Special Ability Listing

For your convenience, this page lists all of Nintendo's Special Abilities, so you can make an informed decision about the best Special Ability for your pokémon. Also, on the rare occasion that we accept a new Special Ability, it'll be listed here...so, for PF Pokémon, this is truly the best reference!

Entries appear as follows:

ABILITY NAME
This line explains what the Special Ability does.
In-game description.
EXAMPLES: Some pokémon who have this Special Ability

Special Abilities sorted by effect

Abilities that protect you
Abilities that boost your power
Abilities that harm the foe
Abilities that trap the foe
Weather-affecting Abilities
2-on-2-battle Abilities
Out-Of-Battle Abilities
Abilities that harm you
Miscellaneous Abilities

Special Abilities sorted alphabetically

Air-Lock
Arena Trap
Battle Armor
Blaze
Chlorophyll
Clear Body
Cloud Nine
Color Change
CompoundEyes
Cute Charm
Damp
Drizzle
Drought
Early Bird
Effect Spore
Flame Body
Flash Fire
Focus
Forecast
Frigid
Guts
Gravity Pull
Huge Power
Hot Temper
Hustle
Hyper Cutter
Illuminate
Immunity
Inner Focus
Insomnia
Intimidate
Keen Eye
Levitate
LightningRod
Limber
Liquid Ooze
Magma Armor
Magnet Pull
Marvel Scale
Minus
Natural Cure
Neutral
No Ability
Oblivious
Overgrow
Own Tempo
Pain
Panic
Perfume
PickUp
Plus
Poison Point
Pressure
Pure Power
Radioactive
Rain Dish
Rock Head
Rough Skin
Run Away
Sand Stream
Sand Veil
Serene Grace
Shadow Tag
Shed Skin
Shell Armor
Shield Dust
Sound Proof
Speed Boost
Static
Stench
Sticky Hold
Sturdy
Suction Cups
Swarm
Swift Swim
Synchronize
Thick Fat
Thick Skin
Torrent
Trace
Trickster
Truant
Twilight
Vital Flow
Vital Spirit
Volt Absorb
Water Absorb
Water Veil
White Out
White Smoke
Wind Absorb
Wonder Guard

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Abilities That Protect You

BATTLE ARMOR
This pokémon's tough exoskeleton makes critical hits impossible.
Block critical hits.
EXAMPLES: Anorith, Kabutops

CLEAR BODY
This pokémon's pristine body is unaffected by moves that try to lower stats.
Prevents ability reduction.
EXAMPLES: Tentacool, Metagross

DAMP
The humid air that surrounds this pokémon makes detonation difficult, effectively disabling SELFDISTRUCT and EXPLOSION for all battlers.
Prevents self-destruction.
EXAMPLES: Psyduck, Poliwhirl

EARLY BIRD
This pokémon is a light sleeper, and has a better-than-average chance of waking up on any given turn.
Awakens quickly from sleep.
EXAMPLES: Doduo, Houndour

HYPER CUTTER
The sharp edges or points that this pokémon possesses ensure that nothing short of a steel file can lower its Attack stat.
Prevents ATTACK reduction.
EXAMPLES: Krabby, Pinsir

IMMUNITY
This pokémon, although not Poison-type, has developed an immunity to toxins that rivals that of Poison-types.
Prevents poisoning.
EXAMPLES: Zangoose, Snorlax

INNER FOCUS
This pokémon is sufficiently focused that it cannot be frightened out of making a move. Well, either that, or it has no eyes; that achieves the same effect.
Prevents flinching.
EXAMPLES: Zubat, Kadabra

INSOMNIA
This pokémon is mostly nocturnal, and quite difficult to put to sleep normally.
Prevents sleep.
EXAMPLES: Hoothoot, Drowzee

KEEN EYE
This pokémon's vision is so superb that no accuracy-lowering moves work on it.
Prevents loss of accuracy.
EXAMPLES: Pidgeotto, Hitmonchan

LEVITATE
This pokémon hovers above the ground, and so is immune to Ground-based attacks and effects, even though it isn't technically Flying-type.
Not hit by GROUND attacks.
EXAMPLES: Koffing, Gastly

LIMBER
This pokémon is so flexible that being paralyzed doesn't really hinder it.
Prevents paralysis.
EXAMPLES: Hitmonlee, Persian

MAGMA ARMOR
This pokémon's body is so hot that any ice forming on it melts immediately.
Prevents freezing.
EXAMPLES: Camerupt, Slugma

NATURAL CURE
This pokémon's ability to heal itself will even extend to curing status conditions, if it is allowed to escape the thick of battle.
Heals upon switching out.
EXAMPLES: Chansey, Staryu

OBLIVIOUS
This pokémon is rather slow to pick up on things, so attempts to make it infatuated tend to be embarrassing failures.
Prevents attraction.
EXAMPLES: Numel, Slowpoke

OWN TEMPO
This pokémon's brain works just a little differently from most, making it quite difficult to confuse.
Prevents confusion.
EXAMPLES: Spinda, Spoink

RAIN DISH
The leafy 'dish' on top of this pokémon collects rainwater that it can feed on.
Gradually restores HP in rain.
EXAMPLES: Lotad

ROCK HEAD
This pokémon's head is so hard that it doesn't hurt itself when using dangerous moves like SUBMISSION or TAKE DOWN.
Prevents recoil damage.
EXAMPLES: Geodude, Cubone

RUN AWAY
This pokémon is a fast runner, and able to escape from any foe (although running from a trainer battle is still a no-no.)
Makes escaping easier.
EXAMPLES: Doduo, Rattata

SAND VEIL
Living in a desert, this pokémon has learned to use sandstorms to obscure its location. If it is not Ground, Rock or Steel-type, this Ability also prevents sandstorm damage.
Ups evasion in a sandstorm.
EXAMPLES: Sandshrew, Cacnea

SHED SKIN
This pokémon is capable of shedding its old skin, growing a new one underneath, to rid itself of unwanted status conditions.
Heals the body by shedding.
EXAMPLES: Ekans, Metapod

SHELL ARMOR
This pokémon's tough shell guards its sensitive body parts, ensuring that no enemy attack will be a critical hit.
Blocks critical hits.
EXAMPLES: Shellder, Omanyte

SHIELD DUST
This pokémon is constantly enveloped in a fine dust that prevents moves like POISON STING or FIRE PUNCH from ever scoring their possible side effects.
Prevents added effects.
EXAMPLES: Wurmple, Venomoth

SOUND PROOF
This pokémon's body is reinforced against sonic waves, granting immunity to sound-based attacks and effects.
Avoids sound-based moves.
EXAMPLES: Loudred, Voltorb

STICKY HOLD
This pokémon's sludgey body sticks to things, so that stealing items from it is just too difficult to bother trying.
Prevents item theft.
EXAMPLES: Grimer, Gulpin

STURDY
This pokémon's body is too solid to penetrate, making One-Hit KO moves worthless against it.
Negates 1-hit KO attacks.
EXAMPLES: Magneton, Golem

SUCTION CUPS
The bottom of this pokémon firmly attaches to the ground, allowing it to resist moves like ROAR and WHIRLWIND.
Firmly anchors the body.
EXAMPLES: Lileep, Octillery

THICK FAT
This pokémon sports a layer of insulation that halves damage from fire and ice.
Heat-and-cold prevention.
EXAMPLES: Snorlax, Dewgong

THICK SKIN
This pokémon's skin is thick enough to absorb impacts, so that Super-Effective physical attacks deal half-again damage instead of double.
Reduces physical weaknesses.
EXAMPLES: Fracticle

VITAL FLOW
This pokémon has an aura of energy around it, which not only protect itself from falling asleep, but all other pokémon on the battlefield as well.
Prevents sleep.
EXAMPLES: Pharaleoh

VITAL SPIRIT
This pokémon is bursting with energy, so much so that it couldn't even fall asleep if it tried.
Prevents sleep.
EXAMPLES: Vigoroth, Primeape

VOLT ABSORB
This pokémon's body is made to channel electricity, so when hit with an Electric-type attack, it actually regains some HP instead of losing it.
Turns electricity into HP.
EXAMPLES: Chinchou, Jolteon

WATER ABSORB
This pokémon lives by taking in water, so when hit with a Water-type attack, it can actually regain some HP instead of losing it.
Turns water into HP.
EXAMPLES: Poliwhirl, Vaporeon

WATER VEIL
This pokémon is constantly coated in a watery sheen that keeps it cool, even under Fire attacks that would otherwise burn it.
Prevents burns.
EXAMPLES: Wailmer, Seaking

WHITE SMOKE
This pokémon's body constantly issues a dense white smoke that blocks stat-lowering moves and effects.
Prevents ability reduction.
EXAMPLES: Torkoal

WIND ABSORB
This pokémon feeds on wind energy, so when hit with a Wind-type attack, it can actually regain some HP instead of losing it.
Turns wind into HP.
EXAMPLES: Hurricroak

WONDER GUARD
This pokémon is mysteriously protected from most damaging attacks—an attack has to be Super Effective just to get through to it. However, it is not protected from indirect damage such as LEECH SEED or SANDSTORM.
“Super Effective” hits.
EXAMPLES: Shedinja

Abilities That Boost Your Power

BLAZE
If this pokémon's health drops to a third of maximum, it can boost the power of its Fire-type attacks by 1.5 times to enable it to pull through.
Ups FIRE moves in a pinch.
EXAMPLES: Charmander, Torchic

CHLOROPHYLL
This pokémon takes energy directly from sunlight, so when the sun is shining brightly, it can move twice as fast as usual.
Raises SPEED in sunshine.
EXAMPLES: Oddish, Bellsprout

COMPOUNDEYES
This pokémon's eyes are specially suited for tracking movement, allowing for better accuracy.
Raises accuracy.
EXAMPLES: Butterfree, Venonat

FLASH FIRE
This pokémon is good at manipulating heat. If hit with a Fire-type attack, it can use the heat from that attack to supercharge its own fire power. While supercharged, the pokémon's Fire-type attacks deal 1.5 times as much damage, and it is immune to any further Fire-type attacks from the opponent.
Powers up if hit by fire.
EXAMPLES: Vulpix, Rapidash

FOCUS
If this pokémon is inflicted with a status condition, it will compensate by concentrating more, dealing 1.5 times as much damage with its special attacks.
Concentrates if suffering.
EXAMPLES: Miravistel

GUTS
If this pokémon is inflicted with a status condition, it will compensate by striking harder, dealing 1.5 times as much damage with its physical attacks.
Ups ATTACK if suffering.
EXAMPLES: Machop, Tyrogue

HOT TEMPER
If this pokémon's health drops to a third of maximum, it reacts by lowering its own Special Defense one level and raising its Special Attack one level.
Hotheadedly attacks when weak.
EXAMPLES: Tyrantorch

HUGE POWER
This pokémon is able to use its bulky body to make physical attacks hit harder, dealing twice as much damage as its Attack stat would normally indicate.
Raises ATTACK in battle.
EXAMPLES: Marill

HUSTLE
This pokémon likes to hit hard, dealing 1.5 times as much damage with all of its damaging attacks. However, this gung-ho approach makes its attacks easy to avoid; attack accuracy is only four-fifths of the usual for each move.
Trades accuracy for power.
EXAMPLES: Togepi, Delibird

MARVEL SCALE
When this pokémon is suffering from a status condition, the scales on its body compensate by hardening, to raise Defense to 1.5 times its normal level.
Ups DEFENSE if suffering.
EXAMPLES: Milotic

OVERGROW
If this pokémon's health drops to a third of maximum, it can boost the power of its Grass-type attacks by 1.5 times to enable it to pull through.
Ups GRASS moves in a pinch.
EXAMPLES: Bulbasaur, Chikorita

PAIN
If this pokémon's health drops to one half of maximum, it reacts by lowering its own Defense one level and raising its Attack one level.
Fakes injury when weak.
EXAMPLES: Phobain

PANIC
If this pokémon's health drops to one half of maximum, it reacts by lowering its own Attack one level and raising its Defense one level.
Frantically defends when weak.
EXAMPLES: Depanos

PURE POWER
Daily meditation has raised this pokémon's power to the point where its physical attacks inflict twice as much damage as its Attack stat would normally indicate.
Raises ATTACK.
EXAMPLES: Medicham

SERENE GRACE
Fortune smiles on this pokémon, so that when it uses an attack that has a chance of causing a side effect, the chance of that side effect doubles.
Promotes added effects.
EXAMPLES: Chansey, Jirachi

SPEED BOOST
This pokémon can move at insane speeds if it's allowed to build momentum. Every turn this pokémon stays out in battle, its Speed is raised another level.
Gradually boosts SPEED.
EXAMPLES: Ninjask, Yanma

SWARM
If this pokémon's health drops to a third of maximum, it can boost the power of its Bug-type attacks by 1.5 times to enable it to pull through.
Ups BUG moves in a pinch.
EXAMPLES: Beedrill, Scyther

SWIFT SWIM
This pokémon can move fast through water. It can even get a speed boost if it's just raining hard enough, moving at twice its normal speed.
Raises SPEED in rain.
EXAMPLES: Goldeen, Horsea

TORRENT
If this pokémon's health drops to a third of maximum, it can boost the power of its Water-type attacks by 1.5 times to enable it to pull through.
Ups WATER moves in a pinch.
EXAMPLES: Squirtle, Totodile

Abilities That Harm The Foe

CUTE CHARM
The adorable face and smooth fur of this pokémon are so irresistably cute that a pokémon of the opposite gender has a 30% chance to become infatuated with it every time it hits this pokémon with a contact move.
Infatuates on contact.
EXAMPLES: Skitty, Clefairy

EFFECT SPORE
This pokémon is coated with spores of several kinds. Any pokémon hitting it with a contact move has a 10% chance to get spores on itself and be either poisoned, paralyzed or put to sleep at random.
Leaves spores on contact.
EXAMPLES: Shroomish, Paras

FLAME BODY
Since this pokémon's body is literally on fire, any opponent hitting it with a contact move has a 30% chance of burning itself.
Burns the foe on contact.
EXAMPLES: Slugma, Magmar

FRIGID
This pokémon's body is frozen solid and so cold, that any opponent hitting it with a contact move has a 30% chance of freezing itself.
Freezes foe on contact.
EXAMPLES: Midice

INTIMIDATE
This pokémon has so fearsome a visage that its battle cry on entering combat actually counts as a use of GROWL, lowering the enemy's Attack by one level.
Lowers the foe’s attack.
EXAMPLES: Gyarados, Arcanine

LIQUID OOZE
This pokémon's body is made of toxic substances that will actually hurt anyone trying to drain its energy with moves like ABSORB or LEECH LIFE.
Draining causes injury.
EXAMPLES: Tentacool, Gulpin

POISON POINT
This pokémon has poisonous barbs on its body. Any opponent hitting it with a contact move has a 30% chance of touching a barb and poisoning itself.
Poisons foe on contact.
EXAMPLES: Nidoran, Roselia

PRESSURE
Battling this pokémon can be very strenuous. Its opponents tend to tire themselves out quickly, using up 2 PP instead of 1 for every move used.
Raises foe’s PP usage.
EXAMPLES: Dusclops, Mewtwo

RADIOACTIVE
This pokémon's body emits radiation constantly. Everyone other than Poison-types and Steel-types will lose 5 hit points every round this pokémon remains on the field.
Damages with radiation.
EXAMPLES: Abominatom

ROUGH SKIN
This pokémon's surface is serrated, so that merely touching it hurts. Opponents hitting it with a contact move take a small fraction of the damage dealt as recoil (Rock Head does not prevent this damage.)
Hurts to touch.
EXAMPLES: Carvanha

STATIC
Electricity courses through this pokémon's body at all times. Opponents hitting it with a contact move have a 30% chance of getting a paralyzing shock.
Paralyzes on contact.
EXAMPLES: Mareep, Pikachu

SYNCHRONIZE
If this pokémon is inflicted with a status condition (except for those that fully incapacitate it,) it retaliates by duplicating the effect on the opponent.
Passes on status problems.
EXAMPLES: Ralts, Espeon

Abilities That Trap The Foe

ARENA TRAP
This pokémon digs a slippery slope into the ground around it, making opponents unable to get away from it. Flying-types and pokémon with Levitate are unaffected, however.
Prevents fleeing.
EXAMPLES: Trapinch, Diglett

GRAVITY PULL
This pokémon's gravitational forces are so strong, that it pulls opponents towards it, so that they are unable to get away.
Prevents the foe’s escape.
EXAMPLES: Gravitark

MAGNET PULL
This pokémon magnetically attracts Steel-types, so that they are unable to escape from it.
Traps STEEL-type POKéMON.
EXAMPLES: Magneton, Nosepass

SHADOW TAG
An unearthly aura surrounds this pokémon, holding opponents in place so that they are unable to escape from it.
Prevents the foe’s escape.
EXAMPLES: Wobbuffet

Weather-Affecting Abilities

AIR-LOCK
This pokémon can exert control over the atmosphere and prevent all unusual weather from occuring.
Negates weather effects.
EXAMPLES: Rayquaza

CLOUD NINE
An aura surrounding this pokémon has a calming effect on local climate that prevents any unusual weather from occuring.
Negates weather effects.
EXAMPLES: Golduck

DRIZZLE
This pokémon's water-based powers generate a rain shower wherever it appears. The shower can be cancelled by other weather moves, but does not wear off in five turns.
Summons rain in battle.
EXAMPLES: Kyogre

DROUGHT
This pokémon's heat-based powers intensify the sun's rays wherever it appears. The effect can be cancelled by other weather moves, but does not wear off in five turns.
Summons sunlight in battle.
EXAMPLES: Groudon

SAND STREAM
This pokémon's dry, rocky body starts sandstorms blowing wherever it appears. The effect can be cancelled by other weather moves, but does not wear off in five turns.
Summons a sandstorm.
EXAMPLES: Tyranitar

TWILIGHT
The dark, ghostly aura surrounding this pokémon's body creates a blanket of night that covers the area, hindering vision. Evasiveness for all pokémon on the field increases and time of the day is set to night. The effect can be cancelled by other weather moves, but does not wear off in five turns.
Summons darkness in battle.
EXAMPLES: Stalker

WHITE OUT
This pokémon's cold, frozen body generates a hailstorm wherever it appears. The effect can be cancelled by other weather moves, but does not wear off in five turns.
Summons hail in battle.
EXAMPLES: Midice

2-On-2 Battle Abilities

LIGHTNINGROD
This pokémon's body naturally attracts electricity, ensuring that no Electric-type attack will be able to hit its ally.
Draws electrical moves.
EXAMPLES: Rhydon, Manectric

MINUS
If this negatively-charged pokémon teams up with a pokémon with Plus, each will be able to deal 1.5 times as much damage with their special attacks.
Powers up with PLUS.
EXAMPLES: Minun

NEUTRAL
When an Electric-type move affects this pokémon, it gains either the Plus or Minus special ability, at random.
Changes charge at random.
EXAMPLES: Minun

PLUS
If this positively-charged pokémon teams up with a pokémon with Minus, each will be able to deal 1.5 times as much damage with their special attacks.
Powers up with MINUS.
EXAMPLES: Plusle

Out-Of-Battle Abilities

ILLUMINATE
This pokémon emits a bright light from its body. If you put it in the lead, its light will draw wild pokémon to you.
Encounter rate increases.
EXAMPLES: Volbeat, Chinchou

PERFUME
This pokémon smells downright delicious. If you put it in the lead, its gorgeous odor will attract various wild pokémon.
Helps attract wild POKéMON.
EXAMPLES: Syruple

PICKUP
This curious pokémon likes to find things. Every time you win a battle of any kind, there is a 10% chance that this pokémon will be holding a random item it didn't have before (unless it was already holding something.)
May pick up items.
EXAMPLES: Zigzagoon, Meowth

STENCH
This pokémon is downright putrid. If you put it in the lead, its offensive odor will drive away most wild pokémon.
Helps repel wild POKéMON.
EXAMPLES: Grimer

Abilities That Harm You

TRUANT
This pokémon is so lazy that, regardless of how many badges you have, it cannot bring itself to do more than sit there on every second turn.
Moves only every two turns.
EXAMPLES: Slakoth

Miscellaneous Abilities

COLOR CHANGE
This pokémon's ability to blend in with its surroundings works in battle, too. Every time it's hit with a damaging attack, it changes its element to match.
Changes type to foe's move.
EXAMPLES: Kecleon

FORECAST
This pokémon alters its form—and its element—to match the weather.
Changes with the weather.
EXAMPLES: Castform

NO ABILITY
This pokémon doesn't actually have any Special Ability!
No special ability.
EXAMPLES: -none currently known- Even though the data for a "No Ability" Ability is in Nintendo's games, all pokémon to date have some Special Ability. Perhaps the concept of an Ability-less pokémon was an idea that was abandoned mid-production.

TRACE
When this pokémon is sent into battle, it copies the opponent's Special Ability and can use that Ability until it is recalled.
Copies special ability.
EXAMPLES: Ralts, Porygon

TRICKSTER
This pokémon will disguise itself randomly for five turns in a battle, once per battle. There is a 10% chance of happening each turn until the disguise is accomplished. It can only disguise as basic pokemon.
Disguises as a random pokémon.
EXAMPLES: Prankstar