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If you have a good competitive moveset for Nidoking, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Nidoking Pokédex and learnset for reference.

PLACEHOLDER sprite

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29 Answers

0 votes

Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer force
EVS: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature / Jolly Nature
- Megahorn
- Thunder Punch
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab / Venoshock

Megahorn for those pesky Psychic-types
Thunder Punch for most types
Earthquake: Do I have to explain this one
Poison Jab / Venoshock for if your running a Poison Point Nidoking Venoshock gets a boost

Hope this set helps you.

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0 votes

For a Nidoking with NO weakness this is the way to go.

Nidoking @ King's Rock
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 128 HP / 200 Atk / 180 Spe
Brave Nature
- Iron Tail
- Megahorn
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch

Iron Tail - Ice-type weakness
Megahorn - Psychic-type weakness
Ice Punch - Ground-type weakness
Thunder Punch - Water-type weakness

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0 votes

Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Superpower
- Shadow Claw
- Sludge Wave

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0 votes

This is my Nidoking set:

Beast (Nidoking) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Sludge Bomb

I know it may be a really common set, but I wanted to use this one because of Life Orb so he would have some extra HP so it can use a move an extra turn before it gets knocked out even though it's pretty sturdy. Good attacker and all out attacker set. Would recommend this set for Life Orb so you have that extra HP.

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Why not use a modest nature with full investment in S.Atk? Plus Earth power is better with sheer force because of it have a chance to lower Sp.Def.
Earthquake is physical, I would run hasty/naive/rash/mild
0 votes

Nidoking @ Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
- Ice Punch
- Megahorn / Superpower / Rock Slide

Earthquake - Reliable STAB, hits 5 types super effectively
Poison Jab - Reliable STAB as well
Ice Punch - Hits annoying Flying-types that are immune to your earthquake
Megahorn / Superpower / Rock Slide - Megahorn and Superpower hit Dark-types, while Rock Slide hits Moltres for 4x super effective damage.

More detailed explanation:
So Nidoking is a full on attacker, with Sheer Force it doesn’t take any damage from the Life Orb, making it a huge threat, also, its base attack is WAAAYYY better than its base Special attack, sitting at only 85, while it’s base attack is 102. Stealth Rock won’t work on this thing, it’s not a tank, that’s more Nidoqueen’s role.

Earthquake hits a lot of things for super effective damage, such as Mega Aggron, Bisharp, Darmanitan, and pretty much everything that’s a Poison-, Steel-, Fire-, Rock-, and Electric-types.

Poison Jab is just reliable STAB, hits Amoongus and Celebi for neutral damage (Earthquake might be a more reliable option, especially on Amoongus).

Ice Punch hits Mega Pigeot and Kommo-o, and hits Amoongus, but again Earthquake is probably better.
Megahorn, high base power, and hits Alolan Muk, but again Earthquake is better, also hits Mega Sharpedo, don’t know why you’d keep Nidoking in against a Mega Sharpedo though.

Superpower another option instead of Megahorn, 100% accurate, but lowers your Attack and Defense after using it, hits against the same Pokémon as Megahorn, but also hits Mamoswine, but Earthquake is better.

Lastly, an alternate option for Megahorn or Superpower, and personally my favorite, Rock Slide, KOes Moltres.

-RainbowSheep

Hope this helped :D

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Sorry, I forgot about SHEER FORCE! That brings SuperPowers base power to about 133, and it ignores the stat drop, bringing it’s base power over Mega Horns 120, and rock slides base power is now 97.5, so honestly, the best option is SuperPower. Sheer Force also brings Poison Jabs base power up to 104, which is amazing! And it brings Ice Punch’s base power up to 97.5! So here’s the final moveset with base powers
Earthquake-150 Base Power
Poison Jab-156 Base Power
Ice Punch-97.5 Base Power
SuperPower-133 Base Power
Hope this helped!
:D
-RainbowSheep
0 votes

Nidoking
Nidoking @ Leftovers
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
- Focus Blast
- Thunderbolt

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Why are you running 252 in both Attack and Special Attack. 128/128 or something like 200/56 is better. Also, you're running a - speed nature on Nidoking, which means its supposed to be bulky, but you give it only 4 HP EVs. That isn't enough, especially since King has mediocre bulk in the first place. Also, may I ask why you are using Leftovers over Black Sludge?
0 votes

Physical Sweeper Nido
Tier: UU, OU, Singles based set

Menace (Nidoking) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
- Fire Punch
- Ice Punch

Equake (100 BP) > Bulldoze (78 BP WITH Sheer Force) obvious.

Poison Jab obvious too, STAB + Boosted by Ability and Life Orb.

Punches for Coverage. Fire Punch for nailing Scizor and Ferrothorn, Ice Punch for Dragon-/Flying-/Ground-type mons that can shrug off or ignore Earthquake / Poison Jab.

Opted for no Aqua Tail, as shaky accuracy, no Sheer Force boost, and you can just switch out to your own Flying-type / Levitating mon, if you see Excadrill, Hippowdon, Rhyperior, Golem, etc, which don't really matter, as none of them are overly common in OU, whereas Garchomp and Salamence are much more common, hence Ice Punch.

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0 votes

Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower

Earth Power - Good STAB
Sludge Wave - Good STAB
Ice Beam - Nice Coverage against Dragon-types and other Ground-types.
Flamethrower - To beat Steel-types and Scizor.

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0 votes

Nidoking @ Life Orb / Focus Sash
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Ability: Sheer Force
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Sucker Punch
- Stealth Rock / Toxic Spikes
- Taunt / Toxic Spikes / Poison Jab / Fire Punch

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Ability?...
Lol I forgot edited