Nincada
Nincada is a Bug/Ground-type Pokémon, the Trainee Pokémon, number 290 (#0290) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 5.5 kg.
Nincada is the Trainee Pokémon, a nearly blind bug that the Pokédex says can sometimes spend over 10 years underground. When it evolves it can become two Pokémon at once: speedy Ninjask and the empty shell Shedinja.
How to pronounce Nincada
Nincada is pronounced nin-KAH-duh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Nincada said out loud:
In Japanese it is ツチニン (Tutinin).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Nincada is a small, whitish insectoid, 0.5 m tall and 5.5 kg, with a pointed snout, black eyes ringed in green and small green wings on its back. Its hind legs are white and its forelegs are brown with sharp claws.
Behaviour
Nincada cannot withstand bright sunlight, so it stays below ground in the dark, sensing its surroundings with its whisker-like antennae instead of its nearly useless eyes. Waiting to evolve, the Pokédex says, it stays motionless.
Habitat
Bulbapedia places its nests at the roots of trees in forests. In Sword and Shield it is found on Galar's Route 5 and at West Lake Axewell.
Diet
The Pokédex says it carves tree roots with its claws to absorb moisture and nutrients.
Powers
Its Ability Compound Eyes raises the accuracy of its moves by 30%, and the hidden Run Away guarantees escape from wild battles. It claws with Scratch, Metal Claw and Dig and hardens with Harden. With base Defense 90 but only 31 HP it is a tough little shell with little else.
Name origin
Nincada may combine 'ninja' and 'cicada'. The Japanese name is Tutinin (ツチニン), which may combine tsuchi ni umeru (burying something in the earth) with ninja.
Design inspiration
Nincada looks like a cicada nymph. Bulbapedia suggests its ninja link may come from old tales of ninjas covering their own noise with cicadas, or from the doton no jutsu, hiding in a pre-dug hole until the enemy leaves. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Nincada evolves into Ninjask at level 20, and can leave Shedinja behind under special conditions (see Shedinja).
In the games
Players first meet Nincada on Route 116 in Ruby and Sapphire, and evolving it is how Shedinja turns up in the games. It is not available in Scarlet, Violet or Legends: Z-A, though Sword and Shield and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl both have it.
In the anime
Nincada debuted in 'A Three Team Scheme' as the Pokémon of a boy named Keanu, who lived alone in his Secret Base. In 'Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1)', Kellyn captures one and has it use Dig to make a pit for J's henchmen to fall into.
Fun facts
- Because Shedinja has no gender, Nincada can technically switch gender on evolving, one of only two Pokémon that can, Bulbapedia says; the other was Azurill before Generation VI.
- Nincada's base stat total of 266 is 30 higher than Shedinja's 236, and the game data shows it is the only Pokémon whose total beats one of its evolutions.
- Nincada cannot learn Attract or Captivate, which Bulbapedia suggests may be to stop genderless Shedinja from ending up with them.
Base stats
- HP: 31
- Attack: 45
- Defense: 90
- Sp. Atk: 30
- Sp. Def: 30
- Speed: 40
Nincada’s base stat total is 266. Its highest stat is Defense.
Type matchups
What is Nincada weak to?
Nincada takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Water (2×), Ice (2×), Flying (2×) moves.
It resists Fighting (½×), Poison (½×), Ground (½×).
It is immune to Electric moves.
Evolution
How does Nincada evolve?
Nincada evolves into Ninjask at level 20. Nincada evolves into Shedinja (Spare Poké Ball in the bag).
The whole family: Nincada, Ninjask, Shedinja.
Abilities
- Compound Eyes: Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.
- Run Away (hidden ability): Ensures success fleeing from wild battles.
Moves
Moves Nincada learns by level up in Sword / Shield
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sand Attack | Ground | Status | — |
| 1 | Scratch | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 5 | Harden | Normal | Status | — |
| 10 | False Swipe | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 15 | Mud-Slap | Ground | Special | 20 |
| 21 | Absorb | Grass | Special | 20 |
| 25 | Metal Claw | Steel | Physical | 50 |
| 30 | Fury Swipes | Normal | Physical | 18 |
| 35 | Mind Reader | Normal | Status | — |
| 40 | Dig | Ground | Physical | 80 |
TM moves (18)
Nincada can learn 18 moves from TMs in Sword / Shield: Solar Beam, Dig, Rest, Snore, Protect, Giga Drain, Sandstorm, Sunny Day, Facade, Round, False Swipe, Leech Life, Substitute, Endure, Sleep Talk, Shadow Ball, X-Scissor, Bug Buzz.
Egg moves (5):Bug Bite, Final Gambit, Flail, Gust, Night Slash.
Move tutor moves (1): Skitter Smack.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Bug.
- Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
- Catch rate: 255 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Slow Then Very Fast (600,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
- Base experience yield: 53.
Pokédex entries
It can sometimes live underground for more than 10 years. It absorbs nutrients from the roots of trees. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Y, Shield)
Because it lived almost entirely underground, it is nearly blind. It uses its antennae instead. (FireRed, LeafGreen, X, Sword)
Nincada lives underground. It uses its sharp claws to carve the roots of trees and absorb moisture and nutrients. This Pokémon can't withstand bright sunlight so avoids it. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
Nincada lives underground for many years in complete darkness. This Pokémon absorbs nutrients from the roots of trees. It stays motionless as it waits for evolution. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
It grows underground, sensing its surroundings using antennae instead of its virtually blind eyes. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)
It makes its nest at the roots of a mighty tree. Using its whiskerlike antennae, it probes its surroundings in the pitch-black darkness of soil. (Emerald)
Names around the world
| Japanese | ツチニン |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Tutinin |
| French | Ningale |
| German | Nincada |
| Spanish | Nincada |
| Italian | Nincada |
| Korean | 토중몬 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 土居忍士 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 土居忍士 |
Trivia
- Lowest base stat total among Ground types in Gen 3: 266.
- The only Pokémon with the Bug/Ground typing.
- Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
- Heavier than 17% of all Pokémon (5.5 kg).
- Base stat total 266, ranked #945 of 1,025.
- One of 1 Pokémon that are both Bug and Ground.
- One of 107 gray Pokémon.
- Number 39 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
- Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
- Can learn 32 different moves in Sword / Shield.
- Catch rate 255: about 33.3% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 6 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: Nincada (Pokémon), Serebii: Nincada (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (nin-KAH-duh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Bug-type Pokémon · Ground-type Pokémon · Bug/Ground weaknesses and matchups · Hoenn region guide · Compound Eyes ability · Run Away ability · Compare Nincada · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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