Ekans (Pokémon)

← #022: Fearow

Pokémon

#024: Arbok →

Ekans アーボ Arbo

Artwork from FR/LG

Type Species  Poison  Snake Pokémon Abilities Exp. at 100 Intimidate or Shed Skin 1,000,000 Pokédex Kanto #023 Johto #050 Hoenn #225* Sinnoh #— Browser Fiore R-151 Almia R— Height Weight 6'07" 15.2 lbs. Pokédex color Footprint Body style Catch rate Purple 255 Gender ratio   50% male   50% female Egg groups Egg cycles Ground, Dragon 21 (5355 steps*) EV yield HP 0 Atk 1 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Exp. 62 External links On Legendary Pokémon Pokédex: Generation III Generation IV On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV On Eevee's Pokédex (Gen. I-IV) On Psypoke Pokédex On Pokecharms Pokédex (Gen. III-IV) On Marriland Pokédex (Gen. IV) Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Ekans (Japanese: アーボ Arbo) is a Poison-type Pokémon.

It evolves into Arbok starting at level 22.

Contents 1 Biology 1.1 Physiology 1.1.1 Gender differences 1.1.2 Special abilities 1.2 Behavior 1.3 Habitat 1.4 Diet 2 In the anime 2.1 Major appearances 2.1.1 Jessie's Ekans 2.1.2 Other 3 In the manga 4 In the TCG 5 In the TFG 6 Game data 6.1 NPC appearances 6.2 Pokédex entries 6.3 Game locations 6.3.1 In side games 6.4 Held items 6.5 Stats 6.5.1 Base stats 6.5.2 Pokéthlon stats 6.6 Type effectiveness 6.7 Learnset 6.7.1 By leveling up 6.7.2 By TM/HM 6.7.3 By breeding 6.7.4 By tutoring 6.7.5 TCG-only moves 6.8 Side game data 6.9 Evolution 6.10 Sprites 7 Trivia 7.1 Origin 7.1.1 Name origin 8 In other languages 9 Related articles 10 External links 11 Notes

Biology

Physiology

This reptilian Pokémon resembles a snake (its English name even being the word "snake" spelled backward while other languages use an anagram of the word "boa"). It has a rattle at the tip of its tail, and is mostly purple while its underbelly, eyes, rattle, and the "bands" on it are yellow.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

Ekans are able to detach their jaws to swallow large prey whole, although this makes their bodies heavy. It can also use its tongue to sense danger, and can move quietly through the grass.

Behavior

Like actual snakes, Ekans will lash out with a bite when frightened by anything it sees as a threat. If one happens to be bitten by a young Ekans, they are lucky. As an Ekans, it doesn't possess the ability to add poison to its bite until after it evolves into an Arbok, though this last bit of information clashes with Ekans's dungeon phrase.

Habitat

Ekans live in grassy savannas and plains.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Ekans' favorite food is eggs from Pidgey and Spearow nests.

In the anime

Major appearances

Ekans was part of "Team Meanies" in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate! Special. Gengar commanded the Poisonous Snake Pokémon to eat all the berries Team Go-Getters collected. At one point, Ekans was incorrectly referred to as Arbok by Gengar. While this was an intentional error that Ekans rebuked in the original version (due to the similarities in the Japanese names), this came across as a general mistake in the dub and was corrected in reairings of the episode.

Jessie's Ekans

Jessie had an Ekans, which for most of the original series, was her only Pokémon. It was extremely loyal to her and eventually evolved into an Arbok just to make her happy.

Other

A poacher had captured a bunch of Ekans in AG006.

Ekans made a cameo appearance in DP006.

In the manga

Koga has an Ekans in Pokémon Adventures.

A twin pair of Ekans are antagonists in Magical Pokémon Journey.

In the TCG

Main article: Ekans (TCG)

In the TFG

One Ekans figure has been released.

• Next Quest: Ekans

Game data

NPC appearances

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ekans is a member of Team Meanies. It attempted to climb Wish Cave with Medicham but collapsed on the first floor.

Pokédex entries

Gen	Game	Pokédex entry
I	Red	Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds, such as Pidgey and Spearow, whole.
	Blue	Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds, such as Pidgey and Spearow, whole.
	Yellow	The older it gets, the longer it grows. At night, it wraps its long body around tree branches to rest.
	Stadium	Slithers silently through grass, searching for its favorite food--Pidgey and Spearow eggs.
II	Gold	It can freely detach its jaw to swallow large prey whole. It can become too heavy to move, however.
	Silver	It always hides in grass. When first born, it has no poison, so its bite is painful, but harmless.
	Crystal	It flutters the tip of its tongue to seek out the scent of prey, then swallows the prey whole.
	Stadium 2	It can freely detach its jaw to swallow large prey whole. It can become too heavy to move, however.
III	Ruby	Ekans curls itself up in a spiral while it rests. Assuming this position allows it to quickly respond to a threat from any direction with a glare from its upraised head.
	Sapphire	Ekans curls itself up in a spiral while it rests. Assuming this position allows it to quickly respond to a threat from any direction with a glare from its upraised head.
	Emerald	An Ekans curls itself up in a spiral while it rests. This position allows it to quickly respond to an enemy from any direction with a threat from its upraised head.
	FireRed	A very common sight in grassland, etc. It flicks its tongue in and out to sense danger in its surroundings.
	LeafGreen	Moving silently and stealthily, it eats the eggs of birds, such as Pidgey and Spearow, whole.
IV	Diamond	It sneaks through grass without making a sound and strikes unsuspecting prey from behind.
	Pearl	It sneaks through grass without making a sound and strikes unsuspecting prey from behind.
	Platinum	It sneaks through grass without making a sound and strikes unsuspecting prey from behind.
	HeartGold	It can freely detach its jaw to swallow large prey whole. It can become too heavy to move, however.
	SoulSilver	Currently unknown

Game locations

Gen	Game		Rarity	Area
I	Red	Blue	Few	Routes 4, 11, and 23 (Red only)
	Yellow		None	Trade
II	Gold	Silver	Unlimited (Gold) Few (Silver)	Goldenrod Game Corner (Gold) Routes 3, 4, 32, and 33 (Silver)
	Crystal		Few	Routes 3, 4, 32, 33, and 42, Headbutting trees
III	Ruby	Sapphire	None	Trade
	Emerald		None	Trade
	FireRed	LeafGreen	Common	Routes 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 23 (FireRed only)
	Colosseum		None	Trade
	XD		None	Trade
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Dongle	Route 212 (FireRed)
	Platinum		Dongle	Route 212 (FireRed)
	HeartGold	SoulSilver	None	Trade
	Pal Park		Forest

In side games

Game	Location
Pokémon Trozei!	Huge Storage 4 Endless Level 51 Pair Trozei Mr. Who's Den
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue Rescue Team	Western Cave (3F-5F)
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness	Shimmer Desert (1F-9F)
Pokémon Ranger	Olive Jungle
Pokémon Rumble	Gravel Cave

Held items

Game	Items
Gold, Silver, and Crystal	Berry (trade from Generation I)

Stats

Base stats

Stat	Range
	At Lv. 50	At Lv. 100
HP: 35	95 - 142	180 - 274
Attack: 60	58 - 123	112 - 240
Defense: 44	44 - 105	83 - 205
Sp.Atk: 40	40 - 101	76 - 196
Sp.Def: 54	53 - 116	101 - 227
Speed: 55	54 - 117	103 - 229
Total: 288   Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature. Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature. This Pokémon's  Special  base stat in Generation I was 40.

Pokéthlon stats

Speed 5 ★★★★★	Power 4 ★★★★
Technique 3 ★★★	Stamina 3 ★★★
Jump 3 ★★★	Total 18 ★★★

Type effectiveness

Weak to	Resistant to	Immune to	Normal effectiveness
Ground : 2×  Psychic : 2×	Fighting : ½×  Poison : ½×  Bug : ½×  Grass : ½×		Normal : 1×  Flying : 1×  Rock : 1×  Ghost : 1×  Steel : 1×  Fire : 1×  Water : 1×  Electric : 1×  Ice : 1×  Dragon : 1×  Dark : 1×
Notes: In Generation I, the effectiveness of  Grass-type  moves is ½×, and the effectiveness of  Bug-type  moves is 2×.

Learnset

Ekans is capable of learning the following moves in Generation IV.

• Moves in bold are damaging moves to which STAB applies.

By leveling up

Generation IV Other generation learnsets: I - II - III

Level Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP Contest Appeal Start Wrap Normal Physical 15 85% 20 Tough 0 Start Leer Normal Status — 100% 30 Cool 2 ♥♥ 4 Poison Sting Poison Physical 15 100% 35 Smart 2 ♥♥ 9 Bite Dark Physical 60 100% 25 Tough 3 ♥♥♥ 12 Glare Normal Status — 75% 30 Tough 2 ♥♥ 17 Screech Normal Status — 85% 40 Smart 2 ♥♥ 20 Acid Poison Special 40 100% 30 Smart 3 ♥♥♥ 25 Stockpile Normal Status — —% 20 Tough 0 25 Swallow Normal Status — —% 10 Tough 0 25 Spit Up Normal Special — 100% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ 28 Mud Bomb Ground Special 65 85% 10 Smart 2 ♥♥ 33 Gastro Acid Poison Status — 100% 10 Beauty 2 ♥♥ 36 Haze Ice Status — —% 30 Beauty 2 ♥♥ 41 Gunk Shot Poison Physical 120 70% 5 Cool 3 ♥♥♥ Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon

By TM/HM

Generation IV Other generation learnsets: I - II - III

TM Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP Contest Appeal TM06 Toxic Poison Status — 85% 10 Smart 2 ♥♥ TM10 Hidden Power Normal Special — 100% 15 Smart 1 ♥ TM11 Sunny Day Fire Status — —% 5 Beauty 2 ♥♥ TM17 Protect Normal Status — —% 10 Cute 0 TM18 Rain Dance Water Status — —% 5 Tough 2 ♥♥ TM19 Giga Drain Grass Special 60 100% 10 Smart 1 ♥ TM20 Safeguard Normal Status — —% 25 Beauty 2 ♥♥ TM21 Frustration Normal Physical — 100% 20 Cute 2 ♥♥ TM23 Iron Tail Steel Physical 100 75% 15 Cool 2 ♥♥ TM26 Earthquake Ground Physical 100 100% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ TM27 Return Normal Physical — 100% 20 Cute 2 ♥♥ TM28 Dig Ground Physical 80 100% 10 Smart 1 ♥ TM32 Double Team Normal Status — —% 15 Cool 2 ♥♥ TM36 Sludge Bomb Poison Special 90 100% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ TM39 Rock Tomb Rock Physical 50 80% 10 Smart 2 ♥♥ TM41 Torment Dark Status — 100% 15 Tough 0 TM42 Facade Normal Physical 70 100% 20 Cute 2 ♥♥ TM43 Secret Power Normal Physical 70 100% 20 Smart 2 ♥♥ TM44 Rest Psychic Status — —% 10 Cute 0 TM45 Attract Normal Status — 100% 15 Cute 2 ♥♥ TM46 Thief Dark Physical 40 100% 10 Tough 0 TM49 Snatch Dark Status — —% 10 Smart 0 TM58 Endure Normal Status — —% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ TM66 Payback Dark Physical 50 100% 10 Cool 1 ♥ TM78 Captivate Normal Status — 100% 20 Beauty 2 ♥♥ TM79 Dark Pulse Dark Special 80 100% 15 Cool 2 ♥♥ TM80 Rock Slide Rock Physical 75 90% 10 Tough 3 ♥♥♥ TM82 Sleep Talk Normal Status — —% 10 Cute 3 ♥♥♥ TM83 Natural Gift Normal Physical — 100% 15 Cool 2 ♥♥ TM84 Poison Jab Poison Physical 80 100% 20 Smart 2 ♥♥ TM87 Swagger Normal Status — 90% 15 Cute 2 ♥♥ TM90 Substitute Normal Status — —% 10 Smart 1 ♥ HM04 Strength Normal Physical 80 100% 15 Tough 3 ♥♥♥ Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon

By breeding

Generation IV Other generation learnsets: II - III

Father Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP Contest Appeal Sneasel, Weavile Houndour, Houndoom Beat Up Dark Physical 10 100% 10 Smart 2 ♥♥ Psyduck, Golduck Disable Normal Status — 80% 20 Smart 2 ♥♥ Seviper Poison Fang Poison Physical 50 100% 15 Smart 2 ♥♥ Seviper Poison Tail Poison Physical 50 100% 25 Smart 2 ♥♥ Rattata, Raticate Tauros Umbreon Dunsparce Treecko, Grovyle, Sceptile Zangoose Absol Buizel, Floatzel Pursuit Dark Physical 40 100% 20 Smart 1 ♥ Charmander, Charmeleon Charizard Raticate Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior Tauros Flareon Snubbull, Granbull Ursaring Donphan Poochyena, Mightyena Bagon, Shelgon, Salamence Shinx, Luxio, Luxray Mamoswine Scary Face Normal Status — 90% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ Pikachu, Raichu Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite Sentret, Furret Wooper, Quagsire Phanpy, Donphan Treecko, Grovyle, Sceptile Slam Normal Physical 80 75% 20 Tough 3 ♥♥♥ Dunsparce Spite Ghost Status — 100% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ Persian Linoone SwitcherooHGSS Dark Status — 100% 10 Cool 0 Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB from an evolution of this Pokémon *Indicates a move only available by chain breeding

By tutoring

Generation IV Other generation learnsets: II - III

Game Move Type Cat. Pwr. Acc. PP Contest Appeal D P Pt HG SS Aqua Tail Water Physical 90 90% 10 Cute 3 ♥♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Gastro Acid Poison Status — 100% 10 Beauty 2 ♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Gunk Shot Poison Physical 120 70% 5 Cool 3 ♥♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Headbutt Normal Physical 70 100% 15 Tough 3 ♥♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Seed Bomb Grass Physical 80 100% 15 Smart 3 ♥♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Snore Normal Special 40 100% 15 Cute 3 ♥♥♥ D P Pt HG SS Spite Ghost Status — 100% 10 Tough 2 ♥♥ Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an evolution of this Pokémon A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game, while a colored background indicates that the move is available.

TCG-only moves

• Bind

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball
	Acquisition: Catch
Pokémon Trozei!
	Rarity: Common
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team
Body size: 1	Recruit Rate: 12.4%	Friend Area: Wild Plains
Phrases
51%-100% HP	The poison in my fangs is wicked!
26%-50% HP	My HP's gone down to half.
1%-25% HP	Help... I'm running out of poison...
Level Up	Yesss! I leveled up! I'll do my best!
Pokémon Ranger
Group:  Poison	Loops: 5	Minimum Experience: 28
Poké Assist: ( Poison )	Field Move: None	Maximum Experience: 42
"If it spots a Capture Disc, Ekans will slither straight toward it."
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness
Body size: 1	Recruit Rate: 0.5%	IQ Group: C

Evolution

Unevolved Ekans  Poison

Level 22 →

First evolution Arbok  Poison

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow	Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal			Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald	FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum	HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back

For other sprites and images, please see Ekans images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Ekans was originally going to use its Japanese name as its English name, "Arbo".
• In The Power of One, it is shown that Ekans can swim, though to date it has never been able to learn Surf.
  • Strangely, even though Ekans was shown swimming, its evolution was seen with all the other Pokémon that were "stuck on land and unable to do a thing."
• An Ekans was originally going to be featured in Pokémon Snap, shown in an early test shot of an environment that was never featured in the final product. This is also true of its evolution, Arbok.
• Ekans is the only Pokémon that can learn Poison Tail through breeding.
• Ekans is one of fourteen Pokémon that one could collect foreign Pokédex entries for in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.
• The line in front of Ekans's eyes, which curve to meet the other eye, when seen from above, looks like the pattern of the Spectacled Cobra.
• Ekans is the first pure Poison Pokémon in the National Dex order, though Bulbasaur's and Weedle's evolutionary lines, which are secondarily Poison, come before it.

Origin

It appears to be based upon a boa and rattlesnake.

Name origin

Ekans's name is snake spelled backwards. Arbo is either cobra spelled backwards with the c removed, or a corruption of boa spelled backwards.

In other languages

• German: Rettan - Natter (colubrid) spelled backwards.
• French: Abo - Most likely an anagram of boa.
• Korean: 아보 Abo
• Chinese (Taiwan and Hong Kong): 阿柏蛇 Á Bó Shí - Transliteration of Ekans's Japanese name, Arbo. The last character, 蛇, means snake.

Related articles

• Jessie's Ekans

External links

Notes

← #022: Fearow

Pokémon

#024: Arbok →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.