Spit + Poisonous Saliva
Educational-Wing2042 recommends Beak and Spit with Poisonous Saliva in the linked player discussion. Start by checking which compatible attack you can actually use.
Builds
Poison Trickster build: Spit, Stinger and Nemertide
Choose a way to apply poison, then build around the openings needed to use it. Compare Spit with Poisonous Saliva, Stinger, and the conditional Pedal Glands route without treating every card as mandatory.
Choose your poison route
Stinger
Proxiehunter describes Stinger as another poison option and attributes its poison improvement to Ability. Practise its targeting before committing more upgrades.
Pedal Glands → Nemertide
Official 1.2: Pedal Glands unlocks after first clearing Pressure 5 and needs Slithery in the run. Nemertide adds poison to its trail and increases poison damage with the target’s Slow. Consider this branch when your existing route can support those prerequisites.
Route phases
- Before committing: keep a usable attack while waiting for a poison source. Ability investment alone does not tell you whether an attack applies poison.
- Once you can poison: find an opening, apply it and move towards a clear escape path. Avoid adding another attack if its controls make you miss that exit.
- Before the next boss: identify the actual problem. Missed attacks need better positioning; damage taken while retreating calls for movement or survival choices. More damage does not solve both.
- During the boss: watch the attack pattern and look for another safe application window. If retreat keeps failing, adjust your movement or defensive choices before chasing an additional poison source.
Damage support and optional cards
- Cortex is a support option to compare with your current Ability needs, rather than a substitute for the poison application route. Check the selected card’s displayed effect and cost.
- Pistol Pincer, Synapse and Poisonous Spores are not a required package. Check each trigger and how it fits your controls; a ranged attack or an indirect damage effect should not automatically be treated as poison.
- Bullseye and Minimalist are optional genetic choices. Compare their effects and tradeoffs with your equipped attacks and slots; neither is established here as the best genetic for every poison route.
Cortex · Pistol Pincer · Synapse · Poisonous Spores
Official 1.1 removed Sharpen and Overwhelm bonuses from damage over time such as poison. Do not count those bonuses as poison scaling.
Check the exact achievement condition
A poison damage route is unsuitable when your goal prohibits dealing damage. Read the separate Dove and Zen conditions before equipping it. A poison effect, damage total and a mushroom-eating objective are different things; use the named achievement’s requirement instead of an assumed poison counter.
Choose your next reference
Check the application path before adding damage
Version 1.2 changed Spit’s interaction with scenery: it no longer collides with cobwebs, but it does collide with more world elements, including rocks and trees. If a shot fails to reach its target, inspect the line through the scenery before assuming that the build needs another damage upgrade. Source: Official 1.2 notes
Pedal Glands creates a trail when nearby enemies are chasing you. The 1.2 notes describe it as a three-level Rare Evolution, with specialisations at level three, or level two with Expert. Separate obtaining the card from obtaining Nemertide: the base trail is not automatically the poisonous specialisation. Source: Official 1.2 notes
Common poison-route mistakes
Do not treat Slow, poison application and poison damage as interchangeable upgrades. Nemertide’s stated benefit depends on how slowed the target is, so inspect both the trail’s effect and the target’s state. Likewise, a safe retreat line is part of applying the effect; adding an attack you cannot aim while escaping may leave the original problem unchanged. Source: Official 1.2 notes
FAQ
Does unlocking Pedal Glands guarantee an offer?
No. The official 1.2 notes distinguish the account unlock, first completing Pressure 5, from the in-run condition that adds it to the Evolution pool, having Slithery. Neither statement promises the next offer. Check both requirements before basing the run on Nemertide. Source: Official 1.2 notes
Should I count Sharpen or Overwhelm as poison damage?
The 1.1 correction removed their bonuses from damage over time, including poison. Assess the attack and its continuing poison separately when comparing an upgrade. A bonus that helps another part of the attack is not evidence that the poison component receives the same benefit. Source: Official 1.1 notes
Does this route complete Poisonous Palette?
That achievement asks you to eat thirty Poisonous Mushrooms. It does not ask for poison damage, a poisoned boss or a poison-focused loadout. Keep the food objective separate from this combat plan, even if both involve poison-themed names. Source: Official 1.2 notes Source: Steam achievement conditions
Evidence and version scope
The two player recommendations are attributed opinions; their game versions are not established here. They provide no complete selection order or measured success rate. Official patch statements are labelled with their versions. The phase plan is practical advice to adapt to your own choices.
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Update history
: Added Spit’s 1.2 scenery interactions and Pedal Glands requirements. Distinguished Nemertide from the base trail, and separated poison damage from the mushroom-eating achievement and excluded damage-over-time bonuses.