How To Get Poison Barbs in Pokémon Platinum

by Chris Haygood

All Poison Barb Locations
1	Route 206 — Southwest of the Wayward Cave, underneath Cycling Road	No
2	Held item (5% chance) found on these wild Pokémon: Tentacool (Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, and 222, Canalave City, Pastoria City, Sunyshore City, Fuego Ironworks, Valley Windworks, Iron Island (By Surfing)) Tentacruel (Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, and 230, Pastoria City, Canalave City, Sunyshore City, Valley Windworks, Fuego Ironworks, Iron Island, Pokémon League (By Surfing)) Qwilfish (Iron Island (with the Super Rod)) Roselia (Routes 208, 209, 210, 212, 221, 224, 229, and 230, Trophy Garden) Budew (Routes 204, 205, and 208, Eterna Forest) Skorupi (Great Marsh) Drapion (Great Marsh (after receiving the National Pokédex))	Yes

All Poison Barb Locations

Location

Repeatable?

Route 206 — Southwest of the Wayward Cave, underneath Cycling Road

Held item (5% chance) found on these wild Pokémon:

Tentacool (Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, and 222, Canalave City, Pastoria City, Sunyshore City, Fuego Ironworks, Valley Windworks, Iron Island (By Surfing))
Tentacruel (Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, and 230, Pastoria City, Canalave City, Sunyshore City, Valley Windworks, Fuego Ironworks, Iron Island, Pokémon League (By Surfing))
Qwilfish (Iron Island (with the Super Rod))
Roselia (Routes 208, 209, 210, 212, 221, 224, 229, and 230, Trophy Garden)
Budew (Routes 204, 205, and 208, Eterna Forest)
Skorupi (Great Marsh)
Drapion (Great Marsh (after receiving the National Pokédex))

Yes

The earliest available Poison Barb you can get is on Route 206, next to Cycling Road. The Bicycle and the Hidden Move Cut are required to reach it.

Poison Barbs can also be held by wild Pokémon like Tentacool and Roselia. Many of these Pokémon are extremely common, so stealing a Poison Barb off one of them shouldn’t take much time.

Poison Barb Locations

Location #1: Route 206 (Step-by-Step)

The primary Poison Barb’s location on the Town Map.

One Poison Barb available is located on the western edge of Route 206, on the other side of Cycling Road from the Wayward Cave.

The Bicycle and the Hidden Move Cut are required to reach its location, so this Poison Barb will remain unavailable until you have defeated Gym Leader Gardenia and rescued Rad Rickshaw’s Clefairy from Team Galactic.

But once you’re ready, here’s how to find this item:

The quickest way to reach Route 206 is by starting at Oreburgh City and leaving town through the northern entrance.

Heading north on the main street from Oreburgh City’s Pokémon Center.

Take the stairs to leave the city for Route 207.

Entering Route 207 to the north.

Go down the small staircase leading to a pit, where there is a muddy slope in the middle of the north wall.

Then start riding your Bicycle, make sure it’s in fourth gear (the faster one), and position yourself against the south wall, and charge the muddy slope to ride up.

Riding the Bicycle in fourth gear to climb the muddy slope.

Once at the top, continue heading northward.

Heading north after riding up the muddy slope.

When you’re almost at the gate to Cycling Road, make a right turn onto the side path. Use Cut on one of the small trees and head north.

Using Cut on the tree to the east to pass through.

Continue north down the stairs and up the side path.

Continuing north past the stairs.

Keep going north, crossing the bridge when you come to it.

Crossing the bridge to the north.

Make your way straight north past the honey tree.

Moving straight north.

Pass the Hiker trainer and turn left to pass under the Cycling Road.

Moving under Cycling Road.

On the opposite side of the overpass, move toward the southwestern corner of this field to find a Poké Ball item sitting in some tall grass.

Discovering the Poison Barb on Route 206.

Pick up the Poké Ball to acquire the Poison Barb.

Obtaining the Poison Barb by Cycling Road.

Location #2: Stealing from Wild Pokémon

Lots of wild Pokémon can be found holding Poison Barbs, including extremely common ones like Tentacool and Roselia.

The Poison Barb is categorized as a rare item, so these Pokémon only have a 5% chance of holding one with each wild encounter.

You can barely turn a corner without running into a mountain of Tentacool, but if you need help, here are location listings for all Pokémon that can be found holding a Poison Barb:

Wild Pokémon with Poison Barbs
Pokémon	Location(s)
Tentacool (by Surfing)	Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, and 222 Canalave City Pastoria City Sunyshore City Fuego Ironworks Valley Windworks Iron Island (by Surfing)
Tentacruel (by Surfing)	Routes 205, 212, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, and 230 Pastoria City Canalave City Sunyshore City Valley Windworks Fuego Ironworks Iron Island Pokémon League
Qwilfish (with the Super Rod)	Iron Island
Roselia	Routes 208, 209, 210, 212, 221, 224, 229, and 230 Trophy Garden
Budew	Routes 208, 205, and 208 Eterna Forest
Skorupi	Great Marsh
Drapion (after receiving the National Pokédex)	Great Marsh

There are several ways of decreasing the time you spend on hunting wild Pokémon’s held items. The best item farming setup includes Pokémon with the Abilities Compoundeyes and Frisk, as well as at least one stealing move like Thief, Covet, or Trick.

Once you’re ready to search for a Poison Barb, head into the wild grass (or surf) at one of the aforementioned locations.

Searching for wild Roselia on Route 229.

If you’ve set up your team as described, every applicable Pokémon you encounter have a 20% chance of holding a Poison Barb (rather than 5%) due to Compoundeyes.

Plus your Frisk Pokémon will alert you if each target is holding one.

Identifying Roselia’s held item with the Frisk Ability.

Then, either capture the Pokémon or use a thieving move to separate the Poison Barb from its owner.

Using Trick on a Roselia to steal its item.

Acquiring a Poison Barb from a wild Roselia.

Once the Poison Barb is in your possession, you can flee if you want; you don’t have to finish the battle in order to keep it permanently.

Poison Barb Details and Uses

The in-game description of the Poison Barb.

The Poison Barb is a held item that boosts the power of Poison moves by 20%.

Among held items that boost specific types, the Poison Barb is one of the most useful.

Poison-type Pokémon are often champion status users, but this commonly comes at the cost of a lower damage output.

A free 20% boost to its moves can help keep the holder toe-to-toe with its target.

Not only that, but stronger held items like the Life Orb and the Choice Band/Specs can inflict damage to the holder – or make them more open to attack.

Poison-type Pokémon typically aren’t bulky or defensive enough to absorb this kind of abuse for very long, which makes a pretty strong case for using the Poison Barb over other held items.

BACK TO THE MAIN GAME Pokémon Platinum Full Strategy Guide

Guide Navigation

Pokémon Platinum
- How To Get Poison Barbs in Pokémon Platinum

Chris Haygood

270 articles

Chris is an American freelance writer and lifelong gamer. RPGs have been his genre of choice ever since he got Pokémon Blue in 1867, but if he finds a good rhythm game, he will prioritize playing it over both eating and breathing.

View Writer's Posts →