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 (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 represent sewer 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 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
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
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	-
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
	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
	[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[14]	Johto Elite Four

Poison type records

• Naganadel is the tallest Poison type.
• Foongus is the smallest Poison type.
• Scolipede is the heaviest Poison type.
• Gastly and Haunter are the lightest Poison types.
• Weedle evolves at the lowest level (7)
• Skrelp evolves at the highest level (48)
• Amoonguss has the most HP of all Poison types (114)
• Mega Beedrill has the most Attack and Speed of all Poison types (150)
• Toxapex has the most Defense & Sp. Def of all Poison types (152)
• Mega Gengar has the most Sp. Atk of all Poison types (170)

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	Alolan Grimer	Alolan Muk
#031	#034	#041	#042	#088	#089
Crobat	Stunky	Skuntank	Skorupi	Drapion	Croagunk
#169	#434	#435	#451	#452	#453
Toxicroak	Skrelp	Dragalge	Mareanie	Toxapex	Salandit
#454	#690	#691	#747	#748	#757
Salazzle	Naganadel
#758	#804

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
#591	#793

Pokémon with Poison-type alternate formes

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

Mega Venusaur	Mega Beedrill	Mega Gengar	Arceus	Silvally
#003	#015	#094	#493 [15]	#773 [16]

Relations with other types

• They're strong against the Fairy-type because fairies represent purity and poison the pollution.
• They're strong against the Grass-type because trees and plants are damaged by the pollution and toxins, such as insecticides.
• They're weak against the Ground-type because earthen and sandy features neutralize and mitigate the toxicity of poisons, making them less effective.
• 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.
• 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 poisons 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, toxins that killed bugs. However, since Generation II, the Bug type takes normal damage from them because many insects have developed resistance to some insecticides.
• 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 poisons cannot circulate through or penetrate metals, mainly because they're not organic materials.

Trivia

• There are no Poison-type Legendary Pokémon that aren't an alternate form.

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. ^ Only in Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
14. ^ Only in Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
15. ^ Thanks to the ability Multitype, equipped with the Toxic Plate.
16. ^ Thanks to the ability RKS System, equipped with the Poison Memory.

v · d · ePokémon types
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Only exists within Generation II – IV: · Only exists within Colosseum and XD: Shadow