In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Don't let Kingler's 475 base stat total fool you. Sheer Force is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a wallbreaker. Knock Off with Life Orb is the standard set.

What is Kingler weak to?

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, watch for Raikou (Electric) and Venusaur (Grass) when using Kingler. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

What is the best ability for Kingler?

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Run Sheer Force on Kingler. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Kingler also gets Hyper Cutter and Shell Armor, but they don't compare. On wall sets, Sheer Force pairs with Kingler's base 115 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.

What role does Kingler play in battle?

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Kingler fills the wallbreaker role. It's a physical attacker with base 130 Attack. Base 75 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

What are the best moves for Kingler?

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, run Knock Off, Liquidation, Swords Dance, and Highhorsepower on Kingler. Knock Off is the most common pick at 24% usage. Liquidation provides reliable STAB damage.

Kingler - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Physical

Wallbreaker

CTier

75Speed · Below Avg

Stats & Training

Kingler's all-in on Attack at the expense of Sp. Atk. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Attack EVs and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats

Above

HP55

Attack130

Defense115

Sp. Atk50

Sp. Def50

Speed75

Total475

Details

Catch Rate

Challenging60 / 255

Growth Rate

Medium Fast1M XP

Height1.3 m

Weight60.0 kg

Base XP166

Abilities

Hyper CutterRare

Prevents Attack from being lowered by other Pokémon.

Shell Armor

Protects against critical hits.

Sheer ForceHATop Pick

Strengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects.

EV Yield

HPAtk+2DefSpASpDSpe

Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

The larger pincer has 10,000-horsepower strength. However, it is so heavy, it is difficult to aim.

Kingler Weakness

Kingler's Water typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric and Grass. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Kingler's physical bulk (base 115 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Kingler Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
2x (Weak)	Electric, Grass
0.5x (Resist)	Fire, Water, Ice, Steel

Type ChartGood

2Weak

4Resist

0Immune

Score0

4xCritical

None

2xWeak

Electric Grass

½xResist

Fire Water Ice Steel

¼xResist

None

0xImmune

None

STAB (3)

Fire Ground Rock

How to Beat Kingler in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (Best Counters)

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Rillaboom can KO Kingler with Wood Hammer (121-142%). Regieleki's Thunderbolt also KOs at 171-201%.

Rillaboom Grass	A
Recommended Build AbilityGrassy Surge ItemAssault Vest NatureAdamant Moves Fake Out Grassy Glide U Turn Wood Hammer Damage vs Kingler U Turn 24-28% Wood Hammer 2x 121-142%KO View Rillaboom builds →
Zeraora Electric	A
Recommended Build AbilityVoltabsorb ItemAir Balloon NatureJolly Moves Plasma Fists Fake Out Drain Punch Fire Punch Damage vs Kingler Drain Punch 21-25% View Zeraora builds →
Regieleki Electric	A
Recommended Build AbilityTransistor ItemMagnet NatureTimid Moves Volt Switch ProtectPriority ElectrowebSTAB ThunderboltSTAB Damage vs Kingler Volt Switch 2x 133-157%KO Electroweb 2x 104-123%KO Thunderbolt 2x 171-201%KO View Regieleki builds →

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Evolution

Kingler is the evolved form of Krabby. Breeding produces Krabby eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Krabby gave Kingler the biggest boost in HP (+25), bringing the total to 475 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms

#098Krabby

Level 28

#099Kingler

Stat Comparison 2 Stages

Krabby

Water

Kingler

Water

55+25

ATK

105

130+25

DEF

115+25

SP.ATK

50+25

SP.DEF

50+25

SPE

75+25

BST

325C-Tier

475C-Tier+150

ROLE

Attacker

Wallbreaker

TYPE

Physical

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Kingler to get Krabby eggs easily using 21 partners from the Water3 egg group. Notable egg moves include Agility, Ally Switch, Amnesia and 9 more.

Egg Groups

Water3

Gender

♂50.0%♀50.0%

Hatch Time

20 cycles·5,140 steps

Quick~5 min with Flame Body

Egg Moves

12moves

Breed With (best first)

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Kingler Best Moveset

One boost from Swords Dance and Kingler gets dangerous fast. The Adamant nature targets max Attack without Speed, and Sheerforce backs the whole approach. Liquidation and the remaining moves handle most of what's left standing.

Best Build

Experimental

Ability

Sheer Force

Item

Life OrbPOWER

Best Nature for Kingler

Adamant+ATK

Kingler best EVs are Attack and Defense

EVs

Atk

Def

Spe

Physical Tank Moveset

Knock Off
LiquidationSTAB
Swords Dance
High Horsepower

Recommended Teammates

RhyperiorDecent

AbomasnowDecent

Moves

You'll want to breed for Agility and Ally Switch on Kingler. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Crabhammer and Surf, they expand what Kingler can actually threaten in practice.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Hammer Arm

C1009010Fighting

Lv 1

Harden

———30Normal

Lv 1

Leer

D—10030Normal

Lv 1

Metal Claw

C509535Steel

Lv 1

Water Gun

—4010025Water

Lv 1

Wide Guard+3

C——10Rock

Lv 12

Mud Shot

D559515Ground

Lv 16

Protect+4

C——10Normal

Lv 20

Bubble Beam

D6510020Water

Lv 24

Stomp

—6510020Normal

Lv 31

Flail

D—10015Normal

Lv 36

Razor Shell

B759510Water

Lv 42

Slam

—807520Normal

Lv 48

Swords Dance

S——20Normal

Lv 54

Crabhammer

A1009010Water

Lv 60

Guillotine

——305Normal

TM Moves

TM45

Attract

C—10015Normal

TM14

Blizzard

D110705Ice

TM31

Brick Break

C7510015Fighting

TM55

Brine

D6510010Water

TM93

Cut

—509530Normal

TM28

Dig

C8010010Ground

TM32

Double Team

———15Normal

TM58

Endure+4

C——10Normal

TM42

Facade

C7010020Normal

TM54

False Swipe

D4010040Normal

TM56

Fling

——10010Dark

TM68

Giga Impact

B150905Normal

TM07

Hail

C——10Ice

TM15

Hyper Beam

C150905Normal

TM13

Ice Beam

D9010010Ice

TM17

Protect+4

C——10Normal

TM18

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM44

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM80

Rock Slide

C759010Rock

TM98

Rock Smash

D4010015Fighting

TM39

Rock Tomb

C609515Rock

TM49

Scald

C8010015Water

TM82

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

TM96

Strength

—8010015Normal

TM90

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM95

Surf

C9010015Water

TM87

Swagger

D—8515Normal

TM75

Swords Dance

S——20Normal

TM46

Thief

C6010025Dark

TM03

Water Pulse

D6010020Water

TM81

X-Scissor

A8010015Bug

Egg Moves

Egg

Agility

A——30Psychic

Egg

Ally Switch+2

C——15Psychic

Egg

Amnesia

C——20Psychic

Egg

Ancient Power

D601005Rock

Egg

Flail

D—10015Normal

Egg

Hammer Arm

C1009010Fighting

Egg

Haze

C——30Ice

Egg

Knock Off

S6510020Dark

Egg

Night Slash

C7010015Dark

Egg

Slam

—807520Normal

Egg

Slash

C7010020Normal

Egg

Tickle

D—10020Normal

Tutor Moves

Kingler can't learn any Tutor moves

How to Get Kingler in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

No wild encounters for Kingler. The 2-stage line runs through Krabby, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 28 once you've got the levels.

How to Obtain Kingler in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

The path to Kingler starts with Krabby at Lv. 52-63 via walking encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.

Step 1Catch Krabby
Route 226
Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.52 Route
40%Post
Swarm active
Route 226
Shining PearlGrass Lv.52 Route
40%Post
Swarm active
Dazzling Cave
Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Dazzling Cave
Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Spacious Cave
Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Spacious Cave
Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Stargleam Cavern
Shining PearlGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Stargleam Cavern
Brilliant DiamondGrass Lv.58-63 Cave
Post
Post-game
Train until Level 28
Step 2Kingler ✓

Kingler Guide

In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Don't let Kingler's 475 base stat total fool you. Sheer Force is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier as a wallbreaker. Knock Off with Life Orb is the standard set.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, watch for Raikou (Electric) and Venusaur (Grass) when using Kingler. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Run Sheer Force on Kingler. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Kingler also gets Hyper Cutter and Shell Armor, but they don't compare. On wall sets, Sheer Force pairs with Kingler's base 115 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Kingler fills the wallbreaker role. It's a physical attacker with base 130 Attack. Base 75 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, run Knock Off, Liquidation, Swords Dance, and Highhorsepower on Kingler. Knock Off is the most common pick at 24% usage. Liquidation provides reliable STAB damage.

Game Availability

Kingler first appeared in Red & Blue and spans 20 games across 10 generations. It later gained a Gigantamax form in Generation 8, adding new dimensions to its competitive identity.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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