Nincada sits at the start of its evolution line — not yet at full power, but that changes fast. Most trainers push through to Ninjask as fast as possible. Part of the Gen 3 roster. Electric moves can't touch it, which offsets the 4 weaknesses somewhat.
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.
Because it lived almost entirely underground, it is nearly blind. It uses its antennae instead.
It can sometimes live underground for more than 10 years. It absorbs nutrients from the roots of trees.
Nincada Weakness
AvgType-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 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.
How to Evolve
Breed Nincada easily with 47 breeding partners from the Bug egg group. Pass egg moves like Bug Bite, Final Gambit, Flail and 2 more to offspring.
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
The egg pool carries weight here. Bug Bite and Final Gambit aren't available any other way for Nincada, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Bug Buzz and Dig for solid options.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
high spawn rates in early-game routes across 8 locations. Nincada's one of the easier catches on the list. Knock it out fast and save your time for harder targets.
Best Locations
You can catch Nincada through 8 walking encounters from Lv. 7-18, but availability differs between Shield and Sword. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
At 266 BST, Nincada is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Ninjask before bringing it to any serious fight.
Compound Eyes is the go-to ability for Nincada. It increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×. Its hidden ability Run Away can work in specific setups.
Nincada is leaning toward the physical side (base 45 Attack). Fragile — can't afford to take many hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 40 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go.
Nincada appears in 14 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.
Debuting in Ruby & Sapphire, Nincada appears in 14 games across 7 generations. A reliable presence in a solid number of games, typically found through catching or hatching as a base form.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A