Arceus is known as "The Original One," as it is said that it created the Pokémon universe and the lake trio. The only known way to get Arceus is with the Azure Flute (also known as The Key of Space and Time). As of 2008, Arceus is currently the only Pokémon known that has not yet been officially revealed by Nintendo.
Arceus is an equine being that may be based on a horse-like mammal or qilin. It might have some traces of a Centaur. Its body is white, has a gray underside and its four pointed feet are tipped with gold hooves. Its mane is quite long and its face is gray with green eyes with red pupils. It also has a gold cross-like wheel attached to its body, which changes color along with its eyes and hooves based on Arceus's current type.
Gender differences
Arceus is genderless.
Special abilities
File:Avatar12014 5.gifAn animation displaying Arceus's different colorings while holding plates.
According to legend, Arceus created the universe, Palkia, Dialga, and the lake trio.
While Arceus may be a pure Template:Type2, due to Arceus's Multitypeability its type can change into any of the other 16 types depending on what type of special plate it holds.
Arceus's signature move, Judgment, also changes its type depending on the type of special plate Arceus is holding. Arceus also has the ability to use several attacks of various types, but to a lesser extent than Smeargle or even Mew.
Behavior
Habitat
Arceus lives at the Hall of Origin which can only be accessed by use of the Azure Flute at the Spear Pillar.
Arceus is capable of learning the following moves:
Moves in bold get STAB for the Template:Type2, meaning that Arceus must be holding the Spooky Plate. Judgement, the type of which is dependent on the plate Arceus is holding (or lack thereof) will always receive STAB, while damaging moves of other types can receive STAB depending on which plate Arceus holds.
Arceus has the highest base stat total at 720, while previous Pokémon have had a maximum of 680. However, it does have lower stats in some areas than some other Pokémon, such as having lower Speed than a Crobat, and having lower Attack than a Pinsir, and there are several Pokémon that grow at slower rates, such as Shroomish, Makuhita, Illumise, Gulpin, Wailmer, Seviper, Corphish, and Drifloon.
The code for Diamond and Pearl has sprites for Arceus using its Multitype ability with all 18 types, including Template:Type2. It is disputed whether the ???-type Arceus is obtainable, as there is no plate in the code that can be used for this. It is possible this sprite was programmed in to prevent game crashes caused by tampering with Arceus's type.
It also has the second largest number of sprites within a single generation as a result. It has a total of 72 sprites, two of each for the normal coloration and alternate coloration for each type. Only Unown has more.
Though Arceus has not been officially revealed, it is possible to use its signature move, Judgment, through Metronome.
Arceus's signature move, Judgment, is the only move that Arceus is guaranteed STAB for, as it is always the same type as Arceus itself. However, on the battle screen, Judgment is always displayed as Template:Type2.
Even though it is said that Arceus created the world with its thousand arms, it cannot learn any attacks that use arms or punches. It is also unable to learn every TM and HM, unlike Mew.
Arceus's backstory seems to be a retcon of Mew's - while Mew was earlier purported to be the ancestor of all Pokémon due to containing the genetic code of every other Pokémon, as well as being able to learn every TM and HM, Arceus's story reveals that Mew was not the first Pokémon, as once thought. Arceus is only ever stated to have created the Universe, not individual Pokémon. However, Mew's Pokédex entry in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum states that "due to its ability to use various moves, many scientists believe Mew to be the ancestor of Pokémon." Thus, it seems to imply instead that while they are wrong, the fictional scientists still believe this, and thus there is no actual retcon.
When Arceus was first discovered within Diamond and Pearl, it sparked fears among some fans that those games would signal the end of Pokémon. These fears were due to legendaries becoming more and more powerful within recent games; for example, Mewtwo compared to Pokémon symbolizing elements of nature such as Dialga. Since the literal "god" of Pokémon was created, many wondered how another legendary could exist. These fears have been mostly alleviated by the continuation of Nintendo to heavily market the Pokémon series. Also, Arceus being the last may not be true- Mew, once thought to be the origin of all Pokémon, was followed by more.
With the Sky Plate attached, Arceus is the only Pokémon able to become a pure Template:Type2 outside of battle (other Pokémon can be in battle through the use of Conversion, Conversion 2, and Color Change).
Arceus may be a reference to the Chinese mythical creature, the Qilin. Its myth is nearly identical to that of the Pangu, the Chinese creation deity.
Arceus may also be inspired by (or a representation of) Avalokiteśvara who, in Buddhism, is either pictured with eleven heads and one thousand arms (the latter of which is mentioned in Arceus's flavor text) or in a white four-armed manifestation (which could look similar to Arceus's Normal form).
Name origin
Arceus's name may come from the words arch (highest) and deus, which is Latin and Greek for god. It may also have a root in the Latin word arcanus, which means secret; sacred mystery.
Arceus's name may also come from the word archaic (ancient), which comes from the Greek arkhaios. It could have also come from the Latin word archetypus (original). Alternatively, Arceus's name can be seen as a portmanteau of Zeus, the most powerful of Greek gods and arch (highest).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Arceus images on Bulbagarden Archives.
