Introduced in generation three, with the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games, Nosepass is a monotype rock Pokemon. It is the base evolution of Probopass and is the first stage of its two stage evolution line. Nosepass is classified by the Pokedex as the “Compass Pokemon” which may be because of its magnetic nose that forces it to face north. This guide will showcase Nosepass’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Nosepass.
About Nosepass
As a generation three Pokemon, Nosepass first appeared in the Ruby and Sapphire season of the anime in the episode A Winner By a Nosepass. In this episode, Nosepass was used by Gym Leader Roxanne in battle against Ash. Nosepass will evolve into Probopass once it is leveled in a special magnetic field. The Pokedex states that Nosepass’s nose will point to the north and because of this, it has trouble facing other Nosepass.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire A Winner By a Nosepass |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire |
| Region | Hoenn |
| Evolution | Evolves into Probopass, not known to evolve from any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | Evolves when leveled in a special magnetic field |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Nosepass's magnetic nose is always pointed to the north. If two of these Pokémon meet, they cannot turn their faces to each other when they are close because their magnetic noses repel one another. |
Nosepass Base Stats
| HP | 30 |
| ATTACK | 45 |
| DEFENCE | 135 |
| SP. ATTACK | 45 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 90 |
| SPEED | 30 |
| TOTAL | 375 |
Appearance
Nosepass is a rocky Pokemon that resembles one of the Easter Island Heads. Most of its body is blue with a red nose, and it has two stubby arms and legs. Its eyes always seem to be closed, and its nose will always point towards north. Nosepass’s large nose resembles a pointed triangle and its whole body is shaped like a pointed cylinder. It is an average sized Pokemon at 3 feet and 3 inches, or 1 meter, tall.
Behavior
Throughout the anime, Nosepass is usually only seen in battle and is almost never seen in groups as their magnetic fields repel each other. Trainers will often utilize Nosepass’s natural compass-like capabilities to locate other Pokemon or to find their way out of the wilderness. It seems to be able to control its magnetic field to an extent as it will attract iron objects to its body to protect itself. They are known to be immobile, although they will move a little over 3/8 of an inch every year.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Nosepass has a physical defense stat that can rival fully evolved Pokemon’s defensive capabilities. Unfortunately, it has an abysmal health pool which makes it difficult to take advantage of its premier defense stats. While it is not a particularly offensive Pokemon, it can prolong battles if its opponent has no super effective moves. As a monotype rock Pokemon, Nosepass takes 2x damage from fighting, ground, steel, water, and grass type moves. It has no immunities but is resistant to normal, flying, poison, and fire type moves.
Best Moveset
As a base evolution Pokemon, Nosepass is exclusively limited to the LC (Little Cup) bracket of competitive play. In this format, it only has to face other base evolution Pokemon which can make its high physical defense very useful. Despite its strong defensive capability, Nosepass is typically used as a utility Pokemon due to its low health pool. Consider running Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Volt Switch, and Power Gem/Rock Blast. The chip damage from Stealth Rock can add up quickly, Thunder Wave can disable your opponent’s Pokemon, Volt Switch gives Nosepass an efficient switch out, and Power Gem/Rock Blast are interchangeable as Nosepass’s STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves.
| Stealth Rock | Thunder Wave |
| Volt Switch | Power Gem/Rock Blast |
How to Catch Nosepass in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Nosepass in Pokemon Go, there are a few ways of doing so. You can find Nosepass spawning in the wild, at a boosted rate, near quarries, farmland, hiking trails, parking lots, and other rocky areas. As a base evolution Pokemon, it has a common spawn rate and you can find them easily. Nosepass can also be hatched from 2 and 5 km eggs, and it has also been a tier one raid boss at Pokemon gyms in the past. To evolve Nosepass into Probopass you will need 50 candies and be standing near a Pokestop with a magnetic lure module activated.
Trivia
- Nosepass cannot be traded on the GTS without a nickname due to the universal censor.
- The inspiration for Nosepass’s design is a combination of the Easter Island statues and a compass.
- The name Nosepass is a combination of the words nose and compass.
Explainer Video
FAQ
Is Nosepass a good Pokemon?
For a base evolution Pokemon, you will have trouble finding a Pokemon with higher physical defense. Nosepass can handle physical attacks even if they are super effective. However, it has a small health pool so it may faint sooner than you may think. Its defensive stats become much more impressive once it evolves into Probopass.
How do you evolve Nosepass?
Starting with generation four, you can evolve Nosepass into Probopass by leveling it up in a special magnetic field. There is no level threshold for Nosepass to evolve and you can do it as soon as you encounter the magnetic field in game. Once you level up your Nosepass in the correct area you will just need to let the evolution animation play without pressing the “B” button.
Can female Nosepass evolve?
There is no gender requirement for Nosepass’s evolution. You will just need to level up Nosepass in a special magnetic field. Even though Probopass has a mustache and a more male appearance, the only special condition to worry about is leveling Nosepass in the correct area.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Compass Pokemon”. Nosepass has a surprising amount of defensive stats, especially for a base evolution Pokemon. Unfortunately, it suffers from a small health pool which makes it difficult to prolong battles. In competitive play, Nosepass is best used as a utility Pokemon that can disable your opponent’s Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Nosepass if you want a monotype rock Pokemon with disabling capabilities.
