Stats & Training
You won't find a real weakness in Kingdra's stat line. It's well-rounded for the Dragon Pokemon, and what it does with that depends on moveset and items. Yields 3 Attack and Sp. Atk and Sp. Def EVs, on a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
With the arrival of a storm at sea, this Pokémon will show itself on the surface. When a Kingdra and a Dragonite meet, a fierce battle ensues.
Scales shed by this Pokémon have such a splendorous gleam to them that they’ve been given to royalty as gifts.
Kingdra Weakness
Type-wise, Kingdra takes extra damage from Dragon and Fairy. Not many exploitable gaps in the Water/Dragon typing defensive chart. With 75 HP and balanced defenses, Kingdra can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire, Water |
In Sword & Shield, Zapdos deals 46-55% with Hurricane.
 | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves
Damage vs Kingdra View Corviknight builds →U Turn15-17% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Kingdra View Zapdos builds →Hurricane46-55% Volt Switch30-35% Heat Wave7-8% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRough Skin ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Kingdra View Garchomp builds →Earthquake53-63% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Kingdra View Slowbro builds →Scald7-8% | ||
Sword & Shield Evolution
Kingdra evolved from Horsea's chain using a trade. It's a non-standard trigger, so check the details below. Breed this form to get Horsea eggs (average hatch time). The evolution from Horsea pushed Kingdra to 540 total stats. Sp.Def saw the largest single gain at +70. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Kingdra to get Horsea eggs easily using 63 partners from the Dragon and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Aurora Beam, Clear Smog, Disable and 4 more.
Sword & Shield Kingdra Best Moveset
Flying coverage keeps opponents guessing about Kingdra's real targets. Wide Lens provides extra utility while flexible EVs and Modest nature handle the stat profile. Swiftswim ties it together.
Best Build
Kingdra best EVs are Sp. Atk and HP
Doubles Special Attacker Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Hurricane
- Muddy Water
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Flip Turn
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Breeding's the move. Aurora Beam and Clear Smog give Kingdra options it can't learn any other way, and Ice and Normal coverage and more already covers a decent range on top of Outrage and Hydro Pump. The egg moves push it further.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Kingdra in Sword & Shield
Kingdra's 3-stage chain starts with Horsea, which appears at decent rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
How to Obtain Kingdra in Sword & Shield
Horsea is your first catch on the way to Kingdra. You'll find surfing encounters from Lv. 40-45 across 18 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch HorseaInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateNormal WeatherInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateOvercastInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSnowstormInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateNormal WeatherInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSnowstormInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateIntense SunInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSnowingInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateIntense SunInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSandstormInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSnowingInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateRainingInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateSandstormInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateHeavy FogInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateRainingInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateOvercastInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water20%LateHeavy FogInsular SeaShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water16%LateThunderstormInsular SeaSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Water16%LateThunderstorm
Step 2Evolve into Seadra
Step 3Kingdra ✓
Kingdra Guide
In Sword & Shield, Kingdra looks average on paper at 540 BST. But Swift Swim is why it sees play. Build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier on our tier list. Draco Meteor with Wide Lens is the standard set.
Kingdra gets Swift Swim, Sniper, and Damp. But Swift Swim is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.
Kingdra is a special attacker with base 95 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many.
For Sword & Shield, the core moveset is Draco Meteor, Hurricane, Muddywater, and Protect. Draco Meteor leads at 22% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Since Gold & Silver, Kingdra has been in 17 games. Requiring a trade evolution to obtain means it's consistently available but requires more effort than simply catching it in the wild.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves