Poison (type)

The Poison-type (Japanese: どくタイプ Doku type) is one of the seventeen elemental types. Notable trainers that specialize in Poison-type Pokémon include Koga, Aya and Janine of Fuchsia City. Some villainous teams, such as Team Rocket, also frequently use Poison-type Pokémon.

Statistical averages

Battle properties

Generation I

Poison-type moves:

• Are super-effective against: Bug, Grass
• Are not very effective against: Ghost, Ground, Poison, Rock
• Have no effect against: None (Steel wasn't introduced until Generation II)

Poison-type Pokémon:

• Resist: Fighting, Grass, Poison
• Are weak to: Bug, Ground, Psychic
• Have immunity to: None

Generation II-onward

Poison-type moves:

• Are super-effective against: Grass
• Are not very effective against: Ghost, Ground, Poison, Rock
• Have no effect against: Steel

Poison-type Pokémon:

• Resist: Bug, Fighting, Grass, Poison
• Are weak to: Ground, Psychic
• Have immunity to: None

Characteristics

The Poison-type is considered one of the worst in the game. Defensively, it is destroyed by Ground-type attacks, including Earthquake, one of the most common attacks. However, most Poison-type Pokémon have a second type that cancels the weakness to Ground, or Levitate. Having a weakness to Psychic also makes it extremely easy to defeat Poison-types, usually in a single turn due to mediocre defenses. However if the Pokémon in question has Dark as a second type like Stunky, Skuntank and Drapion, Psychic moves would have no effect on the Pokémon. The Poison-type's only useful resistances are to Fighting and, at times, Bug.

Offensively, the Poison-type isn't much better. It is only super effective against one type, Grass, many of which are half Poison, which makes it do damage as if it were a Pokémon of a type that Poison neither weakens or does weakly against. On the other hand, it is resisted by Ground, Rock, and Ghost and completely ineffective against Steel. The only advantage of Poison type moves is that many of them may poison the opponent, unless the foe is also Poison-type or Steel-type, in which case it will not be able to be poisoned, although it is possible to poison a Steel-type through Twineedle in Generation II.

Pokémon

Pure Poison-type Pokémon

#		Name
023		Ekans
024		Arbok
029		Nidoran♀
030		Nidorina
032		Nidoran♂
033		Nidorino
088		Grimer
089		Muk
109		Koffing
110		Weezing
316		Gulpin
317		Swalot
336		Seviper

Half Poison-type Pokémon

Primary Poison-type Pokémon

#		Name	Type 1	Type 2
031		Nidoqueen
034		Nidoking
041		Zubat
042		Golbat
169		Crobat
434		Stunky
435		Skuntank
451		Skorupi
452		Drapion
453		Croagunk
454		Toxicroak

Secondary Poison-type Pokémon

#		Name	Type 1	Type 2
001		Bulbasaur
002		Ivysaur
003		Venusaur
013		Weedle
014		Kakuna
015		Beedrill
043		Oddish
044		Gloom
045		Vileplume
048		Venonat
049		Venomoth
069		Bellsprout
070		Weepinbell
071		Victreebel
072		Tentacool
073		Tentacruel
092		Gastly
093		Haunter
094		Gengar
167		Spinarak
168		Ariados
211		Qwilfish
269		Dustox
315		Roselia
406		Budew
407		Roserade

Moves

Damage-dealing moves

Name	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Target	Notes
Acid			40	100%	30	Both foes	Has a 10% chance of lowering the opponent's Special Defense.
Cross Poison			70	100%	20	One foe	Has a high critical hit ratio and a 10% chance of poisoning the target.
Gunk Shot			120	70%	5	One foe	Has a 30% chance of poisoning the target.
Poison Fang			50	100%	15	One foe	Has a 30% chance of badly poisoning the target.
Poison Jab			80	100%	20	One foe	Has 30% chance of poisoning the target.
Poison Sting			15	100%	35	One foe	Has a 20% chance of poisoning the opponent.
Poison Tail			50	100%	25	One foe	Has a high critical hit ratio and a 10% chance of poisoning the target.
Sludge			65	100%	20	One foe	Has a 30% chance of poisoning the opponent.
Sludge Bomb			90	100%	10	One foe	Has 30% a chance of poisoning the opponent.
Smog			20	70%	20	One foe	Has a 40% chance of poisoning the opponent.

Non-damaging moves

Name	Category	Contest	Power	Accuracy	PP	Target	Notes
Acid Armor			—	—%	40	User	Increases the user's Defense by 2 levels.
Gastro Acid			—	100%	10	One foe	Cancels the foe's ability.
Poison Gas			—	55%	40	One foe	Poisons the target.
PoisonPowder			—	75%	35	One foe	Poisons the target.
Toxic			—	85%	10	One foe	Badly poisons the target. Its poison damage worsens every turn.
Toxic Spikes			—	—%	20	Both foes	Lays poisonous spikes that poison opponents who switch into battle.

Trivia

• Acid is the only damage dealing Poison-type attack that does not have a chance to poison the opponent.
• There has yet to be a Poison-type legendary Pokémon.

In other languages

• French: Poison
• German: Gift
• Italian: Veleno
• Spanish: Veneno
• Korean: 독 dok