Abilities Explained

Abilities have a multitude of effects that alter the course of a Pokemon Battle. Read on to learn more about Abilities, how they affect a Pokemon's performance and how they affect battles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)!

What Can We Learn From This Article?
Abilities are a major factor in determining a Pokemon's strength
There are powerful Abilities, but there is no best Ability
Identifying Pokemon's Abilities during Battle
Powerful Abilities for Ranked Battles

What Are Abilities?

A Pokemon's Characteristics Used in Battle

Pokemon have Abilities that oftentimes have effects in and out of Battles. We will be focusing on Abilities that are usable in Battle for this guide.

A Factor in Determining A Pokemon's Strength

Because Pokemon have different Abilities, Trainers will have to take these into account when deciding which Pokemon they would slot into their teams.

Abilities in Battles

Abilities with Simple Activation Conditions

Staraptor Intimidate

Azumarill Huge Power

Intimidate is activated simply by putting Staraptor into Battle. Upon entering Battle, Intimidate will immediately lower the Attack stat of opposing Pokemon by 1 stage.

Azumarill's Huge Power doubles its attack stat when attacking. These are excellent Abilities because their effects are simple and powerful.

Abilities That Require Contact To Activate

Paldean Wooper Poison Point

Pawmi Static

Abilities like Poison Point and Static require that the user be hit by an opponent's contact move to activate and inflict status conditions or affect stats.

Abilities That Increase Stats

Polteageist Weak Armor

Coalossal Steam Engine

Some Abilities will increase the user's stats but require a condition to be fulfilled.

In the case of Weak Armor, its user must first take damage from a physical attack before it gets a Speed boost, while Steam Engine requires that the user be damaged by a Water-type move.

Abilities That Affect The Battlefield

Weather Abilities

Tyranitar Sand Stream

Torkoal Drought

Abilities that change the Weather are very useful and powerful. Weather has lots of different properties, such as increasing and reducing the damage of certain move types, increasing accuracy, chip damage, and many more.

Weather is so important that some teams are built around it.

Terrain Abilities

Pincurchin Electric Surge

Abilities that change the Terrain are very useful and powerful. Terrains have lots of different properties, such as increasing and reducing the damage of certain move types, preventing status conditions, and many more.

Defensive Abilities

Dragonite Multiscale

Donphan Sturdy

Some Abilities make Pokemon very difficult to knock out. Dragonite's Multiscale Ability reduces the damage that the user would if its HP is full, and Sturdy prevents its user from getting knocked out if its HP is full.

Sturdy also protects its user from the effects of OHKO moves such as Sheer Cold and Guillotine.

Abilities That Restore HP

Vaporeon Water Absorb

Jolteon Volt Absorb

There are Abilities that restore a Pokemon's HP, with some requiring activation conditions such as being hit with a move of a certain type or taking an amount of damage.

Abilities Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Remember Every Pokemon's Ability?

This comes with practice and experience. It is oftentimes a good idea to study up on Pokemon and expand your knowledge on the Pokemon you use in Battle and the Pokemon you go up against. Pokemon is a memory intensive game, and it is best to famiilarize yourself with as much knowledge as you can!

Can I Change A Pokemon's Ability?

There are Items that can change a Pokemon's Ability. These are the Ability Capsule and the Ability Patch.

Ability Capsule	Ability Patch
Ability Capsule A capsule that allows a Pokemon with two Abilities to switch between these Abilities when it is used.	Ability Patch When used on a Pokémon, its Ability will change to its species’ Hidden Ability, if it has one.

Can Abilities Be Passed Through Breeding?

Abilities can be passed through breeding.

How to Breed Pokemon and Hatch Eggs

Do Hidden Abilities Get Passed Through Breeding?

Hidden Abilities are passed down from Female Pokemon. If you have access to Ditto, it is also possible to pass down Hidden Abilities from Male Parents.

A Pokemon whose Ability was changed into a Hidden Ability through an Ability Patch will be able to pass it to their offspring.

How to Get and Breed for Hidden Abilities

Can You Check Speed Through A Pokemon's Abilities?

Yes. In some cases, messages are displayed onscreen that tell us a Pokemon's Ability. Keep an eye out for these, as these messages can inform us of the Pokemon on the field's Speed, and consequently clue us in on turn order.

Abilities such as Intimidate, Weather setting Abilities like Sand Stream, and Terrain setting Abilities like Psychic Surge can help us deduce turn order, based on the order that the Abilities trigger.

Why Did Intimidate Not Activate?

A number of factors can make it so Intimidate does not trigger. Getting knocked out before it gets to enter the field through Stealth Rock or Spikes will make it so a Pokemon is knocked out before it gets to enter the field.

Another factor is if a Pokemon on the field has the Ability Neutralizing Gas.

How Did My Pokemon with Sturdy Get Knocked Out?

It is possible that the Sturdy Pokemon has already taken damage. Remember that Sturdy only works if the Pokemon's HP is full.

Which Abilities Reduce Damage?

Some Abilities are good for defensive players and Pokemon. Below is a list of Abilities that reduce damage and how much damage they reduce.

My Opponent Moved Ahead of My Prankster Pokemon

Prankster merely increases the Priority of non-damaging moves by +1. If two moves of the same Priority are used at the same time, the Pokemon which has the higher Speed Stat will still get to move first.

Some moves, such as Extreme Speed and Fake Out have priority of +2 and +3 respectively, which lets its user move ahead of moves that are +1.

How Was I Able To Switch Despite Shadow Tag?

It is possible that your Pokemon was a Ghost-type. Ghost-types are immune to getting trapped by Shadow Tag.

Why Couldn't I Trace My Opponent's Ability?

Some Abilities cannot be copied by Trace. These are usually signature Abilities and Abilities that cause a Pokemon to change formes.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Related Guides

All Game Mechanics

List of All Game Mechanics