With our guide to the best snake Pokémon, there’s no need to trek through the tall grass to try and find something sinister slithering around. We’ve got them all in here in one place. Think of this guide as Pocket Tactics’ reptile house, full of facts about these famous serpents that you might not know.
For more Pokelists outside of snake Pokémon, check out our picks for our favorite monkey Pokémon, dog Pokémon, cat Pokémon, fish Pokémon, and cutest Pokémon. Or, if you need some tips for your next adventure, revise your battle knowledge with our fairy Pokémon weakness, rock Pokémon weakness, fire Pokémon weakness, grass Pokémon weakness, and water Pokémon weakness guides.
So, let’s slither into our list of the best snake Pokémon.
Ekans / Arbok
The original slithering and hissing snake Pokémon are Ekans and Arbok. While Arbok isn’t exactly the most powerful Pokémon to take on your quest to defeat the gym leaders and elite four, we have a soft spot in our hearts for one in particular – Jessie’s Arbok. For the first few series of the anime, the pair are inseparable, and something about their relationship just makes me feel a bit bad for Ekans. The thing really can’t catch a break.
There’s not much we can say about Ekans that you probably don’t already know. Yes, its name is snake backwards and it’s based on the rattlesnake. Outside of that, you’re probably sick of the sight of the thing if you’ve battled Team Rocket as many times as I have. Still, it’s the original snake Pokémon, so it has to be on our list.
Onix / Steelix
Rock snake? Rock snake! Onix is an iconic rock Pokémon, found in the many caves of Kanto, Johto, and further afield. Like Arbok, the anime series gave Onix its best moments, with the stone snake serving as Brock’s mascot Pokémon, keeping Brock out of trouble when it comes to facing off against Team Rocket and other foes. Thanks to Onix popping up in Dark Cave, it’s an integral part of the first-ever Pokémon journey, so the big lug is special to us.
Of course, we can’t mention Onix without Steelix, the souped-up steel snake from the second generation. Sure, many of us missed out on getting Steelix back in the GBA days through a lack of someone to trade with, but these days, it’s easy to get your hands on this cave-dwelling monolith. It doesn’t seem as easy in the anime though, with Brock sticking it out with his Onix. He must not have found a metal coat yet.
Seviper
As the mortal enemy of Zangoose, Seviper is a snake Pokémon with some serious bite. In my humble opinion, Seviper is the snakiest of all the Pokémon world’s snakes, with its vivid pattern indicating an awful time for anyone who finds themselves battling the black adder. Its move pool indicates it can take down enemies with either its vicious venom or deadly constriction.
Silicobra / Sandaconda
Move over Onix, ground snakes are the cool new thing. Sandaconda is the only snake Pokémon on this list with a gigantamax form, with the slithering thing growing massive in size and turning into a sort of upside-down pyramid of destruction. It’s not the best thing in battle – one water type can turn over poor Sandaconda in seconds – but for visuals alone, we love this sandy snake.
Silicobra is a bit like Ekans in that there isn’t a whole bunch to say about it, but it’s a snake, nonetheless. It’s also one of the many Pokémon that the anime animators and game developers can’t seem to agree on, with the in-game version smaller than a Pikachu, while the version Ash meets is almost as tall as him. What’s the deal, Silicobra?
Dunsparce / Dudunsparce
I’m sorry to have to do this to you, but yes, Dunsparce, potentially the most boring Pokémon of all time, is a snake Pokémon. This gen two normal-type might only be a stubby little snake, but it’s a snake nonetheless. What can I say about Dunsparce? Well, not much. It’s no good in battle and not much to look at. Still, there is one interesting factoid about this monster in that it’s one of the few to escape from Ash. To this day, he still hasn’t caught one.
Dudunsparce is much more interesting, with whole Pokémon streaming sessions made up of hunts for the fabled three-segment form. You see, when Dunsparce evolves, there’s a one-in-a-hundred chance of it growing larger than normal into the three-segment Dudunsparce, so having one in your team is something to show off about. Who ever thought they could make Dunsparce cool?
Snivy / Servine / Serperior
It’s not a snake in the grass, but a grass snake. The only snake Pokémon starter line – ok, Snivy has legs, but the latter two are fine – offers up a majestic fully-formed snake in Serperior, with its long leafy body trailing behind its trainer. It’s not as competitively viable as some of the other grass starters, but it makes up for that in sheer beauty. I mean, look at the thing. It’s right up there with Milotic in the stunners of the Pokémon world category.
Snivy, well, we love Snivy. Just take a look at our picks for the best starter Pokémon to find out why. Servine is beautiful too, but as with any middle evolution, we hardly get enough time to appreciate it before it blooms into Serperior. Still, we love all three of these snakes in the grass, and so does Ash Ketchum, and that is all that matters.
There you have it, our list of all the best snake Pokémon. If you’re looking for another RPG and don’t mind missing out on monsters, check out our AFK Arena codes and Honkai Star Rail codes. Or, if you prefer in-game money-making, check out our free Monopoly Go dice guide.