Sp. Def leads and Defense gets almost nothing. That's Nihilego's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Sp. Def EVs.
A life-form from another world, it was dubbed a UB and is thought to produce a strong neurotoxin.
It appeared in this world from an Ultra Wormhole. Nihilego appears to be a parasite that lives by feeding on people and Pokémon.
Ground, Water, Psychic, and Steel moves hit Nihilego for super-effective damage. Ground hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Nihilego's special bulk (base 131 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Psychic, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Flying, Bug, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
Greninja's Surf hits Nihilego for 73-86%. Gholdengo's Shadow Ball hits Nihilego for 37-43%. Excadrill's Earthquake also KOs at 341-401%.
 Greninja WaterDark | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse32-38% Ice Beam24-28% Surf 2x73-86% U Turn14-17% | ||
 Gholdengo SteelGhost | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityGoodasgold ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Gholdengo builds →Shadow Ball37-43% | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 4x341-401%KO Rapid Spin14-17% | ||
 Mesprit Psychic | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Mesprit builds →U Turn13-16% Knock Off25-29% | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast17-20% Psychic 2x64-75% | ||
At 570 base stat total, Nihilego hits hard for a Rock/Poison type. No evolution chain and no egg group, just a straight pickup. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
The recommended build leans into Nihilego's strengths as a special attacker. Power Herb provides instant two-turn move execution, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs back that up. Beastboost rounds out the package.
Best Build
Nihilego best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk
Utility Moveset
- Power Gem
- Grass Knot
- Stealth Rock
- Sludge Wave
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Meteor Beam
- Grass Knot
- Sludge Wave
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Meteor Beam
- Power Gem
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Thunderbolt
- Clear Smog
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Ice
Utility Moveset
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Thunderbolt
- Clear Smog
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Ice
Utility Moveset
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Nihilego. TMs unlock coverage across 8 types and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Head Smash and Gunk Shot into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Leveling does the heavy lifting. Nihilego picks up Head Smash and Psychic along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add coverage across 7 types, but the foundation's already strong by then.
Leveling does the heavy lifting. Nihilego picks up Head Smash and Psychic along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add Normal and Psychic coverage and more, but the foundation's already strong by then.
No wild encounters for Nihilego in Sword & Shield. It's available in Sun or Ultra Sun and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
You'll find Nihilego at Ultra Space as a set encounter. It's always there at that location, so come prepared for the battle. The location details below cover exact positioning.
Best Locations to Catch Nihilego in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
moderate rates across 4 locations for Nihilego in endgame routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Best Locations to Catch Nihilego in Sun & Moon
walking encounters for Nihilego across 4 spots at Lv. 55+. The catch is that Moon and Sun don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
We rate Nihilego B-Tier: a solid choice for the right team. At 570 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Base 131 Sp. Def stands out.
Beast Boost raises this Pokémon's highest stat by one stage when it faints another Pokémon. That's the one you want on Nihilego. It's the only ability Nihilego has.
Base 103 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Nihilego is a special attacker with base 127 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a sweeper.
Run Sludgewave, Meteorbeam, Thunderbolt, and Grassknot on Nihilego. Sludgewave is the most common pick at 19% usage. This set covers the sweeper role with a mix of damage and utility.
Nihilego joined the series in Sun & Moon and has been available in 3 titles so far. With 4 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SMDebut
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves