Pokemon Uranium Nuclear Pokemon: Complete Guide to the Nuclear Type, Corrupted Forms & Best Moves
Pokemon Uranium nuclear Pokemon explained: how the Nuclear type works, corrupted forms, weaknesses, moves, abilities, and how to cure them.
Why Pokemon Uranium Nuclear Pokemon Are Unlike Anything Else in the Game
Step into a radiated zone in Tandor and you will meet the strangest creatures in the game. Pokemon Uranium nuclear Pokemon are the title's signature twist — a nineteenth type that hits almost everything hard, takes damage from almost everything back, and turns ordinary wild encounters into feral, unpredictable battles. If you have ever watched a caught Nuclear form ignore your commands mid-fight, you already know why this type matters.
This guide breaks down how the Nuclear type actually works: its battle properties, the difference between natural and corrupted forms, the moves and abilities tied to it, and how to turn a feral catch into a reliable team member. Whether you are building a competitive squad or just trying to survive a Nuclear Plant, everything you need is below.
What Is the Nuclear Type in Pokemon Uranium?
The Nuclear type is a new Pokémon type introduced in Pokémon Uranium, bringing the total number of types in the game to nineteen. Conceptually it is close to the Shadow type from Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness: regular Pokémon exposed to an undue amount of radiation become corrupted, feral, and noticeably discolored.
The big difference is evolution. Shadow Pokémon were locked out of it, but corrupted Nuclear Pokémon can still evolve — even species that normally evolve through friendship. Naturally occurring Nuclear types, meanwhile, are stable from the start and behave like any other Pokémon.
Player experience reports consistently describe corrupted Nuclear Pokémon as far more aggressive than normal wilds, attacking anything in sight. You can catch them, but they may refuse to obey orders until they are cured during the story. The official Pokémon Uranium website and the community wiki remain the best places to track how these mechanics have shifted between updates.
| Trait | Natural Nuclear Types | Corrupted Nuclear Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior | Stable, obeys orders | Feral, may disobey |
| Curing needed? | No | Yes, via story progression |
| Breeding | Yes | No |
| Evolution | Yes | Yes (including friendship evolutions) |
| Appearance | Normal for the species | Discolored, "corrupted" palette |
Battle Properties: Nuclear Weaknesses and Resistances Explained
This is where the type gets interesting — and brutal. Offensively, Nuclear is one of the widest-coverage types in the game, hitting a huge list of types for double damage. Defensively, it is a glass cannon: nearly everything hits it back for 2× damage.
The most famous quirk is that Nuclear is the only type in the game that is weak to Normal-type moves. That single detail flips a lot of matchups on their head, because a move like Quick Attack or Hyper Beam suddenly becomes a real threat.
| Offensive (attacking) | Multiplier | Types |
|---|---|---|
| Super effective | 2× | Normal, Fire, Fighting, Water, Flying, Grass, Poison, Electric, Ground, Psychic, Rock, Ice, Bug, Dragon, Ghost, Dark, Fairy |
| Not very effective | ½× | Steel, Nuclear |
| No effect | 0× | None |
| Defensive (being hit) | Multiplier | Types |
|---|---|---|
| Weak to | 2× | Normal, Fire, Fighting, Water, Flying, Grass, Electric, Ground, Psychic, Rock, Ice, Bug, Dragon, Ghost, Dark, Steel, Fairy, Poison |
| Resists | ½× | Nuclear |
| Immune | 0× | None |
The practical takeaway: Nuclear attackers break through almost any defensive wall except Steel, while Nuclear defenders fold to basically anything. Steel-types are your hard counter on both sides of the field.
Every Natural Nuclear-Type Pokemon in the Game
There are currently seven known natural Nuclear-type Pokémon, which works out to roughly 3% of the game's Pokédex. The Xenomite line accounts for more than one of those entries, which is why you will only see a handful of distinct species on most lists.
| Dex # | Pokémon | Typing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #138 | Nucleon | Nuclear / Nuclear | Pure Nuclear, bearer of Geiger Sense |
| #168 | Xenomite | Nuclear / Nuclear | Pure Nuclear, part of an evolvable line |
| #172 | Geigeroach | Bug / Nuclear | Bearer of Lead Skin |
| — | Hazma | Nuclear (natural) | Bearer of Lead Skin, defensive utility |
| — | Urayne | Nuclear (natural) | Central to the game's story, Geiger Sense |
Note the pattern on dual types: with the sole exception of Nuclear Actan, the Nuclear type is always a secondary typing. For Actan, Nuclear replaces its primary Dark typing. On every other corrupted form, Nuclear either replaces the secondary typing or is added to a single-typed Pokémon.
Corrupted Nuclear Pokemon: The 36 Alternate Forms
Beyond the natural roster, there are 36 Pokémon that can appear with a Nuclear subtype if they were corrupted by radiation from nearby sources. These are the forms most players picture when they hear "Pokemon Uranium nuclear Pokemon" — discolored, aggressive, and often found near nuclear facilities.
Two of the earliest examples players meet are the Chyinmunk and Kinetmunk Nuclear forms, which pick up a Normal / Nuclear typing.
| Dex # | Pokémon | Typing |
|---|---|---|
| #n007 | Chyinmunk Nuclear | Normal / Nuclear |
| #n008 | Kinetmunk Nuclear | Normal / Nuclear |
Community reports note that several corrupted lines become impossible to obtain without trading once you pass certain story points. The Chyinmunk line reportedly becomes unavailable after Nuclear Plant Epsilon, while the Chupacho, Corsola, Magikarp, and Tubjaw lines reportedly disappear after Nuclear Plant Omicron. If you are chasing a living dex, catch them early.
Breeding works differently too. Naturally Nuclear Pokémon such as Nucleon, Hazma, Geigeroach, and the Xenomite line can breed normally. Corrupted forms cannot breed at all. In earlier builds, some feral Nuclear Pokémon could breed and would produce non-Nuclear offspring — a glitch that has since been corrected.
Nuclear Moves and Exclusive Abilities
The Nuclear movepool is small but punchy, and it pairs with two exclusive abilities that define how the type is played.
| Move | Category | Power | Accuracy | PP | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic Punch | Physical | 80 | 95% | 15 | A radiation-infused punch that can infect the target |
| Expunge | Special | 110 | 70% | 5 | Deals extra damage to Nuclear-type targets |
| Proton Beam | Special | — | — | — | A Nuclear move, distribution expanded in later versions |
| Nuclear Wind | Special | — | — | — | Originally the Mystery Gift Nuclear Pahar's signature move |
| Ability | Effect | Known Bearers |
|---|---|---|
| Geiger Sense | Raises Attack and Sp. Attack while a Nuclear-type is on the field | Urayne, Nucleon |
| Lead Skin | Full immunity to all Nuclear-type moves | Hazma, Geigeroach |
Lead Skin is the single most valuable counter to the type. A Hazma or Geigeroach on your team effectively blanks an opposing Nuclear sweeper, which matters a lot when so many Nuclear attacks hit for 2×.
Older builds handled Nuclear moves very differently. Player experience from the pre-1.3.1 era describes feral Nuclear Pokémon simply knowing Nuclear moves innately at any level, similar to how Shadow Pokémon worked in Colosseum — and the distribution was far narrower, with Atomic Punch originally functioning as Urayne's signature move.
How to Cure Corrupted Nuclear Pokemon
Curing is the mechanic that makes corrupted catches usable long-term. Here is the general flow, based on the story structure and community documentation.
| Step | What to Do | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catch the corrupted Pokémon with any ball | It may disobey, so expect a rough first few battles |
| 2 | Keep it in your party and progress the main story | The cure becomes available at a specific story point |
| 3 | Complete the cure event when it appears | The Pokémon begins obeying orders normally |
| 4 | Check the summary afterward | Typing, appearance, and moveset stay exactly the same |
That last point surprises people. Curing does not strip the Nuclear typing or reset the moveset — it only fixes behavior. You keep the offensive coverage and the discolored look, which is arguably the best of both worlds.
One caveat: natural Nuclear types like Nucleon, Urayne, Hazma, and Geigeroach never need curing in the first place. If a Nuclear Pokémon is behaving normally when you catch it, it is almost certainly a natural form rather than a corrupted one.
Team-Building Tips for Nuclear Pokemon
- Treat Nuclear as a wallbreaker, not a wall. Its 2× coverage across seventeen types is enormous, but its defensive profile means it usually dies to a stiff breeze. Bring it in after a safe switch or a KO.
- Pair it with a Steel answer. Steel resists Nuclear and is the one type that reliably shrugs off the offense. Carry a Fire- or Fighting-type move to break through.
- Use Lead Skin defensively. Hazma and Geigeroach give you a free switch-in against Nuclear attackers, which is invaluable in the late game.
- Watch out for Normal moves. Because Nuclear is the only type weak to Normal, a stray Quick Attack or Hyper Beam can end a Nuclear sweeper faster than you expect.
- Catch corrupted forms early. Once you pass the relevant nuclear plants, several lines become trade-only acquisitions.
- Lean on Geiger Sense. Nucleon and Urayne get an Attack and Sp. Attack boost whenever a Nuclear-type is on the field, which stacks nicely in Nuclear-heavy battles.
For players who enjoy the risk-reward math of a high-power, low-bulk type, the Pokemon Uranium nuclear Pokemon roster is the most interesting puzzle the game offers. It rewards preparation far more than raw stats.
FAQ
What exactly is the Nuclear type in Pokémon Uranium? It is the game's nineteenth type, unique to Uranium. Regular Pokémon corrupted by radiation gain the Nuclear subtype and become feral, while a smaller set of species — including Nucleon, Hazma, Geigeroach, and Urayne — are naturally Nuclear and stable.
Are Pokemon Uranium nuclear Pokemon stronger than regular types? Offensively, yes — Nuclear hits seventeen types for 2× damage, which is among the best coverage in the game. Defensively it is the weakest type around, taking 2× damage from nearly everything and resisting only itself. It is a high-risk, high-reward pick.
Can you cure a corrupted Nuclear Pokémon? Yes. During the story, corrupted Nuclear Pokémon can be cured so they obey orders normally. Their typing, appearance, and moveset remain unchanged after curing, so you lose nothing except the disobedience problem.
Can Nuclear Pokémon breed? Natural Nuclear types like Nucleon, Hazma, Geigeroach, and the Xenomite line can breed. Corrupted forms cannot breed at all, though an older build allowed it as a glitch before it was patched out.
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