In commemoration of Nintendo’s 135ᵗʰ anniversary, September 20 to 30 is NIWA Cross-Wiki Week. Click here for event details and the possibility to win a $20/€20 Nintendo eShop gift card. Please remember to follow the manual of style and code of conduct at all times. Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Koffing is a spherical Pokémon filled with toxic gasses. It has vacant eyes and a wide mouth that usually has two pointed teeth in the upper jaw. However, a full set of teeth has been seen in the anime. Below is face is a cream-colored skull-and-crossbones marking. Several crater-like protrusions, which usually release a yellowish gas, cover this Pokémon’s body. Its purple skin is very thin, and over inflation can cause it to explode.
Koffing creates gases within its body by mixing toxins with garbage, and produces more gas in higher temperatures. These gases are malodorous and cause sniffles, coughs, and teary eyes to those around it. The gases are also lighter than air, allowing Koffing to hover. When agitated, it creates a more toxic gas and expels it through the holes in its body. As shown in the anime, Koffing's gas can be ignited by fire or electricity. Koffing is most often found in urban areas.
Koffing is seen as one of Koga's Pokémon alongside its evolution. When Koga and Blue are ambushed by Agatha's Gengar in Gimme Shellder, Koga uses Koffing's smoke to relay his tactical plan to Blue without Gengar noticing.
When released from a Poké Ball, Koffing will initiate a Poison Gas attack which will pummel an opponent. Koffing did not return in Super Smash Bros. Melee and was replaced by its evolution, Weezing.
If Koffing becomes agitated, it raises the toxicity of its internal gases and then jets them out from all over its body. This Pokémon may overinflate its round body, then explode.
Koffing embodies toxic substances. It mixes the toxins with raw garbage to set off a chemical reaction that results in a terribly powerful Poison Gas. The higher the temperature, the more gas is concocted by this Pokémon.
Getting up close to a Koffing will give you a chance to observe, through its thin skin, the toxic gases swirling inside. It blows up at the slightest stimulation.
According to a question of a Pokémon Exam the characters of the anime participated in, Koffing was supposedly first discovered in a public bathhouse. However, the Team Rocket expansion's Koffing card states that Koffing was first discovered in a weapons factory. This may be either because Jessie answered the question incorrectly, or due to an inconsistency between the TCG and anime.
Koffing and Munna are the only Pokémon whose names are mentioned in music found in the games. Munna's name is heard in ミュージカル「メロメロ★ムンナ」 Musical "Charming Munna", while Koffing's Japanese name is heard in タチワキジム(演奏・DOGARS) Virbank Gym (Performance - KOFFING), although it is replaced with the word "Pokémon" in international releases.
This distinction is possibly shared with Wingull, as its Japanese name, キャモメ Camome, is arguably heard in the obscure vocals of ビレッジブリッジ Village Bridge.
Koffing shares similar traits to Grimer and Trubbish. All three Pokémon are pure Poison-types with a single evolution and appear to be based on a different kind of pollution; Koffing being air pollution.
Origin
Considering its looks, its ability to float, and its tendency to explode, it may have been based upon a floating naval mine or living meteorite. It is also based on smog and other forms of air pollution. Koffing may also be based on the imagined fear that heavy pollution, caused by the leakage and/or improper disposal of toxic/radioactive waste, may result in the creation of new and undesirable life.
Name origin
Koffing is a corruption of coughing.
Dogars is a combination of 獰 dō (bad) or 毒 doku (poisonous) and gas.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.