CARD INFORMATION

SUBTYPES:
- Stage 1
HP: 100
TYPES:
- Darkness
EVOLVES FROM: Venipede
EVOLVES TO:
- Scolipede
WEAKNESSES:
- TYPE: Fighting
- VALUE: ×2
RETREATCOST:
- Colorless
- Colorless
- Colorless
RETREAT COST: 3
RARITY: Common
FLAVOR TEXT: Protected by a hard shell, it spins its body like a wheel and crashes furiously into its enemies.
REGULATIONMARK: I

CARD ABILITIES

This card has no abilities

CARD ATTACKS

NAME: Venoshock
COST:
- Colorless
ENERGY COST: 1
DAMAGE: 30+
DETAILS: If your opponent's Active Pokémon is Poisoned, this attack does 60 more damage.

MARKET PRICES FOR WHIRLIPEDE 💰

Last updated: 2026/02/04

HIGH	1.89	USD
MID	0.07	USD	TREND
LOW	0.02	USD

Check the latest prices on:

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Whirlipede crawls into the competitive scene as a Stage 1 Darkness-type with poison synergy potential.

With 100 HP and a single-energy attack that can potentially deal significant damage, this cocoon Pokémon might look unassuming, but could it be spinning its way into viable tournament decks? Let's break down whether this hard-shelled attacker deserves a spot in your strategic arsenal.

Offensive rating: 6/10

Whirlipede's offensive capability centers around its Venoshock attack, which costs just one Colorless energy and deals 30 base damage.

What makes this interesting is the conditional bonus - if your opponent's Active Pokémon is Poisoned, the attack jumps to a much more respectable 90 damage.

This poison synergy creates a clear two-step strategy: poison first, attack second.

The problem is that Whirlipede lacks built-in poison-inflicting capabilities, requiring partner cards to enable its full damage potential.

At one energy for potentially 90 damage, the efficiency is there, but the dependency on external poison effects significantly limits its standalone offensive power.

Survival rating: 4/10

With 100 HP, Whirlipede sits at the lower end of the durability spectrum for Stage 1 Pokémon.

Its Fighting weakness is particularly problematic in metas where Fighting-type attackers are common, making it vulnerable to being knocked out in a single hit.

The hefty three-energy retreat cost is another significant drawback, severely limiting its mobility and creating situations where it can get trapped in the active position.

Without any built-in defensive abilities or effects to mitigate damage, Whirlipede relies entirely on its modest HP pool for survival.

This makes it a liability against many popular attackers in the current format.

Versatility rating: 3/10

Whirlipede suffers from a distinct lack of versatility.

Its entire strategy hinges on the poison condition, making it a one-trick Pokémon that either performs moderately well or falls completely flat depending on your ability to maintain poison status on your opponent's Pokémon.

The single attack option gives it no adaptability to different situations.

As a Darkness-type, it does benefit from potential type support, but its narrow functionality makes it difficult to integrate into diverse strategies.

The evolution chain requirement adds another layer of complexity without providing sufficient payoff, as even its evolved form would need to justify the deck space and setup required.

Speed/Setup rating: 5/10

Whirlipede earns points for its straightforward energy requirements - a single Colorless energy means it can attack on turn one after evolution, assuming you have ways to search for and play both Venipede and Whirlipede in sequence.

However, the true setup cost extends beyond just getting Whirlipede into play.

To maximize its damage output, you need reliable methods to inflict Poison status, adding an essential but often overlooked setup requirement.

The three-card evolution line to reach its final form (Venipede → Whirlipede → Scolipede) creates consistency challenges, especially when the intermediate form doesn't offer overwhelming advantages on its own.

To leverage Whirlipede effectively, you need reliable poison-inflicting cards and ways to accelerate its evolution.

Cards that apply poison status on the opponent's Active Pokémon are essential, while evolution acceleration and retreat support help overcome its inherent limitations.

Dark-type support cards can boost its overall effectiveness in a dedicated dark deck strategy.

Perfect Partners examples:

Seviper

Many Seviper variants across different sets feature abilities or attacks that can inflict Poison status, providing the crucial trigger for Whirlipede's enhanced damage output without requiring additional attack turns.

Rare Candy

Bypassing Whirlipede to evolve directly from Venipede to Scolipede can be strategically advantageous, allowing you to skip this intermediate evolution when Whirlipede's specific attack isn't needed.

Switch

With Whirlipede's prohibitive three-energy retreat cost, Switch cards become essential to maintain board mobility and prevent it from becoming stranded in the active position after attacking.

Whirlipede ultimately falls short of tournament viability due to its conditional damage output, fragile defensive profile, and clunky mobility.

While the potential for 90 damage with a single energy investment looks appealing on paper, the card demands too many supporting pieces to function consistently.

The dependence on external poison effects, combined with low HP and a punishing retreat cost, creates a Pokémon that struggles to justify its place in competitive decks.

Even in poison-focused strategies, there are typically stronger centerpieces available.

Whirlipede might find limited use as a tech option in very specific metas or casual play, but tournament players should look elsewhere for reliable attackers.

If you're determined to use it, pair it with consistent poison enablers and be prepared to support it with switching options to overcome its mobility limitations.