing · EmeraldEmerald Tier ListThe best Pokemon ranked tier by tierSee Emerald Tier List