Hidden Ability

A Hidden Ability (Japanese: 隠れ特性 Hidden Ability) is essentially a rare Ability that Pokémon normally do not have access to, introduced in Generation V. Hidden Ability is commonly abbreviated "HA". Most Pokémon encountered in the games will not have a Hidden Ability; but usually, there are special encounter methods where Pokémon can have a Hidden Ability. Certain event Pokémon and special in-game Pokémon may also have their Hidden Ability.

Mechanics

A Hidden Ability is implemented as an extra slot, and a Pokémon with its Hidden Ability will retain its Hidden Ability slot upon evolution in the same way that its normal Abilities may change. For example, a Caterpie with its Hidden Ability of Run Away will have Shed Skin upon evolving once and Tinted Lens upon evolving into Butterfree.

When breeding with a Pokémon that has its Hidden Ability, its offspring have a chance of having their Hidden Ability as well.

Not all species of Pokémon have a unique Hidden Ability, but it is still possible for thier Ability slot to be their Hidden Ability. A simple example is a Metapod that evolved from a Caterpie that had its Hidden Ability: Metapod only has one Ability, Shed Skin, but if it has its Hidden Ability slot, it will evolve into a Butterfree with Tinted Lens. For some encounter methods that can spawn Pokémon with Hidden Abilities, a Pokémon that does not have a distinct Hidden Ability can still have its Hidden Ability slot. This will become apparent in a situation like Metapod if its evolution has a distinct Hidden Ability; or if the Pokémon is transferred forward to a generation where it has a Hidden Ability (like Weezing, who gained a new Hidden Ability, Stench, in Generation VII and was catchable as a Hidden Pokémon).

An Ability Patch can be used to change a Pokémon's Ability from a normal Ability slot to its Hidden Ability slot or (since Generation IX) vice versa.

List pages

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation V)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VI)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VII)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VIII)

Acquisition methods

General methods

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Confirm which methods allow a Pokémon of a species that does not have a Hidden Ability to have the Hidden Ability flag

Generation V

• All Pokémon encountered in Entree Forest (i.e. obtained from the Pokémon Global Link, either via the Pokémon Dream World or a Global Link promotion) will always have their Hidden Ability, if they have one.
  • Since the closure of the Pokémon Global Link, several evolutionary families can no longer be newly encountered with their Hidden Ability (other than by breeding Pokémon caught there): the Burmy and Tirtouga families.
• Pokémon obtained from the Pokémon Dream Radar always have their Hidden Ability.
• Pokémon encountered in Hidden Grottos always have their Hidden Ability.

Generation VI

• Any Pokémon encountered in a Horde Encounter may have their Hidden Ability.
• Pokémon encountered in the Friend Safari have approximately a 1 in 3 chance of having their Hidden Ability if the Friend to whom the Friend Safari corresponds has been recognized as a Friend in the PSS (i.e. if both players have been on the PSS at the same time).
• Hidden Pokémon have a chance of having their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), which increases as the Search Level for that species increases.

Generation VII

• Pokémon that appear as the tenth or later Pokémon in an SOS Battle have a chance of having their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), which increases as the chain length increases.
• All Pokémon transferred from the Virtual Console releases of the Generation I or Generation II games via Poké Transporter have their Hidden Ability, if they have one.

Generation VIII

• Pokémon encountered in Max Raid Battles may have their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), depending on the specific raid.
• Using an Ability Patch on a Pokémon gives it its Hidden Ability (unless its species does not have one).
• Pokémon encountered in grass patches that have more grass shaking off via the Poké Radar will have their Hidden Ability, if their species has one. These patches have a 1/128 chance of being generated when the Radar is used, for a total of approximately a 1/32.38 chance (or approximately 3.09%) of at least one of the four patches generated being such.

Generation IX

• Pokémon encountered in Tera Raid Battles may have their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), depending on the specific raid.

Specific Pokémon

• Certain event Pokémon may have their Hidden Ability.
• In Pokémon Black and White, some overworld Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • The five Darmanitan in the Desert Resort.
  • The Musharna in the Dreamyard on Fridays.
• In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, some overworld and gift Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • On Mondays, a male Jellicent at Undella Bay^B2 or a Braviary on Route 4^W2.
  • On Thursdays, a Mandibuzz on Route 4^B2 or a female Jellicent at Undella Bay^W2.
  • A Deerling given as a gift on Route 6.
  • A male Eevee gifted by Amanita in Castelia City, after the player has entered the Hall of Fame.
  • Yancy/Curtis will trade the player a specific Pokémon with a Hidden Ability after the player has entered the Hall of Fame and ridden the ferris wheel with them.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, a Kecleon with its Hidden Ability will appear behind the astronaut face board at the Mossdeep Space Center after the Delta Episode.
• In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, some Totem-sized Pokémon have their Hidden Ability. This is to ensure the Totem Pokémon in question have only one possible Ability upon being received.
  • Totem-sized Gumshoos, Alolan Marowak, and Ribombee in Ultra Sun.
  • Totem-sized Alolan Raticate, Togedemaru, and Kommo-o in Ultra Moon.
• In Pokémon Sword and Shield, certain static encounter and gift Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • All gift Pokémon given to the player by the Diglett Trainer in the Fields of Honor (except Alolan Raichu, which does not have a Hidden Ability).
  • The gift Porygon given to the player by Hyde at the Master Dojo.
  • The Spiritomb that appears at Ballimere Lake after interacting with the tombstone and interacting with 32 players' avatars.
• In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, all Legendary Pokémon encountered at Ramanas Park have their Hidden Abilities if applicable.
• In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Titan Bombirdier (which can be caught after being defeated) has its Hidden Ability.

Pokémon individuality
Level • Stats • Friendship • Gender • Ability (Hidden Ability) • Nature • Characteristic Effort values • Individual values • Go Power • Effort level Condition • Performance • Affection • Memory

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.