Paras (Pokémon)

← #045: Vileplume

Pokémon

#047: Parasect →

Paras パラス Paras #046
Art by Ken Sugimori from FireRed and LeafGreen
Type Bug Grass Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Mushroom Pokémon
Abilities Effect Spore or Dry Skin Dry Skin Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,000,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #046 Johto #070 Hoenn #235 Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R-050 Almia R— Oblivia
Height 1'00" Imperial 0.3 m Metric 1'00"/0.3 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 11.9 lbs. Imperial 5.4 kg Metric 11.9 lbs./5.4 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Red	Catch rate 190 (24.8%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 50% male, 50% female
Breeding Bug and Plant groups 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 1 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Base Exp.: 70 Battle Exp.: 701*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX 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 a coconut crab-shaped 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

Paras can often be found in caves, since sunlight and dry air hurt their skin. They can also thrive in damp forests with high amounts of humidity where conditions are ideal for fungi. It is most commonly found in Kanto and Johto, but occasionally can be found in Sinnoh as well.

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

Major appearances

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

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.

A Paras appeared in A Bite to Remember.

Pokédex entries

In the TCG

Main article: Paras (TCG)

Game data

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

Held items

Game		Held Item(s)
Red*	Blue*	MysteryBerry (25%)
Yellow*
Gold	Silver	Tinymushroom Tinymushroom (25%)	Big Mushroom (8%)
Crystal
FireRed	LeafGreen	Tinymushroom Tinymushroom (50%)	Big Mushroom (5%)
Diamond	Pearl	Tinymushroom Tinymushroom (50%)	Big Mushroom (5%)
Platinum
HeartGold	SoulSilver	Tinymushroom Tinymushroom (50%)	Big Mushroom (5%)

Stats

Base stats

Pokéathlon stats

Type effectiveness

Learnset

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | bug | style="background:#3FA129" |  grass 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 1 | style=" background:#FFF" | Paras | style="display:none; background:#FFF" | {{{6}}} Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By TM/HM

Template:Movelisttm Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By breeding

Template:Eggmoves Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Eggmoves/note

By tutoring

Template:Tutor Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4 Template:Mtentry4

|- style="background:#B8C26A" | colspan="13" | 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. |} |}

Special moves

Side game data

Pokémon Pinball     Acquisition: Catch		Pokémon Pinball RS  N/A  Not available		Pokémon Trozei!    Rarity: Common
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team File:MDP RT 046.png 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! Partner phrases 51%-100% HP <name>, my HP is between 51% and 100%. 26%-50% HP <name>, my HP is between 26% and 50%. 1%-25% HP <name>, my HP is between 1% and 25%. Level up Yay! I leveled up! That makes me happy!
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky Body size: 1 Recruit rate: 8.2% IQ group: A
Pokémon Ranger Group:  Bug  Poké Assist: ( Grass ) Field move: (Cut ×1) Loops: 4 Min. exp.: 13 Max. exp.: 24 Browser entry   Paras cuts the Capture Line with its front claws to avoid being caught.
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia Group:  Normal  Poké Assist: None Field move: None Browser entry   This Pokémon does not have a browser entry.
Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs Group: Poké Assist: Field move:  Normal  None Past ( Normal ) None Past (Electrify ×1) Browser entry   This Pokémon does not have a browser entry.
Pokémon Rumble N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed			Pokémon Rumble Blast N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed N/A Not Available Defense Speed
PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure PokéPark Pad entry: This Pokémon has no PokéPark Pad entry.
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Strong: {{{Park2strong}}} Weak: {{{Park2weak}}} PokéPark Pad entry: This Pokémon has no PokéPark Pad entry.
Pokémon Conquest HP: Move: {{{ConquestMove}}} Attack: Ability 1: {{{ConquestAbility1}}} Defense: Ability 2: {{{ConquestAbility2}}} Speed: Ability 3: {{{ConquestAbility3}}} Does not evolve. Range: 0 Perfect Links: {{{ConquestLink}}}

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
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			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.
• Paras is the only Pokémon with a total EV yield of 1 to evolve at a fixed Level directly into a Pokémon with an EV yield of 3, Parasect. In Generation II, the 1 EV yielding Slowpoke, who previously only evolved at Level 37 into the 2 EV yielding Slowbro, gained the ability to evolve directly into the 3 EV yielding Slowking when traded with a King's Rock, and in Generation IV the 1 EV yielding Nosepass was given the 3 EV yielding direct evolution Probopass when gaining a Level in Mt. Coronet.
• 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 5× 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 Template:Type2s that also take super-effective damage from Bug attacks, due to their part Grass typing.
• In Finnish, Paras means "the best".

Origin

Bulbanews has an article related to this subject:

On the Origin of Species: Paras and Parasect

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.

In other languages

• German: Paras
• French: Paras
• Korean: 파라스 Paraseu
• Chinese (Taiwan): 派拉斯 Pài Lā Sī - Transliteration of Paras.

External links

Notes

← #045: Vileplume

Pokémon

#047: Parasect →

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