Paras

The Mushroom Pokémon
#046 - Paras
Evolve	Parasect
Debut	Pokémon: Red Version Pokémon: Green Version
Species Info
Type	+ +
Height	0.3 m (1'00")
Weight	5.4 kg (11.9 lbs.)
Color	Red
Gender Ratio	1♂ : 1♀
Ability	Effect Spore / Dry Skin
Hidden Ability
Egg Group	Bug / Plant
Icon		Sprite
		File:046sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	35	Speed	25
Attack	70	Sp. Attack	45
Defense	55	Sp. Defense	55
Training Info
Catch Rate	190	Hatch Steps	5,120
Base Exp.	070	Effort Points	Att
Happiness	70
To Lv.100	Normal

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 046 >	< 070 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #

Paras is a small crab-like Pokémon introduced in the first generation games.

Information

They are doused with mushroom spores when they are born, which causes large, oriental mushrooms known as tochukaso to grow on their backs as they mature. These tochukaso are actually parasitic and grow by absorbing Paras's nutrients. The mushrooms also seem to actually command Paras. Paras gets its own nutrients by burrowing underground and gnawing on tree roots.

Paras's mushrooms are also highly valued as a life-extending medicine. Paras can evolve into a Parasect at Level 24.

Gen		Game	Pokédex entry
I		Red	Burrows to suck tree roots. The mushrooms on its back grow by drawing nutrients from the bug host.
		Blue
		Yellow	Burrows under the ground to gnaw on tree roots. The mushrooms on its back absorb most of the nutrition.
		Stadium	Grows by sucking nutrients from the roots of trees. The mushrooms on its back grow by drawing extracts from the bug host.
II		Gold	It is doused with mushroom spores when it is born. As its body grows, mushrooms sprout from its back.
		Silver	As its body grows large, oriental mushrooms called tochukaso start sprouting out of its back.
		Crystal	The tochukaso growing on this Pokémon's back orders it to extract juice from tree trunks.
III		Ruby	Paras has parasitic mushrooms growing on its back called tochukaso. They grow large by drawing nutrients from this Bug Pokémon host. They are highly valued as a medicine for extending life.
		Sapphire	Paras has parasitic mushrooms growing on its back called tochukaso. They grow large by drawing nutrients from this Bug Pokémon host. They are highly valued as a medicine for extending life.
		Emerald	A Paras has parasitic tochukaso mushrooms growing on its back. They grow by drawing nutrients from the host. They are valued as a medicine for long life.
		FireRed	Growing out of the bug's back are mushrooms called tochukaso. The mushrooms grow with the bug host.
		LeafGreen	Burrows to suck tree roots. The mushrooms on its back grow by drawing nutrients from the bug host.
IV		Diamond	Mushrooms named tochukaso grow on its back. They grow along with the host Paras.
		Pearl	Mushrooms named tochukaso grow on its back. They grow along with the host Paras.
		Platinum

Appearances

Mainstream Games

In Pokémon: Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed and LeafGreen, Paras could be found at Mt. Moon and the Safari Zone. In Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver, they appeared at the National Park, Ilex Forest and Mt. Moon. In HeartGold/SoulSilver, they are also found in the Peak and Swamp environments of the Safari Zone. Paras could also be caught in the Pokéwalker's Noisy Forest route, from which it could be transferred to HeartGold/SoulSilver.

In Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, Paras could be found in the Great Marsh after the National Pokédex was unlocked.

Moves

Generation I

R/B	Y	Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont

Generation II

G/S	C	Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont

Generation III

R/S	E	Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont

FR	LG	Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont

Generation IV

D/P	P	Name	Type	Cat	PP	Power	Accur	Gen	Cont

Weaknesses

x2

x1

x1

x0.5

x0.5

x4

x4

x1

x0.25

x0.25

x2

x1

x2

x1

x2

x1

x0.5

Other Games

In Pokémon Pinball, Paras appeared at Mt. Moon and Safari Zone. A Shadow Paras could be snagged from an enemy trainer at Cipher Key Lair in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Once purified, this Paras could be traded to any of the third generation color versions.

Paras also appeared in Pokémon Trozei!, where it could be found at Secret Storage 1 and 10, Endless Level 25 and Mr. Who's Den. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Teams, it appeared on the seventh through ninth floors of Silent Chasm, while in Explorers of Time and Darkness it could be found on the first twelve floors of Apple Woods. Paras appeared at Krokka Tunnel in Pokémon Ranger. In Pokémon Rumble, it was located at Silent Forest.

Other Appearances

In Other Media

• Paras was featured in an episode of the Pokémon anime, where a trainer struggled to evolve her weak Paras in hopes of using Parasecte's giant mushroom for medical research. It is eventually able to evolve after surprisingly taking down Ash's Charmeleon.

Trivia

• Its name is derived from "parasite", in reference to the parasitic mushrooms on its back.