Story carry toolkit · Poison / Ground
Pokemon Yellow Nidoking Guide
Yellow’s best early physical answer to Brock and a full-game Ground core next to partner Pikachu. Catch Nidoran♂ on Route 22, hit Double Kick at 12, evolve with a Moon Stone, then use Dig (TM28) before upgrading to Earthquake and Ice/Electric coverage.
Fast answer
Route 22 male · kick Brock · stone · TM cover
Hunt Nidoran♂ west of Viridian on Route 22, raise him to 12 for Double Kick, evolve to Nidorino at 16, then use a Moon Stone. Nidoking can learn Dig (TM28) for early Ground STAB; teach Earthquake later when TM26 becomes available, then add Ice/Electric coverage.
Evolution line
Male Nido path in Yellow
Milestones
From Route 22 to Earthquake
Moon Stone
Where to evolve Nidorino
Consumable evolution stones—plan which mon gets each pickup (Nido, Clefairy, Jigglypuff, etc.).
| Location | Kind | Note | Map |
|---|
Interactive tool
Nidoking moveset builder
Pick up to four moves from Yellow learnset + TM options. Presets load common story sets; edit freely.
Ground STAB + Ice/Electric coverage for Flyers and Waters.
Coverage summary appears here.
Movepool
Level-up & TM options
| Move | Type | Cat | Pow | Acc | Source |
|---|
Boss plan
Gym-by-gym Nidoking roles
Compare
Nidoking vs Nidoqueen
Typing
Poison / Ground defense snapshot
| Incoming type | Multiplier | Note |
|---|
Timeline
When Nidoking carries the story
Checklist
Nidoking story tracker
Saved on this device only.
Play tips
Get more from the Nido slot
Stone timing is a trade
Early Moon Stone unlocks Thrash and the full TM kit sooner. Waiting on Nidorino can grab mid-stage Fury Attack / Horn Drill if you care—most story runs stone once you are ready for gyms and TMs.
Pikachu still matters
Yellow always has partner Pikachu. Let Nidoking handle Ground and general physical work; keep Electric on Pikachu or Jolteon-style coverage elsewhere for Waters when Ice is not online.
Thrash is a double-edged sword
Evolution Thrash hits hard but locks and confuses. Prefer Body Slam + Earthquake for safer gyms; keep Thrash for trash fights.
Speed route is optional
If you want frame-efficient Nidoran routing, open the dedicated speedrun page. This guide optimizes a comfortable single-cart story team instead.
FAQ
Nidoking questions
How do you get Nidoking in Pokemon Yellow?
Catch Nidoran♂, evolve at 16 into Nidorino, then use a Moon Stone. Nidoking never appears in wild grass.
Is Nidoking good in Yellow with forced Pikachu?
Yes. He covers Brock and Surge, walls Electric after evolution, and pairs with Pikachu’s mid-game Thunderbolt timing. Grass and Psychic are the main benches.
When should I use the Moon Stone?
Any time after Nidorino exists. Early stone is fine for story play; keep at least one extra Moon Stone if you also want Clefable or similar.
Nidoking or Nidoqueen?
Nidoking for offense and standard routes. Nidoqueen if you prefer bulk. Both share Poison/Ground and similar TM access.
Where does this differ from the speedrun page?
The speedrun page optimizes fight order and level benchmarks. This page is the moveset, gym role, and evolution toolkit for normal playthroughs.
Linked tools