Ability variations

The subject of this article has no official name. The name currently in use is a fan designator; see below for more information.

Ability variations are Abilities that are identical to each other in general, but are slightly different in some ways. Below are the various Ability archetypes and the Abilities that fall into their categories.

Ability archetypes are listed in alphabetical order. Within each archetype table, Abilities are listed by generation. Within each generation, Abilities are listed alphabetically.

In-battle variations

Variations of Adaptability

Powers up certain moves
Name	Moves	Power Multiplier	Generation
Adaptability	Moves with same-type attack bonus	1.33x*	IV
Iron Fist	Punching moves	1.2x	IV
Reckless	Moves that have recoil	1.2x	IV
Technician	Moves with a power of 60 or less	1.5x	IV
Tinted Lens	Moves that are not very effective	2x	IV
Mega Launcher	Aura and pulse moves	1.5x	VI
Strong Jaw	Biting moves	1.5x	VI
Tough Claws	Moves involving contact	1.33x	VI
Steelworker	Steel-type moves	1.5x	VII
Neuroforce	Moves that are super effective	1.25x	VII
Steely Spirit*	Steel-type moves	1.5x	VIII

Variations of Air Lock

Negates weather effects
Name	Generation
Air Lock	III
Cloud Nine	III

Variations of Arena Trap

Prevents the foe from escaping the battle
Name	Foes unaffected	Generation
Arena Trap	Flying- and Ghost-type* Pokémon, levitating Pokémon, Pokémon affected by Magnet Rise, Telekinesis, or holding an Air Balloon	III
Magnet Pull	Non-Steel-type Pokémon, Ghost-type* Pokémon	III
Shadow Tag	Other Pokémon with Shadow Tag*, Ghost-type* Pokémon	III

Variations of Battle Armor

Prevents being critically hit
Name	Generation
Battle Armor	III
Shell Armor	III

Variations of Blaze

Boosts a certain type in a pinch
Name	Type boosted	Generation
Blaze	Fire	III
Overgrow	Grass	III
Swarm	Bug	III
Torrent	Water	III

Variations of Chlorophyll

Doubles speed in a weather effect
Name	Weather effect	Generation
Chlorophyll	Harsh sunlight	III
Swift Swim	Rain	III
Sand Rush	Sandstorm	V
Slush Rush	Hail	VII

Variations of Clear Body

Prevents all stats from being lowered
Name	Generation
Clear Body	III
White Smoke	III
Full Metal Body	VII

Variations of Cute Charm

Contact moves may cause a status effect (30% chance)
Name	Status condition	Generation
Cute Charm	Infatuation	III
Effect Spore	Poison, Paralysis, or Sleep*	III
Flame Body	Burn	III
Poison Point	Poison	III
Static	Paralysis	III

Variations of Dark Aura

Boosts the power of a certain type of move by 33.3% for all Pokémon on the field
Name	Type boosted	Generation
Dark Aura	Dark	VI
Fairy Aura	Fairy	VI

Variations of Dauntless Shield

Raises a stat by one stage upon switchin
Name	Stat boosted	Generation
Dauntless Shield	Defense	VIII
Intrepid Sword	Attack	VIII

Variations of Dazzling

Prevents the opponents from using priority moves
Name	Generation
Dazzling	VII
Queenly Majesty	VII

Variations of Defiant

Boosts a stat sharply (2x) if any stat is lowered
Name	Stat boosted	Generation
Defiant	Attack	V
Competitive	Special Attack	VI

Variations of Drizzle

Activates a weather effect for five turns
Name	Weather effect	Generation
Drizzle	Rain	III
Drought	Harsh sunlight	III
Sand Stream	Sandstorm	III
Snow Warning	Hail	IV
Sand Spit*	Sandstorm	VIII

Variations of Dry Skin

Reduces HP by ⅛ each turn in harsh sunlight
Name	Additional effect	Generation
Dry Skin	Increases HP by ⅛ each turn in rain	IV
Solar Power	Increases Special Attack by 50% in harsh sunlight	IV

Variations of Electric Surge

Creates the effect of a terrain altering move on the battlefield
Name	Terrain Alterator	Generation
Electric Surge	Electric Terrain	VII
Psychic Surge	Psychic Terrain	VII
Grassy Surge	Grassy Terrain	VII
Misty Surge	Misty Terrain	VII

Variations of Filter

Lowers damage taken by super-effective moves to ⅔ of the usual bonus
Name	Type	Generation
Filter	Super-effective moves	IV
Solid Rock	Super-effective moves	IV
Prism Armor	Super-effective moves	VII

Variations of Flash Fire

Grants immunity to certain moves
Name	Moves	Generation
Flash Fire	Fire-type moves	III
Levitate	Ground-type moves, Arena Trap, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web	III
Soundproof	Sound-based moves	III
Wonder Guard	Moves that are not super effective	III
Cacophony	Sound-based moves	III
Bulletproof	Ball and bomb moves	VI

Variations of Gooey

Drops an attacker's Speed on contact
Name	Generation
Gooey	VI
Tangling Hair	VII

Variations of Guts

Boosts a stat by 50% when affected with a status condition
Name	Stat boosted	Status condition	Generation
Guts	Attack*	Any, excluding Freeze	III
Marvel Scale	Defense	Any	III
Quick Feet	Speed*	Any	IV
Flare Boost	Special Attack	Burn	V
Toxic Boost	Attack	Poison	V

Variations of Heavy Metal

Alters the Pokémon's weight
Name	Alteration	Generation
Heavy Metal	Doubles	V
Light Metal	Halves	V

Variations of Huge Power

Doubles a stat
Name	Stat	Generation
Huge Power	Attack	III
Pure Power	Attack	III
Fur Coat	Defense	VI
Ice Scales	Special Defense	VIII

Variations of Immunity

Prevents a certain status condition from occurring, user is cured of status condition upon acquiring ability
Name	Status condition	Generation
Immunity	Poison	III
Inner Focus	Flinch	III
Insomnia	Sleep	III
Vital Spirit	Sleep	III
Limber	Paralysis	III
Magma Armor	Freeze	III
Own Tempo	Confusion	III
Oblivious	Infatuation, Taunt*	III
Water Veil	Burn	III

Variations of Justified

Raises a certain stat after taking damage from a certain type
Name	Type	Stat	Generation
Justified	Dark-type moves	Attack	V
Rattled	Dark-, Bug-, or Ghost-type moves	Speed	V
Water Compaction*	Water-type moves	Defense	VII
Steam Engine*	Water- or Fire-type moves	Speed	VIII

Variations of Keen Eye

Prevents a stat from being lowered
Name	Stat	Generation
Keen Eye	Accuracy	III
Hyper Cutter	Attack	III
Big Pecks	Defense	V

Variations of Lightning Rod

Draws in moves of a certain type, raises Special Attack after being hit by that type, provides immunity to moves of that type*
Name	Type	Generation
Lightning Rod	Electric-type moves	III
Storm Drain	Water-type moves	IV

Variations of Magic Guard

Prevents certain damage
Name	Description	Generation
Magic Guard	Prevents damage from recoil, weather and status.	IV
Rock Head	Prevents damage from recoil.	III

*Overcoat also prevents weather damage, but starting in Generation VI, it also grants immunity to powder and spore moves, and is therefore no longer included.

Variations of Minus

Boosts Special Attack if a partner has Minus or Plus
Name	Generation
Minus	III
Plus	III

Variations of Mold Breaker

Allow moves to strike through opposing Abilities
Name	Generation
Mold Breaker	IV
Teravolt	V
Turboblaze	V

Variations of Motor Drive

Raises a certain stat if hit by a certain type, provides immunity to moves of that type
Name	Type	Stat	Generation
Motor Drive	Electric-type moves	Speed	IV
Sap Sipper	Grass-type moves	Attack	V

Variations of Multiscale

Lowers damage taken when at full HP
Name	Generation
Multiscale	V
Shadow Shield	VII

Variations of Multitype

Changes the user's type depending on its held item
Name	Held item	Generation
Multitype	Plate or Z-Crystal	IV
RKS System	Memory	VII

Variations of Natural Cure

Heals when switched out
Name	Heals	Generation
Natural Cure	Status condition	III
Regenerator	HP	V

Variations of Normalize

Changes moves to a different type and increases their power by a percentage
Name	Type change	Generation	Increase
Normalize	All other types → Normal	IV	20% (no increase in Generations IV-VI)
Aerilate	Normal → Flying	VI	20% (30% in Generation VI)
Pixilate	Normal → Fairy	VI	20% (30% in Generation VI)
Refrigerate	Normal → Ice	VI	20% (30% in Generation VI)
Galvanize	Normal → Electric	VII	20%

Variations of Prankster

Adds priority to certain moves
Name	Moves affected	Generation
Prankster	Status moves	V
Gale Wings	Flying-type moves	VI
Triage	Healing moves	VII

Variations of Primordial Sea

Affects weather and the power of certain attacks
Name	Weather effect	Moves affected	Generation
Primordial Sea	Heavy rain	Nullifies damage-dealing Fire-type moves, 50% more power for Water-type moves	VI
Desolate Land	Extremely harsh sunlight	Nullifies damage-dealing Water-type moves, 50% more power for Fire-type moves	VI
Delta Stream	Strong winds	Flying-type Pokémon take half damage from Ice-, Rock-, and Electric-type attacks	VI

Variations of Rain Dish

Slight HP recovery in weather
Name	Weather effect	Generation
Rain Dish	Rain	III
Dry Skin	Rain	IV
Ice Body	Hail	IV

Variations of Receiver

Copies the ability of a fainted ally
Name	Generation
Receiver	VII
Power of Alchemy	VII

Variations of Rough Skin

Inflicts damage on contact
Name	Generation
Rough Skin	III
Iron Barbs	V

Variations of Sand Veil

Raises evasion during certain weather conditions
Name	Weather effect	Generation
Sand Veil	Sandstorm	III
Snow Cloak	Hail	IV

Variations of Serene Grace

Increases the probability of certain side-effects occurring
Name	Effect	Generation
Serene Grace	Additional effects	III
Super Luck	Critical hits	IV

Variations of Sweet Veil

While active, user and teammates cannot be afflicted with certain effects
Name	Status condition	Generation
Aroma Veil	Taunt, Torment, Encore, Disable, Infatuation	VI
Flower Veil	Lowered stats	VII
Pastel Veil	Poison	VIII
Sweet Veil	Sleep	VI

Variations of Thick Fat

Lowers damage taken by certain types of moves
Name	Type	Generation
Thick Fat	Ice- and Fire-type moves	III
Heatproof	Fire-type moves	IV

Variations of Volt Absorb

Absorbs moves of a certain type as HP
Name	Type	Generation
Dry Skin	Water-type moves	IV
Volt Absorb	Electric-type moves	III
Water Absorb	Water-type moves	III

Variations of Wimp Out

Switches out at 50% or less HP
Name	Generation
Wimp Out	VII
Emergency Exit	VII

Variations of Zen Mode

Changes form at 50% or less HP
Name	Generation	Pokémon
Power Construct*	VII	Zygarde
Shields Down	VII	Minior
Zen Mode	V	Darmanitan

Out of battle variations

Variations of Arena Trap

Affects wild encounter rate
Name	Effect	Generation
Arena Trap	Increases	III
Illuminate	Increases	III
Sand Veil	Decreases in Sandstorm	III
Stench	Decreases	III
Sticky Hold	Increases while fishing	III
Suction Cups	Increases while fishing	III
Swarm	Increases	III
White Smoke	Decreases	III
No Guard	Increases	IV
Quick Feet	Decreases	IV
Snow Cloak	Decreases in Hail	IV

Variations of Compound Eyes

Increases the probability of finding certain Pokémon
Name	Pokémon	Generation
Compound Eyes	With held items	III
Cute Charm	Opposite-gendered	III
Hustle	Higher-leveled	III
Magnet Pull	Steel types	III
Pressure	Higher-leveled	III
Static	Electric types	III
Synchronize	Same Nature	III
Vital Spirit	Higher-leveled	III

Variations of Flame Body

Eggs hatch faster
Name	Generation
Flame Body	III
Magma Armor	III
Steam Engine	VIII

Variations of Intimidate

Decreases the probability of finding Pokémon of a lower level
Name	Generation
Intimidate	III
Keen Eye	III

Variations of Pickup

Finds items after battle
Name	Item	Generation
Pickup	Various	III
Honey Gather	Honey	IV

See also

• Move variations

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.