Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Descriptions of Common Effects
Effects that are common to many attacks are described below. Of the effects listed here, a Pokémon will remain poisoned, burned, paralysis, frozen, and asleep even when the Pokémon leaves the battle, including when a battle ends. (However, a Pokémon will stop being poisoned, burned, paralyzed, frozen, and asleep, as well as have full HP and PP, when it’s taken to a Pokémon Center nurse or placed in a PC storage box.) An effect can’t cause poison, burn, paralysis, freezing, or sleep against a Pokémon if it already has one of these five conditions or if it has fainted.
Poison (PSN)
If a Pokémon is poisoned, it loses 1/8 of its maximum HP (but not less than 1 HP) at the end of its attack segment. Poison types can’t be poisoned. Steel types can’t become poisoned by Poison-type attacks. Outside of battle, a poisoned Pokémon loses 1 HP every four steps the player walks. (The effect of Toxic is similar to poison, see " Toxic ".)
Paralysis (PAR)
When a Pokémon becomes paralyzed, its Speed is recalculated so that it is reduced to 25% (see "Stat Modification"). If a Pokémon is paralyzed, there is a 25% chance that it will lose its chance to attack. Ground types can’t become paralyzed by Electric type attacks.
Burn (BRN)
When a Pokémon becomes burned, its Attack is recalculated so that it is halved (see "Stat Modification"). If a Pokémon is burned, it loses 1/8 of its maximum HP (but not less than 1 HP) at the end of its attack segment. Fire types can’t become burned by Fire-type attacks.
Sleep (SLP)
A sleeping Pokémon can’t normally do its attack during its attack segment. When a Pokémon becomes asleep, it receives a count of 2 to 7. In Stadium 2, the sleep count is 2 to 4 instead. At a sleep check, this count is reduced by 1. If the count reaches zero, the Pokémon wakes up and can attack on the same turn. Snore and Sleep Talk can be used by a sleeping Pokémon. The game stores the current duration of a Pokémon that’s asleep, in case the Pokémon leaves battle and enters the battle in another one.
Frozen (FRZ)
A frozen Pokémon can’t normally do its attack during its attack segment. The only moves that a frozen Pokémon can use are Flame Wheel and Sacred Fire, which will defrost it. If the Pokémon loses HP because of a Fire-type attack (considering Hidden Power as Normal), it thaws out. There is a 25/256 chance at the end of each turn that a Pokémon will thaw out. Ice types can’t become frozen by Ice-type attacks.
Confusion
When a Pokémon becomes confused, it receives a count of 2 to 5. At the beginning of the Pokémon’s attack segment, this count is reduced by 1, then if it is greater than 0, there is a 50% chance that the Pokémon will deal damage to itself rather than use an attack. The self-inflicted confusion attack is a physical attack, has a power of 40, has no type, can’t be a critical hit, and is not varied with a random integer. (Doesn’t ignore the effect of Reflect.) Confusion is removed from the Pokémon when it leaves the battle (except Baton Pass). If the Berserk Gene causes confusion in Pokémon Gold Version, Pokémon Silver Version, and Pokémon Crystal Version, its holder will receive a confusion count of 256.
Flinch
After a Pokémon uses a move that makes the opposing Pokémon flinch in the same turn, the opposing Pokémon (unless it’s asleep or frozen) can flinch when the beginning of its attack segment comes and thus skip its attack this turn.