Stats & Training
Sp. Def leads and Defense gets almost nothing. That's Nihilego's stat line in a nutshell. 4 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Sp. Def EVs.
One of several mysterious Ultra Beasts. People on the street report observing those infested by it suddenly becoming violent.
One of the Ultra Beasts. It’s unclear whether or not this Pokémon is sentient, but sometimes it can be observed behaving like a young girl.
Nihilego Weakness
Ground, Water, Psychic, and Steel moves hit Nihilego for super-effective damage. Ground hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Nihilego's special bulk (base 131 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Psychic, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Flying, Bug, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Magnezone builds →Flash Cannon 2x49-59% Mirror Shot 2x41-49% Magnet Bomb 2x51-60% | ||
 Mudsdale Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Mudsdale builds →Earthquake 4x268-316%KO High Horsepower 4x255-300%KO Bulldoze 4x163-192%KO Mud-Slap 4x16-20% | ||
 Dugtrio Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Dugtrio builds →Earthquake 4x222-261%KO Earth Power 4x55-65% Dig 4x180-212%KO Mud Bomb 4x41-49% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Marowak builds →Stomping Tantrum 4x141-166%KO Bone Club 4x122-143%KO Bonemerang 4x94-111%KO Bone Rush 4x49-59% | ||
 Klinklang Steel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Klinklang builds →Mirror Shot 2x26-31% Gear Grind 2x57-67% | ||
In Sun & Moon, Scizor can KO Nihilego with Bullet Punch (109-129%). Tapu Lele's Psychic also KOs at 98-115%.
 Scizor BugSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Scizor builds →Bullet Punch 2x109-129%KO Superpower109-128%KO U Turn48-56% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Zapdos builds →Heat Wave10-12% Thunderbolt29-34% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPsychic Surge ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Tapu Lele builds →Moonblast26-30% Psyshock 2x87-102%KO Psychic 2x98-115%KO | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Toxapex builds →Scald 2x23-28% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Nihilego View Pelipper builds →Hurricane18-21% Scald 2x52-61% | ||
Sun & Moon Evolution
At 570 base stat total, Nihilego hits hard for a Rock/Poison type. No evolution chain and no egg group, just a straight pickup. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Sun & Moon Nihilego Best Moveset
The recommended build leans into Nihilego's strengths as a special attacker. Air Balloon provides temporary Ground immunity, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs back that up. Beastboost rounds out the package.
Best Build
Nihilego best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Thunderbolt
- Clear Smog
- Sludge Bomb
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Special Sweeper Moveset
- Power Gem
- Protect
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Ice
Utility Moveset
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Leveling does the heavy lifting. Nihilego picks up Head Smash and Psychic along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add Normal and Psychic coverage and more, but the foundation's already strong by then.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Sun & Moon Nihilego Locations
moderate rates across 4 locations for Nihilego in endgame routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Best Locations to Catch Nihilego in Sun & Moon
walking encounters for Nihilego across 4 spots at Lv. 55+. The catch is that Moon and Sun don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
Nihilego Guide
For Sun & Moon, we rate Nihilego B-Tier: a solid option in Sun & Moon for the right team. At 570 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Power Gem with Air Balloon is the standard set.
Beast Boost raises this Pokémon's highest stat by one stage when it faints another Pokémon. That's the one you want on Nihilego. It's the only ability Nihilego has.
Base 103 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Nihilego is a special attacker with base 127 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a sweeper.
In Sun & Moon, run Power Gem, Thunderbolt, Clearsmog, and Sludge Bomb on Nihilego. Power Gem is the most common pick at 21% usage. This set covers the sweeper role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Nihilego joined the series in Sun & Moon and has been available in 3 titles so far. With 4 generations of appearances, it's established itself despite the later start.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
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 7SMDebut
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