Is Spinarak Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
HeartGold night encounter on Route 30. Bug/Poison with AbilityInsomnia preventing sleep or AbilitySwarm boosting Bug moves. Ariados at level 22 is functional early but fades by mid-game. SoulSilver players breed for it.
Spinarak trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Bugsy's typing presses Spinarak's defenses.
Spinarak trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Chuck's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Jasmine's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Clair's team hits Ariados's weaknesses hard.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Erika's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Janine's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Ariados trades roughly evenly with Bruno's team.
Ariados has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Lance's team hits Ariados's weaknesses hard.
Catchable
Catch Spinarak on Route 30 (walking, Lv 2, common).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Department Store
- TM28GroundDigPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 26DarkSucker PunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 5
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- TM43NormalSecret PowerPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 20Lake of Rage
- TM10NormalHidden PowerPower 60Accuracy 100%PP 15Lake of Rage
- LV 40PsychicPsychicPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 43PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
Evolve Spinarak to Ariados
Spinarak evolves into Ariados at Level 22. Your Spinarak should hit Level 22 before you reach Morty, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 22)
- LV 22BugBug BitePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Department Store
- TM28GroundDigPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- LV 28DarkSucker PunchPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 5
- After Jasmine
- TM36PoisonSludge BombPower 135Accuracy 100%PP 10Route 43
- LV 46PsychicPsychicPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 50PoisonPoison JabPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 20
How to Get Spinarak in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Spinarak is the HeartGold half of the bug-pair split, missing from SoulSilver entirely. Headbutting trees scatters it across both regions, with a few night grass spawns mixed in, landing it in the spots Ledyba covers for the other version.
31 locations to catch Spinarak
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Spinarak in HGSS
Spinarak is where the line starts, caught through headbutt and walking encounters at Lv. 2-32. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Spinarak ✓Route 37Lv.13-15GrassHeartGoldRate 40%NightRoute 2 - NorthLv.3-4GrassHeartGoldRate 31%NightRoute 2 - SouthLv.3-4GrassHeartGoldRate 31%NightRoute 30Lv.2GrassHeartGoldRate 30%NightRoute 31Lv.3GrassHeartGoldRate 30%NightCherrygrove CityLv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%New Bark TownLv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 29Lv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 30Lv.4-5Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 31Lv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Pallet TownLv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 1Lv.5-6Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 2 - NorthLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 2 - SouthLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 22Lv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Viridian CityLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 36Lv.6-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 34Lv.11-12Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%National ParkLv.13-15Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 35Lv.13-14Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Ecruteak CityLv.15-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 37Lv.15-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 38Lv.15-16Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Viridian ForestLv.3-4Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 10%Route 2 - NorthLv.10GrassHeartGoldRate 4%MorningRoute 2 - SouthLv.10GrassHeartGoldRate 4%MorningRoute 39Lv.16-17Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 47Lv.17-18Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 48Lv.17-18Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Safari Zone GateLv.17-19Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Fuchsia CityLv.21-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 15Lv.21-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 12Lv.22-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 13Lv.22-23Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 21Lv.24-26Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 14Lv.26-27Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 18Lv.26-27Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 26Lv.31-32Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%Route 27Lv.31-32Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 30%
- Step 2Catch or Evolve into AriadosViridian ForestLv.5-7Headbutting treesHeartGoldRate 10%Route 2 - NorthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%NightRoute 2 - SouthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%Nightor evolve from Spinarak (Step 1)
Not landing the catch? Calculate Spinarak catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Spinarak in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Spinarak drops from headbutt trees in HeartGold, but breeding it Masuda-style is the quicker path to a shiny. Compare Shiny Spinarak odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Spinarak Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Spinarak preloaded.
Spinarak Weakness
Spinarak's Bug/Poison typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock. The Bug/Poison typing picks up 4 resistances to work with.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Poison, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Spinarak Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Spinarak
 Ninetales Fire | C | |
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Spinarak View Arcanine builds →Fire Blast 2x227-268%KO Aerial Ace 2x83-99% | ||
 Golbat Poison | C | |
 Scyther Bug | C | |
 Magmar Fire | C | |
 Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) | ||
 Dodrio Normal | C | |
 Farfetch'd Normal | C | |
 Fearow Normal | C | |
 Quilava Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cyndaquil (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Spinarak View Quilava builds →Fire Blast 2x193-228%KO Aerial Ace 2x56-67% | ||
 Gardevoir Psychic | B | |
 Noctowl Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Spinarak View Noctowl builds →Sky Attack 2x159-188%KO Confusion 2x59-69% | ||
 Slowbro WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Spinarak View Slowbro builds →Fire Blast 2x151-179%KO Confusion 2x97-116%KO | ||
 Vespiquen Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Spinarak View Vespiquen builds →Aerial Ace 2x97-116%KO Power Gem 2x76-91% | ||
Spinarak Evolutions
Spinarak is the base form in a two-stage line leading to Ariados. Check the evolution method below. A decent partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are quick to hatch. The evolved forms gain up to 150 total stats over Spinarak. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Spinarak easily with 48 breeding partners from the Bug egg group. Pass egg moves like Baton Pass, Disable, Poison Jab and 5 more to offspring.
HGSS Spinarak Best Moveset
Bug/Poison at flat stats around 40 with AbilityInsomnia preventing sleep. 60 Attack gives some physical presence. The moveset has no competitive identity at 30 Speed. Evolve to Ariados.
Best Build
Spinarak best EVs are HP and Attack
Hazard Setter Moveset
- Protect
- Toxic Spikes
- Sucker Punch
- Bug Bite
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Baton Pass and Disable from the egg pool give Spinarak something extra. Pair those with Sludge Bomb and Leech Life for STAB and coverage across 7 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
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
All 17 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It lies still in the same pose for days in its web, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to wander close.
It spins a web using fine--but durable--thread. It then waits patiently for prey to be trapped.
Spinarak HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- Where in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone can I find Spinarak?
See the Locations section above for where to find Spinarak in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Spinarak from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Spinarak easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, for a casual playthrough, Spinarak works as a placeholder. Bug/Poison coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Ariados. That's where the stats start mattering.
Game Availability
Debuting in Gold & Silver, Spinarak appears in 17 games across 8 generations. A reliable presence in most mainline games, typically found through catching or hatching as a base form.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
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 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
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
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