Have you ever encountered Pokérus?

[NovaBrunswick]

Pokérus is a virus that Pokémon can sometimes catch. Unlike real-life viruses, however, Pokérus is actually a good thing, and it can help your Pokémon grow stronger and more powerful. Like real viruses, it can spread from Pokémon to Pokémon, and it goes away after a few days.

Have you ever had a Pokémon that has had this virus? For the record, I haven't (at least not from what I remember from almost 20 years of playing the games), but I just like to hear everyone's stories about it.

 

[jaden767]

I remember when one of my Pokemon in Gold I think it was got sick with Pokerus and I panicked thinking it was a bad thing. Took me years to figure out what it was.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I found out that a Rookidee I have in my Box has it this morning. I’ve had several other Pokémon get it since BW.

 

[Leonhart]

I think I first encountered the virus in Silver version and only found out that my Pokemon had it because the nurse at a Pokemon Center told me about it. I don't remember which Pokemon contracted it first, but I remember thinking that it was a pointless virus until I found out what the benefits of it were later on.

 

[Marbi Z]

First time I encountered pokerus was in Platinum I remember just going to the Pokecenter for another routine heal up and I caught a glimpse of the nurse mentioning it before tapping away. Now I have Pokerus Pokes stored in game and Pokémon Home.

 

[carterfeygo]

I didn't know what PokeRus was in the 3rd generation games so when my Pokemon got it I thought it was a bad thing and I remember praying that it would go away and eventually it did.

 

[Drake Pokétrainer]

Yeah, a few times actually.

The first time was during my first playthrough of LeafGreen. I remember catching it somewhere on the Sevii islands after a battle. Deliberately infected all my pokemon after I initially found out.

The second time was on Diamond, I remember my Roselia catching it slightly before the 4th gym.

Last time was during my Y playthrough, don't remember which mon actually caught it though. When Bank was released I eventually brought over all of my infected pokemon as well.

 

[Reinhardt]

The only time I've ever had Pokerus is a playthrough of Black 2, my starter Oshawott had it at the beginning of the game, and I passed it on to a few more Pokemon before it faded. I didn't think it was still a feature in the games.

 

[shoz999]

I've seen it in the Pokemon Adventures manga lol... but no. I've never actually encountered it.

 

[Auraninja]

In three games without prior interaction, yes.

 

[Tsukuyomi56]

Encountered it naturally twice, once in Platinum and once Heart Gold. Can't recall if I got Pokerus in other games since I made it a habit of transferring up Pokerus infected Pokemon to other games.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

The only time I've ever had Pokerus is a playthrough of Black 2, my starter Oshawott had it at the beginning of the game, and I passed it on to a few more Pokemon before it faded. I didn't think it was still a feature in the games.

Was Pokérus in Gen 1? I only really remember it being a thing from Gen 2 onwards, and I didn't play much of the Gen 1 games.

 

[Drake Pokétrainer]

Was Pokérus in Gen 1? I only really remember it being a thing from Gen 2 onwards, and I didn't play much of the Gen 1 games.

Yeah it was introduced in gen 2 ^^

 

[Cat's Eye Draco]

Just once. I caught an Eevee in White 2 and discovered it had Pokérus when I went to look at its stats. I don't think I'd even heard of it until then.

 

[Kutie Pie]

Nope, never caught it. I've never really understood its purpose even after looking it up, though sometimes I wish the anime would've touched on it more. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only the one episode of Chronicles talked about it briefly, because a Team Rocket scientist wanted to utilize it and kidnapped Oak for information, and then it was dropped in the same episode. Honestly sucks.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Nope, never caught it. I've never really understood its purpose even after looking it up, though sometimes I wish the anime would've touched on it more. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only the one episode of Chronicles talked about it briefly, because a Team Rocket scientist wanted to utilize it and kidnapped Oak for information, and then it was dropped in the same episode. Honestly sucks.

Yeah, I think that was the episode Oaknapped. The anime doesn't really elaborate on the game mechanics much.

 

[TwilightBlade]

My Feraligatr in Crystal was the first Pokemon that I had that got infected with that virus but I failed to take full advantage of it because at the time I was clueless about with Pokerus was. :[

 

[Venomshock]

I've encountered Pokerus in every core game other than X and Y. For some reason I was never able to get my Pokemon infected with it there but it's cool because it's not that important.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Usually, if I get Pokérus, it's from a trade. I don't remember ever encountering it naturally (i.e. in the wild in-game, or one of my Pokémon just randomly catches it).

 

[zolios]

I usually get it by trading for an already infected Pokemon but the one and only time I found a Pokerus randomly in the wild was around 3 years ago when I replayed my White 2. I was training my Pokemon in the Virbank Complex for my upcoming Virbank Gym battle and when I went back to heal in the PC, Nurse Joy told me that my Pokemon were infected with Pokerus.