Pokemon TCG Pocket introduced a new Special Condition with the Space-Time Smackdown expansion: Confused. Special Conditions are debuffs that affect the opponent’s Active Pokemon, causing them to lose HP or restricting certain actions for them like retreating or attacking. Naturally, many Pokemon Pocket players are curious about how the new Confusion effect will work—will it follow the physical Pokemon TCG’s mechanics, or will it be reworked? Here’s everything you need to know.
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Special Condition ‘Confused,’ Explained
In Pokemon Pocket, Confused is a Special Condition that can prevent attacks. When a Pokemon is Confused, its owner must flip a coin at the start of each attack. If it lands on heads, the attack proceeds as normal. If it lands on tails, the attack fails.
The game describes Confusion as follows: “When Confused Pokemon attack, the owner must flip a coin. If heads, the attack works normally, but if tails, the attack doesn’t happen.”
|
Confusion |
|
|---|---|
|
Effect |
Adds a coin-flip to the Confused Pokemon’s attacks |
|
Duration |
Indefinite (won’t go away automatically) |
|
Stacks with |
Poisoned and Burned |
Confusion Rules in Pokemon Pocket
- Confusion lasts indefinitely unless the affected Pokemon is evolved, retreated, healed, sent back to the hand, or knocked out.
- It does not stack with Asleep or Paralyzed—if multiple Special Conditions are applied consecutively, only the most recent one takes effect. However, Confusion can stack with Burned and Poisoned, meaning a Pokemon can be affected by all three at once.
- Flipping heads with a Confused Pokemon does not cure the condition; it only allows one attack to go through.
- Unlike Asleep and Paralyzed, Confusion does not prevent the opponent from retreating.
- A Confused Pokemon can still use its Ability without needing a coin flip.
How to Cure Confusion in Pocket
- Evolve the Pokemon: The fastest way to remove Confusion is through Evolution. If a Confused Pokemon evolves, the Special Condition is immediately cleared.
- Bench the Pokemon: Retreating is another effective method. Once a Pokemon moves to the Bench, all Special Conditions—including Confusion, Burned, Poisoned, and Asleep—are removed.
- Send the Pokemon back to your hand: Certain cards, like Koga or The Budding Expeditioner, can return a Pokemon to your hand, instantly removing Confusion without the need to evolve or retreat.
- Heal with Lum Berry: The new Tool Card, Lum Berry, clears all Special Conditions upon use. However, it discards itself after activation, meaning each Lum Berry can only cure Confusion once.
List of Cards with the Confusion Effect
Cards that can apply Confusion were introduced in Pokemon Pocket with the Space-Time Smackdown expansion (A2). Currently, three cards have the ability to inflict the Confused condition:
- Kricketune
- Mismagius ex
- Misdreavus (Promo-A)
Confusion in Pokemon Pocket vs. in Pokemon TCG
In the physical Pokemon TCG, Confusion is a self-damaging effect. When a Confused Pokemon flips a coin and gets tails, it deals 30 damage to itself. However, in Pokemon Pocket, this mechanic has been altered: rather than taking self-inflicted damage, a Confused Pokemon simply fails its attack when landing on tails.
For those curious about the physical TCG’s Confusion rules, this Special Condition was originally much harsher in the Japanese version. Initially, a Confused Pokemon would perform its move, including all damage and effects, on itself, making the coin flip significantly riskier. This was later adjusted to a fixed 30 self-damage to create a more balanced mechanic.
