Dustox Deck
0.5% of the meta · Updated September 14, 2026
Signature card
Dustox
Rare
Strengths
- Select Powder applies Poisoned or Confused every attack, forcing the opponent to constantly manage Special Conditions or lose HP between turns.
- Dustox is a non-ex Stage 2; each knockout by the opponent scores only 1 point, requiring three separate wins to close the game.
- Flexible condition choice lets you adapt — Poison for damage racing, Confused to disrupt the opponent's key attack on a critical turn.
Weaknesses
- Stage 2 requirement makes the deck slow to set up; Gourgeist, Luxray, and Tsareena matchups at 25% suggest hard counters exist in the format.Consistency
- 60 base damage is modest; without Poison stacks, Dustox struggles to threaten high-HP targets before being knocked out.Tempo
- Singleton build means drawing the one copy of Dustox or a key utility card late is a serious game-losing risk.Deckbuilding
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Est. 860 packs to collect all core cardsdetails
Core Cards
Key Moves & Abilities
Strategy Guide
Auto-generatedDustox applies a chosen Special Condition (Poisoned or Confused) with every Select Powder attack while dealing 60 damage, gradually grinding opposing Pokemon into range for knockout. The win condition is stacking damage and condition pressure until the opponent's Active Pokemon can no longer function or sustain.
Open by benching Wurmple and building the Cascoon-into-Dustox evolution through natural draw. The 20-card singleton build is intentional: every card is a 1-of utility piece covering a different board state. Applin-into-Appletun provides a secondary attacker line, while Pheromosa and Heracross give fast non-ex attackers for early turns before Dustox is ready. Mid-game you use Select Powder each turn to choose Poison for consistent chip damage or Confused to disrupt the opponent's attack. Poison Barb and Rocky Helmet stack passive damage onto Dustox itself to accelerate the condition math.
How to Play
Choose the Right Condition Every Turn
Select Powder's value is in the choice. Against opponents building toward a high-energy attack, use Confused to create a 50/50 miss chance. Against ex Pokemon already in knockout range, switch to Poison to add between-turn damage alongside Rocky Helmet and Poison Barb passive chip. Never default — read the board.
Bridge Early Turns With Non-ex Attackers
Before Dustox hits the field, Pheromosa and Heracross can attack and score points without contributing to ex-rule vulnerability. Applin-into-Appletun provides a secondary grass attacker for matchups where Dustox is under too much pressure to stay active.
How to Beat This Deck
Heal Away Special Conditions Before They Stack
Dustox's damage model requires Poison or Confusion to supplement 60 base damage per turn. Field Blower removes tools contributing to passive damage; Pokémon Center Lady or healing items clear Poison counters. Healing every other turn resets the condition clock and dramatically reduces Dustox's effective damage output.
Knock Out Wurmple or Cascoon Before Dustox Evolves
Without Dustox, the deck has no Select Powder. The entire evolution chain is 1-of in the top build. Eliminating Wurmple or Cascoon with early chip damage forces the opponent to rely entirely on Pheromosa and Heracross — effective attackers but without the condition package.
Exploit the Low Base Damage Ceiling
60 damage per turn means Dustox needs many turns to knock out high-HP Pokemon even with Poison running. Fast ex attackers that threaten 130 HP over two turns can race the poison clock and score 2 points before any relevant damage accumulates.
Common Substitutions
Secondary attacker
- Pheromosa:Fast non-ex attacker that can score early points before Dustox is ready
- Heracross:Non-ex grass attacker providing a second damage threat alongside Appletun
Matchups
Threats — Weak Against
Based on type weakness analysis of core cards. View full matchup matrix →