Stats & Training
Nothing fancy in Ninetales's spread. It leans mixed with Sp. Def out front. And you'll get 2 Sp. Def and Speed stat exp per KO for it. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
It is said to live a thousand years, and each of its tails is loaded with supernatural powers.
Ninetales Weakness
Type-wise, Ninetales takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. The Fire typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. 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 |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
In Crystal, Golem can KO Ninetales with Earthquake (112-132%). Nidoking threatens a KO with Earthquake (98-115%). Vaporeon deals 75-88% with Surf.
 Golem RockGround | A | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Golem builds →Earthquake 2x112-132%KO Explosion93-109%KO Rapid Spin19-22% | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | B | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Nidoking builds →Earthquake 2x98-115%KO Ice Beam10-11% Thunder24-29% | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Recommended Build ItemLeftovers Moves
Damage vs Ninetales View Vaporeon builds →Surf 2x75-88% | ||
Crystal Evolution
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 66 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Disable, Feint Attack, Flail and 2 more.
Crystal Ninetales Best Moveset
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Hypnosis
- Confuse Ray
- Fire Blast
- Substitute
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Breeding's the move. Disable and Feint Attack give Ninetales options it can't learn any other way, and Normal and Ground coverage and more already covers a decent range on top of Fire Blast and Flamethrower. The egg moves push it further.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
How to Get Ninetales in Crystal
Ninetales isn't available in the wild in Crystal. Start by transferring Vulpix from Blue, Yellow, or Omega Ruby. The evolution path from Vulpix to Ninetales is covered in the steps below.
Ninetales Guide
In Crystal, Ninetales works as a support with 505 BST behind it. C-Tier on our list: a niche pick in Crystal's meta. Hypnosis with Leftovers is the standard set.
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 support role.
For Crystal, the core moveset is Hypnosis, Confuseray, Fire Blast, and Substitute. Hypnosis leads at 16% usage. This set covers the support role with a mix of damage and utility.
In Crystal, the best way to handle Ninetales: Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Water, Ground, and Rock-type attackers hit hardest.
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 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
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 7SMAlolan
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