Z-Crystal

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Z-Crystals in Pokémon the Series

A Z-Crystal (Japanese: クリスタル Z-Crystal) is an item required to upgrade moves to Z-Moves through the use of a Z-RingSM or Z-Power RingUSUM.

In the Alola region, Z-Crystals play an important role in the island challenge, as they provide proof of completing trials and grand trials, much like Gym Badges in other regions, though not all Z-Crystals are obtained in this manner. Like Sparkling Stones, the objects that are crafted into Z-Rings and Z-Power Rings, Z-Crystals are pieces of Necrozma that had chipped off and traveled to Alola through Ultra Wormholes. Z-Crystals are described as crystalized forms of Z-Power.

During the game, the player can obtain Z-Crystals for their Bag, which will be stored in a dedicated Bag section. These Z-Crystals can be used to create held items of the same name at will. A held Z-Crystal is automatically removed if the Pokémon is traded between players; however, some Pokémon received from in-game trades may be holding a Z-Crystal the player already has. This is in contrary to lore, where the Trainer will only need to own one Z-Crystal on their Z-Ring/Z-Power Ring, channeling the Z-Power onto their Pokémon.

Holding a Z-Crystal makes Rayquaza unable to Mega Evolve. If Arceus holds a type-specific Z-Crystal, its type changes to correspond to the Z-Crystal via its Multitype ability; unlike with Plates, however, its signature move, Judgment, remains unaffected.

Early concept and design development

Early Z-Crystal design
Early Z-Power design

A video focusing on the sound and music design of Pokémon Sun and Moon showcases an early build from 2015.[1] In this build, Z-Crystals seem to have had a different appearance, being 8-sided as opposed to being 5-sided. Instead of a 2D symbol representing a type, there was a 3D shape.

The animation for receiving a Z-Crystal shows another symbol rather than the usual Z-Power symbol used in the final version. Early concept art for the original Sun and Moon titles in the Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon Essentials Concept Art Book features a page on Z-Rings and how they interact with Z-Crystals. This page featured what would eventually become the Pikashunium Z, the Z-Crystal for Pikachu in a cap. This early Z-Crystal design had originally been designed to look like an entire Pikachu, rather than just its tail.

List of Z-Crystals

For each type

Name Z-Move Associated
move type
Buginium Z Buginium Z Savage Spin-Out Bug
Darkinium Z Darkinium Z Black Hole Eclipse Dark
Dragonium Z Dragonium Z Devastating Drake Dragon
Electrium Z Electrium Z Gigavolt Havoc Electric
Fairium Z Fairium Z Twinkle Tackle Fairy
Fightinium Z Fightinium Z All-Out Pummeling Fighting
Firium Z Firium Z Inferno Overdrive Fire
Flyinium Z Flyinium Z Supersonic Skystrike Flying
Ghostium Z Ghostium Z Never-Ending Nightmare Ghost
Grassium Z Grassium Z Bloom Doom Grass
Groundium Z Groundium Z Tectonic Rage Ground
Icium Z Icium Z Subzero Slammer Ice
Normalium Z Normalium Z Breakneck Blitz Normal
Poisonium Z Poisonium Z Acid Downpour Poison
Psychium Z Psychium Z Shattered Psyche Psychic
Rockium Z Rockium Z Continental Crush Rock
Steelium Z Steelium Z Corkscrew Crash Steel
Waterium Z Waterium Z Hydro Vortex Water

For specific Pokémon

Name Debut
games
Associated
Pokémon
Base
move
Z-Move
Aloraichium Z Aloraichium Z SM Raichu Alolan Raichu Thunderbolt Stoked Sparksurfer
Decidium Z Decidium Z SM Decidueye Decidueye Spirit Shackle Sinister Arrow Raid
Eevium Z Eevium Z SM Eevee Eevee Last Resort Extreme Evoboost
Incinium Z Incinium Z SM Incineroar Incineroar Darkest Lariat Malicious Moonsault
Kommonium Z Kommonium Z USUM Kommo-o Kommo-o Clanging Scales Clangorous Soulblaze
Lunalium Z Lunalium Z USUM LunalaNecrozma Lunala or Dawn Wings Necrozma Moongeist Beam Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom
Lycanium Z Lycanium Z USUM LycanrocLycanrocLycanroc Lycanroc Stone Edge Splintered Stormshards
Marshadium Z Marshadium Z SM Marshadow Marshadow Spectral Thief Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike
Mewnium Z Mewnium Z SM Mew Mew Psychic Genesis Supernova
Mimikium Z Mimikium Z USUM Mimikyu Mimikyu Play Rough Let's Snuggle Forever
Pikanium Z Pikanium Z SM Pikachu Pikachu (Normal form) Volt Tackle Catastropika
Pikashunium Z Pikashunium Z SM Original Cap PikachuOriginal Cap PikachuOriginal Cap PikachuOriginal Cap Pikachu
Original Cap PikachuOriginal Cap PikachuOriginal Cap Pikachu
Pikachu (Pikachu in a cap) Thunderbolt 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt
Primarium Z Primarium Z SM Primarina Primarina Sparkling Aria Oceanic Operetta
Snorlium Z Snorlium Z SM Snorlax Snorlax Giga Impact Pulverizing Pancake
Solganium Z Solganium Z USUM SolgaleoNecrozma Solgaleo or Dusk Mane Necrozma Sunsteel Strike Searing Sunraze Smash
Tapunium Z Tapunium Z SM Tapu KokoTapu LeleTapu BuluTapu Fini Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, or Tapu Fini Nature's Madness Guardian of Alola
Ultranecrozium Z Ultranecrozium Z USUM Necrozma Ultra Necrozma Photon Geyser Light That Burns the Sky

In the anime

Various Z-Crystals in Pokémon the Series

Main series

Z-Crystals first appeared in Alola to New Adventure!, where a Firium Z appeared on Kiawe's Z-Ring. He obtained it by completing Olivia's grand trial. Later in the same episode, Ash received an Electrium Z with his Z-Ring, from Tapu Koko. However, in the following episode, it shattered after Ash performed Gigavolt Havoc with Pikachu.

As revealed in To Top a Totem!, the island challenge is one way of obtaining Z-Crystals, though it is not necessarily the only way a Trainer can obtain them. Ash's goal in Alola was to complete the island challenge and collect the Z-Crystals in order to prove himself worthy of the power of Z-Moves.

A full set of replicas of the type-specific Z-Crystals were also shown to Ash and his classmates by Professor Kukui in A Team-on-Team Tussle!.

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

In the manga

Z-Crystals in Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures

Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc

In Pokémon Move Specialist Professor Kukui, Olivia and Nanu attempted to use their respective Z-Crystals, Rockium Z and Darkinium Z, to perform their Z-Moves against each other during a practice battle between their Lycanroc and Alolan Persian. However, Hala interrupted the battle before either move could be properly executed. In the same chapter, Hala was also shown being in possession of a Fightinium Z.

In Homecoming and the Brilliant Professional Golfer, Kiawe found a Firium Z hidden in the fur of Sun's Litten, Dollar. After learning the proper Z-Move pose from Kiawe, Sun was successfully able to perform Inferno Overdrive with Dollar during a battle with Gladion.

In Shock!! Father in the Pendant!, Kahili was revealed to have spent six months gathering a multitude of Z-Crystals. In the same chapter, Hau was revealed to have obtained a Primarium Z.

In Transcend!! Ultra Necrozma!, an Ultranecrozium Z found by the Ultra Recon Squad was revealed to have been the cause behind Necrozma's transformation into Ultra Necrozma.

In the TCG

This listing is of cards featuring Z-Crystals in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Z-Crystals
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion
Rarity # Japanese
Expansion
Rarity #
Flyinium Z: Air Slash I Unified Minds Uncommon 195/236 Sky Legend U 045/054
Normalium Z: Tackle I Unified Minds Uncommon 203/236 Sky Legend U 044/054
Dragonium Z: Dragon Claw I Cosmic Eclipse Uncommon 190/236 SM-P Promotional cards   359/SM-P
 


Gallery

Artwork

Standard

File:Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Lunalium Z.png
Electrium Z Fairium Z Kommonium Z Lunalium Z
File:Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Solganium Z.png
Lycanium Z Mimikium Z Pikashunium Z Solganium Z


Pokémon Global Link

This is the artwork of the Z-Crystals on the Pokémon Global Link:

Buginium Z Darkinium Z Dragonium Z Electrium Z Fairium Z Fightinium Z Firium Z
Flyinium Z Ghostium Z Grassium Z Groundium Z Icium Z Normalium Z Poisonium Z
Psychium Z Rockium Z Steelium Z Waterium Z Aloraichium Z Decidium Z Eevium Z
Incinium Z Kommonium Z Lunalium Z Lycanium Z Marshadium Z Mewnium Z Mimikium Z
Pikanium Z Pikashunium Z Primarium Z Snorlium Z Solganium Z Tapunium Z Ultranecrozium Z


Concept art

Concept art of the Z-Crystals introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon Concept art of the Z-Crystals introduced in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Concept art for a pedestal containing a Z-Crystal for Pokémon Sun and Moon Concept art of the Z-Ring for Pokémon Sun and Moon,
describing its connection with Z-Crystals

Trivia

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese Z純晶 Z-Sèuhnjīng
Mandarin Z純晶 / Z纯晶 Z-Chúnjīng
Czech Z-krystal
Danish Z-krystal
Dutch Z-Kristal (Pokémon the Series)
Z-Crystal*
Z-kristal*
Finnish Z-kristalli
French Cristaux Z
German Z-Kristall
Hebrew קריסטל זי Krystal Zi
Hungarian Z-Kristály
Italian Cristallo Z
Korean Z크리스탈 Z-Crystal
Norwegian Z-krystall
Polish Kryształ-Z
Portuguese Cristal Z
Russian Кристалл Z Kristall Z
Spanish Cristal Z
Swedish Z-kristall

See also


Held items
In-battle effect items
BerriesColored orbsDrivesPower items
Experience-affecting itemsGemsIncenseMega StonesMemoriesPlates
Stat-enhancing itemsType-enhancing itemsZ-Crystals
Out-of-battle effect items
Power itemsIncenseMailScarves


This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items.
  1. "Roster -Behind the Scene- #2 GAME FREAK." Yamaha Music Japan MPP. YouTube.