Nincada
BugGround
Best attacking moveset: Bug Bite and Bug Buzz, worth 5.3 damage per second against a neutral target.
Best moveset
Nincada can learn 6 combinations. Bug Bite with Bug Buzz does the most damage per second of them, at level 40 with a perfect attack stat. Same-type moves get the 1.2× bonus, and the cycle assumes the charged attack fires the moment it has the energy.
Stats and moves come straight from the game's own data files. Every number on this page is a raid and gym number, not a PvP one.
Type matchups
| Fast attack | Type | Power | Duration | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bug Bite | Bug | 5 | 0.5s | +6 |
| Scratch | Normal | 6 | 0.5s | +4 |
| Charged attack | Type | Power | Duration | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerial Ace | 55 | 2.5s | -33 | |
| Bug Buzz | Bug | 95 | 3.5s | -50 |
| Night Slash | Dark | 45 | 2.0s | -33 |
Shiny
Yes. Shiny Nincada has been released. Players have found it from: wild, research, photobomb.
Evolution family
Numbers
| Max CP | 868 at level 50, 768 at level 40 |
|---|---|
| Raid catch | 439 CP at level 20, or 549 if weather boosted (perfect IVs) |
| Lowest possible raid catch | 399 CP. Raid encounters can't roll below 10/10/10 |
| Base stats | 80 attack · 126 defense · 104 stamina |
What it costs
| Second charged move | 75,000 Stardust and 75 Candy |
|---|---|
| Buddy distance | 5 km per Candy |
| Size | 0.51 m and 5.5 kg |
Best moveset against each type
Nincada does not have one best moveset, it has 5. Which one wins depends on what you are attacking, because a move only gets its bonus against something weak to it. Best against Grass, Psychic, Dark.
| Against | Best moveset | DPS |
|---|---|---|
| Grass | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 8.3 |
| Psychic | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 8.3 |
| Dark | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 8.3 |
| Bug | Bug Bite + Aerial Ace | 5.7 |
| Fighting | Scratch + Aerial Ace | 5.4 |
| Normal | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Ground | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Rock | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Water | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Electric | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Ice | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Dragon | Bug Bite + Bug Buzz | 5.3 |
| Ghost | Bug Bite + Night Slash | 4.5 |
| Scratch + Night Slash | 4.3 | |
| Poison | Scratch + Night Slash | 4.3 |
| Fire | Scratch + Night Slash | 4.3 |
| Fairy | Scratch + Aerial Ace | 4.3 |
| Steel | Bug Bite + Night Slash | 3.3 |
Same maths as the headline number, run once per defending type: level 40, perfect attack IV, and the target's own type taken into account. Sorted by damage, so the top of this table is what Nincada is actually for.
Counters: what beats Nincada
| Attacker | Type | Moveset | DPS |
|---|---|---|---|
 Blacephalon | FireGhost | Incinerate + Mind Blown Legacy | 51.6 |
 Reshiram | DragonFire | Fire Fang + Fusion Flare Legacy | 42.8 |
 Salamence | Dragon | Fire Fang + Fly | 39.5 |
 Chandelure | GhostFire | Fire Spin + Overheat | 39.2 |
 Moltres | Fire | Fire Spin + Fly | 38.9 |
 Cinderace | Fire | Fire Spin + Pyroball | 38.7 |
 Enamorus | Fairy | Fairy Wind + Fly | 38.5 |
 Volcarona | BugFire | Fire Spin + Overheat | 38.3 |
 Darmanitan | Fire | Fire Fang + Overheat | 38.1 |
 Yveltal | Dark | Gust + Oblivion Wing Legacy | 38.0 |
Ranked by damage per second against Nincada's own defense, at level 40 with a 15 attack IV, one per evolution family.