Poison Tail (move)

Poison Tail ポイズンテール Poison Tail

Battles Type  Poison Category  Physical PP  25 (max. 40) Power  50 Accuracy  100% Priority  0 Makes contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by Mirror Move Affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Normal: May affect anyone adjacent to the user

Availability Introduced  Generation III Not a TM, TR, HM, or Move Tutor move.

Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ Jam  0   Worsens the condition of those that made appeals.

Super Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  2 ♥♥ Earn +2 if the Judge's Voltage goes up.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Clever Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ Jamming  0   Brings down the energy of any Pokémon that have already used a move this turn.

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX

Poison Tail (Japanese: ポイズンテール Poison Tail) is a damage-dealing Poison-type move introduced in Generation III. Prior to Generation V, it was the signature move of Seviper.

Effect

Poison Tail deals damage and has an increased critical hit ratio. It has a 10% chance of poisoning the target.

Poison Tail can also be used as part of a Contest Spectacular combination, with the user gaining extra three appeal points if the move Focus Energy was used in the prior turn.

Description

Games Description RSEColoXD Has a high critical-hit ratio. May also poison. FRLG An attack with a high critical-hit ratio. It may also poison the foe. DPPtHGSSPBR An attack with a high critical-hit ratio. This tail attack may also poison the foe. BWB2W2 The user hits the target with its tail. It may also poison the target. Critical hits land more easily. XYORAS SMUSUM SwShBDSP The user hits the target with its tail. This may also poison the target. Critical hits land more easily.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Level
						I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX
0336		Seviper		Field	Dragon	16	16	16BW 12B2W2	12XY 10ORAS	9	9BDSP
0543		Venipede		Bug		Bug			19	19	19	12
0544		Whirlipede		Bug		Bug			19	19	19	12
0545		Scolipede		Bug		Bug			19	19	19	12
0690		Skrelp		Water 1	Dragon				23	23	25
0691		Dragalge		Water 1	Dragon				23	23	25
0706		Goodra		Dragon		Dragon						1
0890		Eternatus		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered						1
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Types	Parent Egg Groups		Egg Move
						II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX
0023		Ekans		Field	Dragon		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
0029		Nidoran♀		Monster	Field			✔	✔	✔	✔
0032		Nidoran♂		Monster	Field			✔	✔	✔	✔
0207		Gligar		Bug		Bug			✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
0451		Skorupi		Bug	Water 3			✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
0621		Druddigon		Dragon	Monster			✔	✔	✔	✔
0704		Goomy		Dragon		Dragon				✔	✔
0843		Silicobra		Field	Dragon						✔
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Poison Tail is a move with 10 base power, 88% accuracy and 17 PP. The user attacks enemy in front of them, possibly inflicting poison. The move has increased critical-hit raito.

In Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, the move's PP has been decreased to 15.

Pokémon Conquest

	>

Stars: ★★ Power: 29 Accuracy: 100%

Effect: Has a 10% chance of poisoning each target and an increased critical hit ratio.

Users:

Grid assumes the user is in the square marked by > facing to the right.
Orange squares indicate spaces that are hit.
Red squares indicate the knockback on hit Pokémon.
A blue square indicates the user's position after performing the move.

Pokémon Masters EX

Category	Move Gauge	MP	Base Power	Max Power	Accuracy	Target	Effect Tag	Description
Physical	2	—	38	45	100%	An opponent	—	Critical hits land more easily. Has a chance (10%) of leaving the target poisoned.

Past Description

• Prior to Version 2.10.0 (from June 28, 2021): Critical hits land more easily. Has a very small chance of leaving the target poisoned.

Description

Games Description MDRB Inflicts damage on the target. It may also leave the target poisoned. It has a high critical-hit rate. MDTDS Inflicts damage on the target. It may also afflict the targeted enemy with a Poisoned status condition, which causes periodic damage. It has a high critical-hit rate. BSL てきポケモンに ダメージをあたえる しかも いっていのかくりつで どくじょうたいにかえる きゅうしょにあたりやすい Conq. An attack with a high critical-hit ratio. This tail attack may also poison the target. MDGtI It damages an enemy. It could also cause the Poisoned status condition. With the Poisoned status, the enemy keeps taking damage and can't restore its HP naturally. SMD It could make an enemy poisoned. It has a high critical-hit rate.* It damages an enemy. It could also make the enemy poisoned. It has a high critical-hit rate.*

In the anime

Seviper Scolipede Sean's father's Scolipede
Part of the user's tail glows purple and it then hits the opponent with it. This may also poison the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	The dagger part of Seviper's tail glows purple and Seviper hits the opponent with it. On occasion, this will poison the opponent.
Jessie's Seviper	A Tail with a Twist		Debut
Lucy's Seviper	Queen of the Serpentine!		None
	Scolipede's tails glow purple and Scolipede hits the opponent with them.
Sean's father's Scolipede	Battling the Bully!		None
A wild Scolipede	Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Seviper
The user stabs the opponent with its tail.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Seviper stabs the opponent with the tip of its tail.
Lucy's Seviper	Swanky Showdown with Swalot		Debut

Pokémon Battle Frontier

Seviper
The user attacks the opponent with the tail.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Seviper jabs the opponent with the tail.
Lucy's Seviper	The Predestined Battle!		Debut

In other generations

Core series games

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD: Time, Darkness, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD: Time, Darkness, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Side series games

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD: Time, Darkness, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Spin-off series games

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD: Time, Darkness, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 毒尾 Duhkméih Mandarin 毒尾 Dúwěi Dutch Gifstaart Finnish Myrkkyhäntä French Queue-Poison German Giftschweif Greek Δηλητηριώδης Ουρά Hindi ज़हरीली पूँछ Zehreeli Poonch Indonesian Ekor Beracun Italian Velenocoda Korean 포이즌테일 Poison Tail Polish Trujący Ogon* Trujące Żądło* Trujące Ukłucie* Portuguese Cauda Venenosa Romanian Coada Otrăvitoare Serbian Otrovni Rep Spanish Latin America Cola Venenosa Spain Cola Veneno Turkish Zehirli Kuyruk Vietnamese Đuôi Độc

Variations of the move Karate Chop
Karate Chop • Poison Tail

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.