Pokemon Mechanics

Ability Patches are rare training items that can give a Pokémon access to its species’ Hidden Ability when that species has one. They were introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Crown Tundra expansion and have become one of the most useful ways to repair an otherwise excellent Pokémon. That matters because an Ability can completely…

Bottle Caps are training items used with Hyper Training to improve how a Pokémon’s IVs perform in battle. They do not raise EVs, they do not change a Pokémon’s level, and they do not directly alter its Nature. Their value is simple: if you have a Pokémon you want to keep but one or more…

Hyper Training is a late-game stat system that lets a Pokémon perform as if selected IVs were perfect without changing the natural IV values it was generated with. It is one of the best tools for improving rare Pokémon, shinies and Legendary Pokémon that you cannot simply replace with a better bred copy. The system…

Hidden Abilities are rare alternative Abilities that some Pokémon species can have instead of their usual Ability options. They can completely change how a Pokémon plays, turning an ordinary set into a better attacker, defender, support Pokémon or weather partner. A Hidden Ability is not automatically stronger. The useful one depends on the species and…

Pokémon Friendship is a hidden relationship value used by evolutions, moves and other mechanics across the main series. It rises when you travel and care for a Pokémon, and several species will not evolve until that relationship is high enough. The exact methods and thresholds have changed between generations, but the practical approach stays familiar:…

Physical vs special moves is the distinction that decides which attacking and defensive stats are used when a damaging Pokémon move is calculated. Physical moves normally use the user’s Attack against the target’s Defense, while special moves normally use Special Attack against Special Defense. The move’s type does not decide its category in modern main-series…

Pokémon STAB is short for Same-Type Attack Bonus, a damage boost applied when a Pokémon uses a damaging move that matches one of its own types. It is one of the first battle mechanics worth understanding because it changes which moves are efficient even before weaknesses, resistances and stats are considered. A Fire-type Pokémon using…

Pokémon Natures are one of the main ways two Pokémon of the same species can develop different stat profiles. Most Natures increase one stat by 10 percent and reduce another by 10 percent, while a small group are neutral and do not change the final stat values. Choosing the right Nature is mostly about matching…

Pokémon IVs are hidden numbers that represent a Pokémon’s individual strengths in each stat. IV stands for Individual Value, and every Pokémon has a separate value for HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed. That is why two Pokémon of the same species, level, Nature and EV spread can still show different stats….

Pokémon EVs are hidden training points that let two Pokémon of the same species end up with noticeably different stats. They are usually called Effort Values, and they matter most when you want to build a Pokémon for difficult raids, competitive battles, Battle Facilities or any situation where a few extra stat points can change…