Nihilego Best Moveset
AbilityBeast Boost raises the highest stat after each KO, and 127 Sp. Atk at 103 Speed means the Sp. Atk keeps climbing with every knockout. Rock/Poison TermStab with 131 Sp. Def provides special bulk alongside the snowballing offense. A-tier because the auto-boost mechanic makes it harder to stop with each KO.
Rock/Poison with Beast Boost raising Sp. Def after each KO in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). 127 Sp. Atk and 131 Sp. Def. The specially defensive Ultra Beast.
Best Moves
Best Build
Nihilego best EVs are Speed and Sp. Atk
Utility Moveset
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Two gens of consistency in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Meteor Beam with Power Herb gave a +1 Sp. Atk Rock move in one turn. Toxic Spikes set hazards.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Meteor Beam
- Grass Knot
- Sludge Wave
Recommended Teammates
Nihilego Weakness
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 |
What is Nihilego Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Nihilego
Excadrill can KO Nihilego with Earthquake (374-440%). Greninja's Surf hits Nihilego for 73-86%. Gardevoir deals 64-75% with Psychic.
 Excadrill GroundSteel | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySandrush ItemAir Balloon NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 4x374-440%KO Rapid Spin16-18% | ||
 Greninja WaterDark | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse32-38% Ice Beam24-28% Surf 2x73-86% | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast17-20% Psychic 2x64-75% | ||
 Metagross SteelPsychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemAssault Vest NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Metagross builds →Earthquake 4x249-293%KO Bullet Punch 2x75-89% Psychic Fangs 2x159-187%KO | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIntrepidsword ItemRustedsword NatureJolly Moves View Zacian-Crowned builds →
| ||
Evolution
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
How to Get Nihilego
No wild encounters for Nihilego in Sword & Shield. It's available in Sun & Moon or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Nihilego is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
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.
How to Get 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
Base Stats
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.
It appeared in this world from an Ultra Wormhole. Nihilego appears to be a parasite that lives by feeding on people and Pokémon.
Nihilego Guide
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 Power Gem, Sludgewave, Meteorbeam, and Thunderbolt on Nihilego. Power Gem is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the sweeper role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
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 1RB
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 7SMDebut
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