Physical
Balanced
DTier
40Speed · Very Slow

Nincada Best Moveset

Bug/Ground pre-evo with AbilityCompound Eyes boosting accuracy. 45 Attack at 90 Defense but 40 Speed limits it. The moveset is non-competitive. Evolves into Ninjask at level 20, and if a spare slot plus spare Pokeball exist, Shedinja appears as a second evolution.

SABCDEFEEEEEERuby, Sapphire & EmeraldIIIRS/EPEAKDiamond, Pearl & PlatinumIVDP/PtBlack & White / B2W2VBW/B2W2X & Y / ORASVIXY/ORASSun & Moon / USUMVIISM/USUMSword & Shield / BDSPVIIISS/BDSPCURRENT
★Gen III — Ruby, Sapphire & EmeraldE

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen III (Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald). This was Nincada's competitive peak. Its most popular set ran Compoundeyes with Sitrus Berry, favoring a Impish nature.

Received Compound Eyes

Best Moves

SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM30
Shadow Ball
Ghost80COMMONCoverage
TM10
Hidden Power (Ground)
Ground60COMMONSTAB
Egg
Silver Wind
Bug60COMMONSTAB
TM6
Toxic
Poison—COMMONUtility
TM10
Hidden Power (Bug)
Bug60COMMONSTAB
TM40
Aerial Ace
Flying60RARECoverage
TM17
Protect
Normal—RAREPriority
Tutor
Substitute
Normal—RAREUtility
Nincada Ruby & Sapphire MovesNincada Emerald Moves

Best Build

Experimental
Wall
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Sitrus BerryRECOVERY
Best Nature for Nincada
Impish+DEF

Nincada best EVs are Defense and Sp. Def

EVs

Wall Moveset

  • Shadow Ball
  • Hidden Power GroundSTAB
  • Silver WindSTAB
  • ToxicUtility

Recommended Teammates

Ponyta
PonytaDecent
Clamperl
ClamperlDecent
Krabby
KrabbyDecent
→Gen IV — Diamond, Pearl & PlatinumE

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen IV (Diamond, Pearl & Platinum). Nincada maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Compoundeyes with Expert Belt, favoring a Quiet nature.

Physical/Special split overhauled move damage
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM10
Hidden Power (Ice)
Ice60COMMONCoverage
TM19
Giga Drain
Grass75COMMONCoverage
TM30
Shadow Ball
Ghost80COMMONCoverage
Egg
Bug Buzz
Bug90COMMONSTAB
TM44
Rest
Psychic—RARERecovery
TM6
Toxic
Poison—RAREUtility
Xfer
Double-Edge
Normal120RARECoverage
Lv 5
Leech Life
Bug80RARESTAB
Nincada Diamond & Pearl MovesNincada Platinum Moves
Experimental
Special Tank
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Expert Belt
Best Nature for Nincada
Quiet+SPA
EVs

Special Tank Moveset

  • Hidden Power Ice
  • Giga Drain
  • Shadow Ball
  • Bug BuzzSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Skorupi
SkorupiExcellent
Paras
ParasExcellent
Surskit
SurskitExcellent
→Gen V — Black & White / B2W2E

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen V (Black & White / B2W2). Nincada maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Compoundeyes with Metronome, favoring a Adamant nature.

Gained Run Away as hidden abilityHidden Abilities became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM1
Hone Claws
Dark—POPULARUtility
Egg
Night Slash
Dark70POPULARCoverage
TM90
Substitute
Normal—POPULARUtility
Xfer
Fury Cutter
Bug40POPULARSTAB
Nincada Black & White MovesNincada Black 2 & White 2 Moves
Experimental
Physical Tank
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Metronome
Best Nature for Nincada
Adamant+ATK
EVs

Physical Tank Moveset

  • Hone Claws
  • Night Slash
  • SubstituteUtility
  • Fury CutterSTAB

Recommended Teammates

Walrein
WalreinExcellent
Glaceon
GlaceonExcellent
Audino
AudinoExcellent
→Gen VI — X & Y / ORASE

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen VI (X & Y / ORAS). Nincada maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran compound eyes with Eviolite, favoring a Timid nature.

Fairy type added to the gameMega Evolution became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
Egg
Bug Buzz
Bug90POPULARSTAB
TM81
X-Scissor
Bug80POPULARSTAB
Lv 37
Dig
Ground80POPULARSTAB
Tutor
Giga Drain
Grass75POPULARCoverage
Nincada X & Y MovesNincada ORAS Moves
Experimental
Utility
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
EvioliteBULK
Best Nature for Nincada
Timid+SPE
EVs

Utility Moveset

  • Bug BuzzSTAB
  • X ScissorSTAB
  • DigSTAB
  • Giga Drain
→Gen VII — Sun & Moon / USUME

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen VII (Sun & Moon / USUM). Nincada maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Compoundeyes with Air Balloon, favoring a Mild nature.

Z-Moves became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TM88
Sleep Talk
Normal—POPULARUtility
Xfer
Hone Claws
Dark—POPULARUtility
TM100
Confide
Normal—POPULARUtility
Nincada Sun & Moon MovesNincada Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Moves
Experimental
Special Attacker
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
Air Balloon
Best Nature for Nincada
Mild+SPA
EVs

Special Attacker Moveset

  • Sleep Talk
  • Hone Claws
  • ConfideUtility

Recommended Teammates

Golisopod
GolisopodExcellent
Armaldo
ArmaldoExcellent
→Gen VIII — Sword & Shield / BDSPE

Nincada saw minimal competitive use in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield / BDSP). Nincada maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Compoundeyes with Eviolite, favoring a Naive nature.

Gigantamax became availableDynamax became available
SRCMOVETYPECATPWRPOPROLE
TR18
Leech Life
Bug80POPULARSTAB
Egg
Final Gambit
Fighting—POPULARCoverage
Xfer
Toxic
Poison—POPULARUtility
TM28
Giga Drain
Grass75POPULARCoverage
Nincada Sword & Shield MovesNincada BDSP Moves
Experimental
Utility
Ability
Compound Eyes
Item
EvioliteBULK
Best Nature for Nincada
Naive+SPE
EVs

Utility Moveset

  • Leech LifeSTAB
  • Final Gambit
  • ToxicUtility
  • Giga Drain

Recommended Teammates

Skorupi
SkorupiExcellent
Larvesta
LarvestaExcellent
Joltik
JoltikExcellent

Nincada Weakness

Type-wise, Nincada takes extra damage from Fire, Water, Ice, and Flying. Electric moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. Nincada's physical bulk (base 90 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Nincada Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Fire, Water, Ice, Flying
0.5x (Resist)Fighting, Poison, Ground
0x (Immune)Electric

What is Nincada Weak Against

Avg
4Weak
3Resist
1Immune
Score-2
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
FireWaterIceFlying
½xResist
FightingPoisonGround
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
Electric

What is Nincada Strong Against

8Strong
1Resisted
0Immune
Score+7
2xStrong
FireElectricGrassPoisonPsychicRockDarkSteel
½xResisted
Flying
0xImmune
None

Best Pokemon Against Nincada

Kyurem can KO Nincada with Draco Meteor (131-155%). Charizard threatens a KO with Flamethrower (241-283%). Gyarados deals 55-65% with Waterfall.

Evolution

Nincada can evolve into Ninjask and Shedinja. Nincada sits before the split, so check the evolution methods below to pick your path. Evolving adds up to 190 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Evolutions
Nincada
#290Nincada
Ninjask
#291NinjaskLevel 20
Shedinja
#292ShedinjaLevel 20
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Nincada
BugGround
Ninjask
BugFlying
Shedinja
BugGhost
HP
31
61+30
1-30
ATK
45
90+45
90+45
DEF
90
45-45
45-45
SP.ATK
30
50+20
30
SP.DEF
30
50+20
30
SPE
40
160+120
40
BST
266D-Tier
456B-Tier+190
236C-Tier-30
ROLE
Balanced
Pivot
Trick Room
TYPE
Utility
Physical
Physical

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed Nincada easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.

Egg Groups
Bug
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
15 cycles·3,855 steps
Quick~4 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
flygondrapionmasquerainvolbeatillumiseparasectvibravaskorupiparastrapinchsurskitshuckle
12 of 91·

How to Get Nincada

All 14 games

A solid number of locations for Nincada with decent spawn rates across early-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.

Where To Catch Nincada in BDSP

To get Nincada, start by catching Nincada through walking and special encounters at Lv. 10-63. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.

  1. Nincada
    Step 1Nincada ✓
    Eterna Forest
    Lv.10-12Using PokeRadar
    Rate 22%
    Grassland Cave
    Lv.58-63Cave
    Post-game
    Riverbank Cave
    Lv.58-63Cave
    Post-game
    Still-Water Cavern
    Lv.58-63Cave
    Post-game
    Sunlit Cavern
    Lv.58-63Cave
    Post-game

Base Stats

Nothing fancy in Nincada's spread. It leans mixed with Defense out front. And you'll get 1 Defense EV per KO for it. Follows a standard growth curve.

Base Stats
Below
HP31
F
Attack45
D
Defense90
B
Sp. Atk30
F
Sp. Def30
F
Speed40
D
Total266
Details
Catch Rate
Guaranteed255 / 255
Growth Rate
Erratic600,000 XP
Height0.5 m
1'08"Tiny
Weight5.5 kg
12.1 lbsFeather
Base XP53
Low Yield
Abilities
Compound Eyes
Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.
Run AwayHidden Ability
Ensures success fleeing from wild battles.
EV Yield
HPAtkDef+1SpASpDSpe
Defense training source
Pokedex Entry

It grows underground, sensing its surroundings using antennae instead of its virtually blind eyes.

Pokemon Shining Pearl

Nincada Guide

  • For a casual playthrough, Nincada works as a placeholder. Bug/Ground coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Ninjask. That's where the stats start mattering.

Game Availability

Debuting in Ruby & Sapphire, Nincada appears in 14 games across 8 generations. A reliable presence in a solid number of games, typically found through catching or hatching as a base form.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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