Effect Spore
Contact with the Pokémon may inflict poison, sleep, or paralysis on its attacker.
Competitive value
The opponent has a 10% chance of being induced by PARALYZE, POISON, or SLEEP when using an attack, that requires physical contact, against this Pokémon.
All Pokémon with this ability
11 Pokémon, sorted by usage
What this ability changes
Effect Spore is a tier C ability. Contact with the Pokémon may inflict poison, sleep, or paralysis on its attacker. Common users include amoonguss, breloom, vileplume, eldegoss, shiinotic, parasect. The opponent has a 10% chance of being induced by PARALYZE, POISON, or SLEEP when using an attack, that requires physical contact, against this Pokémon.
How it affects positioning
Positioning matters with Effect Spore. Think about when the ability triggers — on entry, on hit, on switch out, or continuously — and build your turns around those moments. Abilities that trigger on entry pair well with pivot moves, while continuous abilities reward careful lead selection. If the ability affects the whole field, consider how long you expect that field condition to last and whether your opponent can override it.
Team-building considerations
In team building, Effect Spore should justify at least one team slot and ideally shape several. Ask which Pokémon benefit directly from the ability and which opponents will try to play around it. Build redundant answers to the ability's common counters so the rest of the team still functions when the ability is negated, overridden or ignored.
Matchup notes
Matchup value depends on whether the opponent's team can ignore, copy or remove the ability's effect. Bring Effect Spore when you expect the opposing strategy to rely on the mechanics it counters, and consider a backup plan for games where that interaction does not come up. Test these matchups in the team builder and analyzer before finalizing your roster.
Related Pokémon and tools
Explore related Pokémon, team examples and guides to see Effect Spore in action.
Frequently asked questions
+Is Effect Spore good in VGC?
The opponent has a 10% chance of being induced by PARALYZE, POISON, or SLEEP when using an attack, that requires physical contact, against this Pokémon.
+Which Pokémon use Effect Spore?
Common users include amoonguss, breloom, vileplume, eldegoss, shiinotic, parasect.