Seviper are fairly large snake Pokémon that are usually depicted scrunched up like an accordion. They are mostly black in color, but have several markings on their body. Seviper have yellow hexagon markings that run from their head to their tail, small yellow bumps where they touch the ground (this is presumably to help with movement) and various purple scar-like marks. Seviper has several different weapons it can use in battle, such as elongated red fangs that protrude from the mouth and a partially red-colored, bladelike tail that it can use to stab or swipe. Seviper also have fierce red eyes that make it able to use attacks like Glare.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Seviper can create a horrible poison that it can channel through either the tail or fangs, quickly dispatching prey.
Seviper are bitter enemies with Zangoose, willing to battle them to the bitter end. It is suggested that this feud has lasted for quite some time. It sharpens its swordlike tail on hard rocks for battle, and may hide in tall grass and strike unwary prey with its venomous fangs.
Seviper is a carnivore, hiding in tall grass. It uses its long tongue to sense prey. Then it strikes unawary prey with its venomous fangs. Their prey may include Zangoose due to their hatred towards them.
Seviper first appeared in A Tail with a Twist. Jessie was so impressed by how it beat up Ash's Treecko, that she just had to capture it. After it bit off a chunk of her hair accidentally, she beat it up with her own two hands. After James and Meowth calmed her back down, she captured it in a Poké Ball.
In Tears for Fears!, the rivalry between both Seviper and Zangoose was highlighted upon a couple of times during the episode. Jessie's Seviper had picked up on the three other Zangoose that were making their way towards the team. It had immediately reacted and proceeded to do battle with them. Once learning of the fact that they would be fighting till the death, Jessie had tried to recall Seviper several times, though each time, Seviper would break back out of its Poké Ball to continue fighting.
A wild Seviper attacked Ruby and Sapphire after the latter took him to her Secret Base. Her Torchic was able to put it down for the time being with its Ember barrage, but it rose back up after Sapphire fainted from an earlier wound. Ruby, seeing that there was no one around to see him fight, knocked it out cold before leaving Sapphire a letter and a change of clothes.
Another Seviper appeared in the wild in Volume 17, where it broke Ruby's Poké Balls in unison with a wild Zangoose. The then-uncaptured Mimi was able to take them both out, resulting in it being forced into his team (which provided a sharp contrast between the well-groomed Nana and Kiki, and Mumu and itself).
As in the games, the Pike Queen Lucy uses a Seviper as her main Pokémon, which was able to defeat two rental Pokémon in an exhibition match, and later fought Emerald before losing.
Seviper shares a generations-long feud with Zangoose. The scars on its body are evidence of vicious battles. This Pokémon attacks using its sword-edged tail.
Seviper's swordlike tail serves two purposes - it slashes foes and douses them with secreted poison. This Pokémon will not give up its long-running blood feud with Zangoose.
Although it is stated that Seviper and Zangoose are bitter enemies, they share several characteristics, such as being in the Field Egg Group, residing in the same Friend Area, and having a base stat total of 458 (which is unique to only them).
Seviper is the only pure Poison type to not have an evolutionary relative.
The pattern on the Luck Symbol seems to be based on Seviper's diamond patterns.
Seviper and Zangoose also have the exact opposite Experience group, with Seviper being in the Fluctuating group and Zangoose being in the Erratic group.
Although Pokédex entries say Seviper and Zangoose are bitter enemies, they have gotten along in Saving Braviary.
Origin
Seviper is based on a viper; specifically, the habu, a type of venomous snake that was often pitted against mongooses in roadside shows. This practice is now considered inhumane and is rarely seen today. Aside from its scars, the shape of its color pattern resembles that of the Sakishima habu. The rivalry it shares with Zangoose is based on the relationship between mongooses and snakes.
Name origin
Seviper is a combination of sever (to cut and detach) or severe (intense) and viper.
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.