Infestation
Pokémon Champions
Traps and damages the target for 4-5 turns.
- Power
- 20
- Accuracy
- 100%
- PP
- 20
- Hits
- One Pokémon next to the user
- On Showdown
- 0.2% of Champions VGC Pokémon run it
Changes over time
How Infestation changed from game to game, newest first.
- Gen IX
… Shed Shell or uses Baton Pass, Flip Turn, Parting Shot, added: Shed Tail, Teleport, U-turn, or Volt Switch. The effect … field, or if the target uses
dropped: Rapid Spinadded: Mortal Spin, Rapid Spin, or Substitute successfully. This effect is … - Gen VIII
… is holding Shed Shell or uses Baton Pass, added: Flip Turn, Parting Shot, added: Teleport, U-turn, or Volt Switch. The effect ends …
Numbers: PokéAPI’s changelog. Descriptions: Pokémon Showdown’s for each generation, PokéAPI’s notes where Showdown’s don’t differ. Champions: Pokémon Showdown.
See it in the games
No clip of Infestation here yet. Find Infestation on YouTube →
How it works in Champions
Prevents the target from switching for four or five turns (seven turns if the user is holding Grip Claw). Causes damage to the target equal to 1/8 of its maximum HP (1/6 if the user is holding Binding Band), rounded down, at the end of each turn during effect. The target can still switch out if it is holding Shed Shell or uses Baton Pass, Flip Turn, Parting Shot, Shed Tail, Teleport, U-turn, or Volt Switch. The effect ends if either the user or the target leaves the field, or if the target uses Mortal Spin, Rapid Spin, or Substitute successfully. This effect is not stackable or reset by using this or another binding move.
“The target is infested and attacked for four to five turns. The target can't flee during this time.”
In-game text, Scarlet & Violet
What interacts
Abilities and items that boost Infestation, block it, punish its user or change how it works.
Boosts it
3
- Tough Claws×1.3
- Poison Touch30% to poison
- Technician×1.5
Blocks or weakens it
2
- Fluffytakes ½
- Aura Guardtakes ½
Punishes the user
12
- Rough Skintakes ⅛ back
Rocky Helmettakes ⅙ back- Static30% paralysis
- Flame Body30% burn
- Poison Point30% poison
- Effect Spore30% poison, paralysis or sleep
- Cute Charm30% infatuation
- Gooey−1 Speed
- Mummyreplaces its ability
- Wandering Spiritswaps abilities
- Aftermathtakes ¼ if it knocks the holder out
- Pickpocketsteals its item
Changes how it works
4
- Long Reachno contact
- Unseen Fistgoes through Protect for ¼ damage
- Piercing Drillgoes through Protect for ¼ damage
- Infiltratorgoes through Substitute
Only in other games 6
Punishes the user
5
- Iron Barbstakes ⅛ back
- Tangling Hair−1 Speed
- Lingering Aromareplaces its ability
- Perish Bodya 3-turn faint countdown for both
Sticky Barbcan stick to it
Changes how it works
1
Protective Padsno contact effects
Mold Breaker, Teravolt and Turboblaze ignore the abilities that block or weaken it.
Who runs Infestation on Showdown
Smogon · Showdown Champions VGC · Sep 2026: Smogon’s usage stats from Pokémon Showdown, not the in-game ladder.
On the ladder today
Ranked Doubles Pokémon with Infestation among their most used moves.
Who learns Infestation
5 Pokémon can learn it in Pokémon Champions.
All 116 Pokémon that learn it in any game → Filter the Pokédex to Champions →