What is a cursed Pokémon?

As a hardcore Pokémon gamer and expert, I‘ve seen my share of battles turn south quickly when an opponent manages to land the dreaded Curse on one of my Pokémon. A cursed Pokémon loses 1/4th of its max HP every turn – that‘s a terrifying amount of consistent damage that can quickly defeat you if you don‘t know how to handle it.

So what exactly does it mean when a Pokémon gets cursed? How can you remove the curse or counter its impact? As an elite Pokémon gamer, I‘ve compiled this comprehensive guide on cursed Pokémon to share expert insights on the Curse status effect, the dangerous Ghost Pokémon that inflict it, and pro-gamer strategies to overcome this threat!

What Does the Curse Status Do?

In battle, the only way for a Pokémon to become cursed is when an opposing Ghost-type Pokémon successfully uses the move Curse. Using Curse causes two major effects:

• The Ghost-type user‘s HP is cut in half immediately
• The target becomes cursed – losing 25% max HP per turn

Unlike poison or burn, the curse persists even if you switch out your Pokémon. It can only be removed by using a Full Heal item or switching the Pokémon out after the battle ends.

According to my calculations, here‘s an example of how much HP cursed Pokémon can lose per turn:

As you can see, the damage piles up quickly! Making Curse an extremely dangerous move if not handled properly.

Ghost Pokémon That Can Curse You

Now that you understand the Curse status, let‘s examine some deadly Ghost-type Pokémon that often wield this move:

• Gengar: One of the most popular ghosts, Gengars enjoy cursing targets before blasting them with Shadow Ball
• Drifblim: This ominous blimp Pokémon sets up Curse to make opponents pop quicker
• Dusknoir: With high defenses, Dusknoir can cast self-damaging Curse with less risk
• Spiritomb: As a ghost of 108 spirits, Spiritomb is literally born to curse others

Among these, veterans agree that Spiritomb is arguably the most dangerous curser. According to legends, Spiritomb was sealed for 500 years for cursing humans and Pokémon alike! Its Dark/Ghost typing has no weaknesses either, making it extremely hard to defeat once your Pokémon is cursed.

Pro Gamer Tips to Beat a Cursed Pokémon

Now for the moment you‘ve been waiting for – my expert strategies as an elite gamer to deal with cursed Pokémon!

Act Quickly to Switch Out

The most direct method is to switch out the cursed Pokémon immediately to clear the curse.

Preferably, swap to a Steel, Dark or Normal type, as Ghosts are weak against these types. Your fresh Pokémon can then knock-out the Ghost before it curses again!

Full Heals Are Your Friend

Carrying Full Heals or Full Restore items can instantly remove curse status. Use them if you can‘t safely switch your Pokémon out.

You need to use Full Heals quickly though. With 25% max HP lost per turn, just 2-3 turns could knockout your Pokémon if heavily damaged. Leaving no time to use items!

Fight Curse With Curse!

Veteran gamers may choose to fight fire with fire – by cursing the opponent‘s Pokémon in response after they curse you.

This high risk, high reward technique transforms the battle into an intense damage race. Whoever knocks out the opposing Pokémon first wins.

Only attempt this if you have healing items/moves ready for your own cursed Pokémon after cursing the opponent. And never try it against foes like Spiritomb who easily survive Curse damage.

Are New Curses Coming in Scarlet/Violet?

With 9th generation Pokémon Scarlet/Violet around the corner, fans wonder if we‘ll see some new cursed Pokémon from the Spain-inspired Paldea region. Ghost-type experts look toward new creatures like Greavard – described as a ghost pup that tears holes open.

Could Greavard or other new ghosts wield medieval curses we‘ve never seen before? We‘ll find out soon! As a competitive gamer, I can‘t wait to battle these spooky creatures and overcome their tricks.

So there you have it friends – my elite guide to cursed Pokémon as a top competitive gamer! I hope these insights on deadly Ghost-types, dangerous Curse mechanics, and pro-strategies help you crush any foes who dare curse your partners. Just remember to react quickly, leverage switching/items, and even fight fire with fire when necessary.

Stay tuned for more analysis as I dive into the new generation of Pokémon on the horizon! This gamer can‘t wait to tangle with Greavard and other creepy new ghosts. Let the Curse battles commence!