#0033 · Kanto · Generation 1

Nidorino

Poison Pin Pokémon · Poison-type

Nidorino is a Poison-type Pokémon, the Poison Pin Pokémon, number 33 (#0033) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 19.5 kg.

Nidorino is a quick-tempered Poison type with a horn the Pokédex calls harder than diamond, which it uses to smash boulders while hunting for Moon Stones. A Nidorino squaring up to a Gengar is also one of the first scenes of Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan).

How to pronounce Nidorino

Nidorino is pronounced nee-doh-REE-noh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Nidorino said out loud:

In Japanese it is ニドリーノ.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Nidorino is a light purple, four-legged mammal with darker patches, big spiny ears lined in teal, narrow black eyes and a long muzzle showing two pointed teeth. A ridge of toxic spines runs down its back and a pointed horn sits on its forehead. It is 0.9 m tall and weighs 19.5 kg. The Pokédex says the more adrenaline in its body, the stronger its poison.

Behaviour

Nidorino is nervous, independent and fierce, quick to anger and quick to act. When it senses a hostile presence, every barb on its back bristles and it takes on the foe with everything it has. Its horn leaks poison on impact.

Habitat

The Pokédex lists it as a grassland Pokémon, and Bulbapedia says it lives in hot savannas and plains.

Powers

Poison Point can poison attackers on contact, Rivalry boosts damage against Pokémon of the same gender, and Hustle is hidden. It fights with Horn Attack, Poison Jab and Earth Power and can lay Toxic Spikes. With base Attack 72 and a base total of 365, it is a middling attacker waiting for a Moon Stone.

Name origin

Nidorino may combine 'needle', 'rhinoceros' and -ino, a masculine diminutive ending in Spanish and Italian, and may also involve nido (二度, 'twice'). The Japanese name is Nidorino (ニドリーノ).

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia says Nidorino and Gengar both come from the Capsule Monsters pitch that turned into Pokémon. It appears to be based on rabbits, rhinoceroses and porcupines, and since it needs a Moon Stone to reach its last stage it may also nod to the Moon rabbit of folklore. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Nidorino evolves from Nidoran♂ at level 16 and becomes Nidoking with a Moon Stone.

In the games

Nidorino and Gengar fight in the opening animation of Red and Green and of FireRed and LeafGreen, and the first episode of the anime was modelled on it. Bulbapedia lists Nidorino as unobtainable in Scarlet and Violet and in Legends: Z-A, though it appears in Sword and Shield through the Expansion Pass.

In the anime

In 'Pokémon - I Choose You!', a Nidorino battles a Gengar on a TV that Ash is watching, making them the first Pokémon seen in the series after the opening. Ralph's Nidorino, Tony, evolved from Nidoran♂ in 'Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?' after a battle with Team Rocket.

Fun facts

• In Red and Blue, the Nidorino shown while Professor Oak welcomes the player has the cry of a Nidorina.
• In Pokémon Adventures, a Nidorino is the first Pokémon to appear and be caught, which echoes its place in the games' opening.
• Ash beat a Nidorino at the Indigo Plateau Conference in 'Fire and Ice'.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Nidorino (Pokémon) · Serebii: Nidorino (Sword/Shield Pokédex; page not found for Scarlet/Violet)

Base stats

• HP: 61
• Attack: 72
• Defense: 57
• Sp. Atk: 55
• Sp. Def: 55
• Speed: 65

Nidorino’s base stat total is 365. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Nidorino weak to?

Nidorino takes extra damage from Ground (2×), Psychic (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Poison (½×), Bug (½×), Fairy (½×).

Evolution

What does Nidorino evolve from?

Nidorino evolves from Nidoran♂ at level 16.

How does Nidorino evolve?

Nidorino evolves into Nidoking (Moon Stone).

The whole family: Nidoran♂, Nidorino, Nidoking.

Abilities

• Poison Point: Has a 30% chance of poisoning attacking Pokémon on contact.
• Rivalry: Increases damage inflicted to 1.25× against Pokémon of the same gender, but decreases damage to 0.75× against the opposite gender.
• Hustle (hidden ability): Strengthens physical moves to inflict 1.5× damage, but decreases their accuracy to 0.8×.

Moves

Moves Nidorino learns by level up in Sword / Shield

TM moves (33)

Nidorino can learn 33 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Dig, Rest, Thief, Snore, Protect, Attract, Rain Dance, Sunny Day, Beat Up, Facade, Helping Hand, Shadow Claw, Venoshock, Round, Smart Strike, Stomping Tantrum, Body Slam, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Focus Energy, Amnesia, Substitute, Sludge Bomb, Endure, Sleep Talk, Iron Tail, Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Earth Power, Drill Run, Venom Drench.

Egg moves (10), which Nidoran♂ can hatch knowing:Confusion, Counter, Disable, Head Smash, Horn Drill, Poison Tail, Sucker Punch, Supersonic, Take Down, Thrash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 100% male, 0% female.
• Egg groups: Monster, Field.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 120 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Attack effort values.
• Base experience yield: 128.

Pokédex entries

It's nervous and quick to act aggressively. The potency of its poison increases along with the level of adrenaline present in its body. (Shield)

With a horn that's harder than diamond, this Pokémon goes around shattering boulders as it searches for a moon stone. (Sword)

Its horn contains venom. If it stabs an enemy with the horn, the impact makes the poison leak out. (Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Nidorino has a horn that is harder than a diamond. If it senses a hostile presence, all the barbs on its back bristle up at once, and it challenges the foe with all its might. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

An aggressive Pokémon that is quick to attack. The horn on its head secretes a powerful venom. (Red, Blue, LeafGreen, Y)

It raises its big ears to check its surroundings. If it senses anything, it attacks immediately. (Gold, HeartGold, X)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 43% of all Pokémon (0.9 m).
• Heavier than 41% of all Pokémon (19.5 kg).
• Base stat total 365, ranked #676 of 1,025.
• One of 83 Poison-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 87 purple Pokémon.
• Number 33 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 51 different moves in Sword / Shield.
• Catch rate 120: about 15.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 12 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Nidorino (Pokémon), Serebii: Nidorino (Sword/Shield Pokédex; page not found for Scarlet/Violet).
• Pronunciation (nee-doh-REE-noh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Poison-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Poison Point ability · Rivalry ability · Hustle ability · Compare Nidorino · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Poison-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Purple Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with N · What does the Moon Stone evolve? · Rabbit Pokémon · Rhino and Hippo Pokémon · Hedgehog and Porcupine Pokémon

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