ariados
Generation II · #0168 — Long Leg Pokémon
Ariados is a Bug/Poison-type Pokémon introduced in Generation II, serving as the evolved form of Spinarak starting at level 22. Known as the Long Leg Pokémon, Ariados is classified under the National Pokédex as #168 and represents an intriguing shift in the spider Pokémon archetype—evolving from a relatively timid creature into a more formidable nocturnal hunter. With a total base stat of 400, Ariados prioritizes physical offense with an Attack stat of 90, making it a capable glass cannon in certain competitive environments. Despite its relatively modest Speed stat of 40, Ariados compensates with decent bulk, maintaining 70 HP and 70 Defense alongside a Special Defense that varies by generation. The species is known to inhabit temperate and tropical forests, where it actively hunts after darkness falls, making it a distinctly nocturnal predator that rarely remains in a single location.
Base Stats
Height
1.1m
Weight
33.5kg
Category
Long Leg Pokémon
Gender
Male 50% / Female 50%
Color
red
Shape
armor
Habitat
forest
Abilities
Strengthens bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Prevents sleep.
Strengthens critical hits to inflict 3× damage rather than 2×.
Ariados Biology & Physical Characteristics
Ariados is a striking red arachnid Pokémon with a distinctly spider-like appearance, featuring a rounded abdomen marked with two prominent black stripes and characterized by two black spots and a yellow spinneret that collectively form a face-like pattern on its rear. The creature possesses distinctive purple eyes, a pair of white mandibles, and a prominent white horn adorning its forehead, giving it an almost regal appearance among arthropod Pokémon. Its four primary yellow legs are banded with purple stripes, while yellow structures resembling additional legs extend from its back, each featuring a single purple stripe. What most distinguishes Ariados from its pre-evolved form is the development of tiny hooked claws adorning its feet, specialized anatomical features that enable the Pokémon to traverse ceilings and vertical walls with remarkable agility and precision. Most notably, Ariados possesses the unique biological capability to produce silk thread from both its spinneret and its mouth, creating a bewildering dual-production system that makes it genuinely difficult to discern which end is which, as humorously noted in its Generation I Pokédex entries.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Ariados Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Ariados maintains a perfectly balanced gender ratio of 50% male to 50% female, allowing for equal reproductive potential regardless of trainer circumstances. The species belongs exclusively to the Bug egg group, limiting breeding compatibility to other Bug-type Pokémon and necessitating specific breeding strategies for competitive teams requiring Ariados with optimal move pools. With a base happiness value of 70 (in Generations II through VII; later adjusted to 50 in contemporary games), Ariados demonstrates moderate affection potential toward its trainer, encouraging early bonding but not providing the immediate friendship boost of notoriously affectionate species. The egg hatch counter requires 15 cycles to complete, translating to approximately 3,599 to 3,855 steps in-game—a relatively moderate hatch time that makes breeding Ariados moderately time-efficient for players seeking multiple specimens or optimal individual values. The species exhibits a fast growth rate, allowing trained Ariados specimens to reach maximum level relatively quickly compared to slow-growth alternatives.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
black white
tm01
black 2 white 2
tm01
omega ruby alpha sapphire
tm01
x y
tm03
yellow
tm03
crystal
tm03
gold silver
tm03
red blue
tm03
blue japan
tm03
red green japan
tm05
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm06
yellow
tm06
gold silver
tm06
red blue
tm06
crystal
tm06
emerald
tm06
firered leafgreen
tm06
diamond pearl
tm06
platinum
tm06
ruby sapphire
+568 more TMs/HMs
ariados's Evolution Chain
Ariados Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Ariados evolves from Spinarak upon reaching level 22, a transformation that occurs relatively early in the Pokémon's development cycle and represents a significant power increase suitable for trainers in the mid-game phase. The evolution from Spinarak to Ariados marks a notable aesthetic and statistical improvement, with Spinarak's base Attack of 60 increasing to Ariados's respectable 90, while Spinarak's Speed of 30 increases to 40. Defensively, the evolution provides modest improvements across the board, with most defensive stats gaining 10 points. This straightforward single-stage evolution from a Bug/Poison type to the same dual typing makes Ariados a consistent member of teams focusing on those type combinations. Unlike some Generation II Pokémon, Ariados has never received a Mega Evolution, regional form, or alternative evolutionary path, remaining a singular, stable evolutionary endpoint throughout all subsequent generations since its introduction.
Where to Find
kanto route 2
kanto
+3 more
johto route 37
johto
sinnoh route 229
sinnoh
+3 more
dreamyard
unova
+1 more
malie garden
alola
+1 more
alola route 11
alola
+1 more
alola route 10
alola
+1 more
alola route 17
alola
+2 more
ulaula meadow
alola
+1 more
Ariados Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Rather than establishing a permanent nest in a single location, Ariados exhibits nomadic hunting behavior, wandering through the forest depths during nocturnal hours in search of sustenance. As it travels, the Pokémon continuously spins a single strand of specialized, incredibly strong silk from its rear that creates a direct thread leading back to its actual nest—a remarkable biological GPS system that allows safe return to its home. When Ariados encounters and captures prey, it demonstrates sophisticated predatory tactics: the victim is meticulously wrapped in silken webbing before being attacked by its fangs, after which Ariados consumes the prey's bodily fluids at leisure. Interestingly, Ariados sometimes employs an alternative hunting strategy wherein it releases its captured prey while attaching only a single thread to it, allowing the spider to follow this tether to both the released prey and the location of its companions, effectively using bait to locate additional food sources. This calculated behavior pattern demonstrates significant intelligence and strategic thinking, elevating Ariados beyond a simple mindless predator.
Pokedex Entries
It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It is hard to tell which end is which.
A single strand of a special string is endlessly spun out of its rear. The string leads back to its nest.
Rather than mak ing a nest in one specific spot, it wanders in search of food after darkness falls.
ARIADOS’s feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. This POKéMON constricts the foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
Its feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. It constricts its foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
A single strand of a special string is endlessly spun out of its rear. The string leads back to its nest.
It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It is hard to tell which end is which.
It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.
It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It’s hard to tell which end is which.
A single strand of a special string is endlessly spun out of its rear. The string leads back to its nest.
It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.
It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.
It spins string not only from its rear but also from its mouth. It’s hard to tell which end is which.
It attaches silk to its prey and sets it free. Later, it tracks the silk to the prey and its friends.
Ariados’s feet are tipped with tiny hooked claws that enable it to scuttle on ceilings and vertical walls. This Pokémon constricts the foe with thin and strong silk webbing.
There are some areas where people use the string Ariados spins for their own weaving. The resulting cloth is popular for its strength.
Every night, it wanders around in search of prey, whose movements it restrains by spewing threads before it bites into them with its fangs.
It spins thread from both its rear and its mouth. Then it wraps its prey up in thread and sips their bodily fluids at its leisure.
It spews threads from its mouth to catch its prey. When night falls, it leaves its web to go hunt aggressively.
Ariados Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Ariados derives from the mythological Arachne, a skilled weaver in Greek mythology who was transformed into a spider as punishment for her hubris, combined with the suffix '-ados' common in Japanese Pokémon nomenclature. This etymological foundation perfectly encapsulates the Pokémon's characterization as an advanced weaver-spider, elevating it conceptually beyond simple arachnid representation into the realm of mythological significance. The design itself draws clear inspiration from real-world spiders, particularly orb-weavers and hunting spiders, though exaggerated and stylized with vibrant red coloration and magical silk-production capabilities. The distinctive yellow spinneret and accompanying spots forming a face-like pattern on its abdomen represent a clever design choice, creating visual interest while maintaining biological plausibility. The white horn on its forehead provides an almost mystical quality, distinguishing Ariados from mundane spider depictions and cementing its identity as a distinctly Pokémon creature rather than a direct animal analogue.
Learnable Moves
Ariados can learn 85 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| absorb | grass | Special | 20 | 100 | 25 |
| acid spray | poison | Special | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| agility | psychic | Status | — | — | 30 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| baton pass | normal | Status | — | — | 40 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| bounce | flying | Physical | 85 | 85 | 5 |
| bug bite | bug | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| bug buzz | bug | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| captivate | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| confide | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| constrict | normal | Physical | 10 | 100 | 35 |
| cross poison | poison | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| dig | ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| disable | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| double edge | normal | Physical | 120 | 100 | 15 |
| electroweb | electric | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| fell stinger | bug | Physical | 50 | 100 | 25 |
| flash | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| focus energy | normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
| foul play | dark | Physical | 95 | 100 | 15 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| fury swipes | normal | Physical | 18 | 80 | 15 |
| giga drain | grass | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| giga impact | normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hex | ghost | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| hone claws | dark | Status | — | — | 15 |
| hyper beam | normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| infestation | bug | Special | 20 | 100 | 20 |
| knock off | dark | Physical | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| leech life | bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| lunge | bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| megahorn | bug | Physical | 120 | 85 | 10 |
| mimic | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| natural gift | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| night shade | ghost | Special | — | 100 | 15 |
| night slash | dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| pin missile | bug | Physical | 25 | 95 | 20 |
| poison jab | poison | Physical | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| poison sting | poison | Physical | 15 | 100 | 35 |
| pounce | bug | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psychic | psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| rage powder | bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| scary face | normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| screech | normal | Status | — | 85 | 40 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| shadow sneak | ghost | Physical | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| signal beam | bug | Special | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| skitter smack | bug | Physical | 70 | 90 | 10 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sludge bomb | poison | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| sludge wave | poison | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| smart strike | steel | Physical | 70 | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| solar beam | grass | Special | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| spider web | bug | Status | — | — | 10 |
| spite | ghost | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| sticky web | bug | Status | — | — | 20 |
| stomping tantrum | ground | Physical | 75 | 100 | 10 |
| string shot | bug | Status | — | 95 | 40 |
| struggle bug | bug | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sucker punch | dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 |
| sunny day | fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| swords dance | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thief | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| throat chop | dark | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| toxic spikes | poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| toxic thread | poison | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| trailblaze | grass | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| venom drench | poison | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| venoshock | poison | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| x scissor | bug | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
Ariados Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive battling, Ariados occupies a niche role primarily suited to lower-tier competitive formats where its Attack stat of 90 and access to specialized moves like Toxic Thread can provide specific utility rather than broad power. The species benefits significantly from its hidden ability, Sniper, which boosts critical hits from 2× damage multiplier to 3×, enabling sweep potential when combined with moves that have elevated critical hit ratios. Ariados's standard abilities present mixed utility: Swarm boosts Bug-type moves to 1.5× damage when the Pokémon drops to one-third maximum health or lower, while Insomnia prevents sleep status, offering defensive value against sleep-inducing opponents. However, Ariados's base Speed of 40 represents a significant liability in competitive environments where priority and outspeeding opponents are paramount. The Pokémon's dual Bug/Poison typing provides resistance to Fighting, Poison, and Grass moves while maintaining weaknesses to Fire, Flying, and Rock attacks. Ariados and its pre-evolved form Spinarak remain the only Pokémon capable of learning the exclusive move Toxic Thread, providing niche appeal for players seeking specific strategic coverage or thematic team compositions.
Commonly Asked Questions About Ariados
What type is Ariados?
Ariados is a bug and poison type Pokemon.
What does Ariados evolve from?
Ariados evolved from spinarak.
What are Ariados's weaknesses?
Ariados is weak to flying, rock, fire and psychic type moves.
Where can I find Ariados?
Ariados can be found in kanto route 2 (kanto), johto route 37 (johto) and sinnoh route 229 (sinnoh) and 6 other locations.
Ariados Cultural Impact & Franchise History
While not achieving the mainstream recognition of iconic Pokémon species like Charizard or Gengar, Ariados has maintained steady presence within Pokémon culture, particularly among players who appreciate the Bug-type specialization and arachnid-themed Pokémon. The species received notable animated series appearances and has been featured in various trading card game releases spanning decades, maintaining consistent visibility within competitive collecting communities. Ariados's design—combining genuine creepiness with colorful aesthetics—has made it a favorite among players who appreciate aesthetically unconventional Pokémon that challenge standard cuteness expectations. The Pokémon's nocturnal lifestyle and sophisticated web-weaving abilities have inspired fan interpretations exploring themes of cunning, intelligence, and predatory sophistication within the broader Pokémon universe. Within speedrunning and casual playthrough communities, Ariados represents an accessible Bug-type option for players in Gold/Silver/HeartGold/SoulSilver versions, providing reliable coverage against commonly encountered opponent types.
Where to Find Ariados in Every Pokémon Game
Ariados first became available to players in Pokémon Gold and Silver (Generation II), appearing in the Johto region as both a wild encounter and through evolution of Spinarak. In HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes, Ariados maintains availability in similar locations and within the revised Johto dex as entry #33. The species appeared in Pokémon X and Y as a wild encounter in the Mountain Kalos region, subsequently receiving National Pokédex assignment in Generation VI onwards. In Alola (Pokémon Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon), Ariados received regional Pokédex inclusion as entry #23 and #23 respectively, with availability in select wild locations. More recent generation availability has expanded through breeding from Spinarak, ensuring consistent access to the species across contemporary titles. Pokémon Legends: Arceus features Ariados with entry #59 in the Hisui dex, while Pokémon Scarlet and Violet include the species with National Pokédex availability, though wild encounter rates vary by game and location. The high capture rate of 90 makes Ariados relatively straightforward to catch using standard Poké Balls with minimal strategy required beyond basic preparation.