Please remember to follow the unreleased materials policy, manual of style, and code of conduct at all times.
Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.

Ability change

From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
Jump to navigationJump to search
This article is about temporary Ability changes in battles. For the items that switch between a Pokémon's possible Abilities, see Ability Capsule and Ability Patch.

Ability change is a mechanic available in Pokémon battles.

Effect

Some moves and Abilities cause a Pokémon's Ability to be temporarily changed in battle. The original Ability is still displayed in the Pokémon's summary. All Ability changes are undone when the Pokémon is switched out, faints, or the battle ends.

Generations III and IV

Forecast can only be copied by Trace (Generation III only), Role Play, Skill Swap, and Transform. Multitype can only be copied with Transform.

A Pokémon that transforms into Castform or Arceus can change forms with Forecast or Multitype, respectively.

Generation V onwards

151Mew.png This move effect may be in need of research.
Reason:
  • Check if Doodle can copy: Forecast, Hadron Engine, Orichalcum Pulse, Power of Alchemy, Receiver, Wonder Guard, Zero to Hero
  • Check if Lingering Aroma and Mummy can replace: Gulp Missile, Hadron Engine, Hunger Switch, Ice Face, Orichalcum Pulse, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive
  • Check Role Play (for both user and target) for Imposter in Generation V
  • Check Entrainment for for Imposter in Generation V
  • Check whether a Pokémon with the Ability Wonder Guard can use Role Play in Generation III (requires Mimic)
  • Check Role Play for Hunger Switch in Generation VIII
  • Check Receiver for Gulp Missile, Hadron Engine, Hunger Switch, Ice Face, Orichalcum Pulse, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive
    You can discuss this on the talk page.

It is possible to copy Abilities from one Pokémon to another by using some moves (Doodle, Entrainment, Role Play, and Skill Swap) and Abilities (Power of Alchemy, Receiver, and Trace). Transforming into another Pokémon (via Transform or Imposter) copies its Ability as well.

Power of Alchemy, Receiver, and Trace cannot be copied by moves and Abilities, except by transforming into a Pokémon with this Ability.

Some Abilities cannot be gained or lost in battle, except by transforming into the correct Pokémon species that can use that Ability: As One, Battle Bond, Comatose, Commander, Disguise, Gulp Missile, Hadron Engine, Hunger Switch, Ice Face, Imposter, Multitype, Orichalcum Pulse, Power Construct, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive, RKS System, Schooling, Shields Down, Stance Change, Wonder Guard, Zen Mode, or Zero to Hero.

A transformed Pokémon is unable to change forms by using Abilities. For instance, a Pokémon that transforms into Aegislash will be unable to change forms with Stance Change.

Lingering Aroma and Mummy spread to other Pokémon, causing them to have the same Ability. They do not spread to Pokémon that already have either of these Abilities. If a Pokémon with Rock Head uses a contact move on a Pokémon with Lingering Aroma or Mummy, the user will be able to take recoil damage from this move.

Causes

Moves

See also: Category:Ability-changing moves
Move Type Category Power Accuracy Generation Notes
Doodle Normal Status — 100% IX Grafaiai and its ally have their Abilities replaced by the target's Ability
Entrainment Normal Status — 100% V The target has its Ability replaced by the user's Ability
Role Play Psychic Status — —% III The user has its Ability replaced by the target's Ability
Simple Beam Normal Status — 100% V The target has its Ability replaced by Simple
Skill Swap Psychic Status — —% III The user and target's swap their Abilities with each other
Transform Normal Status — —% I The user transforms into the target, copying its appearance, types, stats, Ability, and moves
Worry Seed Grass Status — 100% IV The target has its Ability replaced by Insomnia

Abilities

See also: Category:Ability-changing Abilities
Ability Generation Effect
Imposter V A Ditto with Imposter transforms into its opponent, copying its appearance, types, stats, Ability, and moves
Lingering Aroma IX When a Pokémon with Lingering Aroma hits another Pokémon with a contact move, the target has its Ability replaced by Lingering Aroma
Mummy V When a Pokémon with Mummy hits another Pokémon with a contact move, the target has its Ability replaced by Mummy
Power of Alchemy VII If a Pokémon has Power of Alchemy when an ally faints in battle, this Ability is replaced by the ally's Ability
Receiver VII If a Pokémon has Receiver when an ally faints in battle, this Ability is replaced by the ally's Ability
Trace III When a Pokémon with Trace enters battle, its Ability is replaced by the Ability of a random adjacent opponent
Wandering Spirit VIII When a Pokémon with Wandering Spirit hits another Pokémon with a contact move, the user and target have their Abilities exchanged with each other

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Bronzong swapping Abilities with Heatran in Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!

Ruby & Sapphire arc

In Rayquaza Redemption I, Norman had his Spinda use Skill Swap on his Slaking, swapping its Truant for Spinda's Own Tempo and thus allowing Slaking to both attack more actively and avoid being confused by Spinda's Teeter Dance.

FireRed & LeafGreen arc

In Secrets from Sneasel, Blue's Alakazam used Role Play to copy the Static Ability of Yellow's Pikachu, Chuchu, which it used to paralyze Chuchu.

In Storming the Forretress, Red revealed that Organism No. 2 had used Skill Swap to swap Abilities with his Poliwrath, Poli, and acquire his Damp Ability, which it used to prevent a Forretress from using Explosion.

Platinum arc

In The Final Dimensional Duel X, Shaymin used Worry Seed on all the Legendary Pokémon put to sleep by Darkrai, turning their Abilities into Insomnia and making them wake up.

Black 2 & White 2 arc

In Deduction Time, Hugh's Vibrava acquired Simple after a Team Plasma Grunt's Audino used Simple Beam on it.

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!

In Team Galactic's Ultimate Warrior, Hareta used his Kadabra's Skill Swap to rid his Regigigas of its Slow Start Ability, allowing it to fight at its full power.

In Hareta's Heart's Desire, Hareta's Misdreavus used Skill Swap on Flint's Drifblim just before being defeated by it, acquiring Drifblim's Aftermath and using it to take Drifblim down with it.

Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!

In Clash! Yū vs. The Wandering Player, Yū had his Bronzong use Skill Swap to have it acquire his Heatran's Flash Fire. He later had Bronzong use Skill Swap again to pass Flash Fire on to his Scizor, rendering it immune to the Fire moves it is usually weak against.

See also

Project Games logo.png This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.
Retrieved from "https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/w/index.php?title=Ability_change&oldid=4189762"