Ability variations

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	Generation
Adaptability	Moves with same-type attack bonus	IV
Iron Fist	Punching moves (includes Meteor Mash and Hammer Arm but not Sucker Punch)	IV
Reckless	Moves with recoil (including crash damage)	IV
Technician	Moves with base power of 60 or lower	IV
Tinted Lens	Moves that are not very effective	IV
Sheer Force	Moves with secondary effects*	V
Mega Launcher	Aura and pulse moves	VI
Strong Jaw	Biting moves	VI
Tough Claws	Contact moves	VI

Variations of Aerilate

Changes Normal-type moves to another type
Name	Type	Generation
Aerilate	Flying	VI
Pixilate	Fairy	VI
Refrigerate	Ice	VI

Variations of Air Lock

Negates (but does not eliminate) 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-types, Pokémon with the Ability Levitate, Pokémon affected by Magnet Rise or Telekinesis, and Pokémon holding an Air Balloon	III
Magnet Pull	Non-Steel-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	Sun	III
Swift Swim	Rain	III
Sand Rush*	Sandstorm	V

Variations of Clear Body

Prevents stats from being lowered
Name	Stat	Generation
Clear Body	All stats	III
Hyper Cutter	Attack	III
Keen Eye	Accuracy	III
White Smoke	All stats	III
Big Pecks	Defense	V

Variations of Cute Charm

Contact moves may cause a status effect
Name	Status Condition	Generation
Cute Charm	Infatuation	III
Effect Spore	Paralysis, Poison, or Sleep	III
Flame Body	Burn	III
Poison Point	Poison	III
Static	Paralysis	III

Variations of Dark Aura

Boosts a certain type for all Pokémon in the field
Name	Type Boosted	Generation
Dark Aura	Dark	VI
Fairy Aura	Fairy	VI

Variations of Defiant

Boosts a stat sharply if any stat is lowered
Name	Stat Boosted	Generation
Defiant	Attack	V
Competitive	Special Attack	VI

Variations of Drizzle

Activates a permanent weather effect before Generation VI and activates for the first 5 turns in Generation VI
Name	Weather effect	Generation
Drizzle	Rain	III
Drought	Sun	III
Sand Stream	Sandstorm	III
Snow Warning	Hail	IV

Variations of Dry Skin

Reduces HP by 1/8 each turn in sunshine
Name	Additional effect	Generation
Dry Skin	Increases HP by 1/8 each turn in rain	IV
Solar Power	Increases Special Attack by 50% in sunshine	IV

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

Variations of Flash Fire

Grants immunity to certain moves
Name	Moves	Generation
Flash Fire	Fire-type moves	III
Levitate	Ground-type moves, Arena Trap, Sky Drop, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes	III
Lightning Rod	Electric-type moves*	III
Soundproof	Sound-based moves	III
Volt Absorb	Electric-type moves	III
Water Absorb	Water-type moves	III
Wonder Guard	Moves that are not super-effective	III
Cacophony*	Sound-based moves	III*
Motor Drive	Electric-type moves	IV
Storm Drain	Water-type moves*	IV
Sap Sipper	Grass-type moves	V
Bulletproof	Ball and bomb moves	VI

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 Attack
Name	Generation
Huge Power	III
Pure Power	III

Variations of Immunity

Prevents a certain status condition from occurring
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
Sweet Veil	Sleep	VI

Variations of Lightning Rod

Raises a certain stat if hit by a certain type
Name	Type	Stat	Generation
Lightning Rod*	Electric-type moves	Sp. Attack	III
Motor Drive	Electric-type moves	Speed	IV
Storm Drain*	Water-type moves	Sp. Attack	IV
Justified*	Dark-type moves	Attack	V
Rattled*	Dark-, Bug-, or Ghost-type moves	Speed	V
Sap Sipper	Grass-type moves	Attack	V

Variations of Minus

Boosts Sp. Atk 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 Natural Cure

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

Variations of Prankster

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

Variations of Primordial Sea

Activates permanent weather effect until the Pokémon is withdrawn and nullifies certain types of attacks
Name	Weather effect	Moves affected	Generation
Primordial Sea	Heavy rain	Any Fire-type moves	VI
Desolate Land	Extremely harsh sunlight	Any Water-type moves	VI
Delta Stream	Strong winds	Any Electric-type, Rock-type and Ice-type moves*	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 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	Secondary effects	III
Super Luck	Critical hits	IV

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
Fur Coat	Physical moves	VI

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

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 Intimidate

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

Variations of Flame Body

Eggs hatch faster
Name	Generation
Flame Body	III
Magma Armor	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.