Is Ninetales Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Strong special attacker with great Speed. AbilityFlash Fire lets it switch into Fire moves for free. Handles four gym leaders and E4 members, which is impressive coverage from one team slot. SP players should grab Vulpix early.
Roark's team hits Vulpix's weaknesses hard.
Vulpix resists most of Gardenia's coverage and hits back hard.
Vulpix has the type edge here and should clean up Maylene's team.
Crasher Wake's team hits Vulpix's weaknesses hard.
Vulpix trades roughly evenly with Fantina's team.
Vulpix has the type edge here and should clean up Byron's team.
Vulpix has the type edge here and should clean up Candice's team.
Volkner's team hits Vulpix's weaknesses hard.
Vulpix has the type edge here and should clean up Aaron's team.
Bertha's team hits Vulpix's weaknesses hard.
Vulpix trades roughly evenly with Flint's team.
Vulpix trades roughly evenly with Lucian's team.
Vulpix trades roughly evenly with Cynthia's team.
Ninetales 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.
How to Get Ninetales in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Can't catch Ninetales directly. Start with Vulpix at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve through a special method. The 2-stage line from Vulpix to Ninetales is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Ninetales in BDSP
To get Ninetales, start by catching Vulpix through walking encounters at Lv. 58-63. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch VulpixSandsear CaveLv.58-63GrassShining PearlPost-gameSpacious CaveLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-gameTyphlo CavernLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-gameVolcanic CaveLv.58-63CaveShining PearlPost-game
Step 2Ninetales ✓
Ninetales Weakness
Type-wise, Ninetales takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. It resists 6 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Ninetales's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy |
What is Ninetales Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Ninetales
 Psyduck Water | D | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing | ||
 Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x63-75% Rock Slide 2x35-42% | ||
 Geodude RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Geodude builds →Earthquake 2x83-100%KO Stone Edge 2x83-100%KO | ||
 Phanpy Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Phanpy builds →Earthquake 2x73-88% Rock Slide 2x38-46% | ||
 Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Onix builds →Earthquake 2x58-69% Stone Edge 2x58-69% | ||
 Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x78-94% Rollout 2x22-27% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x69-82% Rock Slide 2x35-43% | ||
Psyduck Water | D | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing | ||
 Shellos Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Shellos builds →Surf 2x55-65% Mud-Slap 2x12-16% | ||
 Buizel Water | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Buizel builds →Surf 2x55-65% Rock Tomb 2x33-39% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x85-100%KO Stone Edge 2x56-67% | ||
 Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x85-100%KO Rock Tomb 2x42-49% | ||
 Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Gastrodon builds →Earthquake 2x87-103%KO Surf 2x68-81% Stone Edge 2x58-69% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x71-84% Bulldoze 2x37-43% Rollout 2x19-24% | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x115-135%KO Stone Edge 2x76-90% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x85-100%KO Stone Edge 2x56-67% | ||
 Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Great Marsh Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x52-61% Dig 2x32-39% Rollout 2x14-17% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x85-100%KO Dig 2x56-67% Rock Tomb 2x42-49% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x71-84% Dig 2x47-56% Rollout 2x19-24% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Gastrodon builds →Earthquake 2x87-103%KO Surf 2x68-81% Stone Edge 2x58-69% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x82-96% Stone Edge 2x54-64% | ||
Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Great Marsh Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x49-58% Dig 2x32-39% Rollout 2x14-17% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Golduck builds →Surf 2x67-80% Dig 2x45-53% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x82-96% Dig 2x54-64% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x70-83% Dig 2x47-55% Rollout 2x18-22% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x80-94% Stone Edge 2x53-63% | ||
Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Great Marsh Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x47-56% Dig 2x31-37% Rollout 2x13-15% | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Golduck builds →Surf 2x67-79% Dig 2x44-53% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x80-94% Dig 2x53-63% Rock Tomb 2x40-47% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x69-81% Dig 2x46-54% Rollout 2x19-22% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x79-93% Stone Edge 2x52-62% | ||
Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Great Marsh Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x46-55% Dig 2x31-37% Rollout 2x13-16% | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Golduck builds →Surf 2x64-76% Dig 2x43-51% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x79-93% Dig 2x52-62% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x67-79% Dig 2x44-52% Rollout 2x17-21% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x79-93% Stone Edge 2x52-62% | ||
Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Azurill (Great Marsh Surfing) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Azumarill builds →Surf 2x46-55% Dig 2x31-37% Rollout 2x13-16% | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Golduck builds →Surf 2x64-76% Dig 2x43-51% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 2x79-93% Dig 2x52-62% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 2x67-79% Dig 2x44-52% Rollout 2x17-21% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | S | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Garchomp builds →Earthquake 2x119-141%KO Stone Edge 2x80-94% Surf 2x39-46% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x81-95% Stone Edge 2x54-64% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x119-141%KO Stone Edge 2x119-141%KO Surf 2x24-29% | ||
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Sudowoodo builds →Head Smash 2x143-169%KO Earthquake 2x64-75% | ||
 Kingler Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Kingler builds →Crabhammer 2x119-141%KO Dig 2x65-76% Rock Slide 2x60-71% | ||
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Greninja threatens a KO with Hydro Pump (160-188%). Landorus deals 76-90% with Rock Slide.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityIron Barbs ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Ferrothorn builds →Knock Off20-23% | ||
 Greninja WaterDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse58-68% Ice Beam22-25% Hydro Pump 2x160-188%KO | ||
 Landorus Ground | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureNaive Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Landorus builds →Rock Slide 2x76-90% | ||
 Terrakion RockFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Terrakion builds →Stone Edge 2x216-254%KO Close Combat129-152%KO Earthquake 2x144-169%KO | ||
Ninetales Evolutions
Ninetales evolved from Vulpix's chain using an evolution item. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Vulpix eggs (average hatch time). The evolution from Vulpix pushed Ninetales to 505 total stats. HP saw the largest single gain at +35. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Ninetales to get Vulpix eggs easily using 131 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Baby-Doll Eyes, Disable, Extrasensory and 10 more.
BDSP Ninetales Best Moveset
Gained hidden AbilityDrought for automatic sun, one of the most valuable team support tools in the game. But 81 Sp. Atk at 100 Speed behind Fire TermStab can't break through dedicated answers, and the moveset functions more as a sun setter than an attacker. E-tier because stronger sun abusers handle the damage.
Best Build
Ninetales best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Fire Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Scorching Sands
- Energy Ball
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding's the move. Baby-Doll Eyes and Disable give Ninetales options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 7 types already covers a decent range on top of Overheat and Flare Blitz. The egg moves push it further.
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
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
Its nine tails are said to be imbued with a mystic power. The Pokémon is said to live for 1,000 years.
Ninetales Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Ninetales looks average on paper at 505 BST. But Drought is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier pivot on our tier list. Fire Blast with Heatrock is the standard set.
Ninetales gets Drought and Flash Fire. But Drought is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Ninetales is a special attacker with base 81 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. Fits the pivot role.
For Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, the core moveset is Fire Blast, Nasty Plot, Scorching Sands, and Energy Ball. Fire Blast leads at 0% usage. This set covers the pivot role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Available since Red & Blue, Ninetales appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained an Alolan form in Generation 7.
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 7SMAlolan
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