What it does
When the holder uses a contact move, there's a 30% chance the target becomes status-poison|poisoned. Regular poison — not toxic's escalating version — dealing 1/16 max HP per turn. The chance triggers only if the target has no existing status condition. Non-contact moves don't proc it. Poison and Steel types are immune to poison outright, so Poison Touch does nothing against them.
At 30% per hit, cumulative probability climbs fast with repeated contact: two hits put the odds around 51%, three around 66%. Against Pokémon that take two or three physical moves to KO, the chance of poison landing is more meaningful than the single-hit number implies.
Who runs it
Sneasler (9%) has Fighting/Poison typing with solid coverage moves. Close Combat, Dire Claw, and other contact attacks trigger Poison Touch naturally — no extra investment. The ability rides along on damage-dealing turns for free.
Toxicroak (9% for Poison Touch specifically) usually runs Dry Skin at a much higher rate. When Poison Touch is chosen on Toxicroak, the role shifts away from rain team synergy toward a status-pressure build.
How to use it
Poison Touch works as a free add-on, not a game plan. You click a contact move for the damage; Poison Touch checks for poison at no additional cost. Over the course of a multi-turn fight, that 30% check comes up repeatedly. The practical effects:
A poisoned opposing Pokémon hemorrhages 1/16 HP per turn. In a long game, that chip matters — it pushes benchmarks, takes targets out of KO windows they'd otherwise survive, and forces the opponent to manage it.
No move slot spent on Toxic or Poison Powder. For Pokémon with tight moveslots, passive poison application through Poison Touch is a meaningful way to get status without dedicating a slot to it.
Tips & strategy
Poison and Steel types cannot be poisoned — in a format where Steel types are common, Poison Touch's effective trigger rate against the field is lower than the 30% raw number suggests. Count how many opposing Pokémon are immune before deciding how much to bank on it.
Regular poison is not toxic. If you need fast, escalating poison damage, Toxic is more reliable — toxic's damage climbs to 1/8 HP per turn and beyond. Poison Touch procs the weaker version.
On Toxicroak specifically, Poison Touch and Dry Skin serve completely different team roles. Dry Skin is for rain synergy; Poison Touch is for status accumulation. Pick based on what the team needs.