Every Snake Pokemon Guide

Latest posts by Melika Jeddi (see all)

Pokémon is a franchise that has been entertaining Pokemon fans for over two decades, and I’ve been along for the ride since the very first generation, and will soon be popping back in for Pokémon Violet and Pokémon Scarlet. I remember playing Pokémon Blue and Yellow on my old Gameboy Color or watching the anime during my Saturday morning cartoons. Then now we have things like Mega Evolution, Gigantamax, and Pokemon Go to contend with. I’ve grown up with this amazing franchise, and I’m excited to make this guide to every snake pokémon.

Aside from the general lore, one of the coolest things about Pokémon is the fantastic designs that the developers come up with.

They have a whole range of inspirations, and as of gen 8, there are a whopping 898 different pokémon! Some of these are based on amorphous or inanimate objects, such as Trubbish, who is made to look like a pile of garbage in a bin bag, or Vanillice, who is an ice cream.

While I do love the more unique designs (one of my favorites is Klefki, who is literally just a keyring), it’s also awesome when you have pokémon based on real-life animals. To me, it improves my immersion, as there’s something recognizable about their appearance. Snakes are such fascinating creatures, and it’s great to see so many pokémon inspired by them.

It’s important to make the distinction as to what counts as being a snake pokémon. Sometimes a pokémon may have snake-like features, but a snake is not the actual inspiration — for example, something like Eelektrik.

Eelektrik may look serpentine, but it’s actually based on an eel, an entirely different species of animal. I’m also only counting fully formed pokémon, so, for example, this list doesn’t include Zygarde, whose 50% form looks similar to a snake.

Snake Pokémon Serperior 2
Image from Fandom

Bottom Line Up-Front

  • How many snake Pokémon are there? 11
  • Are there other animal-inspired pokémon that look similar to snakes? Yes, some pokémon with similarly shaped designs are inspired by other animals such as eels or dragons.
  • Are there any snake-like starters? Yes, in gen 5, you can choose Snivy as a starter.
  • What type are snake pokémon? This depends entirely on the pokémon. You’d expect them to all be Poison type, but this isn’t the case, and many of them are other types such as Rock or Grass.

Every Snake Pokémon

As I mentioned in the introduction, I’m mostly just going to be including pokémon that are clearly based on snakes in terms of their appearance. However, I’m also including any pokémon whose Pokédex entry describes them as being a snake, even if they don’t conform to the typical appearance. With that in mind, here’s a guide to every snake pokémon!

Ekans

Ekans
  • Pokédex number: 23
  • Type: Poison
  • Height/ Weight: 6’07″/ 15.2 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves into Arbok
  • Ability: Intimidate, Shed Skin, Unnerve (HA).
  • First appearance in the anime: Pokémon Emergency!

Ekans is probably the most famous out of all the serpent pokémon due to its relevance in the anime. Team Rocket are the famous antagonists in Pokémon, and Jessie herself owns an Ekans. Although they were the villains, Jessie and James were both shown to have a strong bond with their own pokémon, and so we get to see a lot of Ekans’ personality.

Ekans spells ‘snake’ backwards, which is a fun little feature for fans to pick up on. Design-wise, it looks very similar to regular real-life snakes, especially in terms of its long, thin shape and the way that it coils up on itself. It’s mostly purple but has a yellow ring around its neck and a yellow tail similar to a rattlesnake’s.

If you’re more into the video games than the anime, then Ekans probably won’t have as much relevance to you. It’s pretty useless in battles, as its stats aren’t particularly high. However, a lot of Team Rocket Grunts have these as their own pokémon, so you’re probably more familiar with defeating them rather than using them for yourself.

Arbok

Arbok
  • Pokédex number: 24
  • Type: Poison
  • Height/ Weight: 11’06″/ 143.3 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves from Ekans
  • Ability: Intimidate, Shed Skin, Unnerve (HA).
  • First appearance in the anime: Dig Those Diglett!

The evolved form of Ekans, Arbok, spells ‘kobra’ backwards, which is very similar to ‘cobra,’ the species of serpent that its appearance is inspired by. In the anime, Jessie’s Ekans evolves as it wants to please Jessie, who is desperate for her Pokémon to evolve. Despite this, it’s still not particularly strong when it first evolves, perhaps due to the fact that it wasn’t really ready.

It’s got a more detailed design than Ekans does. Although it’s still primarily purple, the pattern is more intricate around the head.

Although it no longer has the yellow on its tail or around its neck, Arbok has a very recognizable head design. Its neck is flared out like a cobra’s, and there are red, yellow, and black shapes on the neck. It’s also got small but vicious fangs, as well as a visibly forked tongue.

Being an evolved form, Arbok is obviously stronger than Ekans, but it’s still relatively weak in the Pokémon games compared to other evolved forms of pokémon. It’s certainly not one that I’d recommend catching for yourself unless you were trying to challenge yourself to reach the Hall of Fame with an unexpected species.

Onix

Onix
  • Pokédex number: 95
  • Type: Rock, Ground
  • Height/ Weight: 28’10″/ 463 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves into Steelix
  • Ability: Rock Head, Sturdy, Weak Armor (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: Showdown in Pewter City!

Onix is one of the coolest Pokémon in gen 1, and I regularly include him in my party when playing the Pokémon games as he’s a really fun Rock type. It’s not the best by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s also not weak, and I really enjoy using Onix.

I’m also a big fan of Steelix, as it can be difficult to get a Steel type Pokémon in some games (although in later titles, I tend to gravitate towards Bronzong instead). Onix evolves into Steelix by trading using a Metal Coat.

When it comes to appearance, Onix is pretty minimalist. Although there’s no real use of color (Onix is entirely gray except for its white eyes), it’s still a striking design. Onix is essentially made to look like a series of rocks that have been connected to form a snake shape. Atop its head is a single rocky spine, like a fin.

Onix has a significant part to play in the anime, as one is owned by Brock, who’s one of the main protagonists. Brock had been gifted Onix by his father on his 10th birthday and had raised him ever since. Onix appears in multiple episodes, often being used to clear rubble or to act as transport for the heroic trio. Brock and Onix have a clear bond, and Onix plays a major part in several plotlines of the anime.

Steelix

Steelix
  • Pokédex number: 208
  • Type: Steel/ Ground
  • Height/ Weight: 30’02″/ 881.8 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves from Onix
  • Ability: Rock Head, Sturdy, Sheer Force (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: Grating Spaces!

I’m gonna jump straight in with talking about Steelix’s part in the anime because I have a bone to pick with this one. So, as I mentioned in the previous entry, Brock owned an Onix whom he was incredibly close to.

When Brock’s brother Forrest became the Pewter City gym leader, Brock kindly loaned a few of his pokémon to help keep the gym strong, including Onix. But when he comes back to visit, he finds that Onix has evolved into Steelix. That’s not okay! It wasn’t Forrest’s place to evolve Onix without Brock’s permission, as that’s an irreversible action. Honestly, it just makes me feel annoyed on Brock’s behalf.

But anyway, sibling betrayal aside, let’s talk appearance. Steelix looks like Onix fell out of the ugly tree and hit all the branches on the way down. Okay, that’s probably a bit harsh, but it certainly doesn’t have the sleek elegance that Onix does.

Its face is unnaturally wide and bumpy, with a creepy grin that extends all the way across both cheeks. Still, I’ll concede that the body design is pretty cool, with a similar concept to Onix in that it is formed of connected rocks. However, unlike Onix, Steelix has spines that extend horizontally out of some of those rocks.

Overall, Steelix is an interesting Pokémon. Although it wouldn’t be someone’s first choice in competitive battles, it’s a decent partner for a campaign run on any of the video games. It’s also very natural to believe that Onix would evolve into a Steel type, and the evolution is well-designed.

Dunsparce

Dunsparce
  • Pokédex number: 206
  • Type: Normal
  • Height/ Weight: 4’11″/ 30.9 lbs
  • Evolution: Dunsparce does not evolve
  • Ability: Serene Grace, Run Away, Rattled (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: The Dunsparce Deception!

Personally, I wouldn’t look at this Pokémon and consider it to be in any way serpentine, but its Pokédex entry lists it as being a ‘land snake,’ so here it is.

Honestly, it looks far more like some pathetic little bug (I do actually quite like Dunsparce, but it’s not exactly intimidating) than a snake, especially with its tiny little wings. I still struggle to accept that it’s neither Bug type nor Ground type, and is, in fact, a Normal type.

Dunsparce has little to no relevance in the Pokémon games as this thing is utterly useless in battle. Unless you were trying to nerf your party by having a decidedly weak link, you simply would not choose this one. So instead, let’s talk about the anime.

In the episode The Dunsparce Deception, the trio find a town where for some reason, Dunsparce is considered highly desirable. All the kids had one, except for a boy named Bucky, and so Ash and the gang helped him to get one of his own. On a couple of occasions, Ash himself has tried to capture a Dunsparce, but he was unsuccessful both times.

This is one cute-looking ‘snake.’ Picture a snake in your head… Now stop because there’s no point as Dunsparce seriously looks nothing like a snake. The only similarity whatsoever is that Dunsparce’s tail is similar to that of a rattlesnake.

The rest of his body consists of two conjoined lumps, with feelers on the front. Attached near the join are two tiny little wings, one on either side. I do enjoy the color scheme of yellow, blue, and white, as it’s very vibrant. Dunsparce usually has a dopey expression on its face.

If you Google Dunsparce, you get suggested questions such as ‘is Dunsparce useless’ or ‘what is the stupidest pokémon.’ I think that gives you a good idea of what Dunsparce brings to the table. Which, in case you hadn’t guessed, is nothing.

Seviper

Seviper
  • Pokédex number: 336
  • Type: Poison
  • Height/ Weight: 8’10″/ 115.7 lbs
  • Evolution: Seviper does not evolve
  • Ability: Shed Skin, Infiltrator (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: A Tail with a Twist!

I had Pokémon Ruby for my generation III game, so I never found Seviper in the wild as it was a Sapphire version exclusive, but I still remember the first time I saw another player with one. I honestly thought it was one of the best designs I’d ever seen. Seviper is fearsome and colorful, and beautiful.

One thing I love about Seviper is its rivalry with Zangoose. Both their Pokédex entries mention the other, and I really appreciate that attention to detail. Apparently, this feud between the two species has been going back for generations, and the two just really hate each other.

Interestingly, if you run into a horde of Pokémon that has a mixture of Seviper and Zangoose, then instead of attacking you, they’ll turn on each other!

In the anime, this poison type Pokémon is caught by Jessie in A Tail with a Twist and, for a while, replaces Arbok as her main pokémon. However, when Jessie travels to Unova, she leaves Seviper at the Team Rocket HQ, as she doesn’t want to draw attention by using a pokémon that is not found in Unova. Lucy from the Battle Frontier also uses a Seviper and even dresses like one.

Seviper is stunning to behold and is definitely as intimidating as you’d expect a powerful snake to be. Its body is clearly long and thin, but in its default image, it’s bunched up on itself. Its scales are primarily black, but it has interesting yellow markings, as well as a sliver of red on its tail. Its red eyes are narrow semicircles, and two large red fangs protrude from its mouth.

Snivy

snivy pokemon
  • Pokédex number: 495
  • Type: Grass
  • Height/ Weight: 2’00″/ 17.9 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves into Servine
  • Ability: Overgrow, Contrary (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: Snivy Plays Hard to Catch!

Now, before I start what I know is going to turn into a diatribe, I’d like to preface this by saying that I actually really like Snivy. I would happily choose it as my starter if Oshawott weren’t so gosh darn cute. Having said that, it has the most arrogant face it’s possible for a pokémon to have. It’s literally sticking its nose up in the air and smirking. Even its name sounds obnoxious, ‘Snivy.’ It’s one of the three starter Pokémon in gen 5.

When Ash enters the Unova region, Snivy becomes one of his pokémon. Interestingly, Ash’s Snivy is female, despite the gender ratio being 87.5% male.

Ash first encounters her when she tries to steal food from the group. He attempts to battle her with most of his pokémon but is thwarted as she uses Attract on them so they won’t fight her. Eventually, he’s able to subdue her using Pidove, who’s immune to her charms. He’s then able to catch her, and she joins him on his journey.

Snivy has a colorful design. The body is green on the top and cream on the bottom, creating an interesting contrast. The tail is shaped like a three-pronged leaf. Yellow frills curl out from Snivy’s shoulders, which to me reminds me of backpack straps, and make me visualize Snivy as a school child. Its eyes are large and circular, although only the bottom half is usually visible as the yellow eyelids droop over them.

Servine

servine
  • Pokédex number: 496
  • Type: Grass
  • Height/ Weight: 2’07″/ 35.3 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves from Snivy, evolves into Serperior
  • Ability: Overgrow, Contrary (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: The Battle Club and Tepig’s Choice!

For a Pokémon that’s 87.5% male, they sure gave Servine a girly design. The pose is so flirtily feminine. Design-wise, it’s essentially an overgrown version of Snivy; the two are very clearly linked, much more so than most evolutions. The serpentine body shape is practically identical, the only real difference being that Servine has a series of leaves running up its back. Servine also has more shapely almond eyes.

In the anime, Servine faces off against a Dewott in The Battle Club and Tepig’s Choice. Despite being at a type disadvantage (grass is powerful against water), the Dewott is able to emerge victorious. In another episode, Ash faces a trainer named Trip, who uses a Servine. That Servine is able to defeat Pikachu but then loses to Ash’s Snivy after it uses Attract.

Being a middle evolution, Servine isn’t quite as interesting as Snivy’s fully evolved form, Serperior, so let’s move onto that!

Serperior

serperior
  • Pokédex number: 497
  • Type: Grass
  • Height/ Weight: 10’10″/ 138.9 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves from Servine
  • Ability: Overgrow, Contrary (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: Jostling for the Junior Cup!

The very picture of elegance, Serperior is arguably the most beautiful of all the pokémon starters. Not necessarily my favorite design within the Pokémon series as it’s up against some tough competition, but on beauty alone, it wins out. It shares Snivy’s generally arrogant appearance, but on Serperior, that attitude feels justified. If I looked that good, I’d probably stick my nose up in the air, too.

Whilst the first two evolutions are definitely serpentine in nature, Serperior is certainly the most snake-like of the three. It holds a pose that appears to be mid-slither, and its body is smooth like a snake’s, with small leaves at the end of the tail.

There are gorgeously ornate patterns on its body in yellow and green. Where the fronts of Snivy and Servine were both cream-colored, Serperior’s is a lighter shade of green. This creates a consistent color palette and increases the overall majesty.

Although Serperior is in the NU (NeverUsed) category on Smogon (the ranking website for competitive Pokémon battling), it’s still a solid choice for the main campaign. It’s considered slightly weaker than Emboar but is in the same tier as the other fully evolved gen five starter, Samurott. I would have liked it if it could have had a secondary type, such as being Grass/ Dragon, but it still has a decent move list and is enjoyable to use.

Silicobra

Silicobra
  • Pokédex number: 843
  • Type: Ground
  • Height/ Weight: 7’03″/ 16.8 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves into Sandaconda
  • Ability: Sand Spit, Shed Skin, Sand Veil (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: Sobbing Sobble!

Silicobra is quite possibly the grumpiest pokémon I have ever seen. Also, I’m sorry, but it’s over 7 feet long but weighs less than 17 pounds? Is it made of air? However, that aside, It’s great to have another snake pokémon. Although, for some reason, Silicobra really reminds me of Kaa from The Jungle Book. I think it’s the almost hypnotic eyes.

Silicobra hasn’t really been utilized thus far in the anime. It made its appearance in the episode Sobbing Sobble! but it was only a minor moment. A wild one was spotted by the trainer Goh, who attempted to catch it. However, he was unsuccessful, and the Silicobra slithered away. That was the only time that one has appeared on the show.

Silicobra is a gen eight pokémon, so it hasn’t appeared in many main-series games and is currently (as of June 2022) only available in Pokémon Sword and Shield. However, it’s also available in the 2021 game New Pokémon Snap, which is where I first saw a Silicobra. You can take pictures of them in the Sands and Badlands regions and see them in all kinds of interesting scenarios.

Visually, Silicobra is mostly white, with a light brown head and tail. There are dark brown patches on its head, and its nostrils are also dark brown. However, its most captivating feature is its piercing green eyes. Although the eyelids are often drooping over them, the eyes themselves are a really vibrant shade of green. Silicobra also has a forked pink tongue that’s somewhat thicker than you’d expect on a snake.

Sandaconda

sandaconda
  • Pokédex number: 844
  • Type: Ground
  • Height/ Weight: 12’06″/ 144.4 lbs
  • Evolution: Evolves from Silicobra
  • Ability: Sand Spit, Shed Skin, Sand Veil (HA)
  • First appearance in the anime: The Last Mission! Catch Regieleki and Regidorago!!

I remember I was at the Hyde Park Winter Festival one year, and I bought this delicious snack from one of the booths. It was called a ‘trdelnik,’ and it’s a traditional Czech dessert. It’s essentially ribbons of cake dough that have been wrapped around a stick and fried, and they form almost a cone-shaped tunnel. Well, that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I see Sandaconda, as the shape is so similar to that snack I ate.

Sandaconda certainly hasn’t cheered up from the grumpy demeanor he had in his pre-evolved form of Silicobra. If anything, his temperament has become even more pessimistic. Still, I can understand it; I probably would be pretty annoyed if my entire head were trapped in a tight coil of my own body.

Sandaconda has a more detailed pattern than Silicobra, although the color scheme is basically the same. The body is mostly white, with light brown shapes adorning it, outlined in thick black. However, the very front coil is a dark green color. Poking out from that front coil is the tip of Sandaconda’s head. The shape seems to be thinner than previously, and the nostrils are large and circular. Small yet sharp fangs hang over the mouth.

Sandaconda is set to make its debut appearance in the anime on June 3rd, 2022, but no further details are available at the time of writing.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many fascinating species of pokémon based on snakes. Snakes are one of my favorite animals, so I’m thrilled that I was able to share more about them and their relevance to Pokémon. Hopefully, this article has given you a much better idea of what snake Pokémon are available. With any luck, you now feel confident to be able to choose a new party member next time you play one of the games.

Which is your favorite? I think mine would have to be Serperior, but they’re all special in their own way, and I’m glad that they were included. I can’t wait to see what fun designs the Pokémon developers come up with in the future!

FAQs

Question: Are there any snake legendaries?

Answer: There aren’t currently and legendary pokémon that take the form of a snake. However, Zygarde is a legendary Pokémon that takes on several different forms. Zygarde is unusual in that you have to collect cells in order to unlock its final form. Its first two forms are amorphous blobs. Then at 10%, it takes on the form of a dog. The snake form is found at 50% before it takes on its final form when you’ve collected 100% of the cells.

Question: What was the first snake pokémon seen in the anime?

Answer: Team Rocket are the infamous antagonists in the Pokémon anime, and Jessie herself owns an Ekans. This Ekans makes its debut in the second episode of the anime Pokémon Emergency! and is seen regularly after that, eventually evolving into an Arbok.

Question: Will there be more snake pokémon in the future?

Answer: It’s impossible to say at present, but my guess would be yes. Although the developers come up with new and unique designs, they often return to similar themes. This is evidenced by the number of existing pokémon already inspired by the same animals. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a new snake design when we get more announcements for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

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