Paras (Pokémon)

Paras パラス Paras

Artwork from FR/LG

Types Species  Bug  Grass  Mushroom Pokémon Abilities Exp. at 100 Effect Spore or Dry Skin 1,000,000 Pokédex Kanto #046 Johto #070 Hoenn #235* Sinnoh #— Browser Fiore R-050 Almia R— Height Weight 1'00" 11.9 lbs. Pokédex color Footprint Body style Catch rate Red 190 Gender ratio   50% male   50% female Egg groups Egg cycles Bug, Plant 21 (5355 steps*) EV yield HP 0 Atk 1 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Exp. 70 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

Paras (Japanese: パラス Paras) is a dual-type Bug/Grass Pokémon.

It evolves into Parasect starting at level 24.

Biology

Physiology

Paras is an insectoid creature, with the unique feature of having mushrooms known as tochukaso growing from its back. They grow from spores that are doused on this Pokémon's back at birth by the mushroom on its parent's back.

Though tochukaso are parasitic in nature, Paras manages to make use of the mushrooms by creating a semi-symbiotic relationship; the mushrooms draw their nutrients from the host Paras's body in order to grow, and Paras is able to use the mushrooms spores along with its own pincers for self-defense.

Paras may have fairly long life spans, because the tochukaso is known for having properties that are beneficial for longevity.

The mushrooms on Paras's back are often prized by collectors.

Gender differences

None.

Special abilities

The mushrooms growing out of its back will release irritating spores that can paralyze, poison, or put to sleep.

Behavior

The mushrooms on its back have a very commanding influence over Paras and order it to extract juice from tree trunks. It is also very timid as shown in the anime when it runs away from a battle with a Charmeleon.

Habitat

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Paras can often be found in caves, since sunlight and dry air hurt their skin. They can also thrive in dank forests with lots of humidity where conditions are ideal for fungi.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

It is unknown if Paras eats regular food in the wild or if it gets all of its nutrients from the roots that it sucks, though most of the food is absorbed by the mushrooms on its back.

In the anime

Paras in the anime

Major appearances

Paras is first featured in The Problem with Paras under the ownership of Cassandra. It is extremely weak, but Cassandra needs it to evolve into a Parasect so she can use the giant mushroom to aid in her medical research.

Minor appearances

A group of Paras can be seen briefly in Clefairy and the Moon Stone removing the mushrooms on their backs.

A differently patterned Paras appeared in Poké Ball Peril.

Paras had a small cameo in Tracey Gets Bugged as one of the Bug Pokémon on Murcott Island.

It also appeared in The Bug Stops Here during the Bug-Catching Contest.

Pokédex entries

In the TCG

Main article: Paras (TCG)

Game data

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

Held items

Stats

Base stats

Pokéthlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

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

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

By leveling up

By TM/HM

By breeding

By tutoring

Special moves

Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Shadow moves		Level 28+	Purified moves
Shadow Blitz	Shadow		Refresh	Normal
Shadow Shed	Shadow		Spore	Grass
--			Slash	Normal
--			False Swipe	Normal

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: 11.4%	Friend Area: Mushroom Forest
Phrases
51%-100% HP	The mushrooms on my back are my friends!
26%-50% HP	Hey, my health is half gone...
1%-25% HP	Please... I'm about to fall with my mushrooms...
Level Up	Yay! I leveled up! That makes me happy!
Pokémon Ranger
Group:  Bug	Loops: 4	Minimum Experience: 13
Poké Assist: ( Grass )	Field Move: (Cut ×1)	Maximum Experience: 24
"Paras cuts the Capture Line with its front claws to avoid being caught."
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness
Body size: 1	Recruit Rate: 8.2%	IQ Group: A

Evolution

Unevolved Paras  Bug  Grass

Level 24 →

First evolution Parasect  Bug  Grass

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow	Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal			Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald	FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
			File:Spr 3e 046 s.gif
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum	HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back

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

Trivia

• Paras's name was originally "Parasyte". The name was probably abandoned because it was also the official English name of an extremely graphic Japanese horror comic.
• In Generation I, Poison attacks are super effective against Bug, making Paras and Parasect the only Pokémon to have ever had three 4× weaknesses or double weakness to Poison.
• Due to the ability Dry Skin, Paras and Parasect are also the only Pokémon to have a 8× weakness (to Fire).
• Paras and Parasect share the same species name with Shroomish and Breloom. They are all known as Mushroom Pokémon.
• Paras, Parasect, and Wormadam in its Plant cloak are the only Bug-types that also take super-effective damage from Bug attacks, due to their part Grass typing.
• Paras' colors on its shiny sprite resembles its evolution's colors.
• Paras has teeth or fangs. But in the Generation I sprite it appeared to have a mouth that was frowning.

Origin

There are many forms of fungus that grow on insects, any one of which could have inspired Paras's design, like the Entomophthora muscae, which grows on the back of the common housefly. As for the insect itself, it bears a resemblance to a cicada larva, more so than Nincada.

Name origin

Paras's name is a shortening of the word parasite, referring to the parasitic mushroom growing on its back. "Paras" also means "the best" in Finnish.

In other languages

• German: Paras
• French: Paras
• Korean: 파라스 Paraseu
• Chinese (Taiwan): 派拉斯 Pai La Si - Transliteration of Paras.

External links

Notes

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