PokéRUS, the Pokémon Virus

In Gold, Silver and Crystal it is possible for your Pokémon to catch a virus called PokéRUS (made up of Pokémon and Virus). This virus quickly spreads, but is more helpful than harmful.


Catching the Virus
The virus is very rare. There is only a 1 in 21845 chance that your Pokémon will catch it from a wild Pokémon in battle. The second way to get it, is by finding someone with an infected Pokémon, who is willing to trade it. The third and probably easiest way is to use a Game Shark if you have, or can borrow one.

Gameshark Codes
1st Pokémon 010146DA
2nd Pokémon 010176DA
3rd Pokémon 0101A6DA
4th Pokémon 0101D6DA
5th Pokémon 010106DA
6th Pokémon 010136DA

Effects of the Virus
The Virus is no danger to your Pokémon, as Professor Elm and Nurse Joy will tell you. Instead the virus lets your Pokémon get double experience and stats when it grows a level. That means your Pokémon could reach its Max Stats, which normally does not happen, even if a Pokémon is at level 100. If a Pokémon has PokéRUS it could reach its Max Stats around level 70 - 80, if it got PokéRUS at about level 30 or under. The stats of the Pokémon now read PokéRUS.

Spreading the Virus
The virus spreads very quickly, if a Pokémon in your active six has it, it will probably spread to the others in a short time. If you deposit an infected Pokémon in your box, it will probably infect the other Pokémon in that box.

The end of the Virus
The virus disappears after about five days. The Pokémon that have had the virus once are now immune against it and will never catch it again. The Pokémon now has a black dot in its stats screen. The effects of the virus continues, even after th Pokémon is cured of the virus.