Pokemon Pocket replicates several Special Conditions from the physical Pokemon Trading Card Game, with Poisoned being one of them. When this effect is applied, an Active Pokemon gradually loses HP until it’s either knocked out or cured. But there’s more to it. You need to understand how Poisoned is applied, which cards have this ability, how to cure it, and which decks exploit this effect in the current metagame. This Pokemon TCG Pocket guide answers all these questions.
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What Is ‘Poisoned’ in Pokemon TCG Pocket?
Poisoned is a Special Condition that reduces 10 HP at the end of each round. Like other Special Conditions, Poisoned is calculated during the round Checkup. However, unlike some effects, it doesn’t go away automatically or through coin flips. Once a Pokemon is Poisoned, it will keep losing HP until it’s cured or knocked out.
While Poisoned can stack with other Special Conditions, it cannot stack with additional Poison effects. In other words, a Pokemon will only lose 10 HP per turn regardless of how many times Poisoned is applied. However, you can leverage a Pokemon’s Poison status to deal extra damage with Poisoned beneficiaries like Muk, which adds +50 DMG when its opponent is Poisoned.
Which Cards Have the Poisoned Ability?
- Weezing
- Grimer
- Nidoking
- Tentacruel
- Venomoth
In the Genetic Apex expansion, only five cards can apply Poisoned: Weezing, Grimer, Nidoking, Tentacruel, and Venomoth. Among these, Grimer is the most effective choice as a Basic Pokemon that poisons enemies with just one Energy. Weezing is another strong option, applying Poisoned through its ability, Gas Leak, which requires no Energy. However, it can only be used when Weezing is in the Active Pokemon slot.
If you’re interested in trying a Poisoned deck, check out Pokemon Pocket’s Rental Decks. A great starting point is Koga’s Rental Deck, which includes cards like Grimer and Arbok.
How Do You Cure Poisoned?
There are three ways to handle the Poisoned effect:
- Evolution: Evolving the Poisoned Pokemon removes its Poisoned status.
- Retreat: Benching the Poisoned Pokemon stops it from losing HP.
- Item Cards: Cards like Potion can counter Poisoned by healing HP, but they don’t cure the condition outright, only extending your Active Pokemon’s survivability.
What Is the Best Poison Deck?
In the current Pokemon Pocket metagame, Poison isn’t a top-tier archetype, but you can create a strong lineup with the Grimer, Arbok, and Muk trio. The strategy involves poisoning opponents quickly with Grimer, trapping them with Arbok, and leveraging Muk to deal up to 120 DMG to Poisoned enemies.
The table below outlines how to build a META deck centered around these synergies.
Poisoned Deck Details
|
Card |
Quantity |
Effect |
|---|---|---|
|
Grimer |
x2 |
Applies Poisoned |
|
Ekans |
x2 |
Evolves into Arbok |
|
Arbok |
x2 |
Locks in the enemy’s Active Pokemon |
|
Muk |
x2 |
Deals 120 DMG to Poisoned Pokemon |
|
Koffin |
x2 |
Evolves into Weezing |
|
Weezing |
x2 |
Applies Poisoned with an Ability |
|
Koga |
x2 |
Puts an Active Weezing or Muk back in your hand |
|
Poke Ball |
x2 |
Draws a Basic Pokemon |
|
Professor’s Research |
x2 |
Draws two cards |
|
Sabrina |
x1 |
Forces the enemy’s Active Pokemon to Retreat |
|
X Speed |
x1 |
Discounts the Retreat |
You can use the Jigglypuff (PA) and Wigglytuff ex lineup in a Poisoned deck as a backup plan. You could also go with the Nidoking Evolution lineup (Nidoran, Nidorano, Nidoking) if you’re looking for a slow-build, high-damage Poisoned deck.
- Released
-
October 30, 2024
- Developer(s)
-
DeNA
, Creatures Inc. - Multiplayer
-
Online Multiplayer