Poison (status condition)

Poison, also known as Poisoned and abbreviated as PSN, is a status condition introduced in Generation I. There is also a more severe version known as bad poison, often known as badly poisoned.

Description

Poison functions differently between the generations of the core games, but a consistency is that they always involve the affected Pokémon losing HP each turn. The status condition is aptly associated with the Poison type but not exclusively. Typically, the way to cure a Pokémon that is either poisoned or badly poisoned is by using an Antidote on it. Poison- and Steel-type Pokémon cannot typically be poisoned, except from the Corrosion Ability.

Prior to the Generation V games Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, the affected Pokémon also loses HP outside of battle each time the player walks four steps. The Pokémon could even faint if its HP is low enough, but in Generation IV, the poisoning wears off if the Pokémon is at 1 HP remaining.

The visual effects of a poisoned Pokémon has changed over the generations. In Generations I and II, as a poisoned Pokémon is losing its health, a skull and crossbones flashes over its head. In Generation III and Generation IV, a Pokémon turns purple as it loses HP. In Generation V, the sprite of a poisoned or badly poisoned Pokémon is colored slightly purple, and it moves slightly slower. When a Pokémon takes poisoned damage, purple bubbles also appear on its surface. In Generation VI, the slower movement of the model remains, but instead of the purple color, the poisoning is represented by purple bubbles that occasionally form on the Pokémon.

Since Generation V, the Synchronize Ability can badly poison its target correctly.

Causes

Moves

• Toxic Spikes - Upon switching Pokémon, the sent out Pokémon is Poisoned. If used twice, the effect will change to Badly Poisoning.
• Cross Poison - Has a 10% chance of Poisoning.
• Poison Tail - Has a 10% chance of Poisoning.
• Sludge Wave - Has a 10% chance of Poisoning.
• Gunk Shot - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Poison Jab - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Poison Sting - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Secret Power - In Generation III when used in tall grass, has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Sludge - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Sludge Bomb - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning.
• Smog - Has a 40% chance of Poisoning.
• Poison Gas - Poisons on contact.
• PoisonPowder - Poisons on contact.
• Poison Fang - Has a 30% chance of Badly Poisoning a Pokémon.
• Toxic - Badly Poisons a Pokémon on contact.
• Fling - If the user is holding a Poison Barb, the move will Poison the target. If the user is holding a Toxic Orb, the move will Badly Poison the target.

Abilities

• Poison Point - Has a 30% chance of Poisoning a Pokémon when a physical move attacks the Pokémon with the Ability.
• Poison Touch - Has a 20% chance of Poisoning a Pokémon when a physical move attacks the Pokémon with the Ability.
• Effect Spore - Has a 10% chance of Poisoning a Pokémon when the Pokémon uses a physical move. It, however, may also paralyze or make the Pokémon go to sleep.
• Toxic Chain - Whenever a Pokémon with this ability uses a move, there is a chance that the target will be badly poisoned.

Items

• Toxic Orb - automatically Badly Poisons the Pokémon holding the Item.

Cures, immunity, and prevention

Items

• Antidote
• Full Heal
• Full Restore
• Old Gateau
• Heal Powder
• Sacred Ash
• Casteliacone
• Miracle Berry
• Lum Berry
• PSNCureBerry
• Drash Berry
• Pecha Berry

Moves

• Safeguard (Prevention)
• Refresh
• Rest
• Psycho Shift (Unless the target can't be Poisoned)
• Heal Bell (Affects all teammates)
• Aromatherapy (Affects all teammates)
• Healing Wish (Affects the next Pokémon)
• Lunar Dance (Affects the next Pokémon)

Abilities

• Immunity
• Leaf Guard (When Sunny)
• Hydration (When Rainy)
• Shed Skin (30% chance of removal)
• Natural Cure (When leaving the battle)
• Healer (30% chance of removal, affects teammates)
• Magic Guard (Only prevents HP loss in battle)
• Flower Veil (Affects Grass-Type teammates)
• Shields Down (When HP over 50%)
• Comatose

Miscellaneous

• Capturing a Pokémon with Heal Ball cures it of its status conditions, including poisoning.
• The Misty Terrain prevents Pokémon on the ground from getting status conditions.
• A Pokémon behind a Substitute cannot be poisoned unless it is holding a Toxic Orb or the attacking Pokémon has the Ability Infiltrator.

Appearances

Core series

Generation I

In Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version as well as Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition, a poisoned Pokémon loses 1/16 of its total HP after attacking. Meanwhile, a badly poisoned Pokémon loses 1/16 of its total HP on its first turn, then the damage increases by an additional 1/16 each turn. If a badly poisoned Pokémon is either recalled for another Pokémon or affected by Haze, its status condition is changed to just poison; this also occurs when the battle ends.

Due to a glitch, if a badly poisoned Pokémon is affected by Leech Seed, it takes an additional 1/16 damage. Bad poisoning cannot be healed with the move Rest.

Generation II

In Generation II, poisoning is more severe because the poisoned Pokémon loses 1/8 of its total HP per turn. A badly poisoned Pokémon is still affected the same way as in Generation I, but Leech Seed or Haze no longer affect the damage taken.

There is a glitch where Twineedle can poison Steel-type Pokémon.

Generations III and IV

In Generation III and Generation IV, poison damage now occurs at the end of each turn, rather than after the poisoned Pokémon attacks. Twineedle can no longer poison Steel-type Pokémon.

Unlike before, when a severely poisoned Pokémon is switched out for another, it remains severely poisoned. However, if the badly poisoned Pokémon re-enters battle, it loses only 1/16 of its total HP on its first turn before increasing by 1/16 each turn.

Generation V

In Generation V, normal Poisoning is exactly the same as in Generation II, with two small changes. Pokémon no longer lose damage outside of battle through Poisoning. Poisoned Pokémon also receive double damage from the moves Hex and Venoshock.

Pokémon Stadium series

Pokémon Stadium

In Pokémon Stadium, the poisoned Pokémon in question will lose 1/16 of the HP the Pokémon had at full health.

Badly Poisoned Pokémon will take the same amount of damage as normal Poisoning the first turn, but then will lower with each hit taken that turn. If the Pokémon is switched out, the badly poison will turn into normal Poisoning.

The Pokémon oozes purple gas when Poisoned.

Pokémon Stadium 2

In Pokémon Stadium 2, the Poisoned Pokémon loses 1/8 the amount of HP the Pokémon had at full health.

Badly poisoned Pokémon start at 1/16, as in Pokémon Stadium, but at the end of each turn will lower instead of taking damage. Other than that, it is the same as Pokémon Stadium.

Pokémon Battle Revolution

In Pokémon Battle Revolution, the poisoned Pokémon loses 1/8 the amount of HP the Pokémon had at full health.

Badly poisoned Pokémon start at 1/16, but at the end of each turn will lower instead of taking damage.

Pokémon Trading Card Game series

In Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Card GB2 Here Comes Team Great Rocket!, with every turn that passes, a poisoned Pokémon is given one damage counter. Poisoning can only be treated by retreating to the Bench or by evolving a Pokémon.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, when a Pokémon is Poisoned, it takes 2 damage every ten turns (6 from Badly Poisoned) and is prevented from regenerating HP. Poisoned disappears when the Player goes to the next floor.

Anime

In the anime , Pokémon have been poisoned on occasion. Unlike the games, humans have also been poisoned at times.

Poisoning first occurs in "Princess vs. Princess" when Jessie's Arbok bites Yumi's Primeape. Coincidentally, it is functionally comparable to Poison Fang, a move only introduced in Generation III, some years after the episode premiered.

In "Sharpedo Attack!", a Sharpedo is poisoned as a result of Jessie's Seviper uses Poison Tail.

In "Keeping in Top Forme!", poisoning occurs to Shaymin, but it later recovers after Brock feed it a Pecha Berry. Both Ash's Pikachu and Dawn's Piplup also become poisoned, but the cause is different: the PoisonPowder released by a wild Shroomish. Both Pokémon eventually recover from their poisoning thanks to Shaymin's Aromatherapy.

In "A Real Rival Rouser!", in the Lily of the Valley Conference battle between Ash and Paul, Paul's Drapion uses Toxic Spikes to poison all of Ash's Pokémon present in battle, including his Buizel, his Staraptor, his Torterra, his Infernape, and his Gliscor.

Manga

In Pokémon Adventures, the first Pokémon shown to be poisoned is a baby Kangaskhan. Red realizes there is something wrong with the baby Kangaskhan, because its mother is being overly protective, so Red stops Blue from attacking the Kangaskhan. Red realizes the baby Kangaskhan is poisoned when he checks its mother's pouch, so he proceeds to heal it with an Antidote.

Gallery