Stats & Training
Attack and Defense carry most of Paras's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Common in the wild and yields 1 Attack stat exp. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Burrows to suck tree roots. The mushrooms on its back grow by drawing nutrients from the bug host.
Burrows to suck tree roots. The mushrooms on its back grow by drawing nutrients from the bug host.
Paras Weakness
Type-wise, Paras takes extra damage from Fire, Poison, Flying, Ice, Bug, and Rock. Watch out for Fire, Poison, and Flying attacks, those deal 4x damage. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Fire, Poison, Flying |
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Bug, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Fighting |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Ground |
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Weedle BugPoison | D | |
Charmander Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Charmander Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Ekans Poison | D | |
Spearow Normal | D | |
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Weedle BugPoison | D | |
Charmander Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Ekans Poison | D | |
Spearow Normal | D | |
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Weedle BugPoison | D | |
Growlithe Fire | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Charmander Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Vulpix Fire | D | |
Growlithe Fire | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Charmander Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Vulpix Fire | D | |
Venomoth BugPoison | C | |
Fearow Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Fearow builds →Fly 4x275-324%KO Peck 4x113-134%KO | ||
Growlithe Fire | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Doduo Normal | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Doduo builds →Fly 4x261-308%KO Drill Peck 4x234-276%KO Peck 4x107-126%KO | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x166-196%KO Ice Beam 2x137-162%KO Fly 4x255-300%KO Peck 4x103-121%KO | ||
Magmar Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Magmar builds →Fire Blast 4x353-415%KO Fire Punch 4x239-283%KO Ember 4x132-156%KO | ||
Venomoth BugPoison | C | |
Fearow Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Fearow builds →Fly 4x264-312%KO Drill Peck 4x235-277%KO Peck 4x108-127%KO | ||
Ponyta Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Ponyta builds →Fire Blast 4x250-294%KO Ember 4x98-115%KO Fire Spin 4x83-98% | ||
Zapdos Electric | S | |
Obtain MethodPower Plant Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Zapdos builds →Sky Attack 4x426-502%KO Fly 4x278-327%KO Drill Peck 4x245-289%KO | ||
Articuno Ice | B | |
Obtain MethodSeafoam Islands Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Articuno builds →Sky Attack 4x407-480%KO Blizzard 2x175-207%KO Ice Beam 2x144-169%KO Fly 4x264-311%KO | ||
Moltres Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodVictory Road Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Moltres builds →Sky Attack 4x464-545%KO Fire Blast 4x440-518%KO Fly 4x301-355%KO Fire Spin 4x144-169%KO | ||
Aerodactyl Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodCinnabar Island Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Aerodactyl builds →Sky Attack 4x482-567%KO Fire Blast 4x164-193%KO Fly 4x315-371%KO Wing Attack 4x213-251%KO | ||
Magmar Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Paras View Magmar builds →Fire Blast 4x365-431%KO Fire Punch 4x250-295%KO Ember 4x139-164%KO | ||
In Red & Blue, Articuno can KO Paras with Blizzard (175-206%). Dragonite threatens a KO with Blizzard (121-143%). Golem's Explosion also KOs at 160-189%.
Articuno Ice | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Paras View Articuno builds →Blizzard 2x175-206%KO Hyper Beam72-85% Ice Beam 2x144-169%KO | ||
Dragonite Dragon | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Paras View Dragonite builds →Wrap11-13% Hyper Beam106-125%KO Blizzard 2x121-143%KO | ||
Golem RockGround | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Paras View Golem builds →Earthquake24-28% Explosion160-189%KO Rock Slide 2x146-172%KO Body Slam55-64% | ||
Charizard Fire | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Paras View Charizard builds →Earthquake12-14% Fire Blast 4x391-461%KO Hyper Beam72-84% | ||
Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Paras View Victreebel builds →Wrap9-11% | ||
Red & Blue Evolution
Paras starts a line toward Parasect. Can't breed this Bug/Grass type (295 stats), so keep the evolution path going. Evolving adds up to 110 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Red & Blue Paras Best Moveset
Best Build
Gen 1 build content has limited support (no abilities, held items, or natures).
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
TMs carry this one. Paras learns Solar Beam and Leech Life naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Ground and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Red & Blue Paras Locations
Paras starts showing up in early-game routes at decent spawn rates across 10 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Paras in Red & Blue
You can catch Paras through 10 walking encounters from Lv. 8-23, but availability differs between Red and Blue. Some spots are exclusive to one version.
Paras Guide
Paras evolves into Parasect at level 24. One evolution, no branching. Solid jump from 295 BST.
Paras evolves into Parasect at level 24. Takes some grinding. Plan your team around the mid-game wait.
For Red & Blue, you can run Paras through the first few routes without issues. 295 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Parasect as fast as you can.
Paras is catchable in Red & Blue. Check the Locations section above for specific routes, encounter rates, and methods. It also appears in 18 other games across the series.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Paras has appeared in 19 games — most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut

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 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
