Status Conditions in Pokémon — Complete Reference
Pokémon has six status conditions: five major (paralysis, sleep, freeze, burn, poison/Toxic) — only one major status per Pokémon at a time — plus confusion as a separate volatile status. This page is the canonical reference for every status's exact rule, cross-gen evolution, and competitive interactions.
Major statuses
5 (one at a time)
Volatile statuses
1 main (confusion)
Sleep Clause
Standard in competitive
Last edit
Gen 7 (paralysis Speed, burn DoT)
A Pokémon can hold one major status at a time. The mechanic is simple — but the cross-generation evolution of paralysis Speed reduction, burn DoT, and freeze thaw rules has produced subtly different competitive contexts in every generation.
At a glance
Status conditions are persistent debuffs that apply to a Pokémon until cured, switched out (in some cases), or the battle ends. The five major statuses are mutually exclusive — a Pokémon cannot be paralyzed AND poisoned at the same time.
Confusion and other "volatile" status effects (Attract, Encore, Disable, etc.) are tracked separately and can stack on top of major statuses. This page focuses primarily on the five major statuses and confusion as the most prominent volatile effect.
- Major statusesParalysis (PAR), Sleep (SLP), Freeze (FRZ), Burn (BRN), Poison (PSN / TOX)
- Volatile statusesConfusion, Attract, Encore, Disable, Taunt, Torment, Heal Block (covered briefly)
- Mutual exclusionOnly one major status per Pokémon at a time
- Curing methodsHeal Bell, Aromatherapy, Refresh, Rest, status berries, certain abilities
- Sleep ClauseOnly one opposing Pokémon may be put to sleep at a time (standard rule)
- Last engine editGen 7 — paralysis halved Speed (was a quarter), burn DoT halved to 1/16 (was 1/8)
The five major statuses
The five major statuses each have a distinct effect, distinct curing pattern, and distinct cross-gen evolution. The summary table below; detailed sections follow.
| Status | Effect | Default cure |
|---|---|---|
| Paralysis (PAR) | Speed × 0.5 (Gen 7+) or × 0.25 (pre-Gen 7) + 25% chance to fail acting | Switch out, status item, Heal Bell |
| Sleep (SLP) | Cannot act for 1-3 turns (Gen 5+) or 1-7 turns (pre-Gen 5) | Wakes naturally, Lum Berry, sleep talker |
| Freeze (FRZ) | Cannot act until thawed; 20% thaw chance per turn (Gen 1: 0% — frozen until Fire move thaws) | Fire-type move, certain self-thawing moves |
| Burn (BRN) | Physical Attack × 0.5 + DoT (1/16 max HP from Gen 7+, 1/8 pre-Gen 7) | Switch out, status item, Heal Bell |
| Poison (PSN) | 1/8 max HP per turn, no other effect | Switch out, status item, Heal Bell |
| Toxic (TOX) | Stacking damage: 1/16 → 2/16 → 3/16 …, capped at 15/16. Counter resets on switch-out. | Switch out (resets counter), Heal Bell, Poison Heal heals |
Paralysis
Paralysis reduces the affected Pokémon's Speed and adds a chance to fail acting on any given turn. The Speed reduction was changed in Gen 7 — from -75% to -50% — and is the single largest engine-level change to a status condition since Gen 1.
Effect
- Gen 7+: Speed × 0.5 (50% Speed)
- Gen 1-6: Speed × 0.25 (25% Speed) — was a much harsher reduction
- 25% chance to fail acting — independent of the Speed reduction; rolled per turn
- Electric-types are immune from Gen 6 onward; Ground-types unaffected by Thunder Wave specifically
How it's applied
- Dedicated moves: Thunder Wave (90% accuracy), Stun Spore (75% accuracy), Glare (100% accuracy in modern gens), Nuzzle (40 BP physical that always paralyzes).
- Damaging moves with paralysis chance: Body Slam (30%), Discharge (30%), Thunder (30%), Thunderbolt (10%), Spark (30%), Lick (30%).
- Abilities: Static (30% on contact), Stench (10% on damaging hits, niche), Effect Spore (small chance per status type on contact).
Sleep
Sleep prevents the affected Pokémon from acting. The duration counts down each turn and is reset on switch-out from Gen 5 onward (a major rule change at the time).
Effect
- Cannot act while asleep — exceptions: Sleep Talk, Snore (sleep-only moves).
- Duration: 1-3 turns from Gen 5 onward; 1-7 turns in pre-Gen 5 generations (RBY through DPP). Sleep duration resets when switching out from Gen 5+.
- Sleep Clause: standard competitive rule — only one opposing Pokémon may be asleep at a time.
- Wake-up: random per turn within the 1-3 range.
How it's applied
- Powder moves: Sleep Powder (75% accuracy), Spore (100% accuracy, on Bug-types like Breloom and Amoonguss).
- Direct sleep moves: Hypnosis (60% accuracy), Sing (55% accuracy), Lovely Kiss (75% accuracy).
- Z-Move sleep: Dark Void (Gen 7-only, banned in many formats).
- Abilities: Effect Spore, Bad Dreams (Darkrai signature — deals 1/8 max HP per turn to sleeping opponents).
Freeze
Freeze prevents the affected Pokémon from acting. The thaw mechanic differs significantly between Gen 1 (no natural thaw) and Gen 2 onward (20% thaw chance per turn).
Effect
- Cannot act until thawed.
- Gen 1: 0% natural thaw — a frozen Pokémon stays frozen unless hit by a Fire-type move. Freeze Clause exists specifically for this reason.
- Gen 2+: 20% thaw chance per turn — checked at the start of the affected Pokémon's turn.
- Some moves thaw the user: Flame Wheel, Sacred Fire, Flare Blitz, Fusion Flare. Using one of these while frozen automatically thaws and executes.
How it's applied
- Reduced sources from Gen 7+ — Ice-type moves no longer freeze on secondary effect chance. The remaining sources: Tri Attack, Freezing Glare, Sheer Cold in some scenarios, Secret Power on Snow.
- Freeze-Dry still has its own mechanic — a 10% freeze chance plus the unique super-effective-on-Water property — but its raw freeze rate is lower than older Ice moves.
- Pre-Gen 7: most Ice-type moves had a 10% freeze chance on secondary effect.
Burn
Burn halves the affected Pokémon's physical Attack and inflicts damage-over-time each turn. The DoT was halved in Gen 7, making burn less debilitating than in earlier generations.
Effect
- Physical Attack × 0.5 — special moves are unaffected.
- DoT: 1/16 max HP per turn from Gen 7 onward; was 1/8 max HP per turn in Gen 1-6.
- Fire-types are immune to burn from any source.
- Guts ignores the Atk reduction — Pokémon with Guts ability take the DoT but maintain full Attack.
How it's applied
- Dedicated moves: Will-O-Wisp (85% accuracy), Inferno (50% accuracy, but always burns on hit).
- Damaging moves with burn chance: Scald (30%), Steam Eruption (30%), Sacred Fire (50%), Flare Blitz (10%), Fire Blast (10%), Lava Plume (30%), Fire Punch (10%), Searing Shot (30% spread).
- Abilities: Flame Body (30% on contact), Effect Spore (small chance).
- Items:
Flame Orb burns the holder at end-of-first-turn (used with Guts / Quick Feet for self-imposed burn benefits).
Poison & Toxic
Poison comes in two variants: regular poison (PSN, fixed 1/8 max HP per turn) and badly poisoned (TOX, stacking damage). The two variants share the major-status slot but are mechanically distinct.
Regular poison (PSN)
- 1/8 max HP per turn — fixed damage, no stacking.
- Counter does not reset — applied each turn the Pokémon is on the field.
- Applied by: Poison Powder (75% accuracy), Poison Sting (10% chance), Sludge Bomb (30% chance), Poison Jab (30% chance), Cross Poison (10% chance).
Toxic / Badly Poisoned (TOX)
- Stacking damage: 1/16 max HP turn 1, 2/16 turn 2, 3/16 turn 3, ... up to 15/16 max HP per turn.
- Counter RESETS on switch-out — switching back in resumes from 1/16. Switching is the primary counter to Toxic stalling.
- Applied by: Toxic (90% accuracy in Gen 6+; was 85% pre-Gen 6), Toxic Spikes (entry hazard, regular poison from 1 layer, badly poisoned from 2 layers — Steel/Poison-types remove Toxic Spikes on entry).
- Toxic accuracy in Gen 6+: Poison-types now apply Toxic with 100% accuracy if used by Poison-type Pokémon.
Immunities
- Steel-types are immune to poison (regular AND Toxic).
- Poison-types are immune to poison.
- Pokémon with Immunity ability (Snorlax, Zangoose, Gligar through HOME) are immune to all poison.
- Poison Heal abilities (Gliscor, Breloom, Shroomish) HEAL 1/8 max HP per turn while poisoned, instead of taking damage. Combined with
Toxic Orb for self-poisoning, this produces a passive heal mechanic.
Confusion (volatile)
Confusion is a volatile status — it does not occupy the major-status slot. A Pokémon can be both poisoned AND confused simultaneously.
- Effect: each turn the affected Pokémon is confused, there's a 33% chance (50% in Gen 6 and earlier) of self-hit damage instead of attacking. Self-hit damage is 40 BP physical, calculated against the user's own Attack and Defense.
- Duration: 2-5 turns. Counter resets on switch-out.
- Applied by: Confuse Ray (100% accuracy), Supersonic (55% accuracy, niche), Swagger (banned in many formats — the move raises target Atk by 2 stages and confuses; a confused Pokémon with +2 Atk frequently OHKOs itself).
- Damaging moves with confusion chance: Hurricane (30%), Air Slash (30% flinch — different effect), Water Pulse (20% confusion).
- Cured by: switching out, Persim Berry, Lum Berry, certain abilities (Own Tempo grants immunity).
Cross-gen evolution
The major statuses have undergone several engine-level changes across generations. The table below summarises the key differences.
| Status | Gen 1-6 baseline | Gen 7+ baseline |
|---|---|---|
| Paralysis | Speed × 0.25 + 25% fail-act chance | Speed × 0.5 + 25% fail-act chance |
| Sleep | 1-3 turn duration (Gen 5+) — counter persists across switches in Gen 4 only | 1-3 turn duration; counter resets on switch-out |
| Freeze | 20% thaw per turn (Gen 2+); Ice moves had 10% freeze chance | 20% thaw; Ice moves no longer freeze on secondary effect |
| Burn | Physical Attack × 0.5 + 1/8 max HP per turn | Physical Attack × 0.5 + 1/16 max HP per turn |
| Poison (regular) | 1/8 max HP per turn | 1/8 max HP per turn (unchanged) |
| Toxic | Stacking 1/16, 2/16, ... up to 15/16; counter resets on switch | Same as pre-Gen 7 (unchanged) |
| Confusion | 50% self-hit chance, 40 BP self-hit | 33% self-hit chance, 40 BP self-hit |
Gen 5 sleep counter rule change
Pre-Gen 5: a sleeping Pokémon's sleep counter persisted across switches. Switching out and back in did NOT reset the timer — meaning a Pokémon could be put to sleep on turn 1, switched out, and switched back in to wake immediately.
Gen 5 changed this: the sleep counter resets when the affected Pokémon switches out. Switching back in restarts the 1-3 turn counter from the beginning. The new rule has been preserved in every generation since and is the standard competitive interpretation.
Gen 7 paralysis & burn nerf
Gen 7 made paralysis less debilitating — Speed reduction went from -75% to -50%, halving its impact on speed-tier matchups. Gen 7 also halved burn DoT from 1/8 to 1/16, reducing the cumulative cost of running offensive Pokémon under burn pressure.
Status-modifying abilities & items
A subset of abilities and items modify how status conditions apply or resolve. The table below covers the most-used in competitive Pokémon.
User takes no damage from non-direct sources — including burn, poison/Toxic, and weather chip damage. A burned Magic Guard user keeps the Atk reduction but takes 0 DoT. Defining ability for 
Life Orb users (no recoil).
User's status is cured when it switches out. Common on defensive pivots — Blissey, Celebi, Stantler. Effectively makes the user immune to long-term status pressure.
User's Attack is boosted 1.5× when statused. Combined with Flame Orb(self-burn), produces a +50% Atk boost AND ignores burn's Atk halving. Defining ability for Heracross, Conkeldurr.
User's Speed is boosted 1.5× when statused. Bypasses paralysis Speed reduction. Combined with Flame Orb / Toxic Orb for self-status. Niche but unique.
User HEALS 1/8 max HP per turn while poisoned. Combined with Toxic Orb for self-poisoning, produces a passive heal mechanic. Defining for Gliscor, Breloom (when used defensively).
User cannot be paralyzed. Niche but useful against paralysis-spamming opponents.
User cannot fall asleep. Insomnia / Vital Spirit on the user; Sweet Veil grants team-wide immunity in Doubles.
Magma Armor prevents freezing; Water Veil prevents burning. Niche but useful in specific matchups.
Darkrai signature ability — sleeping opposing Pokémon take 1/8 max HP per turn. Combined with Dark Void (banned in most formats), produces an extreme sleep-stall pattern.
Pecha Berry cures poison; Cheri Berry cures paralysis; Rawst Berry cures burn; Aspear Berry cures freeze; Chesto Berry cures sleep; Persim Berry cures confusion. Lum Berry cures any status.
Sleep Clause and other format rules
Several status-related rules are imposed by competitive formats on top of the engine's mechanics.
- Sleep Clause — only one opposing Pokémon may be asleep at a time. Self-induced sleep (Rest) is exempt. Standard in Smogon Singles and most VGC formats.
- Freeze Clause — Gen 1 only — only one opposing Pokémon may be frozen at a time. Necessary because Gen 1 freeze doesn't naturally thaw.
- Swagger Clause — Swagger is banned in standard Smogon Singles formats. The +2 Atk + confusion combination produced too many self-KOs.
- Toxic Spikes layer interaction — Toxic Spikes are NOT a status condition themselves; they apply poison or Toxic on entry. Steel and Poison-types remove Toxic Spikes by entering the field.
Where to go from here
Status conditions interact with damage, speed, and team-building. The pages below cover those layers.
- Damage interaction — Damage Formula covers how burn applies to physical Attack calculations.
- Speed interaction — Speed & Priority covers paralysis Speed reduction in detail.
- Type chart — Type Chart covers Poison and Steel typing immunities.
- Live data — Moves Index filterable by status effect. Abilities Index for status-related abilities.
- Glossary — every term used above is defined in the Competitive Glossary.