Pokémon Video Game Glossary

Ability
An Ability is a power that is automatically triggered when necessary conditions ­are met. A Pokémon species may have multiple potential Abilities, but an individual Pokémon has only one Ability.

Accuracy
Accuracy is the likelihood that a move will hit the target based on a value assigned to each move. The higher the value, the more likely the move will hit the target.

Affection
Taking care of Pokémon in Pokémon Refresh raises their Affection. Pokémon with high Affection may earn extra Experience Points, endure or avoid attacks, cure status conditions, and deliver more critical hits. The special benefits of Affection won’t occur in Link Battles or at battle facilities. A Pokémon’s Affection is separate from its friendship.

Asleep
When a Pokémon is asleep, it is unable to use most moves. The Pokémon will recover from this status condition after several turns pass.

Attack
The Attack stat determines how powerful a Pokémon’s physical moves will be.

Base Point
Each Pokémon you battle yield base points that can increase your Pokémon’s base stats. Your Pokémon can also earn base points by playing at Isle Evelup and when given special items. Depending on your Pokémon’s level, the number of base points you need to raise a stat can vary. See also “Base Stat.”

Base Stat
Base stats are one of the underlying values that help determine the growth rate for each of a Pokémon’s six major stats—HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Base stats make the difference between the stats of a Pokémon that has seen many battles and an identical Pokémon that has not been trained. Your Pokémon can earn base points to increase its base stats through battling other Pokémon, playing at Isle Evelup, and being given special items.

Battle
A battle is combat between Pokémon. These include Trainer battles, where you face off against another Trainer who is directing their Pokémon’s actions, and battles against wild Pokémon that you encounter in nature.

Battle Item
A battle item can be used to temporarily increase a Pokémon’s performance during a battle. Battle items include X Attack, which boosts a Pokémon’s Attack stat, and Dire Hit, which raises the Pokémon’s critical-hit chance.

Battle Royal
In a Battle Royal, four Trainers select a team of three Pokémon each, then face off in a free-for-all from which only one player will emerge victorious. When all of one Trainer’s Pokémon have fainted, the battle concludes at the end of that turn. Trainers are ranked based on the number of Pokémon they have remaining and the number of Pokémon they defeated.

Battle Team
Battle Teams are special teams that you can create from your PC Boxes and use for special battle formats, including Link Battles, Battle Royals, Online Competitions, and Live Competitions. Pokémon can be placed in more than one Battle Team at a time, and you can change the names of your Battle Teams by tapping on their names. When you play in a Live Competition or Online Competition, you must select one of your Battle Teams to use throughout the competition. You’ll be unable to make changes to the selected Battle Team until you leave the competition.

Berry
Berries are versatile items that can be used by Trainers to affect or protect a Pokémon’s HP or status, or they can be consumed by Pokémon automatically during battle. Unlike ordinary item use, automatic consumption does not take a turn. In some games, a Berry can be planted to grow and produce more Berries, such as on Isle Aplenny in the Poké Pelago in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon.

Burned
The burned status condition lowers the power of physical moves and reduces the Pokémon’s HP at the end of each turn. The condition does not go away on its own after the battle ends.

Choice Item
Choice items, such as the Choice Scarf, boost a particular stat when a Pokémon holds it during battle. However, the Pokémon holding a choice item is restricted to using only the first attack it used in that battle. This restriction remains in effect during the battle until the Pokémon is switched out for another Pokémon.

Confused
The confused condition may cause the Pokémon to damage itself instead of using its intended move. The Pokémon will recover after several turns or at the end of battle.

Contact Move
Moves that cause the user to physically touch the opposing Pokémon are known as contact moves. Making direct contact with the target can determine whether an attack’s effect is activated, an Ability is triggered, a held item is used, or Pokérus is transferred. Most contact moves are physical moves.

Cursed
The cursed condition causes a Pokémon to lose one-quarter of its maximum HP at the end of every turn. The curse condition is caused when the move Curse is used by a Ghost-type Pokémon.

Defense
The Defense stat determines how well a Pokémon can defend against physical moves.

Double Battle
Double Battle is a battle format in which each team battles with two Pokémon at a time.

Effectiveness
The damage dealt in an attack is adjusted according to the type of the move used by the attacking Pokémon and the type of the targeted Pokémon. Attacks can be normally effective, super effective, not very effective, or completely ineffective, depending on how these types match up.

Egg Group
Each Pokémon is part of at least one Egg Group. The two Pokémon you leave at the Pokémon Nursery must share a common Egg Group for Pokémon Eggs to be discovered. However, if a Ditto is left in the Pokémon Nursery, Eggs will be discovered regardless of the other Pokémon’s Egg Group, unless it is in the “No Eggs Discovered” Egg Group.

Egg Move
Egg Moves are moves that a Pokémon would normally never be able to learn by leveling up or from a TM. A Pokémon hatched from an Egg may know an Egg Move if one of the Pokémon left in the Pokémon Nursery knows the same move.

Electric Terrain
Electric Terrain increases the power of Electric-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 50%, regardless of whether the target is touching the battlefield or not. Pokémon on the ground are unable to fall asleep. Pokémon with the Ability Surge Surfer have their Speed doubled when Electric Terrain is active. If Nature Power is used while Electric Terrain is in effect, it becomes Thunderbolt. See also “Terrain.”

Evolution
The process of a Pokémon changing into another Pokémon is known as Evolution. Evolved Pokémon are usually more powerful than their predecessors, and they can often learn moves that are more powerful. Conditions for Evolution depend on the Pokémon species, but leveling up is a common way to evolve a Pokémon.

Experience Points
Pokémon earn Experience Points (Exp. Points) through battling. Earning enough Exp. Points will cause a Pokémon to level up.

Fainting
When a Pokémon’s HP has been reduced to zero, it faints. A Pokémon that has fainted cannot attack. If all Pokémon on a team faint, that team loses the battle.

Flat Rules
Flat Rules are a common set of battling rules used in many battle facilities. All Pokémon that are above level 50 temporarily become level 50. No two Pokémon on a team may have the same National Pokédex number or hold the same item. Mythical Pokémon and some Legendary Pokémon are prohibited. Each Trainer selects only three of their Pokémon to use in a Single Battle or Multi Battle, or four in a Double Battle.

Flinching
The target Pokémon may flinch when hit by certain moves, causing its own move to fail on the current turn. The effect lasts only for the turn in which the Pokémon flinches.

Friendship
Each of a Trainer’s Pokémon has a relationship with its Trainer known as friendship. Some Pokémon can only evolve when they’re very friendly toward their Trainer, and some Move Tutors will teach certain moves only to extremely friendly Pokémon. Trainers can increase their Pokémon’s friendship by, among other things, taking them for a massage or by giving them certain items. A Pokémon holding a Soothe Bell will increase its friendship faster. A Pokémon’s friendship is separate from its Affection.

Frozen
When a Pokémon is frozen, it cannot use most moves. The Pokémon will recover from this status condition after several turns pass. Being hit by a Fire-type attack will cause a frozen Pokémon to thaw and recover from this status condition.

Gender
The gender of a Pokémon is designated as male, female, or unknown. If you want to find a Pokémon Egg at the Pokémon Nursery, you’ll generally need to leave Pokémon of opposite (male and female) genders there together. Having Pokémon of opposite genders is also the key to inflicting the infatuation status.

Grassy Terrain
Grassy Terrain increases the power of Grass-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 50%, regardless of whether the target is touching the battlefield or not. Pokémon on the ground have some of their HP restored at the end of each turn. The moves Bulldoze, Earthquake, and Magnitude deal reduced damage when Grassy Terrain is in effect. Pokémon with the Ability Grass Pelt have their Defense increased while Grassy Terrain is active. If Nature Power is used while Grassy Terrain is in effect, it becomes Energy Ball. See also “Terrain.”

Hail
Hail is a weather condition that damages each Pokémon at the end of a turn unless it is an Ice-type Pokémon. Hail also has specific effects on some moves and Abilities.

Harsh Sunlight and Extremely Harsh Sunlight
The harsh sunlight weather condition increases the power of Fire-type moves and decreases the power of Water-type moves. Harsh sunlight also has specific effects on some moves and Abilities. There is an even stronger version, called extremely harsh sunlight, which completely nullifies any Water-type moves.

Held Item
A held item is given to a Pokémon to hold. It may have an effect that will be active throughout battles, or it may be consumed and vanish after it has been used (usually after a condition has been met). Consumed items will reappear after a battle against another player or in special facilities such as the Battle Tree, but will normally not reappear if they are used in the game. A Pokémon may hold only one item at a time. See also “Item.”

Hidden Ability
A Hidden Ability is one that a Pokémon may, under certain circumstances, have instead of the Ability usually seen for that Pokémon.

HP
Hit Points (HP) show how healthy a Pokémon is, indicating how much damage it can take before it faints. As a Pokémon levels up, it usually gains HP.

Hyper Training
Pokémon that have reached Lv. 100 may undergo Hyper Training to boost their individual strengths to the maximum. Trainers must pay Mr. Hyper for this service using Bottle Caps. Trainers with a Bottle Cap can use Hyper Training on one of their Pokémon’s stats or, with a Gold Bottle Cap, increase them all. The type of the move Hidden Power, which is determined by a Pokémon’s individual strengths, will not change after Hyper Training. See “Individual Strengths.”

Individual Strengths
Individual strengths are the innate affinity each individual Pokémon has for each stat. A Pokémon with a higher Attack individual strength will gain Attack faster and have a higher maximum Attack stat than a Pokémon of the same species with a lower Attack individual strength. If a Pokémon uses the move Hidden Power, its individual strengths determine what type Hidden Power will be. See also “Hyper Training.”

Infatuation
Brought about by certain moves or Abilities, the infatuation condition may cause a Pokémon’s move to fail. The Pokémon will recover from the condition if the Pokémon that inflicted infatuation is defeated or replaced.

Item
Items are objects that can be used, held, or consumed, and can often be bought, sold, or traded. Key Items, such as the Z-Ring and the Exp. Share, perform unique functions and cannot be bought or sold. See also “Held Item.”

Judge
At a certain point in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, you can gain access to the Judge feature at PCs. Selecting Judge will allow you to see the potential for each of your Pokémon’s individual strengths in each stat and an evaluation of your Pokémon’s overall potential. Stats that display “Best” have maximum individual strengths.

Level
The experience level of a Pokémon is indicated by a number from 1 to 100. As it levels up, a Pokémon may gain stat increases and learn new moves. Leveling up is achieved by accumulating set amounts of Experience Points.

Medicine
Medicine refers to items that you’ll find in the Medicine Pocket of your Bag. These include items to heal HP or PP, such as Potions and Elixirs, items that boost stats or levels, such as vitamins and Rare Candy, and items that help Pokémon recover from status conditions or fainting, such as Antidotes and Revives. If they can be used during battle, it takes one turn.

Mega Evolution
Mega Evolution is a powerful transformation that some Pokémon can undergo during battle. The Pokémon must be holding the correct Mega Stone, and the player must have obtained a Key Item, that can resonate with Mega Stones. The Pokémon’s type, stats, and Ability may change upon Mega Evolution.

Misty Terrain
Misty Terrain prevents Pokémon on the ground from being burned, confused, frozen, poisoned, paralyzed, or from falling asleep. It also halves the damage received from Dragon-type moves to Pokémon touching the battlefield, regardless of whether the Pokémon using the Dragon-type attack is touching the ground itself or not. If Nature Power is used while Misty Terrain is in effect, it becomes Moonblast. See also “Terrain.”

Move
A move is the primary action a Pokémon can take during a battle to either damage an opponent or to help itself or an ally in some way. A Pokémon can know up to four moves at a time. If a Pokémon already knows four moves, then it must forget an old move before it can learn a new move.

Move Tutor
A Move Tutor is a character in the game who can teach a Pokémon moves that it may not be able to learn otherwise.

Multi Battle
Multi Battle format is a variation of Double Battles, where two Pokémon battle at a time for each team, but each Pokémon is controlled by a separate Trainer.

National Pokédex
The National Pokédex records every known Pokémon in the Pokémon world. Transfer your Pokémon to Pokémon Bank to track your progress toward completing the National Pokédex. See also “Pokédex.”

Nature
A permanent, unchangeable quality that each Pokémon has, Nature affects the growth of a Pokémon’s stats, typically making one stat grow faster and another grow slower than average. The stat whose name appears in blue in the Summary screen is the one that has a decreased maximum value due to your Pokémon’s Nature, and the one in pink has an increased maximum value. There are 25 different Natures, such as Adamant, Jolly, and Timid, for example.

Original Trainer (OT)
The Trainer who first caught or hatched a Pokémon is known as its Original Trainer, or OT. Pokémon traded away from their Original Trainer will gain extra experience, but they might not obey a Trainer in battle if the Trainer hasn’t cleared enough trials.

Paralysis
Paralysis lowers the Pokémon’s Speed and causes moves to fail 25 percent of the time. This status condition does not go away on its own after the battle ends.

Physical Move
Like special moves, physical moves deal damage. The effectiveness of a physical move is determined by the Attack stat of the attacking Pokémon and the Defense stat of the defending Pokémon.

Poisoned
Being poisoned or badly poisoned reduces the Pokémon’s HP at the end of each turn. The poisoned status condition does not go away on its own after the battle ends.

Poké Ball
A Poké Ball is an item used in battle to catch wild Pokémon. There are many different kinds of Poké Balls, such as Great Balls and Ultra Balls, and they vary in effectiveness. Poké Balls cannot be used in Trainer battles.

Pokédex
The Pokédex records every Pokémon a Trainer has seen or caught during an adventure. It may also refer to a printed guide containing data about each Pokémon. See also “National Pokédex.”

Pokémon Nursery
The Pokémon Nursery is an in-game location where Pokémon can be dropped off. Leaving two Pokémon there together could result in a Pokémon Egg being found, although no one is entirely sure how or why this happens.

Pokémon Refresh
In Pokémon Refresh, you can care for your Pokémon to increase their Affection or cure status conditions without having to spend items. You can care for your Pokémon by petting them or feeding them Poké Beans. Also, see “Affection.”

Pokérus
A rare virus, Pokérus can be passed from Pokémon to Pokémon, causing the Pokémon’s base stats to grow more quickly. It does not harm Pokémon and is considered highly beneficial. Pokémon recover after only a few days, meaning that they are no longer able to infect other Pokémon, but the effects (faster base stat growth) do not go away.

Power Item
A power item is a held item that will add to a Pokémon’s base stat as it defeats other Pokémon. Power items get their name because each one begins with the word “Power,” such as Power Belt and Power Lens. See also “Item.”

PP
PP (Power Points) represent the number of times a Pokémon can use a particular move. If no PP remain for any of a Pokémon’s moves, that Pokémon will use the move Struggle when it attacks. The items PP Max and PP Up can permanently increase the max PP of a move. In competitive play, PP reset after every battle, as well as automatically with a Leppa Berry. During regular gameplay, PP can be restored using items or when a Pokémon is healed at a Pokémon Center. When a move is used against a Pokémon with the Pressure Ability, two PP will be used for that move.

Primal Reversion
Primal Reversion is similar to Mega Evolution. It is a special transformation that only Kyogre and Groudon can undergo, introduced in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire.

Priority
Some moves and actions occur before or after others during a battle round, according to their priority. Under normal conditions, moves that have higher priority will strike first. If two actions have the same priority, the order of those actions is determined by each Pokémon’s Speed.

Psychic Terrain
Psychic Terrain increases the power of Psychic-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 50%, regardless of whether the target is touching the battlefield or not. Pokémon on the ground won’t be affected by moves that have increased priority. If Nature Power is used while Psychic Terrain is in effect, it becomes Psychic. See also “Terrain” and “Priority.”

Rain and Heavy Rain
The rain weather condition increases the power of Water-type moves and decreases the power of Fire-type moves. Rain also has specific effects on some moves and Abilities. There is an even stronger version, called heavy rain, which completely nullifies Fire-type moves.

Range
Range describes the potential distance and scope of a move’s target. Range applies only to battles where more than one Pokémon competes on at least one side, as in a Double Battle, SOS Battle, or Battle Royal. The range for most attacks is a single target Pokémon. Some moves, such as Surf, will target all other Pokémon on the battlefield.

Recoil
Recoil is the damage taken by the user of certain moves.

Regional Pokédex
The listings of a Regional Pokédex are limited to a certain region in the Pokémon universe, such as Hoenn or Alola. See also “Pokédex.”

Same-Type Attack Bonus
The additional damage done when a Pokémon uses an attack that matches its type (for example, a Fire-type Pokémon using the Fire-type move Ember) is known as a same-type attack bonus.

Sandstorm
Sandstorms damage each Pokémon at the end of a turn unless it is a Rock-, Ground-, or Steel-type Pokémon. This weather condition also has specific effects on some moves and Abilities.

Shiny Pokémon
Scarce and sought after, Pokémon with alternative coloration are known as Shiny. Whether a Pokémon is Shiny or not has no effect in battle.

Single Battle
Single Battle format requires each team to battle with one Pokémon at a time.

SOS Battle
An SOS Battle is a type of wild Pokémon encounter where the wild Pokémon can call for another wild Pokémon to join the battle. Pokémon that have special features, such as being Shiny or having a Hidden Ability or maximum individual strengths, are more likely to appear as more helpers are called into battle. Pokémon that would not normally appear in the wild on their own may also be called in as an ally in an SOS Battle.

Special Attack
The Special Attack (Sp. Atk) stat determines how powerful a Pokémon’s special moves will be.

Special Defense
The Special Defense (Sp. Def) stat determines how well a Pokémon can defend against special moves.

Special Move
Like physical moves, special moves deal damage. The effectiveness of a special move is typically determined by the Special Attack stat of the attacking Pokémon and the Special Defense stat of the defending Pokémon.

Species Strengths
The unique strengths of each species of Pokémon that determine the general range of stats for that species. A Pokémon’s species strengths cannot be changed, but its stats will be affected further by its base stats, individual strengths, and Nature.

Speed
The Speed stat decides which Pokémon acts first in battle.

Stat
Stats are the six primary factors that determine how a Pokémon will perform in battle. They are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed.

Status Condition
A status condition is a temporary condition that affects how a Pokémon performs in battle. Some status conditions will go away on their own, while others must be healed with items or at a Pokémon Center.

Status Move
A status move is one that does not inflict direct damage, but causes status conditions or other effects, such as increasing or decreasing the stats of the target Pokémon.

Strong Wind
The strong wind weather condition decreases the damage done by supereffective moves against Flying-type Pokémon. Strong wind also has specific effects on some moves and Abilities.

Struggle
Struggle is an attack that a Pokémon will use when it is unable to use any of its learned moves. Struggle is a Normal-type physical attack with a power of 50. Struggle also causes recoil damage equal to 25% of the attacking Pokémon’s maximum HP.

Summary
The Summary page is an in-game feature that shows data on a Pokémon, including its stats, moves, Ability, level, Original Trainer, Nature, and more. To see a Pokémon’s Summary page, select the Pokémon tab on the menu that appears on the lower screen while in the field.

Terrain
Terrain is an effect that changes the battlefield, causing some moves and Abilities to temporarily change. Terrain affects only Pokémon touching the ground; Flying-type Pokémon and those with the Levitate Ability are not affected. Terrains can increase or decrease the power of some attacks and often provides protection to Pokémon touching the terrain. Changes to terrain normally persist for five turns and only one terrain can be active at a time. When a new terrain is introduced, it immediately supersedes the existing terrain.

TM
A TM (Technical Machine) is an item that can be used to teach moves to Pokémon.

Trap
A move or Ability that traps opposing Pokémon and makes it impossible for them to retreat from battle or be switched out for other Pokémon.

Type
Types interact like rock-paper-scissors, where certain types are stronger against other types. For example, Electric-type moves are strong against Flying-type Pokémon. A move usually has a single type. Pokémon may have one or two types.

Type Matchup Chart
The type matchup chart is a handy table that shows the effectiveness of moves against Pokémon types, based on the type of move and the type of Pokémon.

Vitamin
Vitamins, such as Calcium, are consumable items that can increase a Pokémon’s base stats in a single category.

Weather
Weather conditions cause a temporary change in the environment during battle that can affect all Pokémon. Weather conditions can adjust the power and accuracy of moves, trigger certain Abilities, change a Pokémon’s type, and cause other effects. When a new weather condition is introduced, it immediately supersedes the existing weather condition.

Z-Moves
Z-Moves are moves of great power that each team can usually only use once per battle. A Pokémon must be holding a Z-Crystal that corresponds to the same type as one of its moves to perform a Z-Move. Trainers must also have a Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring for their Pokémon to perform Z-Moves.

Back to Top