Abilities have been a part of Pokemon since Generation III, and that remains the case with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Every Pokemon will have at least one ability, with two being the most common. In some cases, Pokemon can have a Hidden Ability, although this is uncommon without certain conditions. Abilities will have a passive effect during a battle that can change the environment, stats, other abilities, or moves.
Sometimes players choose Pokemon based on their abilities and the potential bonuses they will receive from them. There are 31 new abilities in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and many of them are the signature ability of Generation 9 Pokemon. This guide covers each ability's effects and what Pokemon may have it.
Stat-Changing Abilities
These abilities will increase or decrease a Pokemon's base stats once a specific condition is met.
Anger Shell
When an attack causes its HP to drop to half or less, the Pokemon gets angry. This lowers its Defense, and Sp. Def stats but boosts its Attack, Sp. Atk, and Speed stats.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Klawf
Beads Of Ruin
The power of the Pokemon's ruinous beads lowers the Sp. Def stats of all Pokemon except itself.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Chi-Yu
Commander
When the Pokemon enters a battle, it goes inside the mouth of an ally Dondozo if one is on the field. The Pokemon then issues commands from there.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Tatsugiri
Costar
When the Pokemon enters a battle, it copies an ally's stat changes.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Flamigo
Guard Dog
Boosts the Pokemon's Attack stat if intimidated. Moves and items that would force the Pokemon to switch out also fail to work.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Mabosstiff
Opportunist
If an opponent's stat is boosted, the Pokemon seizes the opportunity to raise the same stat for itself.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Espathra
Supreme Overlord
When the Pokemon enters a battle, its Attack and Sp. Atk stats are slightly boosted for each ally in its party that has already been defeated.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Kingambit
Sword Of Ruin
The power of the Pokemon's ruinous sword lowers the Defense stats of all Pokemon except itself.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Chien-Pao
Tablets Of Ruin
The power of the Pokemon's ruinous wooden tablets lowers the Attack stats of all Pokemon except itself.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Wo-Chien
Vessel Of Ruin
The power of the Pokemon's ruinous vessel lowers the Sp. Atk stats of all Pokemon except itself.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Ting-Lu
Weather Conditions And Terrain Abilities
These abilities affect the battlefield by introducing terrain changes or weather conditions.
Hadron Engine
Turns the ground into Electric Terrain when the Pokemon enters a battle. The futuristic engine within the Pokemon also boosts its Sp. Atk stat on Electric Terrain.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Miraidon
Orichalcum Pulse
Turns the sunlight harsh when the Pokemon enters a battle. The ancient pulse thrumming through the Pokemon also boosts its Attack stat in harsh sunlight.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Koraidon
Protosynthesis
Boosts the Pokemon's most proficient stat in harsh sunlight or if the Pokemon is holding Booster Energy.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Great Tusk
- Brute Bonnet
- Sandy Shocks
- Scream Tail
- Flutter Mane
- Slither Wing
- Roaring Moon
Quark Drive
Boosts the Pokemon's most proficient stat on Electric Terrain or if the Pokemon is holding Booster Energy.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Iron Treads
- Iron Moth
- Iron Hands
- Iron Jugulis
- Iron Thorns
- Iron Bundle
- Iron Valiant
Seed Sower
Turns the ground into Grassy Terrain for five turns when an attack hits the Pokemon. It is extended to 8 turns if the user holds a Terrain Extender.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Arboliva
Move Effective Abilities
These abilities affect moves by boosting them, making them less effective, or blocking them.
Armor Tail
The mysterious tail covering the Pokemon's head prevents opponents from using priority moves against the Pokemon or its allies.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Farigiraf
Electromorphosis
The Pokemon becomes charged when it takes damage, boosting the power of the next Electric-type move the Pokemon uses.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Bellibolt
Good As Gold
A body of pure, solid gold gives the Pokemon complete immunity to other Pokemon's status moves.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Gholdengo
Mycelium Might
The Pokemon will always act more slowly when using status moves, but these moves will be unimpeded by the target's Ability.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Toedscool
- Toedscruel
Purifying Salt
The Pokemon's pure salt protects it from status conditions and halves the damage from Ghost-type moves.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Nacli
- Naclstack
- Garganacl
Rocky Payload
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Bombirdier
Sharpness
Powers up slicing moves.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Gallade
- Samurott
- Kleavor
- Veluza
Thermal Exchange
It boosts the Attack stat when a Fire-type move hits the Pokemon. The Pokemon also cannot be burned.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Frigibax
- Arctibax
- Baxcalibur
Toxic Debris
Scatters poison spikes at the feet of the opposing team when the Pokemon takes damage from physical moves.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Glimmet
- Glimmora
Well-Baked Body
The Pokemon takes no damage when hit by Fire-type moves. Instead, its Defense stat is sharply boosted.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Dachsbun
Wind Power
The Pokemon becomes charged when it is hit by a wind move, boosting the power of the next Electric-type move the Pokemon uses.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Wattrel
- Kilowattrel
Other Abilities
These abilities include recovery, held item, or form and ability changes.
Cud Chew
When the Pokemon eats a Berry, it will regurgitate that Berry at the end of the next turn and eat it one more time.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Tauros
- Farigiraf
Earth Eater
If hit by a Ground-type move, the Pokemon has its HP restored instead of taking damage.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Orthmworm
Lingering Aroma
Contact with the Pokemon changes the attacker's Ability to Lingering Aroma.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Oinkologne
Zero To Hero
The Pokemon transforms into its Hero Form when it switches out.
Pokemon with this ability include:
- Palafin
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.