Ekans (Pokémon)

← #022: Fearow

Pokémon

#024: Arbok →

Ekans アーボ Arbo #023
Artwork from FR/LG
Type Poison ' Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Snake Pokémon
Abilities Intimidate or Shed Skin Shed Skin Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,000,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #023 Johto #050 Hoenn #225 Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R— Almia R— Oblivia
Height 6'07" Imperial 2.0 m Metric 6'07"/2.0 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 15.2 lbs. Imperial 6.9 kg Metric 15.2 lbs./6.9 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Purple	Catch rate 255 (33.3%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 50% male, 50% female
Breeding Ground and Dragon groups 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 1 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 0 Base Exp.: 62 Battle Exp.: 621*
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

Ekans (Japanese: アーボ Arbo) is a Template:Type2 Pokémon.

It evolves into Arbok starting at level 22.

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

File:Grassland.gif

Grassland Pokémon

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

File:Jessie's Ekans.JPG

Jessie's Ekans

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

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red Moves silently and stealthily. Eats the eggs of birds, such as Pidgey and Spearow, whole. Blue 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.
Generation 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.
Generation 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.
Generation 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 It always hides in grass. When first born, it has no poison, so its bite is painful, but harmless.
Generation V Black {{{blackdex}}} White {{{whitedex}}} Black 2 {{{black2dex}}} White 2 {{{white2dex}}}
Generation VI X Unknown Y Unknown

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red Blue Common Routes 4, 11, and 23 (Red only) Blue (Japan) None Trade Yellow None Trade
Generation II Gold Silver Unlimited (Gold) Uncommon (Silver) Goldenrod Game Corner (Gold) Routes 3, 4, 32, and 33 (Silver) Crystal Few Routes 3, 4, 32, 33, and 42, Headbutting trees
Generation 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
Generation IV Diamond Pearl Dongle Route 212 (FireRed) Platinum Dongle Route 212 (FireRed) HeartGold SoulSilver Uncommon (Both) Prize (HeartGold) Goldenrod Game Corner (HeartGold) Routes 3, 4, 32, 33, and 37 (SoulSilver) Safari Zone (Both) Pal Park Forest Pokéwalker None
Generation V Black White None Trade Black 2 White 2 None Trade Dream World None
Generation VI X Y None Trade

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		Held Item(s)
Red*	Blue*	Berry (100%)
Yellow*

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 (if applicable) a hindering nature. Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature. This Pokémon's Special base stat in Generation I was 40.

Pokéthlon stats

Speed 3/5 ★★★☆☆	Power 3/4 ★★★☆
Skill 3/3 ★★★	Stamina 2/3 ★★☆
Jump 2/3 ★★☆	Total 13/18 ★★☆

Learnset

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | poison | style="background:#9141CB" |  poison 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 1 | style=" background:#FFF" | Ekans | 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:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By tutoring

|- style="background:#B884DD" | 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. |} |}

TCG-only moves

• Bind

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
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			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."
  • Stranger still, Arbok was shown to be able to swim without the need for air in The Misty Mermaid.
• 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 (アーボ) is Boa (ボア) 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 Arbok

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 species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.