Nidoking

Gary's Nidoking in the anime

In The Battle of the Badge, Gary Oak used Nidoking against Viridian Gym Leader Giovanni and knocked out his Golem, only for Giovanni to send out Mewtwo and overwhelm Gary's team. That defeat is shown again in the movie Mewtwo Strikes Back and its 2019 remake, Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution. Nidoking was also the Pokémon Gary lost with at the Indigo Plateau Conference, beaten by Melissa's Golem.

Nidoking on cards: from a Base Set holo to Team Rocket's Nidoking ex

Nidoking's first English card is Base Set #11 (1999), one of the set's holo rares, illustrated by Ken Sugimori; the same art returned in Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection. Gym Challenge (2000) added Giovanni's Nidoking, a holo that ties it to the Viridian Gym Leader, and Aquapolis (2003) printed it three times, including the holo H18 by Naoyo Kimura.

Dragon Frontiers (2006) turned it into Nidoking δ, a Delta Species card that swaps its usual typing for Darkness. In the Scarlet & Violet era, 151 (2023) gave it an Illustration rare by Misaki Hashimoto, and Destined Rivals (2025) brought back the Team Rocket connection with Team Rocket's Nidoking ex, including a Special illustration rare by Uninori. Ken Sugimori holds the most credits on Nidoking cards, with five.

Cards to know

• Nidoking (Base Set #11)

  Nidoking's first English card, a 1999 Base Set holo by Ken Sugimori.

• Giovanni's Nidoking (Gym Challenge #7)

  A 2000 holo from the Gym series, belonging to Viridian Gym Leader Giovanni.

• Nidoking δ (Dragon Frontiers #6)

  A 2006 Delta Species card that gives Nidoking the Darkness type.

• Nidoking (151 #174)

  An Illustration rare by Misaki Hashimoto from the 2023 set devoted to the original 151 Pokémon.

• Team Rocket's Nidoking ex (Destined Rivals #233)

  The Special illustration rare of Team Rocket's Nidoking ex, illustrated by Uninori.