The highly anticipated Pokemon Legends: Z-A is set to bring back a classic gameplay element that hasn't been seen in the franchise for over a decade - poison damage affecting Pokemon outside of battles. This mechanic, confirmed through demo footage at the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, adds a new layer of strategy to exploration in the reimagined Lumiose City.

Status conditions have always played a crucial role in Pokemon battles, with Poison being one of the most recognizable. While modern games have limited its effects to combat scenarios, Pokemon Legends: Z-A returns to the series' roots by making poison a persistent threat during exploration. Gameplay footage shows poisoned Pokemon gradually losing HP every few seconds while traversing the overworld.

Interestingly, the poison damage only affects Pokemon that are actively following the trainer, with those stored in Poke Balls remaining safe from the gradual HP drain. This creates meaningful decisions about which Pokemon to keep in your active party when navigating hazardous areas of Lumiose City.

The return of overworld poison damage represents just one of many innovations coming to Pokemon Legends: Z-A. With Game Freak completely reimagining Lumiose City's layout and mechanics, trainers should prepare for numerous surprises when the game launches simultaneously on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 this October.