Introduced in the original generation one, with the Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Kingler is a monotype water Pokemon. It is the final evolution of its two stage evolution line and evolves from Krabby when it reaches the level threshold. Kingler is classified by the Pokedex as the “Pincer Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Kingler’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Kingler.
About Kingler
As one of the original 151 Pokemon, Kingler first appeared in the Original Series of the anime in the episode Showdown at Dark City. In this episode, would-be Gym Leader Kaz uses a Kingler in his battle against Ash. The Pokedex mentions that Kingler’s claw can be used to communicate with others. However, it can tire quickly because of how heavy its claw is.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Showdown at Dark City |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Red/Green (Japan) Pokemon Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Krabby, not known to evolve into another Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 28 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Kingler has an enormous, oversized claw. It waves this huge claw in the air to communicate with others. However, because the claw is so heavy, the Pokémon quickly tires. |
Kingler Base Stats
| HP | 55 |
| ATTACK | 130 |
| DEFENCE | 115 |
| SP. ATTACK | 50 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 75 |
| TOTAL | 475 |
Appearance
Kingler is a large orange and white Pokemon that resembles a large crab. Most of its body is orange, but its legs and underneath its shell are white or cream colored. Kingler has a claw that is much larger than its other one. The weight and crushing capabilities of this claw make it a good intimidation tool. There are orange spikes running along the top of Kingler’s head to resemble a crown. Kingler is an average sized Pokemon at 4 feet and 3 inches, or 1.3 meters, tall.
Behavior
In the Pokemon universe, Kingler can be commonly found near the edges of water. It is particularly common near ocean shores. The strength of its massive claw is strong enough to pry open the shells of Shellder and Cloyster. Kingler can become easily fatigued by swinging its massive claw around, so it does not do well against fast opponents. The Pokedex mentions how Kingler’s claw has 10,000-horsepower worth of crushing force, however, it is unwieldy for it to use.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Kingler has phenomenal physical stats, but weak stats overall. While its physical attack and defense is powerful, its special stats are below average and it has a tiny health pool. On top of this, Kingler has a slow speed and this makes it difficult for Kingler to successfully fill any particular role on a team. As a monotype water Pokemon, Kingler takes 2x damage from grass and electric type moves. It has no immunities but will resist steel, fire, water, and ice type moves.
Best Moveset
Throughout its history, Kingler has been below average in competitive play. While its base stats can be impressive, it is too slow to function as an aggressive Pokemon. Nevertheless, you can build Kingler to subvert some of its weaknesses. With the Hyper Cutter ability ensuring its physical attack remains high, Kingler can function as an offensive Pokemon. Consider running Agility, Crabhammer, Knock Off, and Superpower/Swords Dance. This set is aimed at setting up Kingler with Agility for speed and Swords Dance for scaling. Its other moves are simply to cover opposing types of Pokemon during battle. Kingler’s attack is already quite high, so you can run Superpower instead of Swords Dance if you prefer.
| Agility | Crabhammer |
| Knock Off | Superpower/Swords Dance |
How to Catch Kingler in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Kingler in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first obtain a Krabby and eventually evolve it into a Kingler. Like most evolved Pokemon, its base evolution is much more common to encounter. You can find Krabby spawning in the wild at a boosted rate near rivers, oceans, docks, harbors, canals, lakes, and other watery areas. Krabby can also be hatched from 2 and 5 km egg, and both Krabby and Kingler have been featured as tier one raid bosses at Pokemon Gyms. To evolve Krabby into a Kingler you will need 50 candies.
Trivia
- Kingler and Scizor share a Pokedex classification as the “Pincer Pokemon”.
- The inspiration for Kingler’s design comes from crabs. Specifically the fiddler crab.
- The name Kingler is a combination of the words king and fiddler.
FAQ
What does a Kingler evolve into?
Kingler is the final evolution in its line and does not evolve any further. It evolves from Krabby once it reaches level 28. There are no special conditions to fulfill with this evolution and Krabby will begin to evolve once it reaches the level threshold. After your Krabby evolves into Kingler you have finished the Pokemon’s evolution line and can move on to collecting other Pokemon.
Is Kingler a good pokemon?
Kingler is a good Pokemon against other physical attacking Pokemon. It has a weak line up of special stats and moves slower than most other offensive Pokemon. For Kingler to succeed as an offensive Pokemon, it requires time to set up its abilities and scale to high potentials. Without this time, Kingler will often appear a mediocre Pokemon.
What kind of crab is Kingler?
The closest real-life crab to Kingler is a fiddler crab or a terrestrial crab in general. It also bears a resemblance to king crabs which its spiked crown lends some credibility to. However, its color scheme and general biology most closely resemble a fiddler crab. Its gigantamax form could be referencing Japanese spider crabs, which are known to blow bubbles from their mouths.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Pincer Pokemon”. While Kingler is not as powerful as other offensive Pokemon in competitive play, it can still be a formidable Pokemon. Kingler functions best as an aggressive Pokemon. With the right kind of build and enough time to scale, Kingler can sweep opposing teams. Reserve a slot on your team for Kingler if you want an aggressive water type Pokemon.
