Clear Smog removes stat changes from the target, not from your own Pokémon

Clear Smog is a poison-type move that does two things at once: it deals damage to the opponent and erases all of their stat changes — both good ones and bad ones. When your Pokémon uses Clear Smog, the target's attack, defense, speed, special attack, special defense, and accuracy all reset to their normal levels, as if no moves had raised or lowered them.

This move is useful when your opponent has used stat-boosting moves like Swords Dance, Dragon Dance, or Nasty Plot. Instead of trying to out-damage a stronger opponent, you can use Clear Smog to wipe out those boosts and level the playing field. The damage itself is modest — it has a power of 50 and 100 percent accuracy — but the stat reset is the real value.

One common point of confusion: Clear Smog does not affect your own Pokémon's stats. It only targets the opponent. If your Pokémon has raised its own attack or speed, those boosts stay in place.

Key Takeaways

  • Clear Smog resets all of the target's stat changes to normal, removing both boosts and drops they have received.
  • The move deals 50 base power damage with 100 percent accuracy, so it always hits.
  • Clear Smog is most useful against opponents that have used multiple stat-raising moves in a single battle.
  • Your own Pokémon's stat changes are not affected when you use Clear Smog.

Which Pokémon can learn Clear Smog

Clear Smog is available to a limited set of poison-type Pokémon and a few others. Koffing and Weezing learn it naturally at level 39 in most games. Grimer and Muk can learn it as well, though the level varies by game generation. Stunky and Skuntank also have access to the move.

In some games, Pokémon like Mareanie and Toxapex can learn Clear Smog through level-up or TM. The exact list changes between game generations — Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet, and older games each have slightly different move pools. If you want to know whether a specific Pokémon in your game can learn Clear Smog, check the move list for that Pokémon in your game's Pokédex or a move database for your version.

When to use Clear Smog in battle

Clear Smog is most valuable in battles where your opponent has stacked multiple stat boosts. If they have used Dragon Dance twice and Swords Dance once, Clear Smog wipes all of those away in a single turn. This is especially useful in competitive battles or trainer fights where opponents deliberately set up stat boosts before attacking.

Against a Pokémon that has only one or two boosts, Clear Smog may not be worth the turn. The damage output is low, so if you could knock out the opponent or deal significant damage with a stronger move, that is usually the better choice. Clear Smog shines when you need to reset the opponent's advantages rather than maximize your own damage.

The move is also useful if your opponent has lowered your own stats — for example, if they used Intimidate or a move like Screech. While Clear Smog does not directly undo those drops, resetting the opponent's boosts can prevent them from taking advantage of the stat advantage they created.

How Clear Smog interacts with abilities and held items

Clear Smog works independently of abilities. If the opponent's Pokémon has an ability like Filter or Assault Vest, those do not block Clear Smog's stat-reset effect. The move will still erase the target's stat changes even if the ability would normally reduce damage.

Held items like Assault Vest reduce the damage Clear Smog deals, but again, the stat reset still happens. This means you can use Clear Smog against a defensive Pokémon and still accomplish your goal of removing their boosts, even if the damage is reduced.

Clear Smog versus other stat-resetting moves

Clear Smog is not the only move that resets stats. Haze resets the stats of both Pokémon — yours and your opponent's — which can be a drawback if you have raised your own stats. Clear Body is an ability that prevents stat drops, not a move. Refresh cures status conditions but does not touch stats.

The advantage of Clear Smog is that it damages the opponent while resetting only their stats, leaving your own boosts intact. If you have already raised your own attack or speed, Clear Smog is the better choice than Haze because you keep your advantages while removing theirs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Clear Smog reset stat drops on my own Pokémon?

No. Clear Smog only affects the opponent's stats. If your Pokémon's attack or defense has been lowered by the opponent's moves, Clear Smog will not undo that. You would need a different move or ability to restore your own stats.

Can Clear Smog miss?

No, Clear Smog has 100 percent accuracy, so it always hits unless the opponent is using a move that makes them untargetable, like Dig or Fly.

What happens if I use Clear Smog on a Pokémon with no stat changes?

The move still deals its 50 base power damage. The stat reset does nothing if there are no boosts or drops to remove, but the damage is still applied.

Does Clear Smog work against Pokémon with the Ability Unaware?

Unaware makes the opponent ignore stat changes during damage calculation, but Clear Smog still removes the stats themselves. The move works normally.