Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Nidoking

Find practical counter Pokémon, attacking types, and defensive matchup notes for Nidoking.

PoisonGround
Nidoking Pokémon sprite

Nidoking

#0034

Quick answer

Nidoking is best pressured by Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Water×2Ice×2Ground×2Psychic×2

Top weaknesses (4)

Water×2Ice×2Ground×2Psychic×2

Type matchup table

Water type iconWater2x
Ice type iconIce2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Psychic type iconPsychic2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Fire type iconFire1x
Grass type iconGrass1x
Flying type iconFlying1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Poison type iconPoison0.25x
Fighting type iconFighting0.5x
Bug type iconBug0.5x
Rock type iconRock0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x
Electric type iconElectric0x

Recommended practical counters

Baxcalibur Pokémon sprite

Baxcalibur

#0998

Strong physical attacker
DragonIce
  • Deals 2x damage with Ice-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ice-type attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeIce×2

Mostly neutral switch-in

145 offense · 87 Speed

Krookodile Pokémon sprite

Krookodile

#0553

Bulky switch-inBudget option
GroundDark
  • Deals 2x damage with Ground-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ground-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Poison 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
Best typeGround×2

Safe into Poison 0.5x

117 offense · 92 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Water×2Ice×2Ground×2Psychic×2

Move availability depends on game version and learnset data, so this page recommends move types rather than guaranteed moves.

Water type pageIce type pageGround type pagePsychic type page

Counter notes for Nidoking

  • Nidoking is a Poison / Ground Pokémon with 85 base Speed and stronger physical attack (102 Attack). Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Nidoking has several 2x weaknesses rather than a single 4x weakness, so the best counters are the ones that can hit it super-effectively while also reducing the risk from Poison / Ground STAB.
  • Known abilities include Poison Point, Rivalry, and Sheer Force. This page does not assume ability-specific battle effects, so verify the format before relying on a single counter.
  • Avoid counters that are weak to Poison / Ground unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Nidoking does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Electric×0Poison×0.25Fighting×0.5Bug×0.5Rock×0.5Fairy×0.5

These attacking types are resisted or blocked by the defender's typing, so they are usually lower-priority choices unless they provide a special battle role.

Battle caveats

  • This ranking uses modern Gen 6+ type matchups, STAB value, defensive switch-in safety, and base stats.
  • Abilities, held items, Terastallization, weather, terrain, and format rules can change real battle outcomes.
  • Coverage moves can punish obvious counters, so treat this as type-based guidance rather than a full matchup simulator.
  • Move availability depends on game version and learnset data; this page recommends attacking types rather than guaranteed moves.

Related pages

Nidoking weakness chartNidoking PokédexPoison / Ground countersWater type pageIce type pageGround type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Nidoking?

Nidoking is best countered by Pokémon that can use Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Poison / Ground STAB attacks. Because there is no 4x weakness, Speed, bulk, and offensive stats matter more when choosing the actual Pokémon.

What type is best against Nidoking?

Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic are the strongest attacking types against Nidoking, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Nidoking super-effectively?

Nidoking has 4 super-effective attacking options: Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Poison / Ground STAB attacks.

Are abilities included in this counter ranking?

No. The ranking uses base typing and base stats. Abilities, items, Terastallization, weather, terrain, and special move rules can change the real matchup.

Does Terastallization change Nidoking counters?

Yes. Terastallization can replace the defensive typing used here, so the recommended counter types may change completely in formats where Tera is active.

What should I avoid using against Nidoking?

Avoid relying on Electric, Poison, Fighting, Bug, and Rock attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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