Subscribe
Follow Us
Pokemon has evolved from just dealing damage to your opponents to having technicalities like abilities. We've talked about where to start your Pokemon VGC journey with where to join competitions and mastering type match-ups but now in this Pokemon Abilities Guide, we'll lay it all down for you to up your game in the competitive scene.
Pokemon Abilities
To give you a brief background, Pokemon Abilities were introduced back in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald back in 2002. This has shaken the competitive scene as each Pokemon is equipped with its own special ability that can be useful in or out of battle. While some Pokemon were only given one ability, most Pokemon have been blessed with two abilities that trainers can utilize. This made battling more compelling and challenging for trainers all around the world. In 2010, when Pokemon Black and White was released, we were introduced to Hidden Abilities – A third ability that can help you gain a competitive edge against your opponent and was more useful in battle. The starter Pokemon would usually have the same abilities such as Blaze, Torrent, and Overgrow but there are more powerful ones like Venusaur's Chlorophyll and Incineroar's Intimidate.
For one to obtain a specific Hidden Ability, it was made easier in Pokemon Sword and Shield by using an Ability Patch that can change one's hidden ability from one of its standard abilities. Of course, breeding can be helpful for this as hidden abilities can be passed down from Parent Pokemon to Child.
These hidden abilities add another layer to creating a more challenging environment for the competitive scene. To help you understand these abilities better, we've listed down some of the notable Pokemon Abilities for you to understand.
Aerilate: Mega Pinsir and Mega Salamence's signature ability, Aerilate gives a 20% power boost and all Normal-type moves used by the Pokemon will become a flying-type move.
Beast Boost: This hidden ability can be found in Ultra Beasts like Nihilego, Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Xurkitree, Celesteela, Kartana, Guzzlord, Nagandael, Stakataka, and Blacephalon. When an Ultra Beast with this ability directly causes another Pokemon (including allies) to faint by using a damaging move, its highest stat is increased by one stage for each Pokemon that it knocks out.
Clear Body / Full Metal Body: This ability prevents any stat reduction caused by other moves and abilities (such as Scary Face and Intimidate) but does not prevent self-inflicted stat reductions. The only difference between the two is that Full Metal Body is Solgaleo's signature ability and cannot be ignored by moves or abilities such as Mold Breaker.
Dark Aura: Ylvetal's signature ability, Dark Aura increases the damage dealt by Dark-type moves by 33% for all Pokemon on the field.
Defiant: For every stat that is lowered from the Pokemon with this ability, its attack is increased by two stages. Take note that the effects of this ability will not activate if the Pokemon lowers its own stats or if an ally Pokemon lowers it.
Fairy Aura: Xerneas' signature ability, Fairy Aura increases the damage dealt by Fairy-type moves by 33% for all Pokemon on the field.
Inner Focus: Pokemon who have this ability prevents it from flinching. Although that may be the case, a Pokemon with this ability will flinch if it is hit by a Pokemon with Mold Breaker, Teravolt, or Turboblaze.
Intimidate: The opposing Pokemon's attack stat is lowered by one stage when the Pokemon with this ability enters the battlefield. Some Pokemon with this ability are Incineroar, Landorus-Therian, Hitmontop, Salamence, Mega Manectric, Scrafty, and Mawile.
Levitate: Pokemon (like Cresselia, Bronzong, Latios, and Latias) with the Levitate ability are immune to Ground-type moves (except Thousand Arrows). This immunity is lost to Pokemon with the Gravity move or if the Pokemon with the Levitate ability is holding an Iron Ball, under the effects of the move Ingrain, or hit by Smack Down or Thousand Arrows.
Lighting Rod: Pokemon who have this ability are immune to all Electric-type moves. Whenever an Electric-type move is done during a doubles battle, the Electric-type attack will be directed to the Pokemon with this ability and will increase the Pokemon's Special Attack stat by one stage. This ability can commonly be found with Raichu, Alolan Marowak, Mega Sceptile, and Manectric.
Moody: At the end of each turn, Pokemon with the Moody ability raise one of the stats by two stages at random then decrease another stat by one stage at random as well. So far, the Pokemon that is most associated with this ability is Smeargle.
Neuroforce: Ultra Necrozma's signature ability, this ability increases the power of moves which does super effective damage to the targeted opponent by 25%.
Prankster: Commonly found in Whimsicott, Tornadus, and Meowstic, this ability increases the priority of those attacks which do not do damage to the opponent and allows the user with the Prankster ability to move first.
Prism Armor: Necrozma, Dawn Wings Necrozma, and Dusk Mane Necrozma's signature ability – Prism Armor reduces damage from super effective moves by a quarter regardless of the effectiveness multiplier. This ability cannot be ignored by other moves or abilities, unlike Solid Rock and Filter.
Queenly Majesty: Tsareena's signature ability, it is similar to the effects of Psychic Terrain as it stops the opponent from using high-priority moves like Fake Out or Sucker Punch. But unlike Psychic Terrain, Tsareena's allies are still able to use high-priority moves.
Regenerator: Pokemon with this ability can restore one-third of their maximum HP upon being switched out of battle. A notable favorite with this ability is the community favorite Amoonguss.
Scrappy: Pokemon with this ability can hit Ghost-type Pokemon with Normal and Fighting-type moves such as Fake Out and High Jump Kick. Common users are Kangaskhan and Mega Lopunny.
Shadow Shield: Lunala's signature ability, Shadow Shield reduces the damage taken from all damage-dealing moves by half when the Pokemon is at maximum HP.
Shadow Tag: Commonly found in Mega Gengar and Gothitelle, this ability prevents foes, except those who are Ghost-type or who have the same Shadow Tag ability, from switching out while the Pokemon with Shadow Tag is on the battlefield unless the Pokemon switches out with moves like Baton Pass, U-turn, Volt Switch, or Parting Shot.
Surge Abilities: This ability is exclusive to the Guardian Deities of the 4 main islands of the Alola Region. This ability causes Misty, Electric, Psychic, or Grassy Terrain to cover the battlefield for five turns. Pokemon that are considered grounded, Pokemon who use the Flying-type move called Roost, affected by the Gravity move, or are holding the Iron Ball are the only ones who benefit from this buff. Flying-type Pokemon or those that have the Levitate ability are not eligible to benefit from the buff of this ability.
Misty Surge: Tapu Fini's exclusive ability that covers the battlefield in Misty Terrain protecting all grounded Pokemon from status conditions and cutting Dragon-type attacks by half.
Electric Surge: Tapu Koko's exclusive ability that covers the battlefield in Electric Terrain which prevents grounded Pokemon from falling asleep and boosts the power of all Electric-type moves by 50%.
Psychic Surge: Tapu Lele's exclusive ability that covers the battlefield in Psychic Terrain and prevents grounded Pokemon from being hit with high-priority moves such as Fake Out and Sucker Punch as well as moves that have their priority boosted by the Prankster, Gale Wings, or Triage abilities. Psychic-type moves are boosted by 50%.
Grassy Surge: Tapu Bulu's exclusive ability that covers the battlefield in Grassy Terrain that restores the HP of all grounded Pokemon by a sixteenth of their maximum HP for each turn, increases all Grass-type attacks by 50%, and cuts the power of Ground-type moves Bulldoze, Magnitude, and Earthquake by half regardless of whether the target or the user of the move are grounded.
There are of course other notable abilities that each Pokemon carry. Understanding how these affect the battlefield and how it works is definitely a must going into the Pokemon VGC scene. Make sure to catch more tips and tricks like this Pokemon Abilities Guide article and other Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides for you to up your game in the competitive scene only here on ClutchPoints Gaming! Best of luck, Trainers!
