What it does
Toxic inflicts badly poisoned status — not ordinary poison. Badly poisoned damage starts at 1/16 max HP per turn and increases by 1/16 each turn the target remains out: 1/16 on turn one, 2/16 on turn two, 3/16 on turn three, and so on. The longer the target stays in, the more damage they take per turn.
When used by a Poison-type Pokémon, Toxic always hits — the base accuracy limit doesn't apply. That's the practical reason Poison-types run Toxic over anything else: no wasted turns on accuracy rolls.
In doubles, Toxic targets a single Pokémon. Switching out resets the badly poisoned counter to zero, so your entire strategy after landing Toxic revolves around keeping the target on the field. Poison-types and Steel-types are immune.
Who runs it
Toxapex runs it at 69% — the most concentrated usage rate in this batch. Toxapex is built to stall: enormous physical and special bulk means it rarely gets KO'd cleanly, and Toxic is its win condition. It's a Poison-type so the move always hits, and it survives long enough to let the badly poisoned damage stack to lethal levels.
Umbreon uses it as a wall with no offensive STAB. High special bulk, Toxic to apply pressure, and recovery moves to outlast whatever the opponent does.
Salazzle is Poison/Fire with strong Special Attack — it can apply Toxic as a secondary layer on top of offensive pressure, running both at once.
Ariados sees lower usage but as a Poison-type, it keeps the guaranteed accuracy.
How to use it
Land Toxic on a threat, then play for turns. In doubles, the tools that extend your stall are redirection (Follow Me pulling attacks away from Toxapex) and offensive pressure from a partner that discourages the opponent from switching their badly poisoned Pokémon out.
Switching out resets the counter. You have no direct way to prevent it — you rely on your offensive threat to make switching feel too costly. The moment your opponent freely swaps, all accumulated badly poisoned progress disappears.
Under Trick Room, slow, bulky Pokémon stay in longer naturally, giving Toxic more turns to compound.
Tips & strategy
If two teammates both carry Toxic, you can apply badly poisoned to both opposing Pokémon in the first turn — one each. That doubles the pressure the stall exerts. Toxapex paired with a second Toxic user is genuinely oppressive if the opponent can't clear either Pokémon fast.
Steel-types are immune — with Champions including Mega-evolved forms, some Mega Evolutions add Steel typing. Check the opposing team's types before committing to Toxic.
In doubles, switching is cheaper than in singles, which limits Toxic's ceiling slightly compared to single-battle stall. But with strong field control around it — redirection, speed control, or offensive threats — badly poisoned damage still ends games.