Understanding Abilities
Each creature has one or two regular abilities, and some have a hidden ability that's harder to obtain.
Abilities can dramatically change how a creature performs in battle, from weather bonuses to damage immunity.
Complete database of all 367 abilities in Pokémon games
Abilities are passive effects that each Pokémon has. They were introduced in Generation III (Ruby & Sapphire) and have become a core part of competitive battling. Each Pokémon can have one of its possible Abilities, and some Pokémon have Hidden Abilities that are harder to obtain.
Increases the same-type attack bonus from 1.5× to 2×.
Notifies all trainers upon entering battle if an opponent has a super-effective move, self destruct, explosion, or a one-hit KO move.
Protects against Defense drops.
Strengthens fire moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Doubles Speed during strong sunlight.
Prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon.
Raises Special Attack by two stages upon having any stat lowered.
Has a 30% chance of Disabling any move that hits the Pokémon.
Negates all effects of weather, but does not prevent the weather itself.
Prevents opponents from fleeing or switching out. Eluded by flying-types and Pokémon in the air.
Protects against critical hits.
Strengthens fire moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Doubles Speed during strong sunlight.
Prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon.
Negates all effects of weather, but does not prevent the weather itself.
Changes type to match when hit by a damaging move.
Increases moves' accuracy to 1.3×.
Has a 30% chance of infatuating attacking Pokémon on contact.
Prevents self destruct, explosion, and aftermath from working while the Pokémon is in battle.
Summons rain that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Summons strong sunlight that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Makes sleep pass twice as quickly.
Has a 30% chance of inflcting either paralysis, poison, or sleep on attacking Pokémon on contact.
Has a 30% chance of burning attacking Pokémon on contact.
Protects against fire moves. Once one has been blocked, the Pokémon's own Fire moves inflict 1.5× damage until it leaves battle.
Changes castform's type and form to match the weather.
Increases Attack to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
Doubles Attack in battle.
Strengthens physical moves to inflict 1.5× damage, but decreases their accuracy to 0.8×.
Prevents Attack from being lowered by other Pokémon.
Doubles the wild encounter rate.
Prevents poison.
Prevents flinching.
Prevents sleep.
Lowers opponents' Attack one stage upon entering battle.
Prevents accuracy from being lowered.
Evades ground moves.
Redirects single-target electric moves to this Pokémon where possible. Absorbs Electric moves, raising Special Attack one stage.
Prevents paralysis.
Damages opponents using leeching moves for as much as they would heal.
Prevents freezing.
Prevents steel opponents from fleeing or switching out.
Increases Defense to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
Increases Special Attack to 1.5× when a friendly Pokémon has plus or minus.
Cures any major status ailment upon switching out.
Prevents infatuation and protects against captivate.
Strengthens grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Prevents confusion.
Picks up other Pokémon's used and Flung held items. May also pick up an item after battle.
Increases Special Attack to 1.5× when a friendly Pokémon has plus or minus.
Has a 30% chance of poisoning attacking Pokémon on contact.
Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
Doubles Attack in battle.
Heals for 1/16 max HP after each turn during rain.
Protects against recoil damage.
Damages attacking Pokémon for 1/8 their max HP on contact.
Ensures success fleeing from wild battles.
Summons a sandstorm that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Increases evasion to 1.25× during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
Doubles the chance of moves' extra effects occurring.
Prevents opponents from fleeing or switching out.
Has a 33% chance of curing any major status ailment after each turn.
Protects against critical hits.
Protects against incoming moves' extra effects.
Protects against sound-based moves.
Raises Speed one stage after each turn.
Has a 30% chance of paralyzing attacking Pokémon on contact.
Has a 10% chance of making target Pokémon flinch with each hit.
Prevents a held item from being removed by other Pokémon.
Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
Prevents being forced out of battle by other Pokémon's moves.
Strengthens bug moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Doubles Speed during rain.
Copies burns, paralysis, and poison received onto the Pokémon that inflicted them.
Halves damage from fire and ice moves.
Strengthens water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Copies an opponent's ability upon entering battle.
Skips every second turn.
Prevents sleep.
Absorbs electric moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.
Absorbs water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.
Prevents burns.
Prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon.
Protects against damaging moves that are not super effective.
Increases the same-type attack bonus from 1.5× to 2×.
Damages the attacker for 1/4 its max HP when knocked out by a contact move.
Raises Attack to the maximum of six stages upon receiving a critical hit.
Notifies all trainers upon entering battle if an opponent has a super-effective move, self destruct, explosion, or a one-hit KO move.
Damages sleeping opponents for 1/8 their max HP after each turn.
Raises the attack stat corresponding to the opponents' weaker defense one stage upon entering battle.
Causes 1/8 max HP in damage each turn during strong sunlight, but heals for 1/8 max HP during rain. Increases damage from fire moves to 1.25×, but absorbs water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.
Decreases damage taken from super-effective moves by 1/4.
Increases friendly Pokémon's Attack and Special Defense to 1.5× during strong sunlight.
Reveals the opponents' strongest move upon entering battle.
Reveals an opponent's held item upon entering battle.
Makes the Pokémon eat any held Berry triggered by low HP below 1/2 its max HP.
Halves damage from fire moves and burns.
The Pokémon may pick up honey after battle.
Cures any major status ailment after each turn during rain.
Heals for 1/16 max HP after each turn during hail. Protects against hail damage.
Strengthens punch-based moves to 1.2× their power.
Prevents the Pokémon from using its held item in battle.
Protects against major status ailments during strong sunlight.
Protects against damage not directly caused by a move.
Bypasses targets' abilities if they could hinder or prevent a move.
Absorbs electric moves, raising Speed one stage.
Changes arceus's type and form to match its held Plate.
Ensures all moves used by and against the Pokémon hit.
Makes the Pokémon's moves all act normal-type.
Heals for 1/8 max HP after each turn when poisoned in place of damage.
Increases Speed to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
Strengthens recoil moves to 1.2× their power.
Increases damage inflicted to 1.25× against Pokémon of the same gender, but decreases damage to 0.75× against the opposite gender.
Lets the Pokémon's normal and fighting moves hit ghost Pokémon.
Doubles the Pokémon's stat modifiers. These doubled modifiers are still capped at -6 or 6 stages.
Extends two-to-five-hit moves and triple kick to their full length every time.
Halves Attack and Speed for five turns upon entering battle.
Strengthens critical hits to inflict 3× damage rather than 2×.
Increases evasion to 1.25× during hail. Protects against hail damage.
Summons hail that lasts indefinitely upon entering battle.
Increases Special Attack to 1.5× but costs 1/8 max HP after each turn during strong sunlight.
Decreases damage taken from super-effective moves by 1/4.
Makes the Pokémon move last within its move's priority bracket.
Raises Speed one stage upon flinching.
Redirects single-target water moves to this Pokémon where possible. Absorbs Water moves, raising Special Attack one stage.
Raises moves' critical hit rates one stage.
Doubles evasion when confused.
Strengthens moves of 60 base power or less to 1.5× their power.
Doubles damage inflicted with not-very-effective moves.
Ignores other Pokémon's stat modifiers for damage and accuracy calculation.
Doubles Speed upon using or losing a held item.
Strengthens moves to 1.3× their power when moving last.
Boosts the effectiveness of adjacent allies' Water-type attacks.
Protects against Defense drops.
Enemies adjacent to the Pokémon cannot move.
The Pokémon protects adjacent allies by taking enemy attacks for them.
The Pokémon is able to collect considerably more gold.
The Pokémon can send nearby enemies to sleep.
The Pokémon can move again after defeating an enemy.
Raises Attack when the Pokémon is below its target.
Increases nearby allies' Defense.
Improves stats every time the Pokémon defeats an enemy.
Inverts stat changes.
Has a 30% chance of Disabling any move that hits the Pokémon.
The Pokémon can send nearby enemies to sleep for a long time.
The Pokémon can act as a decoy, attracting enemy attacks.
Restores HP while sleeping.
Halves Attack and Special Attack at 50% max HP or less.
Raises Attack two stages upon having any stat lowered.
Forces hit enemies to switch places with adjacent enemies.
The Pokémon can evade direct attacks and knock opponents off balance.
The Pokémon explodes upon fainting, inflicting damage on those nearby.
Boosts the effectiveness of adjacent allies' Fire-type attacks.
Increases Special Attack to 1.5× when burned.
The Pokémon is able to collect more gold.
Decreases all direct damage taken by friendly Pokémon to 0.75×.
Reduces nearby enemies' Speed.
Contact with the Pokémon may freeze the attacker.
Improves Defense on grass.
Restores HP when the Pokémon is standing in water.
Has a 50% chance of restoring a used Berry after each turn if the Pokémon has held no items in the meantime.
Has a 30% chance of curing each adjacent ally of any major status ailment after each turn.
Doubles the Pokémon's weight.
Restores HP when the Pokémon is standing on grass.
Raises Attack and Defense when their army is struggling.
Raises Attack when the Pokémon is above its target.
Restores HP when the Pokémon is standing in magma, soil, or sand.
Takes the appearance of the last conscious party Pokémon upon being sent out until hit by a damaging move.
Transforms upon entering battle.
Bypasses light screen, reflect, and safeguard.
The Pokémon uses intuition to swiftly evade enemy moves.
Lowers the accuracy of adjacent enemies.
Damages attacking Pokémon for 1/8 their max HP on contact.
Contact with the Pokémon inflicts damage on the attacker.
Raises Attack one stage upon taking damage from a dark move.
Raises Attack and Defense when all other allies have been defeated.
Restores HP every turn.
Halves the Pokémon's weight.
The Pokémon can sing nearby enemies to sleep.
Restores HP when waiting at the end of a turn.
Reflects most non-damaging moves back at their user.
Restores the HP of nearby allies.
The Pokémon can attack adjacent enemies in the confusion of battle.
Increases nearby allies' Energy.
Raises a random stat two stages and lowers another one stage after each turn.
The Pokémon can climb to high places.
Raises Attack one stage upon KOing a Pokémon.
Halves damage taken from full HP.
Changes attacking Pokémon's abilities to Mummy on contact.
Raises Attack in proportion to distance moved.
The Pokémon may heal an adjacent ally's status ailments.
The Pokémon has several different Abilities and can inflict damage upon Pokémon of all types.
Protects against damage from weather.
The Pokémon can parry direct enemy attacks with claws or blades.
The Pokémon can evade moves from its allies.
Steals attacking Pokémon's held items on contact.
Has a 30% chance of poisoning target Pokémon upon contact.
The Pokémon falls asleep and recovers HP when HP is low.
Raises non-damaging moves' priority by one stage.
Raises Speed one stage upon being hit by a dark, ghost, or bug move.
Heals for 1/3 max HP upon switching out.
Attack power is boosted the further the Pokémon moves before attacking.
Strengthens rock, ground, and steel moves to 1.3× their power during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
Doubles Speed during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
Lowers the Movement range of adjacent enemies.
Absorbs grass moves, raising Attack one stage.
Power increases when using the same move consecutively.
Prevents adjacent enemies from moving.
Increases Movement range by 1. The Pokémon can move through enemies.
When the Pokémon recovers HP, adjacently positioned allies also recover HP.
Strengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects.
Nullifies damage from attacks received from the front.
Increases Movement range on Ice terrain.
Cures all status problems at the start of the turn.
Restores a small amount of HP when hit by an attack.
Increases Movement range by 1.
The Pokémon will not be targeted by enemies (unless it is the only target or has attacked).
Protects against friendly Pokémon's damaging moves.
The Pokémon may endure an attack that would knock it out, remaining with 1 HP.
Bypasses targets' abilities if they could hinder or prevent moves.
Attacks knock the target back 1 square.
Increases Attack to 1.5× when poisoned.
Bypasses targets' abilities if they could hinder or prevent moves.
Prevents opposing Pokémon from eating held Berries.
Attack is boosted if the Pokémon moves first in the turn.
Increases moves' accuracy to 1.1× for friendly Pokémon.
Restores HP of adjacently positioned allies at the start of the turn.
Increases Movement range on Water terrain.
Raises Speed and lowers Defense by one stage each upon being hit by a physical move.
Lowers incoming non-damaging moves' base accuracy to exactly 50%.
Changes darmanitan's form after each turn depending on its HP: Zen Mode below 50% max HP, and Standard Mode otherwise.
Turns the bearer's normal moves into flying moves and strengthens them to 1.3× their power.
Protects allies against moves that affect their mental state.
Makes dark aura and fairy aura weaken moves of their respective types.
Protects against bullet, ball, and bomb-based moves.
Restores HP upon eating a Berry, in addition to the Berry's effect.
Raises Special Attack by two stages upon having any stat lowered.
Strengthens dark moves to 1.33× their power for all friendly and opposing Pokémon.
Creates a mysterious air current, which cannot be replaced and causes moves to never be super effective against Flying Pokémon.
Creates extremely harsh sunlight, which has all the properties of Sunny Day, cannot be replaced, and causes damaging Water moves to fail.
Strengthens fairy moves to 1.33× their power for all friendly and opposing Pokémon.
Protects friendly grass Pokémon from having their stats lowered by other Pokémon.
Halves damage from physical attacks.
Raises flying moves' priority by one stage.
Lowers attacking Pokémon's Speed by one stage on contact.
Boosts Defense while grassy terrain is in effect.
Steals the target's held item when the bearer uses a damaging move.
Strengthens aura and pulse moves to 1.5× their power.
Lets the bearer hit twice with damaging moves. The second hit has half power.
Turns the bearer's normal moves into fairy moves and strengthens them to 1.3× their power.
Creates heavy rain, which has all the properties of Rain Dance, cannot be replaced, and causes damaging Fire moves to fail.
Changes the bearer's type to match each move it uses.
Turns the bearer's normal moves into ice moves and strengthens them to 1.3× their power.
Changes aegislash to Blade Forme before using a damaging move, or Shield Forme before using kings shield.
Strengthens biting moves to 1.5× their power.
Prevents friendly Pokémon from sleeping.
Passes the bearer's held item to an ally when the ally uses up its item.
Strengthens moves that make contact to 1.33× their power.
Ally Pokémon's moves have their power increased to 1.3×.
Transforms this Pokémon into Ash-Greninja after fainting an opponent. Water Shuriken's power is 20 and always hits three times.
Raises this Pokémon's highest stat by one stage when it faints another Pokémon.
Raises this Pokémon's Special Attack by one stage every time its HP drops below half.
This Pokémon always acts as though it were Asleep.
This Pokémon can inflict poison on Poison and Steel Pokémon.
Whenever another Pokémon uses a dance move, this Pokémon will use the same move immediately afterwards.
Opposing Pokémon cannot use priority attacks.
Prevents the first instance of battle damage.
When this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Electric Terrain.
This Pokémon automatically switches out when its HP drops below half.
Damage from contact moves is halved. Damage from Fire moves is doubled.
Other Pokémon cannot lower this Pokémon's stats.
This Pokémon's Normal moves are Electric and have their power increased to 1.2×.
When this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Grassy Terrain.
When this Pokémon faints from an opponent's move, that opponent takes damage equal to the HP this Pokémon had remaining.
Sound-based moves become Water-type.
This Pokémon's moves do not make contact.
This Pokémon's moves critical hit against poisoned targets.
When this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Misty Terrain.
Increases super-effective damage dealt to 1.25×.
Transforms 10% or 50% Zygarde into Complete Forme when its HP is below 50%.
When an ally faints, this Pokémon gains its Ability.
Reduces super-effective damage to 0.75×.
When this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Psychic Terrain.
Opposing Pokémon cannot use priority attacks.
When an ally faints, this Pokémon gains its Ability.
Changes this Pokémon's type to match its held Memory.
Wishiwashi becomes Schooling Form when its HP is 25% or higher.
When this Pokémon has full HP, regular damage from moves is halved.
Transforms this Minior between Core Form and Meteor Form. Prevents major status ailments and drowsiness while in Meteor Form.
During Hail, this Pokémon has double Speed.
This Pokémon's Special Attack rises by one stage every time any Pokémon faints.
This Pokémon's moves have double power against Pokémon that switched in this turn.
Raises this Pokémon's Defense by one stage when it takes damage from a move.
This Pokémon's Steel moves have 1.5× power.
Doubles this Pokémon's Speed on Electric Terrain.
When this Pokémon takes regular damage from a contact move, the attacking Pokémon's Speed lowers by one stage.
This Pokémon's healing moves have their priority increased by 3.
Halves damage from Fire moves, doubles damage of Water moves, and prevents burns.
Raises this Pokémon's Defense by two stages when it's hit by a Water move.
This Pokémon automatically switches out when its HP drops below half.
Combines the Unnerve and Chilling Neigh abilities.
Combines the Unnerve and Grim Neigh abilities.
If the Pokémon is not holding an item, it will fetch the Poké Ball from the first failed throw of the battle.
Boosts Attack after knocking out a Pokémon.
When Ignores moves and abilities that draw in moves.
Resets all stat changes upon entering battlefield.
Boosts Defense in battle.
Powers up Dragon-type moves.
Boosts the Pokémon's Attack stat but only allows the use of the first selected move.
Boosts Special Attack after knocking out a Pokémon.
If a Cramorant with Gulp Missile uses Surf or Dive, it catches prey and changes its form depending on its remaining HP.
Causes Morpeko to change its form each turn, alternating between Full Belly Mode and Hangry Mode
The Pokémon’s ice head can take a physical attack as a substitute, but the attack also changes the Pokémon’s appearance. The ice will be restored when it snows.
Halves damage from Special moves.
Boosts Attack in battle.
Libero changes the Pokémon's type to that of its previously used attack.
Changes type depending on the terrain.
Reflects any stat-lowering effects.
Neutralizes abilities of all Pokémon in battle.
Prevents the Pokémon and its allies from being poisoned.
When hit by a move that makes direct contact, the Pokémon and the attacker will faint after three turns unless they switch out of battle.
Just being next to the Pokémon powers up moves.
Ignores moves and abilities that draw in moves.
Boosts sound-based moves and halves damage from the same moves.
Enables the Pokémon to move first occasionally.
Doubles the effect of berries.
Creates a sandstorm when hit by an attack.
Nullifies effects of Light Screen, Reflect, and Aurora Veil.
Ignores moves and abilities that draw in moves.
Boosts the Speed stat drastically when the Pokémon is hit by a Fire- or Water-type move.
Powers up ally Pokémon's Steel-type moves.
Powers up Electric-type moves.
Contact moves can strike through Protect/Detect.
Swaps abilities with opponents on contact.
When the Pokémon's HP drops below half, Anger Shell lowers its Defense and Special Defense but its Attack, Special Attack and Speed are raised.
Prevents the opponent from using any moves that have priority, such as Quick Attack.
Lowers Special Defense of all Pokémon except itself.
Goes inside the mouth of an ally Dondozo if one is on the field.
Copies ally's stat changes on entering battle.
Causes the Pokémon to reuse an already consumed Berry at the end of the next turn.
Restores HP when hit by a Ground-type move.
When hit by an attack, the power of the next Electric-type move it uses is doubled.
Embody Aspect boosts a particular stat, depending on the form of a Terastallized Ogerpon
Gives immunity to status moves.
Boosts Attack if intimidated, and prevents being forced to switch out.
Creates an Electric Terrain when entering battle, and boosts Special Attack while active.
When a Pokémon with Hospitality enters a battle, it restores HP for an ally by 25%.
Contact changes the attacker's Ability to Lingering Aroma.
The Pokémon ignores changes to opponents' evasiveness, its accuracy can't be lowered, and it can hit Ghost types with Normal- and Fighting-type moves.
Status moves go last, but are not affected by the opponent's ability.
Copies stat boosts by the opponent.
Turns the sunlight harsh when entering battle, and boosts Attack while active.
Pokémon poisoned by Pecharunt's moves will also become confused.
Raises highest stat in harsh sunlight, or if holding Booster Energy.
Protects from status conditions and halves damage from Ghost-type moves.
Raises highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if holding Booster Energy.
Powers up Rock-type moves.
Turns the ground into Grassy Terrain when the Pokémon is hit by an attack.
Powers up slicing moves.
Once per battle, when a Pokémon with Supersweet Syrup enters the battle, it lowers the evasion stat of all adjacent opponents by one stage.
Attack and Special Attack are boosted for each party Pokémon that has been defeated.
Lowers Defense of all Pokémon except itself.
Lowers Attack of all Pokémon except itself.
All damage-dealing moves that hit the Pokémon when its HP is full will not be very effective.
When Terapagos enters the battle, it turns into its Terastal Form until the end of the battle.
As soon as Terapagos assumes its Stellar Form, it will immediately neutralize weather and terrain effects.
Raises Attack when hit by a Fire-type move. Cannot be burned.
May cause bad poisoning when the Pokémon hits an opponent with a move.
Scatters poison spikes at the feet of the opposing team when the Pokémon takes damage from physical moves.
Lowers Special Attack of all Pokémon except itself.
Immune to Fire-type moves, and Defense is sharply boosted.
When hit by a wind move, the power of the next Electric-type move it uses is doubled.
Gives immunity to wind moves, and causes the Pokémon's Attack to increase by one stage when hit by one.
Transforms into its Hero Form when switching out.
Learn what each ability does and which creatures can have it.
Find out how to obtain rarer abilities through raids or special methods.
Some abilities affect encounters, hatching, or other out-of-battle mechanics.
See how abilities work with moves and items in competitive play.
Each creature has one or two regular abilities, and some have a hidden ability that's harder to obtain.
Abilities can dramatically change how a creature performs in battle, from weather bonuses to damage immunity.