Poison type

The Poison-type (どくタイプ Doku taipu in Japanese) is one of the eighteen Pokémon elemental types.

These Pokémon have a natural toxic quality; some directly represent real-world species known for their venom, such as snakes, and some even represent pollution itself. They normally live in caves, marshes or similar places.

Most Poison-type Pokémon are based on poisonous or venomous animals (Pokémon such as Seviper, which is a snake, Drapion, which is a scorpion, and Scolipede, which is a centipede). Some of them are also based on poisonous plants or fungi (Pokémon such as Foongus, which is a mushroom, and Oddish, which is a mandrake root). Most dual Poison-type Pokémon have Bug-type or Grass-type as their other type. This reflects how, in real life, many insects and plants are poisonous. A very curious fact about Poison-type Pokémon is that some of them resemble ninjas. For example, Koffing is like a smoke ball, Crobat has a ninja's speed and secrecy and Toxicroak has paws that make it resemble a ninja. Some Poison-types also resemble types of pollution. Garbodor represents trash pollution, Weezing represents air pollution and Muk represents liquid pollution. Strangely, not all Poison-types are based on poisonous or venomous things (Stunky, which is based on a skunk, and Skrelp, which is based on a leafy sea dragon, are both real-life animals that are not poisonous or venomous).

The Poison type is related to the status effects Poisoned and Badly Poisoned, which are produced mostly by Poison-type moves.

Famous Poison-type Pokémon Trainers include Koga, fifth Gym Leader of Kanto and now second member of the Indigo League; Janine, Koga's daughter who succeeded her father's position in Kanto; Agatha, the then-third member of the Indigo League (her main type is Ghost, but all of her Pokémon are Poison-type as well); and Roxie, second Gym Leader in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. Also, most villain teams in the games specialize in Poison-type Pokémon, along with Dark-types.

Poison-type Pokémon that are not Flying-type or have Levitate also remove Toxic Spikes when they switch in.

Poison-type moves

• There are 23 Poison-type moves.
  • In Generation I, 8 moves were introduced.
  • In Generation II, 1 move was introduced.
  • In Generation III, 2 moves were introduced.
  • In Generation IV, 5 moves were introduced.
  • In Generation V, 5 moves were introduced.
  • In Generation VI, 2 moves were introduced.
  • In Generation VII, 3 moves were introduced.
• In battles: Special moves stand out.
  • 6 moves are of the type.
  • 9 moves are of the type.
  • 8 moves are of the type.
• In contests: Tough moves stand out.
  • 10 moves are of the type.
  • 9 moves are of the type.
  • 3 moves are of the type.
  • 1 move is of the type.
  • There are no moves of the type.

List of Poison-type moves

Name	Category	Contest	Generation	Power
Acid			Generation I	40
Acid Armor			Generation I	-
Acid Spray			Generation V	40
Baneful Bunker			Generation VII	-
Belch			Generation VI	120
Clear Smog			Generation V	50
Coil			Generation V	-
Cross Poison			Generation IV	70
Gastro Acid		[1]	Generation IV	-
Gunk Shot		[2]	Generation IV	120
Poison Fang			Generation III	50
Poison Gas			Generation I	-
Poison Jab		[3]	Generation IV	80
Poison Powder			Generation I	-
Poison Sting			Generation I	15
Poison Tail			Generation III	50
Purify			Generation VII	-
Sludge			Generation I	65
Sludge Bomb			Generation II	90
Sludge Wave			Generation V	95
Smog			Generation I	30[4]
Toxic			Generation I	-
Toxic Spikes			Generation IV	-
Toxic Thread			Generation VII	-
Venom Drench			Generation VI	-
Venoshock			Generation V	65

Effectiveness of Poison-type moves

×2

Super effective against Pokémon of the types: and .

½

Not very effective against Pokémon of the types: , , , and .

×0

Ineffective against Pokémon of the types: .

Weaknesses and resistances of the Poison type

A type chart displaying the weaknesses and resistances of a Pokémon when damaged by a move. Empty fields are moves that do normal damage.

×4 Doubly super effective

×2 Super effective

½ Resistant

¼ Very resistant

×0 Immune

	Type of the move
	½ [5]				½	½				½	×2			½	×2
	½ [6]				½	¼	×2	×2		¼				½	×2	×2
		½							½	½	×2			½	×0
	½		×2	½		½	½			¼	×2	×2		½	×2			½
																	×4
	¼	½				½		×2		½	×2			½	×4	½
	¼				¼	½	½			¼	×4	½		½	×2	×2	½	×2
	¼ [7]			×2	½	¼				¼	×0	×2		½	×2	×2
	¼ [8]	×2			½	×0			×2	½	×2		×0	¼	×2
											×2
	[9]			½	½	½	×2	×2		¼		×2			×2			½
	½ [10]			×0	½	½					×2	×2		¼	×2	½		×2
	½				½		½	½			×4		½	¼	×2		×2	×2
	½ [11]			×2	½	½	½				×2	½		½	×2		½	½

Poison-type-Pokémon Trainers

Poison-type-Pokémon Gym Leaders

Leader	Location	Badge
Koga[12]	Fuchsia City, Kanto	Soul Badge
Janine[13]	Fuchsia City, Kanto	Soul Badge
Roxie	Virbank City, Unova	Toxic Badge

Poison-type-Pokémon Elite Four members

Competence	Category
Agatha	Kanto Elite Four
Koga[13]	Johto Elite Four

Poison type records

• Eternatus is the tallest and heaviest Poison type.
• Foongus is the smallest Poison type.
• Gastly and Haunter are the lightest Poison types.
• Weedle evolves at the lowest level (7)
• Skrelp evolves at the highest level (48)
• Eternatus has the most HP of all Poison types (255)
• Mega Beedrill has the most Attack and Speed of all Poison types (150 & 145)
• Eternatus (Eternamax) has the most Defense & Sp. Def of all Poison types (250)
• Mega Gengar has the most Sp. Atk of all Poison types (170)
• Eternatus (Eternamax) has the highest base stat total of all Poison-types (1125)

Poison-type Pokémon

67 Pokémon are Poison type. (8.23% of all Pokémon)

Pure Poison-type Pokémon

15 Pokémon are pure Poison type. (22.73% of the Poison-type Pokémon)

Ekans	Arbok	Nidoran♀	Nidorina	Nidoran♂	Nidorino
#023 ----	#024 ----	#029 ----	#030 ----	#032 ----	#033 ----
Grimer	Muk	Koffing	Weezing	Gulpin	Swalot
#088 ----	#089 ----	#109 ----	#110 ----	#316 ----	#317 ----
Seviper	Trubbish	Garbodor	Poipole
#336 ----	#568 ----	#569 ----	#803 ----

Primary Poison-type Pokémon

20 Pokémon are primary Poison type. (28.79% of the Poison-type Pokémon)

Nidoqueen	Nidoking	Zubat	Golbat	Galarian Slowbro	Alolan Grimer
#031 ----	#034 ----	#041 ----	#042 ----	#088 ----	#088 ----
Alolan Muk	Galarian Weezing	Crobat	Stunky	Skuntank	Skorupi
#089 ----	#110 ----	#169 ----	#434 ----	#435 ----	#451 ----
Drapion	Croagunk	Toxicroak	Skrelp	Dragalge	Mareanie
#452 ----	#453 ----	#454 ----	#690 ----	#691 ----	#747 ----
Toxapex	Salandit	Salazzle	Naganadel	Eternatus
#748 ----	#757 ----	#758 ----	#804 ----	#890 ----

Secondary Poison-type Pokémon

32 Pokémon are secondary Poison type. (48.48% of the Poison-type Pokémon)

Bulbasaur	Ivysaur	Venusaur	Weedle	Kakuna	Beedrill
#001 ----	#002 ----	#003 ----	#013 ----	#014 ----	#015 ----
Oddish	Gloom	Vileplume	Venonat	Venomoth	Bellsprout
#043 ----	#044 ----	#044 ----	#048 ----	#049 ----	#069 ----
Weepinbell	Victreebel	Tentacool	Tentacruel	Gastly	Haunter
#070 ----	#071 ----	#072 ----	#073 ----	#092 ----	#093 ----
Gengar	Spinarak	Ariados	Qwilfish	Dustox	Roselia
#094 ----	#167 ----	#168 ----	#211 ----	#269 ----	#315 ----
Budew	Roserade	Venipede	Whirlipede	Scolipede	Foongus
#406 ----	#407 ----	#543 ----	#544 ----	#545 ----	#590 ----
Amoonguss	Nihilego	Toxel	Toxtricity
#591 ----	#793 ----	848 ----	#849 ----

Pokémon with Poison-type alternate formes

The following alternate formes of some Pokémon are also of the Poison type.

Mega Venusaur	Gigantamax Venusaur	Mega Beedrill	Mega Gengar	Gigantamax Gengar	Arceus
#003 ----	#003 ----	#015 ----	#094 ----	#094 ----	#493 ---- [14]
Gigantamax Garbodor	Silvally	Low Key Toxtricity	Gigantamax Toxtricity	Eternamax Eternatus
569 ----	#773 ---- [15]	#849 ----	#849 ----	#890 ----

Relations with other types

• They're strong against the Fairy-type because fairies represent purity and poison represents pollution, and thus fairies have weak immune systems.
• They're strong against the Grass-type because trees and plants are damaged by pollution and toxins, such as herbicides.
• They're weak against the Ground-type because earthen and sandy features neutralize and mitigate the toxicity of poison, making them less effective. Alternatively, it could be because while living organisms and thus the Earth's biosphere may be devastated by pollution, the Earth itself is relatively unchanged by it.
• They're weak against the Psychic-type because mind can't be poisoned. Poison acts over the body, and the mind is superior to the body, while Psychic-type attacks are mental. Alternatively, it may be because going into a medical field requires a lot of education and knowledge, giving the idea of keeping poisons at bay, hence the term "mind over matter".
• They resist the Fighting-type because when poisoned, a fighter or deportist loses strength. Fighters try to be healthy as most as they can and poison can make them sick. It could also be said that since some Poison-type Pokémon have a gelatinous body, punches and kicks cushions the impact. Curiously, the Fighting type isn't weak to them.
• They were strong against the Bug-type in Generation I because of insecticides, which are chemicals used to kill bugs. However, since Generation II, the Bug type takes normal damage from them because many insects have developed resistance to some insecticides and sometimes even carry toxins themselves.
• The Ghost-type resists them because you can't poison someone who's already dead, besides, the spirit doesn't have a physical form, thus toxins can't pass through.
• The Rock-type resists them because since rocks aren't live creatures, poison can hardly damage them.
• The Steel-type is immune to them because poison can't circulate through or penetrate metals, mainly because they're not organic materials.

Trivia

• Despite being all physical attack moves before Generation IV, there are more Special moves than Physical moves that are Poison type.
• The only type combination that allows for a double weakness to Poison type is Grass/Fairy.
• Strangely, the Water-type takes neutral damage from the Poison-type instead of being weak to them, despite the fact that water is very easy to pollute, especially by toxic waste, and aquatic beings have great difficulty surviving in polluted water.

Notes

1. ^ Before Generation VI, this was a -type move.
2. ^ Before Generation VI, this was a -type move.
3. ^ Before Generation VI, this was a -type move.
4. ^ 20 until Generation V.
5. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective on Poison-type Pokémon.
6. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective on Poison/Bug-type Pokémon.
7. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves did normal damage on Poison/Flying-type Pokémon.
8. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective on Poison/Ghost-type Pokémon.
9. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were doubly super effective on Poison/Grass-type Pokémon.
10. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective on Poison/Ground-type Pokémon.
11. ^ In Generation I, Bug-type moves were super effective on Poison/Water-type Pokémon.
12. ^ Only in Pokémon Red and Blue and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
13. ^ ^{a b} Only in Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
14. ^ Thanks to the ability Multitype, equipped with the Toxic Plate.
15. ^ Thanks to the ability RKS System, equipped with the Poison Memory.

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