Spikes in Pokemon Survivor

Spikes at a glance

What Spikes does

Spikes is a Ground-type mine move. Scatters spikes that burst when stepped on.

A Pokemon can learn it if it is Ground-type, which is true of 70 of the 966 Pokemon. It reaches you as a new-move card when you level up, as long as one of your four move slots is free. No Pokemon begins a run with it, so you only find it on level-up cards. Each level-up draws three cards by weight from up to six new-move candidates, your move upgrades and the stat cards, so even a good move can sit out several level-ups.

Spikes stats by level

At level 1, Spikes deals 18 damage with a 1.2 second cooldown. At level 5 that becomes 27 damage every 0.9 seconds, which is 120 potential damage per second against 30 at level 1.

Potential damage per second multiplies damage by the number of mines and divides by the cooldown. It assumes every one lands on the same enemy and leaves out the Pokemon's attack multiplier, your cards and the type chart, so treat it as an upper bound for comparing levels and moves, not as a kill time.

Spikes level-up changes

Each level-up card for Spikes applies the changes below. They stack, so the level 5 row above already includes all of them.

• Level 2: +1 mine
• Level 3: +50% damage
• Level 4: +30% radius
• Level 5: +1 mine, -25% cooldown

Spikes evolution: Fissure

Spikes evolves into Fissure when it reaches level 5 and you have taken the Power card at least once in the same run. Once both are true, a golden evolution card is always offered at your next level-up. Until then, the Power card keeps showing up with a note that it unlocks this evolution, so you do not have to hunt for it.

Fissure keeps the Ground type and the same slot. Its damage goes from 27 to 49 and its cooldown stays at 0.9 seconds. The move evolution guide lists all 59 evolutions and the cards they need.

• +80% damage
• +2 mines
• +25% radius

Which Pokemon can use Spikes

70 Pokemon can learn Spikes: every Ground-type, which is 17 single-type and 53 dual-type. The best of them by Stat Score are Groudon, Garchomp, Excadrill, and Great Tusk.

No Pokemon starts with Spikes, so you only find it on level-up cards.

How to use Spikes

• Mine moves do not need a target: Spikes fires on its cooldown wherever you are.
• Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, and Steel take 60% more damage from Ground moves, while Grass and Bug take 40% less and Flying takes only 30% of the damage. Enemies with two types multiply both effects. See the type chart.
• Other mine moves are String Shot and Toxic Spikes. The moves list compares all 64.
• Each Reflexes card multiplies every cooldown by 0.92 and each Power card multiplies damage by 1.10. After 5 Reflexes cards the 1.2 second cooldown of Spikes at level 1 becomes 0.79 seconds.
• Only the move group in your active slot fires, and every move in the group keeps its own cooldown timer. A bond, which a rift win gives you, fuses loose moves into one group.
• Weather can boost or weaken Ground moves: see the weather guide.

Spikes in Pokemon Survivor FAQ

What does Spikes do in Pokemon Survivor?

Scatters spikes that burst when stepped on. It is a Ground-type mine move with 5 levels. It deals 18 damage at level 1 and 27 at level 5.

How do you evolve Spikes?

Level it to 5 and take the Power card at least once in the same run. A golden evolution card then appears at the next level-up and turns it into Fissure.

Which Pokemon can learn Spikes?

The 70 Ground-type Pokemon, including dual types. None of them start with it.

Browse all 64 moves in the Pokemon Survivor moves list, or read the Pokemon Survivor guides.