Pokemon TCG Pocket: Poisoned, Explained (& All Cards with ‘Poison’ Ability)

This guide delves into the intricacies of Poisoned status in Pokémon TCG Pocket, a Special Condition mirroring the tabletop game. This guide covers how Poisoned works, which cards inflict it, how to counter it, and strategies for building effective Poison decks.

Quick Navigation

• Understanding Poisoned in Pokémon TCG Pocket
• Pokémon with the Poisoned Ability
• Curing Poisoned Status
• Building a Winning Poison Deck

Pokémon TCG Pocket faithfully recreates Special Conditions like Poisoned. This condition gradually drains an Active Pokémon's HP until cured or knocked out. This guide clarifies its mechanics, affected cards, cures, and optimal deck building.

Understanding Poisoned

Poisoned is a Special Condition inflicting 10 HP loss at the end of each round. This occurs during the round's Checkup phase and, unlike some effects, isn't automatically removed. A Poisoned Pokémon continuously loses HP until cured or defeated.

While Poisoned can combine with other Special Conditions, it doesn't stack with itself. A Pokémon only loses 10 HP per turn regardless of multiple Poison applications. However, this status can be leveraged; Pokémon like Muk gain a damage bonus (+50) against Poisoned opponents.

Pokémon with the Poisoned Ability

In the Genetic Apex expansion, five cards inflict Poisoned: Weezing, Grimer, Nidoking, Tentacruel, and Venomoth. Grimer stands out as a Basic Pokémon poisoning foes with a single Energy. Weezing offers another strong option, using its Gas Leak ability (no Energy required) while Active.

Rental Decks provide an excellent starting point for Poison strategies, notably Koga's Deck, featuring Grimer and Arbok.

Curing Poisoned Status

Three methods counteract Poisoned:

1. Evolution: Evolving a Poisoned Pokémon removes the status.
2. Retreat: Benching the affected Pokémon prevents further HP loss.
3. Item Cards: Cards like Potion heal HP but don't cure Poisoned, extending your Active Pokémon's survival.

Building a Winning Poison Deck

While not a top-tier archetype, Poison decks can be potent. The Grimer, Arbok, and Muk synergy is a strong foundation. The strategy involves rapid poisoning with Grimer, opponent lockdown with Arbok, and Muk's boosted damage against Poisoned foes (up to 120 DMG).

Below is a sample META deck leveraging these synergies:

Sample Poison Deck

Alternative strategies include Jigglypuff/Wigglytuff ex or a slower, high-damage Nidoking (Nidoran, Nidorino, Nidoking) evolution line.