No. 0032 · Generation I · Poison Pin Pokémon
ニドラン♂Nidoran Osu · Trademarked as Nidoran♂ and read 'Nidoran osu' (osu = male). Most likely from 'needle' – its poison horn and spines – plus the male symbol, and possibly 二度 nido, 'twice'.
The Poison Pin Pokémon · Poison type · first seen in Pokémon Red & Green (1996)
01Overview
Meet Nidoran♂
Everything you need to know about the Poison Pin Pokémon — the creature behind the number.
Nidoran♂ is the Poison Pin Pokémon and the boy of Pokémon's original double act. Ever since Red and Green in 1996, it and Nidoran♀ (#0029) have been two separate species – the first Pokémon to show any sign of gender, years before Gold and Silver made gender part of the game for other Pokémon too. It grows into Nidorino at level 16, and a Moon Stone turns it into the mighty Nidoking.
It looks like a pocket-sized cross between a rabbit and a rodent. Its coat is a pinkish purple splashed with darker patches, it has red eyes and a pair of oversized front teeth, and its huge, spiny ears are teal on the inside. Three rows of spines run down its back, the middle row standing tallest, and a long, pointed horn juts from its forehead. That horn is a warning label: the bigger it grows, the more powerful the venom inside.
“Stiffens its ears to sense danger. The larger its horns, the more powerful its secreted venom.”
Pokédex · Pokémon Red & Blue · 1996
Those ears are its secret weapon. Special muscles let them swivel in any direction, so not even the faintest sound slips past it; it raises them above the long grass to scan its surroundings and flaps them like wings to catch distant noises. Nidoran♂ is a cautious soul who is always listening for trouble – but if it senses danger it'll strike first, bristling its toxic spikes, charging in and stabbing with its horn to inject poison.
Under all that wariness beats a gallant little heart. Small but brave, it will hold its ground and even risk its life to protect the Nidoran♀ it's fond of. It makes its home in open country such as savannas and plains, and Trainers have been meeting it in the long grass of Route 22, just west of Viridian City, since the very first games.
Fans tend to remember it as one of Kanto's great early-game bargains: a modest catch who becomes a hard-hitting Nidoking. It comes with quirks of its own, too. Its Shiny form is coloured much like an ordinary Nidoran♀, and since Black and White it has been able to father Eggs of either Nidoran with Ditto. It was even there at the very start of Pokémon comics – a talking, fire-breathing Nidoran♂ ambushes Red in the first chapter of the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga, published in March 1996.
How big is Nidoran♂?
At half a metre tall, Nidoran♂ would barely reach an adult's knee – yet at 9 kg it weighs about as much as a beagle.
02In the Pokédex's words
Nidoran♂'s Pokédex entries
14 different entries across 34 games, from 1996 to 2020. Here is how the Pokédex has described Nidoran♂ over the years, in the order the games came out.
Generation I
Stiffens its ears to sense danger. The larger its horns, the more powerful its secreted venom.
Kanto Pokédex
Its large ears are always kept upright. If it senses danger, it will attack with a poisonous sting.
Kanto Pokédex
Its large ears sense danger. It extends its toxic spikes when angry. The size of its body thorns indicates its toxicity.
Kanto Pokédex
Generation II
It is small, but its horn is filled with poison. It charges then stabs with the horn to inject poison.
Johto Pokédex
It raises its big ears to check its surroundings. It will strike first if it senses any danger.
Johto Pokédex
It constantly moves its large ears in many directions in order to detect danger right away.
Johto Pokédex
Generation III
The male Nidoran has developed muscles for moving its ears. Thanks to them, the ears can be freely moved in any direction. Even the slightest sound does not escape this Pokémon's notice.
Hoenn Pokédex
Its large ears are flapped like wings when it is listening to distant sounds. It extends toxic barbs when angered.
FireRed & LeafGreen Pokédex
It stiffens its ears to sense danger. The larger its horns, the more powerful its secreted venom.
FireRed & LeafGreen Pokédex
The male Nidoran has developed muscles that freely move its ears in any direction. Even the slightest sound does not escape this Pokémon's notice.
Hoenn Pokédex
Generation IV
It scans its surroundings by raising its ears out of the grass. Its toxic horn is for protection.
Sinnoh Pokédex
Generation VI
Nidoran♂ has developed muscles for moving its ears. Thanks to them, the ears can be freely moved in any direction. Even the slightest sound does not escape this Pokémon's notice.
Hoenn Pokédex
Generation VIII
The horn on a male Nidoran's forehead contains a powerful poison. This is a very cautious Pokémon, always straining its large ears.
Rotom Phone (Sword & Shield)
Small but brave, this Pokémon will hold its ground and even risk its life in battle to protect the female it's friendly with.
Rotom Phone (Sword & Shield)
03Stats, moves & where to find it
Nidoran♂ in the video games
Base stat total 273 · 24 core-series games · 21 spin-offs · every move it learns, generation by generation.
Base stats
Its base stats total 273 – a total no other Pokémon shares – and have never changed. In Red, Green, Blue and Yellow it had a single Special stat of 40; when Gold and Silver split Special in two, Nidoran♂ kept 40 for both Special Attack and Special Defence. Its base experience yield was 60 up to Generation IV and has been 55 since Black and White, and its base friendship dropped from 70 to 50 in Generation VIII.
Abilities
- Poison Pointsince Gen III
Any Pokémon that makes contact with Nidoran♂'s poisonous spines has a chance of being poisoned. - Rivalrysince Gen IV
Nidoran♂ hits harder against Pokémon of the same gender and softer against those of the opposite gender – so, being always male, it goes easy on the girls. - HustleHidden abilitysince Gen V
Boosts Nidoran♂'s Attack by half, but makes its physical moves less accurate.
Type matchups
How hard each attacking type hits a Poison Pokémon.
In Red, Green, Blue and Yellow, Bug-type moves were super effective against Poison types rather than resisted, and Fairy-type moves (and the resistance to them) only arrived with X and Y. As a Poison type, Nidoran♂ can't normally be poisoned or badly poisoned.
Training & breeding
- Catch rate
- 235
- Base friendship
- 50
- Base experience
- 55
- Growth rate
- Medium Slow
- EV yield
- 1 Attack
- Egg groups
- Monster, Field
- Egg cycles
- 20
- Colour
- Purple
- Gender ratio
- 100% male
- Body shape
- quadruped
Where to find Nidoran♂
| Game | Year | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Red & Green | 1996 | Wild on Route 22 and in the Safari ZoneA trader in the Underground Path between Routes 5 and 6 also swaps a Nidoran♂ nicknamed Chappy (チャッピー) for your Nidoran♀. |
| Blue (Japan) | 1996 | Wild on Route 22 and in the Safari Zone |
| Red & Blue | 1998 | Wild on Route 22 and in the Safari ZoneThe English versions flip the Underground Path trade: the trader wants your Nidoran♂ and hands over a Nidoran♀ called SPOT. |
| Yellow | 1998 | Wild on Routes 2, 9, 10 and 22 and in the Safari Zone |
| Gold & Silver | 1999 | Wild on Routes 35 and 36 |
| Crystal | 2000 | Wild in the National Park (morning and day) and in a swarm on Route 35 |
| Ruby & Sapphire | 2002 | Not found in the wild – trade only |
| FireRed & LeafGreen | 2004 | Wild on Route 3 and in the Safari ZoneIn LeafGreen, the trader in the Underground Path between Routes 5 and 6 swaps MR. NIDO, a Nidoran♂ holding a Tiny Mushroom, for your Nidoran♀. |
| Emerald | 2004 | Not found in the wild – trade only |
| Diamond & Pearl | 2006 | Route 201 with the Poké RadarOr migrate one from a Game Boy Advance game through Pal Park, where it turns up in the Field area. |
| Platinum | 2008 | Route 201 with the Poké Radar |
| HeartGold & SoulSilver | 2009 | Wild on Routes 35 and 36 and in the Safari Zone's Savannah areaThe Pokéwalker's Refreshing Field route can turn one up too. |
| Black & White | 2010 | White only: the White ForestBlack players have to trade; Pokémon Dream World's Pleasant Forest also offered it. |
| Black 2 & White 2 | 2012 | In the Hidden Grotto on Route 2 |
| X & Y | 2013 | Horde Encounters on Route 11 |
| Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire | 2014 | Not found in the wild – trade only |
| Sun & Moon | 2016 | Pokémon Bank only |
| Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | 2017 | Pokémon Bank only |
| Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee! | 2018 | Wild on Routes 9, 10, 22 and 23 |
| Sword & Shield | 2019 | Trade only in the base game (from version 1.3.0); The Crown Tundra adds it in the Giant's Bed and Old Cemetery, wandering Frostpoint Field, and in Max Raid Battles at the Giant's Bed, Frigid Sea and Ballimere Lake |
| Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl | 2021 | Route 201 with the Poké Radar, and in the Grand Underground's Grassland Cave, Swampy Cave, Riverbank Cave, Dazzling Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Sunlit Cavern, Stargleam Cavern and Bogsunk CavernThe Grand Underground caves offer it once you have the National Pokédex. |
| Legends: Arceus | 2022 | Unobtainable |
| Scarlet & Violet | 2022 | Unobtainable |
| Legends: Z-A | 2025 | Unobtainable |
Sprites through the ages
Spin-offs & cameos
Pokémon GO
Nidoran♂ has been on the Pokémon GO map since launch day, 6 July 2016 – and, just as in the main series, every one you meet is male. It evolves into Nidorino for 25 Candy and on into Nidoking for 100 more, and as a buddy it earns a Candy every 3 km. It fights with Peck or Poison Sting, backed up by Horn Attack, Body Slam or Sludge Bomb. In the game's early months it could hatch from 5 km Eggs, until the Egg pool was reshuffled in February 2017. Its Shiny form – coloured much like an ordinary Nidoran♀ – made its debut at Pokémon GO Fest 2019 in Dortmund on 4 July 2019, and on 28 November 2020 both Nidoran shared the spotlight with a Limited Research event of their own. Team GO Rocket has taken a liking to it too: Shadow Nidoran♂ arrived on 10 June 2020, Shiny Shadows followed in February 2023, and a purified one swaps Frustration for Return.
Its Base Set card, Horn Hazard and all, can be pulled from the Colosseum booster packs.
Catch it in Pallet Town on the Red Field, in Viridian City on the Blue Field, in Cerulean City on either table, or in the Safari Zone.
Battles in full 3D, and the Stadium Pokédex gives it an entry of its own, noting that the size of its body thorns shows how toxic it is.
Back in the arena for the Gold and Silver era, with a Pokédex that shows the Gold or Silver entry depending on the connected Game Boy game.
The Base Set card returns in the Japan-only sequel, this time in the Beginning Pokémon pack.
A common piece in Secret Storage 4, Huge Storage 4, Endless Level 5 and Mr. Who's Den.
Recruitable on Mt. Thunder (1F–4F), deep in Wish Cave (B33F–B37F) and in Oddity Cave (B1F–B4F), before settling into the Safari friend area – and it'd rather you didn't snigger: 'Don't laugh at my poisonous spikes!'
Found in the Mystifying Forest (1F–13F) and deep in the Mystery Jungle (1F–29F).
Still waiting in the Mystifying Forest and the Mystery Jungle for an exploration team to recruit it.
Waits on Stage 17 in the Sandy Bazaar, and its Opportunist skill occasionally gives its attacks extra bite.
Joins through its own Connection Orb mission, linked with Nidoran♀, Nidorino, Nidoking and male Unfezant – and it's proud of those ears: 'I have good ears! I can hear everything!'
On the map since launch day, it evolves into Nidorino for 25 Candy, and its Shiny form debuted at Pokémon GO Fest 2019 in Dortmund.
One of the original 151 Pokémon reimagined as a cube for the expeditions on Tumblecube Island.
Toy Nidoran♂ roams the Dragonite, Garchomp, Butterfree and Bulbasaur Seas.
Hatched from Eggs during a Poison-, Dragon- and Flying-type Egg event, it teams up with your own player character as a sync pair.
Back on Mt. Thunder (1F–5F) and in Wish Cave (33F–37F), with more chances to recruit it in Purity Forest, Oddity Cave, Remains Island, the Marvelous Sea and Fantasy Strait.
Moves
Nidoran♂ charged into Red and Green horn first: Leer and Tackle, then Horn Attack, Poison Sting, Focus Energy, Fury Attack and the one-hit-knockout gamble of Horn Drill, plus a Double Kick that Red and Blue held back until level 43 and Yellow handed over at 12. Gold and Silver brought its first egg moves and three New York event Nidoran♂ carrying Lovely Kiss, Sweet Kiss or Morning Sun, and the Generation III games swapped Tackle for Peck and added Helping Hand and Flatter.
Diamond and Pearl sharpened its venom with Toxic Spikes and Poison Jab, plus the gender-savvy Captivate, giving a 13-move list that then stayed untouched all the way to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Let's Go squeezed it into 11 moves by level 27, and Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl rebuilt it in tidy steps of five, opening with Poison Sting, retiring Horn Drill to the egg list and finishing with a level-55 Earth Power that points towards Nidoking. Since then, Nidoran♂ has sat out Legends: Arceus, Scarlet and Violet and Legends: Z-A.
Signature moves
The move its whole body is built around. Nidoran♂ has been jabbing with that horn since Red and Green: level 8 there, 20 in Generation III, 21 from Diamond and Pearl to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, 12 in Let's Go and 30 in Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
The ultimate all-or-nothing horn: a one-hit knockout with just 30% accuracy. It was TM07 in Generation I and a level-up move from Red and Green to Let's Go, where it is the level-27 finale, before Sword and Shield turned it into an egg move.
The two-footed Fighting-type flurry that shows off Generation I's quirks: Red and Blue made Nidoran♂ wait until level 43, Yellow taught it at 12. It has been in every level-up list since, from level 9 in Diamond and Pearl to 25 in Sword and Shield.
Poison Sting has been its first dose of venom since Red and Green, and by Sword and Shield it is there from level 1. Diamond and Pearl added the much harder-hitting Poison Jab at level 37 (24 in Let's Go, 50 in Sword and Shield), and it has been a TM or TR in every game since.
A deep breath before the charge that boosts its critical-hit ratio. Red and Blue taught it at level 21; from Diamond and Pearl Nidoran♂ picks it up at just level 7, and Sword and Shield also offer it as TR13.
The level-55 finale of Sword, Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and TR67 in Sword and Shield: a 90-power Ground-type blast that previews the Ground type Nidoking will one day add.
In February 2002 the Pokémon Center New York handed out Nidoran♂ knowing Lovely Kiss or Sweet Kiss, and a Morning Sun Nidoran♂ followed that August, a sunny twin to Nidoran♀'s Moonlight. A Lovely Kiss Nidoran♂ can even travel back to Red, Blue and Yellow through the Time Capsule.
Complete learnsets
Generation I · Red, Green, Blue & Yellow8 level-up · 16 TM/HM
In Red and Blue, Nidoran♂ roams Route 22 and the Safari Zone, and in the original Japanese Red and Green a trader in the Underground Path between Routes 5 and 6 hands one over in exchange for a Nidoran♀. Yellow adds Routes 2, 9 and 10. All four versions teach the same eight moves by level-up, but on different timetables: Red, Green and Blue hold Double Kick back until level 43, while Yellow teaches it at 12, so this generation has two level columns. In the first three generations a move's category follows its type, which makes Horn Attack and Poison Sting physical. Its 16 TMs include TM07 Horn Drill alongside Body Slam, Double-Edge and Skull Bash, plus a surprising Blizzard, Thunderbolt and Thunder, and eight moves from Gold, Silver and Crystal can be carried back through the Time Capsule, among them the Lovely Kiss of a Pokémon Center New York event Nidoran♂.
By level-up
| RGB | Y | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 8 | 8 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 43 | 12 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 14 | 17 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 21 | 23 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 29 | 30 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 36 | 38 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM07 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
| TM08 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| TM09 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| TM10 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 120 | 90 | 5 |
| TM20 | Rage | Normal | Physical | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 120 | 70 | 10 |
| TM31 | Mimic | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM33 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM34 | Bide | Normal | Physical | — | — | 10 |
| TM40 | Skull Bash | Normal | Physical | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM50 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Amnesia | Gen II (breeding) |
| Confusion | Gen II (breeding) |
| Counter | Gen II (breeding) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM) |
| Disable | Gen II (breeding) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM) |
| Lovely Kiss | Gen II (event: Pokémon Center New York, February 2002) |
| Supersonic | Gen II (breeding) |
Generation II · Gold, Silver & Crystal8 level-up · 23 TM/HM · 7 egg · 1 tutor · 3 event
Gold and Silver put Nidoran♂ on Routes 35 and 36; in Crystal it lives in the National Park in the morning and daytime, with swarms on Route 35. The level-up list follows Yellow's timetable move for move, still ending with Horn Drill at level 38, although Horn Drill is no longer a TM. Categories still follow type, so Thief is special and Curse is the mysterious ???-type. Breeding arrives with seven egg moves: Amnesia, Beat Up, Confusion, Disable, Supersonic, Take Down and a Counter that has to be chain-bred through the Chikorita family. Crystal's move tutor teaches Thunderbolt, three Pokémon Center New York events handed out Nidoran♂ knowing Lovely Kiss, Sweet Kiss or Morning Sun, and eight Generation I TM moves, Body Slam and Skull Bash among them, can come forward through the Time Capsule.
By level-up
| GSC | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 35 | 95 | 35 |
| 8 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 12 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 17 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 23 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 30 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 38 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM02 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM03 | Curse | ??? | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 120 | 70 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM20 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 120 | 70 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM31 | Mud-Slap | Ground | Physical | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM34 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM35 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM40 | Defense Curl | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| TM43 | Detect | Fighting | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Slowpoke, Slowbro, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine |
| Beat Up | Dark | Special | 10 | 100 | 10 | Sneasel |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Chikorita, Bayleef, Meganium (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Tauros, Eevee, Dunsparce, Snubbull, Granbull, Swinub, Piloswine, Phanpy, Stantler |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 | Crystal |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Lovely Kiss | Pokémon Center New York (Gotta Catch 'Em All Station!), 1–14 February 2002 |
| Morning Sun | Pokémon Center New York (Gotta Catch 'Em All Station!), 9–29 August 2002 |
| Sweet Kiss | Pokémon Center New York (Gotta Catch 'Em All Station!), 1–14 February 2002 |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Body Slam | Gen I (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM) |
| Rage | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Substitute | Gen I (TM) |
Generation III · Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed & LeafGreen (plus Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness)10 level-up · 25 TM/HM · 7 egg · 11 tutor
FireRed and LeafGreen put Nidoran♂ on Route 3 and in the Safari Zone, and in LeafGreen a trader in the Underground Path swaps a Nidoran♀ for one. Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald have no Nidoran♂ of their own, so there it has to be traded in. The level-up list is reworked: Peck replaces Tackle at the start, Focus Energy comes early at level 8, Horn Attack moves to 20, Helping Hand (23) and Flatter (38) are new, and Horn Drill now waits until level 47. New TMs include Ice Beam, Sludge Bomb, Shock Wave and Water Pulse, and HM01 Cut, HM04 Strength and HM06 Rock Smash join the set. The seven egg moves are unchanged, with Slakoth's family now passing on Counter, and the move tutors of FireRed, LeafGreen, Emerald and Pokémon XD teach 11 moves, from Body Slam and Double-Edge to Emerald's Mud-Slap and Snore.
By level-up
| RSE/FRLG | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 8 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 12 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 17 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 20 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 23 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 30 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 38 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 47 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM03 | Water Pulse | Water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Varies | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 120 | 70 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 120 | 70 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM34 | Shock Wave | Electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Physical | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Special | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 20 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Slakoth, Slaking, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal |
| Beat Up | Dark | Special | 10 | 100 | 10 | Sneasel |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Growlithe, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Tauros, Eevee, Dunsparce, Snubbull, Granbull, Swinub, Piloswine, Phanpy, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | FRLG, Emerald |
| Defense Curl | Normal | Status | — | — | 40 | Emerald |
| Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Mimic | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Mud-Slap | Ground | Physical | 20 | 100 | 10 | Emerald |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Emerald |
| Snore | Normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | Emerald |
| Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | FRLG, Emerald, XD |
| Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | Emerald, XD |
Generation IV · Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold & SoulSilver13 level-up · 33 TM/HM · 9 egg · 6 tutor
Diamond, Pearl and Platinum hide Nidoran♂ on Route 201, where it turns up with the Poké Radar, while HeartGold and SoulSilver bring back Routes 35 and 36 and add the Johto Safari Zone. Older Nidoran♂ can come over through Pal Park's Field area, and the Pokéwalker's Refreshing Field course has them too. Now that every move has its own physical or special category, the level-up list grows to 13 moves: Toxic Spikes arrives at 31, Poison Jab at 37 and Captivate at 43, with Horn Drill moving to 45. The TM case adds Poison Jab, Shadow Claw, Captivate and Natural Gift. Sucker Punch joins the egg moves, as does Head Smash from Cranidos or Rampardos in HeartGold and SoulSilver only, and the tutors of Platinum, HeartGold and SoulSilver teach six moves, Sucker Punch and Super Fang included.
By level-up
| DPPt/HGSS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 7 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 9 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 13 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 19 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 21 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 25 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 31 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 33 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 45 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM03 | Water Pulse | Water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 85 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 120 | 70 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 120 | 70 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM34 | Shock Wave | Electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM43 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM78 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM83 | Natural Gift | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM84 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | 10 | 100 | 10 | Sneasel, Weavile, Houndour, Houndoom |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 80 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Lucario |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 5 | Rattata, Raticate, Diglett, Dugtrio, Sentret, Furret, Poochyena, Mightyena, Mawile, Spinda, Kecleon, Absol, Glameow, Purugly |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Dunsparce, Snubbull, Granbull, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Donphan, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt, Bidoof, Bibarel, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | HGSS |
| Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | Pt, HGSS |
| Mud-Slap | Ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 | Pt, HGSS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | Pt, HGSS |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 5 | Pt, HGSS |
| Super Fang | Normal | Physical | — | 90 | 10 | HGSS |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
Generation V · Black, White, Black 2 & White 213 level-up · 29 TM/HM · 13 egg · 6 tutor · 2 event
White has Nidoran♂ in the White Forest, Black has none, and Black 2 and White 2 tuck it into a Hidden Grotto on Route 2. The Dream World's Pleasant Forest offers one that may know Counter or Super Fang. The level-up list is unchanged from Diamond and Pearl. Hone Claws, Venoshock, Round and Echoed Voice join the TMs, Rock Smash becomes TM94 and Toxic's accuracy rises to 90. Breeding grows to 13 egg moves, adding Chip Away (which even a Nidoking father can pass on), Endure, Iron Tail and Seviper's Poison Tail, and the Black 2 and White 2 tutors teach six moves, the drill-spinning Drill Run among them. Ten moves from Generations III and IV, such as Secret Power, Shock Wave and Water Pulse, can be brought forward.
By level-up
| BW/B2W2 | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 7 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 9 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 13 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 19 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 21 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 25 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 31 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 33 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 45 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Hone Claws | Dark | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 120 | 70 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 120 | 70 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 40 | 100 | 10 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM84 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM94 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Slakoth, Slaking, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel, Pansear, Woobat, Swoobat, Heatmor |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Sneasel, Houndour, Houndoom |
| Chip Away | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Nidoking, Lickitung, Lickilicky, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Cranidos, Rampardos, Scraggy, Scrafty, Druddigon |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig, Woobat, Swoobat |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Lucario |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Donphan, Vigoroth, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Pachirisu, Buneary, Lopunny, Lucario, Cubchoo, Beartic |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Scraggy, Scrafty |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Poison Tail | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 | Seviper |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 5 | Rattata, Raticate, Diglett, Dugtrio, Sentret, Furret, Poochyena, Mightyena, Mawile, Spinda, Kecleon, Absol, Glameow, Purrloin, Liepard |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Dunsparce, Snubbull, Granbull, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt, Bidoof, Bibarel, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Deerling, Sawsbuck |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drill Run | Ground | Physical | 80 | 95 | 10 | B2W2 |
| Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | B2W2 |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | B2W2 |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | B2W2 |
| Super Fang | Normal | Physical | — | 90 | 10 | B2W2 |
Event moves
| Move | Event |
|---|---|
| Counter | Dream World: Pleasant Forest |
| Super Fang | Dream World: Pleasant Forest |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM) |
| Shock Wave | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM) |
| Water Pulse | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM) |
Generation VI · X, Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire13 level-up · 33 TM/HM · 14 egg · 7 tutor
X and Y have hordes of Nidoran♂ on Route 11, while Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have none, so there it has to be traded in. The level-up list is still the Diamond and Pearl one. Ice Beam, Blizzard, Thunderbolt and Thunder lose a little power, Thief now hits for 60, Sleep Talk becomes TM88 and Confide arrives as TM100. TM94 is Rock Smash in X and Y but Secret Power in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where Rock Smash becomes HM06. Seviper's Venom Drench takes the egg moves to 14, and the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire tutors teach seven moves, now including Shock Wave and Water Pulse.
By level-up
| XY/ORAS | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 7 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 9 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 13 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 19 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 21 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 25 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 31 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 33 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 45 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Hone Claws | Dark | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 | |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 | |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 | |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 | |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | |
| TM84 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 | |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 90 | 15 | |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | |
| TM94 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | XY |
| TM94 | Secret Power | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | ORAS |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | |
| HM01 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 | |
| HM04 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | |
| HM06 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Slakoth, Slaking, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel, Pansear, Woobat, Swoobat, Heatmor |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Sneasel, Houndour, Houndoom |
| Chip Away | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Nidoking, Lickitung, Lickilicky, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Cranidos, Rampardos, Scraggy, Scrafty, Druddigon |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig, Woobat, Swoobat, Espurr, Meowstic |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Lucario |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Vigoroth, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Pachirisu, Buneary, Lopunny, Cubchoo, Beartic |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Scraggy, Scrafty, Tyrantrum |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Poison Tail | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 | Seviper |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 5 | Rattata, Raticate, Diglett, Dugtrio, Sentret, Furret, Houndour, Houndoom, Poochyena, Mightyena, Mawile, Spinda, Kecleon, Absol, Glameow, Purrloin, Liepard, Furfrou, Meowstic |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt, Bidoof, Bibarel, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Deerling, Sawsbuck, Chespin, Quilladin, Chesnaught, Bunnelby, Diggersby, Litleo, Pyroar, Skiddo, Gogoat, Furfrou, Amaura, Aurorus, Bergmite, Avalugg |
| Venom Drench | Poison | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Seviper |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drill Run | Ground | Physical | 80 | 95 | 10 | ORAS |
| Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | ORAS |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | ORAS |
| Shock Wave | Electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 | ORAS |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | ORAS |
| Super Fang | Normal | Physical | — | 90 | 10 | ORAS |
| Water Pulse | Water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 | ORAS |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Body Slam | Gen III (tutor) |
| Defense Curl | Gen III (tutor) |
| Double-Edge | Gen III (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen IV (tutor) |
| Mimic | Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
Generation VII · Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon13 level-up · 27 TM/HM · 14 egg · 7 tutor
There are no Nidoran♂ in Alola: Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon can only receive one through Pokémon Bank. The level-up list is unchanged once more. With the HMs retired and Hone Claws, Dig, Rock Smash and Secret Power gone from the TM case, it has 27 TMs, among them the new TM67 Smart Strike, a sharp-horned Steel-type jab. The egg moves stay at 14, with Alolan Rattata, Raticate, Diglett and Dugtrio, Midnight and Dusk Lycanroc, Mudbray, Oranguru, Komala, Turtonator and Salandit among the new possible fathers, and the Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tutors teach the same seven moves as Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Twenty older moves can be carried in, including Tackle, which Nidoran♂ last learned by level-up in Gold, Silver and Crystal.
By level-up
| SM/USUM | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 7 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 9 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 13 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 19 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 21 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 25 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 31 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 33 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 37 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 43 | Captivate | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| 45 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM09 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| TM10 | Hidden Power | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| TM21 | Frustration | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 |
| TM27 | Return | Normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| TM48 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| TM49 | Echoed Voice | Normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM67 | Smart Strike | Steel | Physical | 70 | — | 10 |
| TM84 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| TM88 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM100 | Confide | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Slakoth, Slaking, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel, Pansear, Woobat, Swoobat, Heatmor |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | Sneasel, Houndour, Houndoom, Passimian |
| Chip Away | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | Nidoking, Lickitung, Lickilicky, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Snorlax, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Cranidos, Rampardos, Scraggy, Scrafty, Druddigon |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig, Woobat, Swoobat, Espurr, Meowstic, Oranguru |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Lucario, Lycanroc (Midnight Form), Lycanroc (Dusk Form), Mudbray, Mudsdale |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky |
| Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Vigoroth, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Pachirisu, Buneary, Lopunny, Cubchoo, Beartic, Turtonator |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Scraggy, Scrafty, Tyrantrum |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | Aron, Lairon, Aggron |
| Poison Tail | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 | Seviper |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 | Rattata, Alolan Rattata, Raticate, Alolan Raticate, Diglett, Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio, Alolan Dugtrio, Sentret, Furret, Poochyena, Mightyena, Mawile, Spinda, Kecleon, Absol, Glameow, Stunky, Skuntank, Purrloin, Liepard, Furfrou, Meowstic, Komala |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Zigzagoon, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt, Bidoof, Bibarel, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Tepig, Pignite, Emboar, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Deerling, Sawsbuck, Chespin, Quilladin, Chesnaught, Bunnelby, Diggersby, Litleo, Pyroar, Skiddo, Gogoat, Furfrou, Amaura, Aurorus, Bergmite, Avalugg, Yungoos, Gumshoos, Stufful, Bewear, Passimian |
| Venom Drench | Poison | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Seviper, Stunky, Skuntank, Salandit |
By move tutor
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drill Run | Ground | Physical | 80 | 95 | 10 | USUM |
| Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | USUM |
| Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | USUM |
| Shock Wave | Electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 | USUM |
| Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | USUM |
| Super Fang | Normal | Physical | — | 90 | 10 | USUM |
| Water Pulse | Water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 | USUM |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Body Slam | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Curse | Gen II (TM) |
| Cut | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Detect | Gen II (TM) |
| Dig | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Hone Claws | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Rage | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM) |
| Rock Smash | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM/HM) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Strength | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Tackle | Gen I (level-up), Gen II (level-up) |
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! · Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee!11 level-up · 17 TM/HM
Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! have Nidoran♂ on Routes 9, 10, 22 and 23. Its level-up list is packed into 11 moves by level 27: Focus Energy at 3, Poison Sting at 6, Double Kick at 9 and Horn Attack at 12, then Helping Hand, a newly added Toxic at 18, Fury Attack, Poison Jab at 24 and Horn Drill as the level-27 finale. Its 17 TMs include Poison Jab, Sludge Bomb, Drill Run, Iron Tail and the classic Ice Beam, Blizzard, Thunderbolt and Thunder line-up. There is no breeding and there are no move tutors in these games.
By level-up
| LGPE | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 3 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 6 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 9 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 12 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 15 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 18 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| 21 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 24 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 27 | Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM01 | Headbutt | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| TM03 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM05 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM07 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM08 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| TM09 | Reflect | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| TM10 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| TM12 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| TM19 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| TM26 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| TM27 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| TM36 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| TM38 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 |
| TM51 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| TM52 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM55 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| TM58 | Drill Run | Ground | Physical | 80 | 95 | 10 |
Generation VIII · Sword & Shield (Version 1.3.0+ and The Crown Tundra), Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl13 level-up · 59 TM/HM · 23 egg
Nidoran♂ only joined Sword and Shield with Version 1.3.0: it can be traded in, and The Crown Tundra puts it at Giant's Bed and the Old Cemetery, wandering on Frostpoint Field and in Max Raid Battles at Giant's Bed, the Frigid Sea and Ballimere Lake. In Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl it is back on Route 201 with the Poké Radar and in the Grand Underground caves, once the National Pokédex is in hand. Both pairs share one rebuilt level-up list that moves in tidy steps of five: Poison Sting from the start, Toxic Spikes at 20, Double Kick at 25, Toxic at 40 and Earth Power as a level-55 finale, while Horn Drill leaves the level-up list for the first time and becomes an egg move. In Sword and Shield, Amnesia, Beat Up, Endure, Iron Tail and Venom Drench move to TMs and TRs and Chip Away disappears, so the egg list there has ten moves, Thrash among the newcomers; Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have 13 egg moves and 27 TMs, with Cut, Strength and Rock Smash as TM93, TM96 and TM98. Neither pair has tutor moves for it, and older moves such as Captivate, Chip Away, Return and Hidden Power can be transferred in but not used in Sword and Shield. Nidoran♂ cannot be obtained in Legends: Arceus.
By level-up
| SwSh/BDSP | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leer | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 30 |
| 1 | Poison Sting | Poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| 5 | Peck | Physical | 35 | 100 | 35 | |
| 10 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| 15 | Fury Attack | Normal | Physical | 15 | 85 | 20 |
| 20 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 25 | Double Kick | Fighting | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| 30 | Horn Attack | Normal | Physical | 65 | 100 | 25 |
| 35 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| 40 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| 45 | Flatter | Dark | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| 50 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| 55 | Earth Power | Ground | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
By TM / HM / TR
| No. | Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TM15 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM21 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TM23 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | SwSh |
| TM24 | Snore | Normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM25 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TM31 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM33 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 | SwSh |
| TM34 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | SwSh |
| TM37 | Beat Up | Dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM39 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | SwSh |
| TM41 | Helping Hand | Normal | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM74 | Venoshock | Poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TM76 | Round | Normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TM96 | Smart Strike | Steel | Physical | 70 | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR01 | Body Slam | Normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR05 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR06 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 | SwSh |
| TR08 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR09 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR13 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — | — | 30 | SwSh |
| TR17 | Amnesia | Psychic | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TR20 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR22 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR26 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR27 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | SwSh |
| TR31 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | SwSh |
| TR54 | Toxic Spikes | Poison | Status | — | — | 20 | SwSh |
| TR57 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 | SwSh |
| TR67 | Earth Power | Ground | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR87 | Drill Run | Ground | Physical | 80 | 95 | 10 | SwSh |
| TR91 | Venom Drench | Poison | Status | — | 100 | 20 | SwSh |
| TM03 | Water Pulse | Water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 | BDSP |
| TM06 | Toxic | Poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM11 | Sunny Day | Fire | Status | — | — | 5 | BDSP |
| TM13 | Ice Beam | Ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM14 | Blizzard | Ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 | BDSP |
| TM17 | Protect | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM18 | Rain Dance | Water | Status | — | — | 5 | BDSP |
| TM23 | Iron Tail | Steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM24 | Thunderbolt | Electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM25 | Thunder | Electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM28 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM32 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — | — | 15 | BDSP |
| TM34 | Shock Wave | Electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 | BDSP |
| TM36 | Sludge Bomb | Poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 | BDSP |
| TM42 | Facade | Normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 | BDSP |
| TM44 | Rest | Psychic | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM45 | Attract | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM46 | Thief | Dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 | BDSP |
| TM58 | Endure | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM65 | Shadow Claw | Ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM82 | Sleep Talk | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM84 | Poison Jab | Poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 | BDSP |
| TM87 | Swagger | Normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM90 | Substitute | Normal | Status | — | — | 10 | BDSP |
| TM93 | Cut | Normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 | BDSP |
| TM96 | Strength | Normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
| TM98 | Rock Smash | Fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 | BDSP |
By breeding (egg moves)
| Move | Type | Cat. | Pwr. | Acc. | PP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Galarian Ponyta, Galarian Rapidash, Slowpoke, Galarian Slowpoke, Slowbro, Galarian Slowbro, Slowking, Galarian Slowking, Espeon, Woobat, Swoobat, Espurr, Meowstic, Oranguru |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 | Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Linoone, Obstagoon, Lucario, Lycanroc (Midnight Form), Lycanroc (Dusk Form), Mudbray, Mudsdale, Scorbunny, Raboot, Cinderace, Skwovet, Greedent, Chewtle, Drednaw |
| Disable | Normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 | Vulpix, Alolan Vulpix, Ninetales, Alolan Ninetales, Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Galarian Slowpoke, Slowbro, Galarian Slowbro, Slowking, Galarian Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Scraggy, Scrafty, Tyrantrum, Drednaw |
| Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | — | 30 | 5 | Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Excadrill, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum |
| Poison Tail | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 | Druddigon, Silicobra, Sandaconda (chain breeding: the father must itself have learned it as an egg move) |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 | Diglett, Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio, Alolan Dugtrio, Seedot, Nuzleaf, Shiftry, Mawile, Absol, Stunky, Skuntank, Purrloin, Liepard, Meowstic, Lycanroc (Midday Form), Lycanroc (Dusk Form), Sobble, Drizzile, Inteleon, Nickit, Thievul |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | — | 55 | 20 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Galarian Ponyta, Rapidash, Galarian Rapidash, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Sylveon, Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Zigzagoon, Galarian Zigzagoon, Linoone, Galarian Linoone, Obstagoon, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Bunnelby, Diggersby, Bergmite, Avalugg, Stufful, Bewear, Passimian, Wooloo, Dubwool |
| Thrash | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Galarian Meowth, Perrserker, Cubone, Marowak, Alolan Marowak, Tauros, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Sandile, Krokorok, Krookodile, Darumaka, Galarian Darumaka, Darmanitan, Galarian Darmanitan, Cubchoo, Beartic, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum, Litten, Torracat, Incineroar, Stufful, Bewear, Passimian, Morpeko |
| Amnesia | Psychic | Status | &mdash | — | &mdash | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Snorlax, Sentret, Furret, Wooper, Quagsire, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Wailmer, Wailord, Numel, Camerupt, Torkoal, Bidoof, Bibarel |
| Beat Up | Dark | Physical | &mdash | — | 100 | Sneasel, Weavile, Houndour, Houndoom |
| Confusion | Psychic | Special | 50 | 100 | 25 | Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Espeon, Girafarig, Spoink, Grumpig |
| Counter | Fighting | Physical | &mdash | — | 100 | Slakoth, Vigoroth, Slaking, Lucario |
| Disable | Normal | Status | &mdash | — | 100 | Vulpix, Ninetales, Psyduck, Golduck, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Slowking, Lickitung, Lickilicky, Kecleon |
| Head Smash | Rock | Physical | 150 | 80 | 5 | Cranidos, Rampardos |
| Horn Drill | Normal | Physical | &mdash | — | 30 | Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior |
| Poison Tail | Poison | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 | Seviper |
| Sucker Punch | Dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 | Rattata, Raticate, Diglett, Dugtrio, Sentret, Furret, Poochyena, Mightyena, Seedot, Nuzleaf, Shiftry, Slaking, Mawile, Spinda, Kecleon, Absol, Glameow, Purugly, Stunky, Skuntank |
| Supersonic | Normal | Status | &mdash | — | 55 | Lickitung, Lickilicky, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Whismur, Loudred, Exploud |
| Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Rattata, Raticate, Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Rapidash, Seel, Dewgong, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Tauros, Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Dunsparce, Swinub, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Phanpy, Donphan, Stantler, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Poochyena, Mightyena, Zigzagoon, Linoone, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Numel, Camerupt, Bidoof, Bibarel, Cranidos, Rampardos, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Hippopotas, Hippowdon |
| Thrash | Normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 | Mankey, Primeape, Cubone, Marowak, Tauros, Totodile, Croconaw, Feraligatr, Teddiursa, Ursaring, Piloswine, Mamoswine, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Spinda |
| Venom Drench | Poison | Status | &mdash | — | 100 | Seviper, Stunky, Skuntank |
By transfer
| Move | From |
|---|---|
| Bide | Gen I (TM) |
| Captivate | Gen IV (level-up, TM), Gen V (level-up), Gen VI (level-up), Gen VII (level-up) |
| Chip Away | Gen V (breeding), Gen VI (breeding), Gen VII (breeding) |
| Confide | Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Curse | Gen II (TM) |
| Cut | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Defense Curl | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Detect | Gen II (TM) |
| Double Team | Gen I (TM), Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Double-Edge | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Echoed Voice | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Frustration | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Headbutt | Gen II (TM), Gen IV (tutor), Gen VII (TM) |
| Hidden Power | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Hone Claws | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Mimic | Gen I (TM), Gen III (tutor) |
| Mud-Slap | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (tutor) |
| Natural Gift | Gen IV (TM) |
| Rage | Gen I (TM) |
| Reflect | Gen I (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Return | Gen II (TM), Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Rock Smash | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM/HM) |
| Secret Power | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Shock Wave | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (tutor), Gen VII (tutor) |
| Skull Bash | Gen I (TM) |
| Strength | Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM) |
| Super Fang | Gen IV (tutor), Gen V (tutor, Dream World), Gen VI (tutor), Gen VII (tutor) |
| Swagger | Gen II (TM), Gen III (tutor), Gen IV (TM), Gen V (TM), Gen VI (TM), Gen VII (TM) |
| Tackle | Gen I (level-up), Gen II (level-up) |
| Water Pulse | Gen III (TM), Gen IV (TM), Gen VI (tutor), Gen VII (tutor) |
Generation IX · Scarlet & Violet
Nidoran♂ cannot be obtained in Scarlet and Violet or in Legends: Z-A, so it has no Generation IX learnset.
04On screen
Nidoran♂ in the anime
Debut EP028Pokémon Fashion Flash · First major role EP100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? · Its appearances on screen, and 4 other trainers who raised one.
Nidoran♂ slipped into the anime as a face in the crowd on Scissor Street in Pokémon Fashion Flash, and spent its early years in the background, from the grounds of Professor Oak's Laboratory to rose-tinted Pinkan Island, where a pink pair fled from Team Rocket into a pink Nidoking's cave. Then the Orange Islands handed it the lead in a love story. In Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?, Ralph's Nidoran♂ Tony braves a soaking beneath his sweetheart's window, battles Team Rocket side by side with Emily's Nidoran♀ Maria, and evolves into Nidorino with a kiss.
Ash has never caught one, but the species keeps good company. A Nidoran♂ helped a Luxio's gang of sewer dwellers pinch Ash's lunch in Sinnoh before pitching in to rescue a stranded Wailmer, and in Pokémon Journeys Goh netted a Nidoran♂ and a Nidoran♀ in a single go. Away from the main series, Red's Nidoran♂ floored Brock's Geodude with Double Kick in Pokémon Origins, and in the POKÉTOON short Blossom's Dream a wild Nidoran♂ became a would-be Champion's very first partner.
Other trainers’ Nidoran♂
First seen: EP100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?
Evolved: EP100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?
Now: With Ralph in Yambera on Mandarin Island South, now a Nidorino
Ralph and Emily have lived next door to each other in Yambera, on Mandarin Island South, all their lives. They enter the same contests (and always tie) and catch the same Pokémon, until they can barely stand each other. Ralph's Nidoran♂ Tony, in his blue-and-purple bow, only has eyes for Emily's Nidoran♀ Maria, and his sunset sweet talk beneath her window ends with Emily drenching him with water. When Team Rocket kidnap the pair, Victreebel traps Tony until Maria frees him, and the two improvise a Double Kick that bowls over Arbok and Victreebel. Once Misty has talked sense into their Trainers, Tony and Maria share a kiss and evolve together into Nidorino and Nidorina (EP100).
Personality
A hopeless romantic with a stubborn streak. Tony will slip away across town to see Maria, and neither a soaking nor a family feud will put him off. Yet he is loyal to the core: when Team Rocket invite him to run off with his sweetheart, he refuses to leave Ralph.
Moves usedTackleDouble KickFury Swipes
Key battles
- EP100Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? · vs Jessie's Arbok and James's Victreebel Won
First seen: JN020Dreams Are Made of These!
Goh's Nidoran♂ arrived as half of a double act. During a Pokémon Orienteering event in Vermilion City, a rustling hedge rewarded Goh with a Nidoran♂ and a Nidoran♀ caught at the same time, and moments later the pair were rubbing up against a flustered Chloe (JN020). It settled in at Cerise Park, where it showed a protective streak: when a starving Beedrill, furious about its missing breakfast, began waving its stingers at Oddish and Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂ stepped in with a Stantler to defend them (JN023). It has never been seen battling or evolving, and when Goh and Ash went their separate ways, it stayed behind at the park (JN136).
First seen: PO01File 1: Red
We never see Red catch his Nidoran♂, but soon after a Youngster points him towards where to find a Nidoran of his own, one is on his team when he walks into Pewter Gym. With Charmander barely scratching Brock's Geodude, Red switches to Nidoran♂, and its Double Kick, a Fighting-type move, knocks the Rock-type out. Onix proves a tougher wall: it absorbs two Double Kicks with Bide, then unleashes the stored power and flattens Nidoran♂ in one blow. Red still earned the Boulder Badge, thanks to Charmander and a single leftover strand of Metapod's String Shot (PO01).
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Geodude Won
- PO01File 1: Red · vs Onix Lost
First seen: PT03Blossom's Dream
Evolved: PT03Blossom's Dream
Blossom dreams of becoming a Pokémon League Champion, but her mother will not let her start her journey, so she sets off alone and misses catch after catch. At sunset she finds a wild Nidoran♂ eating Oran Berries as an Arbok stalks it; she hurls her last Poké Ball at the Arbok and plants herself in front of the injured Nidoran♂, which charges and beats the snake itself. After a frantic chase into town by its furious parents, a Nidoking and a Nidoqueen, the little Pokémon chooses to stay with Blossom, and with her parents' blessing it becomes her first partner. The short ends with her newly evolved Nidorino squaring up to a wild Gengar, a loving nod to the opening of Pokémon Red and Blue (PT03).
- PT03Blossom's Dream · vs Arbok Won
Ash & Nidoran♂
Ash has never caught a Nidoran♂, but he has helped a few. In the Orange Islands his Pokédex gave the anime's first Nidoran♂ entry when he met Tony, and Pikachu's Thunderbolt wrecked the vacuum Team Rocket were using to snatch the Nidoran sweethearts (EP100). In Sinnoh he chased a lunch-stealing Nidoran♂ and its Luxio-led gang into the sewers, then teamed up with them to rescue a stranded Wailmer (DP109), and years later his best friend Goh caught one of his own (JN020).
Featured episodes
- EP088In The PinkOn Pinkan Island, where the local Pokémon are all pink, a pink Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀ flee into a cave from Jessie's Lickitung as Team Rocket try to catch them. Waiting inside is a pink Nidoking, which promptly chases the villains away.
- DP109Leading a Stray!A Nidoran♂ helps a Luxio and a Whismur make off with the heroes' picnic, leading Ash into the sewers, where a whole gang of Pokémon lives under Luxio's leadership. The gang, several Nidoran♂ among them, then pitch in with Ash to haul a stranded Wailmer over two drops and back to its family.
More appearances
- EP065Showdown at the Po-ké Corral Several Nidoran♂ live at Professor Oak's Laboratory, coloured like Shiny Nidoran♂ before Shiny Pokémon even existed.
- EP083Poké Ball Peril A Nidoran♂ of the Valencia Island variety turns up on Professor Ivy's home island.
- EP143Going Apricorn! Tracey feeds a Nidoran♂ at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
- EP157The Fortune Hunters A Trainer's Nidoran♂ is among the Pokémon Butch and Cassidy have stolen and caged at their fake Day Care.
- BW135Mystery on a Deserted Island! In Cilan and Alexa's demonstration of Pokémon that evolve with Evolution stones, a Nidoran♂ is shown turning straight into Nidoking with a Moon Stone, skipping Nidorino entirely.
- JN058A Rollicking Roll… / Eyes on the Goal! In A Rollicking Roll…, a Trainer's Nidoran♂ gets stuck in the giant rolling ball of Gulpin that careers around Vermilion City.
Anime gallery
Anime trivia
- Nidoran♂ waited 72 episodes between its debut on Scissor Street in Pokémon Fashion Flash (EP028) and its starring role as Tony in Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? (EP100), the episode that also gave it its first anime Pokédex entry.
- Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon? is Romeo and Juliet with poison horns: Emily even calls Tony 'Romeo', and the dub names Tony and Maria come from West Side Story, the musical retelling of the play. In Japan the episode is simply 'Nidoran's Love Story', and Tony is called John (EP100).
- In the Japanese version of EP100, Tony and Maria share the Who's That Pokémon? spotlight. The English version used Venonat instead.
- Tony uses Fury Swipes during his battle with Team Rocket, a move no Nidoran♂ can learn in the games (EP100).
- In Leading a Stray! a Nidoran♂ uses Bite, another move it cannot legally learn in the games (DP109).
- The Nidoran♂ living at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral (EP065) have the colouring of a Shiny Nidoran♂, even though Shiny Pokémon had not yet been introduced.
- When Goh caught his Nidoran♂ in Dreams Are Made of These! (JN020), it was the first time a main character other than Ash had caught a male-only Pokémon.
- The POKÉTOON short Blossom's Dream ends with Blossom's Nidorino facing a wild Gengar, a homage to the famous opening of Pokémon Red and Blue (PT03).
“Nidoran♂. Its horn is larger than the female's and its Horn Attack is quite powerful.”
Ash's Pokédex (Dexter) · EP100
05On the big screen
Nidoran♂ in the movies
2 films, 1 Pikachu short featuring Nidoran♂.
Nidoran♂ has never had a film to call its own, but it has been part of the crowd since the very first Pikachu short, where one spends a sunny day at the Pokémon Theme Park in Pikachu's Vacation (1998). In the feature films it brings the atmosphere: it senses Lawrence III's meddling in The Power of One, and in I Choose You! it waits out a storm in a cave beside the Legendary Entei.
Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One
M02 · 1999
A wild Nidoran♂
Nidoran♂'s first feature film puts it on the edge of a world-sized emergency. When the collector Lawrence III starts snatching the legendary birds and the weather goes haywire, a Nidoran♂ is one of the Pokémon that sense the balance of nature tipping. Not a starring role, but a very good seat.
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!
M20 · 2017
A wild Nidoran♂ sheltering from the rain with Entei
This retelling of Ash's first adventure finds Nidoran♂ in grand company. When a downpour hits, it's one of the Pokémon waiting out the rain in a cave, with the Legendary Entei sheltering right beside them.
Pikachu shorts
- PK01Pikachu's Vacation (1998) · A Nidoran♂ at the Pokémon Theme Park
Nidoran♂'s big-screen debut came in the very first Pikachu short. It's one of the Pokémon spending the day at the Pokémon Theme Park, a playground built just for Pokémon, with swings, a climbing frame and a swimming pool. Nidoran♀ is there too, and the short opened in Japanese cinemas with Mewtwo Strikes Back.
06Trading Card Game · every card
Nidoran♂ in the Pokémon TCG
22 cards since 1999, oldest first. Tap any card to see it full size.
Nidoran♂ has been in the card game from day one. Ken Sugimori's 40 HP portrait was part of Japan's very first Expansion Pack in October 1996 and reached English players with Base Set in January 1999, armed with nothing but Horn Hazard, a coin-flip jab that either hits for 30 or misses completely. In all it has racked up 14 different English cards, every one of them a modest Common, with no ex, V or other big-hitting version. What it lacks in muscle it makes up for in character. Giovanni put his name on one in Gym Challenge, Team Rocket claimed another in Destined Rivals, and a run of cards plays up its bond with Nidoran♀: Call for Family and Come Along fetch a partner from your deck, while Triumphant's Pheromone Poison only works when a Nidoran♀ is on your Bench. Its type has wandered too, from Grass in the early years to Darkness as a Delta Species in EX Dragon Frontiers, Psychic from Secret Wonders onwards, and Darkness again since Scarlet & Violet—151.
The artwork tells its own story. Ken Sugimori has drawn Nidoran♂ three times and Mitsuhiro Arita twice, including Japan's glossy vending-machine card, and Keiko Fukuyama's Aquapolis Nidoran♂ arrived with a dot-code strip for the Nintendo e-Reader. Hisao Nakamura, Midori Harada, match, Masakazu Fukuda and Hasuno each took a turn through the 2000s and 2010s, and Evolutions brought the original Base Set art back for the game's 20th anniversary. Naoyo Kimura's Team Up card found a second life in TCG Pocket's Genetic Apex, where Souichirou Gunjima also painted a Shiny Nidoran♂, while Shiburingaru's 151 card and buchi's Team Rocket's Nidoran♂ carry the little Poison Pin Pokémon into the Scarlet & Violet years.
Cards to know
- Base Set 55/102 — Where it all began: Ken Sugimori's 40 HP original stakes everything on one coin-flip jab, Horn Hazard, in front of scenery taken from a stock-image CD.
- Gym Challenge 76/132 (Giovanni's Nidoran♂) — The Team Rocket boss's own Nidoran♂, a nod to the Nidorino and Nidoking he battles with in Pokémon Red and Blue. Its Retaliation only fires once it has taken a beating.
- Aquapolis 96/147 — An e-Reader-era card whose long dot-code strip hides sound data for the e-Reader's Construction: Melody Box: a Nidoran♂ that could make music as well as poison things.
- EX Dragon Frontiers 57/101 (Nidoran♂ δ) — The one and only Delta Species Nidoran♂: a Darkness type from the Holon region, 17 years before Darkness became its everyday type in 151.
- Triumphant 70/102 — A love story in card form: Pheromone Poison only poisons the Defending Pokémon when a Nidoran♀ is waiting on your Bench.
- Destined Rivals 117/182 (Team Rocket's Nidoran♂) — A quarter of a century after Giovanni's Nidoran♂, Team Rocket claimed another. buchi's card is the toughest yet at 70 HP, with a 30-damage Hammer In.
Every English-language card
Japan-exclusive cards
Other regional releases
Pokémon TCG Pocket
Digital card games
- Pokémon Trading Card Game (Game Boy Color): the Base Set Nidoran♂ (Ken Sugimori), card A01, in the Colosseum booster pack.
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): the same Base Set Nidoran♂, card A06, in the Beginning Pokémon pack.
- Pokémon Card GB2 (Japan only): Mitsuhiro Arita's vending-machine Nidoran♂ with Focus Energy and Horn Rush, card D08, Common, in the Psychic Battle pack.
- Pokémon TCG Online / Pokémon TCG Live: no digital-exclusive Nidoran♂ cards.
The artists behind the cards
- Ken Sugimori: 3 artworks (Base Set 55, reprinted in Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection, brought back in Evolutions and playable in both Game Boy TCG games; Giovanni's Nidoran♂, Gym Challenge 76; Rising Rivals 72)
- Mitsuhiro Arita: 2 artworks (Japan's vending-machine Nidoran♂, reprinted in Pokémon Web and playable in Pokémon Card GB2; Secret Wonders 97)
- Naoyo Kimura: 1 artwork (Team Up 57, reused for TCG Pocket's Genetic Apex)
- One artwork each: Keiko Fukuyama, Hisao Nakamura, Midori Harada, match, Masakazu Fukuda, Hasuno, Shiburingaru and buchi; Souichirou Gunjima drew the Shiny Nidoran♂ for TCG Pocket
07On the page & beyond
Nidoran♂ in manga, books & other media
From the earliest manga to story books and songs.
Nidoran♂ was there from the very first chapter of Pokémon manga: in March 1996 the first chapter of Kosaku Anakubo's Pocket Monsters set a giant, talking, fire-breathing Nidoran♂ on Red as he headed for Professor Oak's lab. Since then it has been a love-struck mark in a Pokémon Adventures trade scam, the Pokémon Bill gets fused with in Pokémon Zensho, a wall-smashing rescuer in How I Became a Pokémon Card and Shu's loyal companion in Yeah! I Got Pokémon! On the bookshelf it plays Romeo in Nidoran's New Friend. It's named in the very first line of the English Pokérap, and when Google let people catch Pokémon from the search bar in 2025, typing plain 'Nidoran' brought up the male.
Manga
Books
Other media
More from the page
08Did you know?
Nidoran♂ trivia
Name origins, design secrets and the facts that make Nidoran♂ such a fan favourite.
What’s in a name?
Nidoran♂'s name most likely comes from 'needle' – a nod to its poisonous horn and spines – with the ♂ symbol announcing that it's male. In Japanese it is ニドラン♂, read 'Nidoran osu' ('male Nidoran'), and the name may also hide 二度 nido, 'twice' – perhaps a wink at the fact that Nidoran comes in two. French, German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and Korean all keep the name and its symbol, while Lithuanian turns it into Nidoranas. In Chinese it is 尼多朗, and older Cantonese media went one better with 尼多郎, ending on 郎, 'young man' – a neat match for the 'orchid' in Nidoran♀'s Chinese name.
Design origins
Nidoran♂ was designed by Ken Sugimori. It looks like a blend of rabbit and rodent – those tall, spiny ears and big front teeth give the game away – with a dash of the handful of real mammals that carry venom. Its single horn recalls the Al-Mi'raj, a one-horned hare from Arabic legend, and the Moon Stone it needs to reach its final form may nod to the Moon rabbit of East Asian folklore. The differences between the two Nidoran mirror the way males and females of many real animals look different, and their colours may echo an older convention in which pink was thought of as the boys' colour and blue as the girls' – which would explain why the male is a pinkish purple and the female blue.
Names around the world
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ニドラン♂ Nidoran♂ | From 'needle' and ♂, possibly with 二度 nido (twice) |
| French | Nidoran♂ | Same as the English and Japanese name |
| Spanish | Nidoran♂ | Same as the English and Japanese name |
| German | Nidoran♂ | Same as the English and Japanese name |
| Italian | Nidoran♂ | Same as the English and Japanese name |
| Korean | 니드런♂ Nidoran♂ | A transcription of the Japanese name |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 尼多朗 Níduōláng | A transcription of the Japanese name |
| Chinese (Cantonese) | 尼多朗 Nèihdōlóhng | A transcription of the Japanese name |
| Chinese (Cantonese, pre-Gen VII media) | 尼多郎 Nèihdōlòhng | A transcription of the Japanese name ending in 郎 lòhng (young man) |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Nidoran♂ | Same as the English and Japanese name |
| Hebrew | ♂נידורן Nidoran♂ | A transcription of the English name |
| Hindi | नीडोरैन♂ Nidoran ♂ | A transcription of the Japanese name |
| Lithuanian | Nidoranas | From the English name |
| Russian | Нидоран♂ Nidoran♂ | A transcription of the English name |
| Thai | นิโดรัน♂ Nidoran♂ | A transcription of the Japanese name |
Did you know?
- Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀ were the first Pokémon to show any sign of gender, years before Gold and Silver turned gender into a mechanic for every Pokémon.
- Even after genders arrived, the two Nidoran stayed as separate species rather than becoming one Pokémon with male and female forms.
- An Egg laid by Nidoran♀ has a 50% chance of hatching into Nidoran♂ – and since Black and White, a Nidoran♂ bred with Ditto can produce either Nidoran too.
- With a base stat total of 273, Nidoran♂ is the only Pokémon to land on that exact number.
- Shiny Nidoran♂ looks rather like an ordinary Nidoran♀, while Shiny Nidoran♀ resembles an ordinary Nidoran♂.
- Because the ♂ symbol is part of its name, an un-nicknamed Nidoran♂'s summary screen shows it as if its gender were unknown – in every generation from Gold and Silver on except Generation VIII. Give it any other nickname and the symbol appears as normal.
- It shares the Poison Pin category with Nidoran♀, Nidorina and Nidorino – and, much later, with Poipole and Naganadel.
- In Japanese Red and Green, a trader in the Underground Path between Routes 5 and 6 gives you a Nidoran♂ called Chappy in exchange for a Nidoran♀. The English Red and Blue reversed the deal, swapping your Nidoran♂ for a Nidoran♀ named SPOT.
- LeafGreen brought the trade back: hand over a Nidoran♀ and you receive MR. NIDO, a Lonely-natured Nidoran♂ holding a Tiny Mushroom. FireRed players get its opposite number, MS. NIDO.
- A Nidoran♂ caught in Red, Blue or Yellow arrives in Gold, Silver or Crystal holding TM43 (Detect).
- For Valentine's Day 2002, US Gotta Catch 'Em All Station! events handed out 'Lovely Kiss' and 'Sweet Kiss' Nidoran♂ for Gold, Silver and Crystal, followed by a 'Morning Sun' Nidoran♂ that August.
- Ruby and Sapphire's Pokédex calls it simply 'the male Nidoran'; when Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire reused the entry, it gave it its full name.
- Its very first manga appearance came in March 1996, in the opening chapter of Pokémon Pocket Monsters – where, despite being a Poison type, it breathes fire at Red.
- In Pokémon Origins, Red has a Nidoran♂ of his own and sends it into his Gym battle with Brock.
- In the anime episode Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, several Nidoran♂ at Professor Oak's lab are coloured like Shiny ones – before Shiny Pokémon even existed.
- In Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?, Ralph's Nidoran♂ Tony and Emily's Nidoran♀ Maria fall in love despite their Trainers' feud and evolve side by side – sharing their names with the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story.
- Speed is its standout Pokéathlon stat in HeartGold and SoulSilver, reaching up to five stars.
- Its first trading card, Base Set's Nidoran♂, is a Grass-type card – the early TCG printed Poison Pokémon as Grass types – and its Horn Hazard attack does nothing at all if your coin lands on tails.
09Quizzes, archive & further reading
More Nidoran♂
Test yourself
Professor Oak's Kanto Quiz: BeginnerProfessor Oak has a few questions before you set foot in the tall grass. How well do you know the region where it all began?Take the quiz →
Who's That Pokémon? Kanto: BeginnerIt's the classic challenge! Can you name these original 151 Pokémon from their silhouettes alone?Take the quiz →
Indigo League Anime: IntermediateGrab your cap and set off on Ash's very first adventure. How much do you remember from the Indigo League days?Take the quiz →
Pokémon Movies: IntermediateFrom a mysterious island showdown to a city where people and Pokémon live side by side, how well do you know Pokémon on the big screen?Take the quiz →
Pokémon TCG: IntermediateShuffle up and draw! From the very first booster packs to the digital age, how well do you know the Pokémon Trading Card Game?Take the quiz →Pokémon General Knowledge: IntermediateReady to dig deeper? Test what you know about where Pokémon came from, the people behind it and its many spin-offs.Take the quiz →From the archive: Gengar’s Online Pokédex
Before this page, Pokémon Dungeon was home to Gengar’s Online Pokédex, the classic fan Pokédex for Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver & Crystal by Curtis Alumbaugh (Gengar) with Ian Alumbaugh (Haunter). Its Nidoran♂ entry is preserved in full, with its original art, moves and locations.
Further reading
Pokémon and all related names, artwork, sprites, screenshots and card images are © Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc. and The Pokémon Company, used here for fan commentary. Images via the Bulbagarden Archives. Page updated 24 October 2026.