Poison Type

The Poison type (Japanese: どくタイプ Poison Type) is one of the eighteen Pokemon types. Poison-type Pokemon are characterized by their ability to generate and control toxic substances, venom, pollution, and corrosive materials. Despite having limited offensive super-effectiveness, Poison excels at inflicting status conditions and providing crucial defensive utility against Fairy-types.[1]

Overview

AttributeDetails
IntroducedGeneration I
Number of Pokemon75+
Notable TrainersKoga, Janine, Roxie, Klara
Common HabitatsPolluted areas, swamps, industrial zones, caves

Type Effectiveness

Offensive

EffectivenessAgainst Types
Super Effective (2x)Grass, Fairy
Not Very Effective (0.5x)Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost
No Effect (0x)Steel

Defensive

EffectivenessFrom Types
Weak To (2x)Ground, Psychic
Resistant To (0.5x)Fighting, Poison, Bug, Grass, Fairy
Immune To (0x)—

Key Note: Fairy Counter

Poison is one of only two types super effective against Fairy (alongside Steel), making Poison-types essential for checking powerful Fairy-type threats in competitive play.[2] The addition of Fairy-type in Generation VI significantly boosted Poison's strategic value.

Characteristics

Common Traits

TraitDescription
AppearancePurple, green, sickly colors
AbilitiesPoison Point, Poison Touch, Corrosion
HabitatPolluted areas, swamps
BehaviorOften defensive, toxic

Special Properties

PropertyEffect
Poison ImmunityPoison-types cannot be poisoned
Toxic SpikesAbsorbed by grounded Poison-types
Toxic DamageBadly poisoned increases damage each turn
VenoshockDoubles power against poisoned targets

Notable Poison-Type Pokemon

Pseudo-Legendary Status

Dragalge (Poison/Dragon) has been nicknamed a "pseudo-legendary" by some fans due to its powerful stat distribution and impressive movepool, though it does not meet the technical definition (600 BST, three-stage evolution).[3] No true pseudo-legendary Poison-type exists.

Legendary/Mythical

PokemonTypeGenerationRole
———No pure Poison legendary exists
NihilegoRock/PoisonVIIUltra Beast (Parasite Pokemon)

Note: Despite being one of the original types, Poison is unique in having no dedicated legendary or mythical Pokemon. Eternatus (Poison/Dragon, Gen VIII) is the closest, being a major legendary.

Iconic Poison-Types

PokemonTypeNotable For
GengarGhost/PoisonGen I icon, Mega Evolution
MukPoisonSludge Pokemon, Alolan variant
WeezingPoisonPollution Pokemon, Galarian Fairy variant
CrobatPoison/FlyingFriendship evolution, high Speed
ToxicroakPoison/FightingUnique typing, Dry Skin ability
ToxapexPoison/WaterExtreme defensive wall
SalazzlePoison/FireFemale-only, Corrosion ability
DragalgePoison/Dragon"Pseudo-legendary" status
OverqwilDark/PoisonHisuian evolution

Competitively Notable

PokemonNotable For
ToxapexRegenerator, extreme bulk, competitive staple
AmoongussSpore, Regenerator, VGC favorite
GlimmoraToxic Debris, hazard setter
VenusaurChlorophyll sweeper, Thick Fat
ClodsireWater Absorb, physical wall
DragalgeSpecial attacker, Adaptability
Iron MothParadox Volcarona, Quark Drive
GholdengoSteel immunity negation

Starter Pokemon

PokemonGenerationDual Typing
VenusaurIGrass/Poison

Venusaur remains the only Poison-type starter Pokemon in the main series, though it is primarily classified as a Grass-type.[4]

Common Poison-Type Moves

Physical Moves

MovePowerAccuracyEffect
Gunk Shot12080%30% poison chance
Poison Jab80100%30% poison chance
Cross Poison70100%High crit ratio, 10% poison
Poison Tail50100%High crit ratio, 10% poison
Poison Fang50100%50% badly poison chance
Mortal Spin30100%Removes hazards, poisons foe
Barb Barrage60100%Doubles power if target poisoned

Special Moves

MovePowerAccuracyEffect
Sludge Bomb90100%30% poison chance
Sludge Wave95100%Hits all adjacent Pokemon
Venoshock65100%Doubles power vs poisoned targets
Acid Spray40100%Sharply lowers Sp. Def
Belch12090%Requires Berry consumption
Sludge65100%Basic special attack
Acid40100%May lower Sp. Def

Status Moves

MoveEffect
ToxicBadly poisons target (never misses for Poison-types in Gen I-VII)
Toxic SpikesEntry hazard, poisons grounded Pokemon
Poison Gas90% poison chance (55% in Gen I)
Poison Powder75% poison chance
Toxic ThreadPoisons and lowers Speed
Baneful BunkerProtects and poisons on contact
Venom DrenchLowers Attack/Sp. Atk/Speed of poisoned foes

Signature Moves

MovePokemonDetails
Barb BarrageOverqwil60 power, doubles against poisoned
Mortal SpinGlimmora lineHazard removal + poison
Shell Side ArmSlowbro-GalarPhysical or special based on defense

Poison-Type Specialists

Gym Leaders

TrainerRegionSignature PokemonGeneration
KogaKantoMuk/WeezingI
JanineKanto/JohtoVenomoth/CrobatII
RoxieUnovaWhirlipede/GarbodorV
KlaraGalar (Isle of Armor)Slowbro-GalarVIII

Elite Four/Champions

TrainerRegionNotable Pokemon
KogaJohto Elite FourMuk, Crobat, Venomoth
——No dedicated Poison Elite Four in most games

Other Specialists

TrainerRoleNotable Pokemon
Team RocketVillainsEkans, Koffing lines (iconic)
AtticusTeam Star (Paldea)Revavroom, Skuntank

Type Combinations

All Poison-Type Combinations

Secondary TypeExample Pokemon
Pure PoisonMuk, Toxicroak (variant), Clodsire (variant)
Poison/GrassVenusaur, Vileplume, Victreebel, Roserade
Poison/FlyingCrobat, Golbat, Zubat
Poison/GhostGengar, Haunter, Gastly
Poison/DarkSkuntank, Drapion, Overqwil
Poison/WaterTentacruel, Toxapex, Clodsire
Poison/PsychicSlowbro-Galar, Slowking-Galar
Poison/FightingToxicroak, Croagunk
Poison/GroundNidoking, Nidoqueen
Poison/BugVenomoth, Ariados, Scolipede
Poison/FireSalazzle, Salandit
Poison/DragonDragalge, Eternatus
Poison/Steel— (unused)
Poison/RockNihilego
Poison/FairyGalarian Weezing
Poison/Ice— (unused)
Poison/Electric— (unused)
Poison/Normal— (unused)

Notable Combinations

CombinationPokemonNote
Poison/GrassVenusaur, RoseradeMost common in Gen I
Poison/DarkDrapion, OverqwilExcellent defensive typing
Poison/WaterToxapexIncredible bulk with Regenerator
Poison/DragonDragalge, EternatusRare, powerful combo
Poison/FairyGalarian WeezingUnique regional variant
Poison/GhostGengarIconic since Gen I

Abilities

Poison-Type Related Abilities

AbilityEffectPokemon
Poison Point30% poison on contactNidoking, Qwilfish
Poison Touch30% poison on contact with movesCroagunk, Muk
CorrosionCan poison Steel and Poison typesSalazzle
MercilessAlways crits poisoned targetsMareanie, Toxapex
Poison HealHeals 1/8 HP when poisonedShroomish, Breloom, Gliscor
Toxic Boost+50% Attack when poisonedZangoose
Toxic DebrisScatters Toxic Spikes when hitGlimmora
Pastel VeilProtects team from poisonGalarian Ponyta line

Hidden Abilities

PokemonHidden AbilityCompetitive Use
VenusaurChlorophyllSun sweeper
ToxapexRegeneratorDefensive pivot
AmoongussRegeneratorVGC staple
GlimmoraCorrosionBypasses immunity

Competitive Analysis

Strengths

StrengthDetails
Fairy CounterOne of two types super effective vs Fairy
Five ResistancesFighting, Poison, Bug, Grass, Fairy
Status MasteryToxic, Toxic Spikes control
Defensive UtilityRegenerator users, bulk
Hazard ControlToxic Spikes absorption, setting

Weaknesses

WeaknessDetails
Limited CoverageOnly super effective vs Grass and Fairy
Steel ImmunityCannot damage Steel-types
Ground WeaknessCommon attacking type
Psychic WeaknessLess common but notable
Offensive StrugglesOften needs secondary STAB

Role in Metagame

RoleExamples
Defensive WallToxapex, Amoonguss, Clodsire
Fairy CheckDragalge, Toxicroak, Salazzle
Hazard SetterGlimmora, Toxapex
Status SpreaderAmoonguss, Toxic Spikes users
Special WallToxapex, Goodra-Hisui

Poison Status Strategies

Poison-type Pokemon excel at inflicting and exploiting poison status:

StrategyPokemonMethod
Toxic StallingToxapexToxic + Recover
Toxic SpikesGlimmoraAutomatic poison on switch
VenoshockCrobatDoubles power vs poison
MercilessToxapexAlways crits poisoned foes
CorrosionSalazzlePoisons Steel/Poison types

Special Mechanics

Poison Status Condition

Poison inflicts damage each turn with two variants:

TypeDamageHow Inflicted
Regular Poison1/8 HP per turnPoison Gas, Poison Powder, etc.
Badly Poisoned (Toxic)1/16, 2/16, 3/16... increasingToxic move

Important: Badly poisoned damage resets upon switching out.[5]

Toxic Spikes

Toxic Spikes is a hazard move unique to Poison-types:

LayersEffect
1 LayerPoisons grounded Pokemon on entry
2 LayersBadly poisons grounded Pokemon on entry
AbsorptionGrounded Poison-types absorb all layers

Common setters: Toxapex, Roserade, Tentacruel, Glimmora (via Toxic Debris ability)

Corrosion Ability

Corrosion is a unique ability that allows Poison-type moves to affect Steel and Poison-types:

AspectDetails
Exclusive toSalandit, Salazzle
EffectPoison and Toxic work on Steel/Poison
Competitive UseForces switches from defensive Steel-types
CounterplayStill fails vs Magic Bounce, Immunity ability

Poison Immunity

Several mechanics grant immunity to poison:

SourceExamples
Poison-typeAll Poison-types
Steel-typeAll Steel-types (except vs Corrosion)
Immunity abilityZangoose, Snorlax
Pastel VeilGalarian Ponyta line (team-wide)
ComatoseKomala (immune to all status)

Historical Significance

Generation I: Grass/Poison Dominance

In Generation I, Poison was heavily associated with Grass-types:

PokemonTypeNote
Bulbasaur lineGrass/PoisonStarter Pokemon
Oddish lineGrass/PoisonCommon early-game
Bellsprout lineGrass/PoisonVersion exclusive

This combination gave them neutrality to Bug (which was super effective against Grass) but added a devastating Psychic weakness during the Psychic-dominated Gen I metagame.[6]

Generation II: Special Split

The Physical/Special split affected Poison significantly:

  • Poison became a special type
  • Reduced effectiveness of physical Poison-types like Muk
  • Sludge Bomb became the go-to special move

Generation VI: Fairy Introduction

The addition of Fairy-type in Generation VI was Poison's biggest buff:

  • Super effective against new Fairy-type
  • Resistant to Fairy-type moves
  • Competitive value skyrocketed
  • Poison-types became essential for checking powerful Fairies[7]

Generation IX: Defensive Renaissance

Generation IX introduced several defensive Poison-types:

  • Glimmora (Toxic Debris ability)
  • Clodsire (Water Absorb, incredible bulk)
  • Revival of Poison as a premier defensive type

Poison in Competitive Formats

OU Tier Staples

PokemonRoleKey Features
ToxapexWallRegenerator, Scald, Toxic
GlimmoraLeadToxic Debris, Mortal Spin
ClodsireWallWater Absorb, Recover
GholdengoUtilityGood as Gold, Steel/Ghost typing

VGC Usage

PokemonNotable For
AmoongussSpore, Rage Powder, Regenerator
Iron MothSpecial attacker, Quark Drive
VenusaurChlorophyll, Sleep Powder
ToxapexTrick Room wall

UU and Below

PokemonTierNotable For
DragalgeUUAdaptability, special attacker
ToxicroakUUDry Skin, Fighting STAB
SalazzleRUCorrosion, Fire coverage
DrapionRUDark typing, Sniper crits

Poison-Type Design Patterns

Generation I: Pollution and Venom

Early Poison-types emphasized industrial pollution and natural venom:

ConceptPokemon
PollutionGrimer, Muk, Koffing, Weezing
VenomousEkans, Arbok, Nidoran lines
Toxic PlantsOddish line, Bellsprout line

Regional Variants

Several regional variants gained or changed Poison typing:

PokemonOriginal TypeVariant TypeRegion
Galarian WeezingPoisonPoison/FairyGalar
Galarian SlowbroWater/PsychicPoison/PsychicGalar
Galarian SlowkingWater/PsychicPoison/PsychicGalar

Paradox Pokemon

Generation IX introduced Poison-type paradox forms:

PokemonBased OnTypeEra
Iron MothVolcaronaFire/PoisonFuture

Notable Poison-Type Moments

Competitive History

EventPokemonSignificance
Gen I OUGengarFastest sleep inducer
Gen V OUToxicroakRain sweeper
Gen VI VGCAmoongussSpore + Rage Powder dominance
Gen VIII OUToxapexRegenerator core staple
Gen IX OUGlimmoraToxic Debris lead

Infamous Strategies

StrategyDescription
Toxic StallingToxic + Protect/Substitute wearing down opponents
ToxaPexToxapex with Regenerator cycling
Corrosion SalazzleBypassing Steel-type walls
Swords Dance GliscorPoison Heal + Toxic Orb setup

Poison-Type Trivia

Unique Facts

FactDetails
No LegendaryOnly original type with no dedicated legendary/mythical
Toxic AccuracyPoison-types never missed Toxic in Gen I-VII
Fairy CounterAdded strategic value post-Gen VI
Starter RarityOnly one starter (Venusaur) is Poison-type
Steel ImmunityOnly type completely immune to Poison moves

Evolution Methods

Several Poison-types have unique evolution conditions:

PokemonEvolution Method
CrobatHigh friendship (from Golbat)
ToxapexLevel 38 (from Mareanie)
OverqwilBarb Barrage 20+ times (Hisuian Qwilfish)
SalazzleFemale Salandit only

See Also

References

  1. ^Poison (type) — Bulbapedia (2024)
  2. ^Poison Type - Smogon University — Smogon University (2024)
  3. ^Dragalge — Bulbapedia (2024)
  4. ^Starter Pokemon — Bulbapedia (2024)
  5. ^Poison (status condition) — Bulbapedia (2024)
  6. ^RBY Poison Type — Smogon University (2024)
  7. ^Fairy (type) — Bulbapedia (2024)
  8. ^Poison Type Pokemon — Serebii.net (2024)