Pokémon TCG Pocket is toxic!!! 😈
No, not the game! The meta! 😆
In the mainline games, the Poison status is super annoying as it chops away at your Pokémon’s health every turn. In TCG Pocket, Poison never managed to really kick off. Weezing (Genetic Apex) was the premier harbinger of toxicity and with Koga, it was a formidable card. Its partnership with Darkrai EX in Darkness decks is well-documented.
Then, Clodsire EX and Alolan Muk EX tried to make the most of it, but it was never that scary or consistent. Even the presence of Poison Barb didn’t help much.
But now, after so many expansions, the Extradimensional Crisis set (A3a) has brought Poison to the forefront, all thanks to THE Ultra Beast, who got graced with a Crown Rare variant: Nihilego.
Nihilego is obviously the ring general in this regard but it’s also joined by some other cards that have helped propel this toxic stuff right to the top of the game. Let’s check out this toxic relationship between certain cards and the meta in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Waiter, waiter, More Poison, please!
No, seriously! If you thought losing 10 HP on each Pokémon checkup was irksome, wait till you have Nihilego in play. By just being present in the battle (at the Bench or Active Spot), your poisoned opponent loses an extra 10 HP, making it a chip damage of 20.
But guess what? It gets even better because this effect stacks!
So, if you have two Nihilego in play, the total HP lost via Poison is 10 + 2(10) + 30 DMG! 😯
Just keep Nihilego on the Bench, attach a Poison Barb on the Active Spot Pokémon, and you’ll soon find the opponent taste a toxic loss. For amplifying the fun, use Darkrai EX for upwards of 50 DMG without any direct attack! Even a single Nihilego is still 40 chip damage to a poisoned mon.
Nihilego doesn’t even need to be used in a Darkness deck! Just stick Poison Barb to your Active Pokémon and let Nihilego chill on the Bench, letting More Poison do its thing!
Unless there’s some severe anti-Poison meta inclusion in future expansions, Nihilego is here to stay, is all set to be future-proof, and and also the most successful Ultra Beast moving forward.
The Naganadel line is great for putting early pressure on your opponents and also poisons them.
Poipole does 20 DMG for each heads from two coin flips. This way, its damage output is 0, 20, or 40, depending on the flip results. Once you evolve it into Naganadel, its Electro House move deals 40 DMG and also poisons the target. This is excellent for Nihilego in the background, contributing a net damage of 40 (Naganadel) + 10 (Poison) + 10 (Nihilego) = 60 DMG! With another Nihilego, it’s a whopping 70 DMG!
All this damage is too overwhelming for the opposition and this combo has won me multiple games in Ranked as well. You can add Celesteela (for free UB swaps), Guzzlord EX (late-game powerhouse and Energy cleaner with Grindcore), and Lusamine (for Energy acceleration), forming a phenomenal Darkness deck built on Poison.
Weezing is and will remain a pivotal part of the Poison meta. It’s the OG, after all!
The Koffing and Weezing duo is similar to the Poipole and Naganadel set but this Genetic Apex classic offers many advantages!
- Koffing (70 HP) is bulkier than Poipole (60 HP) and is guaranteed to do 20 DMG. Poipole has only 1/3 cases where it does more damage, with one case being 0 DMG and the other being the same 20 DMG. Koffing is clearly better.
- Weezing (110 HP) is also bulkier than Naganadel (100 HP) and can poison the target via its ability alone as long as it is in the Active Spot. Since Naganadel also needs to be in the Active Spot to execute the Poison status via its move, Weezing is superior.
- The Koga Supporter card can withdraw a damaged Weezing from the Active Spot and put it in your Hand, fully healed. It can then come to the Bench if there’s a Koffing around. This can work as a free retreat to bring your main attacker ahead without using Energy, Leaf, or X Speed.
- The two advantages of Naganadel over Weezing are doing 40 DMG (vs 30 DMG) by Weezing) and having access to Celesteela’s free swapping tech.
Overall, Weezing is the better toxic Pokémon. Nihilego loves it (ability buddies).
Poison Barb is an indispensable tool (no pun intended) for the Poison meta. Simply attach it to your Active Pokémon and if it’s hit by an opponent’s direct attack, they get poisoned. Unlike Rocky Helmet where the opponent that hit you can prevent further damage to itself by not attacking until further notice, the Poison status continues to drain your opponent every checkup.
Be sure to put 2x Poison Barb in your toxic deck(s) and don’t attach both of them right away (if you draw both). The opponent can use Guzma to toss your Barb out of the game so keep one in handy and attach it only after your opponent has revealed their Guzma (usually 1 in most decks).
Starting with Darkrai EX and now the Poison status, Darkness has become one of the most feared decks in Pokémon TCG Pocket. The future looks bright for Poison and hopefully, there are more Pokémon who are toxic enough to elevate this meta.
Happy collecting and battling!
