Near-guaranteed Slash crits thanks to Gen 1's Speed-based formula make Persian a devastating A-Tier Normal-type attacker in Red & Blue.
440HP65Attack70Defense60Speed115Sp.Def65Sp.Atk65
Meowth
Persian
Weak to
Physical
Pivot
115Speed · Fast

Is Persian Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?

Fast and well-rounded but unremarkable. Persian gets MoveSlash, which crits constantly thanks to Gen 1's Speed-based crit formula. That's the niche. For a Normal-type, Tauros does everything better. Persian fills a slot without standing out.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadTEEEEEGGGGTEGBrockGym 1MeowthCatchableMistyGym 2SurgeGym 3ErikaGym 4PersianEvolveKogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6BlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Brock
Gym 1
Tough

Brock's typing presses Meowth's defenses.

Risky
Geodude
Lv 12
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleDefense Curl
Risky
Onix
Lv 14
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleScreechBide
Misty
Gym 2
Even

Meowth trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.

Even
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Risky
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Even

Meowth trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.

Even
Voltorb
Lv 21
Electric
Soundproof
TackleScreechSonic Boom
You Win
Pikachu
Lv 18
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunder WaveQuick Attack
Risky
Raichu
Lv 24
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunderbolt
Erika
Gym 4
Even

Meowth trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.

Risky
Victreebel
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafWrapPoison PowderSleep Powder
Even
Tangela
Lv 24
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBind
Risky
Vileplume
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DancePoison PowderMega DrainSleep Powder
Koga
Gym 5
Even

Persian trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.

You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Even
Muk
Lv 39
Poison
Stench
DisablePoison GasMinimizeSludge
You Win
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Risky
Weezing
Lv 43
Poison
Levitate
SmogSludgeToxicSelf Destruct
Sabrina
Gym 6
Even

Persian trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.

You Win
Kadabra
Lv 38
Psychic
Synchronize
DisablePsybeamRecoverPsychic
You Win
Mr Mime
Lv 37
Psychic
Soundproof
ConfusionBarrierLight ScreenDouble Slap
You Win
Venomoth
Lv 38
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Poison PowderLeech LifeStun SporePsybeam
Even
Alakazam
Lv 43
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsywaveReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Good

Persian has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.

You Win
Growlithe
Lv 42
Fire
Intimidate
EmberLeerTake DownAgility
You Win
Ponyta
Lv 40
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
You Win
Rapidash
Lv 42
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Even
Arcanine
Lv 47
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberFire BlastTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Good

Persian has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.

You Win
Rhyhorn
Lv 45
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFury AttackHorn Drill
You Win
Dugtrio
Lv 42
Ground
Sand Veil
GrowlDigSand AttackSlash
You Win
Nidoqueen
Lv 44
PoisonGround
Poison Point
ScratchTail WhipBody SlamPoison Sting
You Win
Nidoking
Lv 45
PoisonGround
Poison Point
TackleHorn AttackPoison StingThrash
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 50
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFissureHorn Drill
Lorelei
Elite Four
Good

Persian has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.

You Win
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
GrowlAurora BeamRestTake Down
You Win
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampAurora BeamSpike Cannon
You Win
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
GrowlWater GunWithdrawAmnesia
You Win
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchBody SlamThrash
Even
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Good

Persian has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.

Easy KO
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Even
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchMega PunchCounter
Even
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Jump KickFocus EnergyHigh Jump KickMega Kick
You Win
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Even
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerFocus EnergyFissureSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Tough

Agatha's typing presses Persian's defenses.

Avoid
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
You Win
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicConfuse RayWing AttackHaze
Risky
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Even
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
BiteGlareScreechAcid
Avoid
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeToxicDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Even

Persian trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.

You Win
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
Even
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Even
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Risky
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
SupersonicBiteTake DownHyper Beam
Risky
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
AgilitySlamBarrierHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Good

Persian has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.

You Win
Pidgeot
Lv 61
NormalFlying
Keen Eye
WhirlwindWing AttackSky AttackMirror Move
Even
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicReflect
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 61
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Tail WhipFury AttackHorn DrillLeer
You Win
Arcanine
Lv 61
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberLeerTake Down
Even
Exeggutor
Lv 63
GrassPsychic
Chlorophyll
BarrageHypnosisStomp
Even
Blastoise
Lv 65
Water
Torrent
BiteWithdrawBlizzardHydro Pump

Catch Meowth

Available after Badge 1
Type
Normal
Tier
E

Catch Meowth on Route 5 (walking, Lv 10-16, common).

View Meowth locations

Evolve Meowth to Persian

Level 28
Type
Normal
Tier
A

Meowth evolves into Persian at Level 28. Your Meowth should hit Level 28 before you reach Koga, at typical leveling pace.

Recommended Moves

How to Get Persian in Red & Blue

Raise a Meowth to level 28 for Persian, which has no wild form of its own. Since Meowth is Blue-only, Red trainers trade for the cat before they can grow this one.

Blue Exclusive: Trade with Red for Primeape. See every Red & Blue version exclusive

Catch Meowth at any of these 4 spots to eventually evolve into Persian.

Encountered via tall grass encounters

  1. 1
    Catch Meowth
  2. 2
    Evolve Persianat Lv.28
Badge 2
Badge 3

How to Obtain Persian in RB

Meowth is your first catch on the way to Persian. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 10-20 across 4 total spots in the chain.

  1. Persian
    Step 2Persian ✓

Persian Weakness

Fighting moves hit Persian for super-effective damage. The upside? Ghost-type moves can't touch it at all. At base 115 Speed, Persian outspeeds most threats and doesn't need to tank what it can outrun.

Persian Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Fighting
0x (Immune)Ghost
Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split

What is Persian Weak Against

Good
1Weak
0Resist
1Immune
Score+1
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
½xResist
None
¼xResist
None
0xImmune

What is Persian Strong Against

0Strong
1Resisted
1Immune
Score-2
2xStrong
None
½xResisted
0xImmune

Best Pokemon Against Persian

Machoke
Machoke
Fighting
C

Persian Evolutions

You get Persian from Meowth at level 28. This Normal type hits 440 total but remains in the Undiscovered group. The evolution from Meowth pushed Persian to 440 total stats. HP saw the largest single gain at +25. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Meowth
Normal
Persian
Normal
HP
40
65+25
ATK
45
70+25
DEF
35
60+25
SP.ATK
40
65+25
SP.DEF
40
65+25
SPE
90
115+25
BST
290E-Tier
440A-Tier+150
ROLE
Balanced
Pivot
TYPE
Utility
Physical
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

RB Persian Best Moveset

115 Speed and the Speed-based critical hit formula means MoveSlash crits on almost every hit, effectively doubling damage. MoveHyper Beam closes targets without recharge on KO. Near-guaranteed crits from the fastest relevant physical attacker, with Normal TermStab behind them.

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Persian
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • SlashSTAB
  • Bubble Beam
  • Hyper BeamSTAB
  • ThunderboltCoverage

Moves List

The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Persian's Dark and Water coverage all comes from technical machines, built on top of Hyper Beam and Skull Bash for same-type damage. Double-Edge and Hyper Beam are the payoff moves.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Bite
D9010025Normal
Lv 1
Growl
D—10040Normal
Lv 1
Scratch
—6010035Normal
Lv 1
Screech
D—8540Normal
Lv 12
Bite
D9010025Normal
Lv 17
Pay Day
D6010020Normal
Lv 24
Screech
D—8540Normal
Lv 37
Fury Swipes
—278015Normal
Lv 51
Slash
B10510020Normal

TM Moves

All 18 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four

TM
TM34D——10Normal
TM08
Body SlamS.S. Annebadge 2
B12710015Normal
TM11B6510020Water
TM32
Double TeamSafari Zonebadge 3
———15Normal
TM10
Double-EdgeRocket Hideoutbadge 3
B18010015Normal
TM15
Hyper BeamRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
B225905Normal
TM31
MimicSaffron Citybadge 5
D——10Normal
TM16
Pay DayRoute 12badge 5
D6010020Normal
TM20
RageRoute 15badge 3
D3010020Normal
TM44
RestS.S. Annebadge 2
C——10Psychic
TM40
Skull BashSafari Zonebadge 4
B15010010Normal
TM50
SubstituteRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
C——10Normal
TM39
SwiftRoute 12 Gate 2Fbadge 2
D90—20Normal
TM09
Take DownSilph Co.badge 3
C1358520Normal
TM25
ThunderKanto Power Plantbadge 5
D1107010Electric
TM24B9510015Electric
TM06C—9010Poison
TM12
Water GunMt. Moonbadge 1
D4010025Water

Tutor Moves

Persian can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Above
HP65
C
Attack70
C
Defense60
C
Sp. Atk65
C
Sp. Def65
C
Speed115
B
Total440
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging90 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.0 m
Weight32.0 kg
Base XP154
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+2
Speed training target
Pokedex Entry

Although its fur has many admirers, it is tough to raise as a pet because of its fickle meanness.

Pokemon Red / Pokemon Blue

Persian Red & Blue Guide

  • For Red & Blue, go for it. Persian rates A-Tier, and its Normal typing handles most of what the story throws at you.

  • Persian has an Alolan form that swaps the typing and reshuffles the stats. Introduced in Gen 7. Worth checking if the original version doesn't fit your team.

  • In Red & Blue, use Persian as a pivot. Physical side carries the damage. It outspeeds most threats, Slash is the primary attack.

Game Availability

Available since Red & Blue, Persian appears in 21 games spanning 9 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained an Alolan form in Generation 7.

Explore

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