A reptilian with purple scales over most of its body. It has lost the rattle it had on its tail as an Ekans. Like a cobra, it can spread out its ribs into a hood. On its "hood", it has a design much like an angry face. The frightening patterns on its belly have been studied. Six variations have been confirmed.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
It has a nasty bite with deadly venom. Terrifically strong, it is capable of crushing opponents by coiling its body around them and Template:M2. It can even flatten steel oil drums. If it encounters an enemy, it raises its head, Template:A2 the opponent with Template:M2.
Behavior
Rather vicious, Arbok are territorial. They lash out at intruders with long fangs tipped with deadly venom. With a vengeful nature, it won't give up a chase after prey or an opponent, no matter how far, once it targets it prey.
Jessie had an Arbok that she obtained as an Ekans. It was her primary battling Pokémon until A Poached Ego, when she set it free along with James's Weezing to protect a wild group of Ekans and Koffing.
Koga and Agatha both have Arbok as important parts of their teams in Pokémon Special. In Pokémon Special, the pattern on an Arbok's belly may give an Arbok special abilities. With the help of Agatha's smoke, Agatha's Arbok had the ability to switch between a bunch of different patterns (see Issue 71), a speed boosting pattern, an attack boosting pattern, and a Invulnerability Pattern that repels poisons, Koga's Arbok, on the other hand, only has one pattern, which was a Regnerative pattern that allows it to regnerate any part of its body as long as the head remains intact. According to Pokémon Yellow, that leaves two patterns left undiscovered (if Koga's is the standard one).
Pokémon Special Pokédex entry (issue 71): It is rumored that the ferocious warning markings in its belly differ from area to area.
This Pokémon is terrifically strong in order to constrict things with its body. It can even flatten steel oil drums. Once Arbok wraps its body around its foe, escaping its crunching embrace is impossible.
This Pokémon is terrifically strong in order to constrict things with its body. It can even flatten steel oil drums. Once Arbok wraps its body around its foe, escaping its crunching embrace is impossible.
This Pokémon has a terrifically strong constricting power. It can even flatten steel oil drums. Once it wraps its body around its foe, escaping is impossible.
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In Generation I games, Arbok seemed to have a pattern on its back. This was later dropped.
In Generation II, the "face" on Arbok's chest pattern changed. Its Generation III sprite is much the same, (apart from small differences) but it changed to a form very similar to its original design in Generation IV (except its body became a deeper shade of purple) and in the anime, as well as FireRed and LeafGreen. This supports the Pokédex entry saying how there are different pattern designs for various regions.
It is part of the Dragon egg group, and one of the three Poison-types to ever be in this group. Its Template:P2 and Seviper are the other two.
Interestingly, they are all based on snakes.
Origin
It is likely that its design was based upon a cobra.
Arbok may also be based on a sea snake because, in the episode "The Misty Mermaid" Jessie's Arbok battled completely under water without coming up for air, as well as exhibiting exceptional swimming ability.
Name origin
Its name is the word cobra spelled backwards and with k instead of c.
Chinese (Taiwan and Hong Kong): 阿柏怪 Á Bó Gůai - Transliteration of Arbok's Japanese name, which is also Arbok. The last character, 怪, means freak or demon.
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.
For other sprites and images, please see Arbok images on Bulbagarden Archives.
