A Pokémon battle of a Chespin battling a Fletchling in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
Pokémon battles have been a major part of the Pokémon franchise since their introduction in Generation I.
Description[]
A Pokémon battle involves a confrontation between one or more Pokémon Trainers or wild Pokémon. It appears in nearly all forms of Pokémon media except only a few such as Pokémon Channel. The Pokémon compete against each other with the goal of defeating the opposing party. They use the moves available to them to harm their opponent either directly or indirectly, or to protect themselves from taking damage. Pokémon battles rarely involve both wild Pokémon on opposing sides, with one side usually having Pokémon under the ownership of a Pokémon Trainer.
In any battle, a Pokémon Trainer can have up to six Pokémon, which is the highest number they can have in their party. When each side involves a Pokémon Trainer, battles become more similar to a blood sport, as the Pokémon Trainers are competing to defeat all Pokémon on the opposing side, much like dog fighting. Once a Pokémon has lost all of its HP, it faints and cannot continue in battle. In trainer battles, whoever has no Pokémon left on the team is considered defeated.
Varieties[]
The traditional set up of a Pokémon battle involves only two sides. In Generation I and Generation II, all Pokémon battles involve only two sides competing, with only a single Pokémon present on each side at once. From Generation III onward, varieties of Pokémon battles have been introduced, and their differences are usually the number of Pokémon present and sometimes the number of Pokémon Trainers.
Battle facilities usually have certain rules or restrictions, such as requiring all Pokémon to be at a certain level. The restrictions are why battle facilities usually have Pokémon for the participants to rent to use there only.
Double Battles were introduced in Generation III as the first battle variety. In it, each Pokémon Trainer battles using two Pokémon at a time. If there are two or more Pokémon Trainers on each side, it becomes a Multi Battle.
In Generation V, both Triple Battles and Rotation Battles make their debut. Both types of battles involve three Pokémon on each side, but they are arranged differently on each side.
A few battle varieties were introduced in Generation VI. One is a Horde Encounter, an unbalanced battle style where the player uses only one Pokémon to fight multiple opponents, which are usually weaker than the player's. Similarly, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire involves battling five Pokémon from a horde of Pokémon Trainers. Sky Battles are another type of battle, in which Pokémon battle high in the sky, so most of the only Pokémon that can be involved need to know Fly or have the Levitate Ability. The only other battle type introduced is Inverse Battle, where the type advantages and disadvantages are reversed.
Battle Royal and SOS Battle are the two battle varieties introduced in Generation VII. Battle Royals involve four trainers, each allowed up to three Pokémon, and the winner is determined by how many Pokémon they defeated and how many are unfazed. SOS Battles only occur during wild encounters, where the wild Pokémon calls in another wild Pokémon to join its side during a battle.
Generation VIII introduces the Max Raid Battle, which usually take place within Pokémon Dens in Wild Areas, and they involve up to four players battling a wild Pokémon that has permanently undergone its Dynamax or Gigantamax form.
Starting a battle[]
Pokémon Platinum Version screenshot showing the start of a battle against a wild Budew
In the core series, a Pokémon battle can begin under various circumstances. A battle against a wild Pokémon begins at random from roaming around in tall grass, roaming around in caves, or using Surf on a body of water.
Pokémon Trainers always begin a battle when one of them notices the other, more specifically a non-playable character taking notice of the player. Some of the Pokémon battles are optional, if the player manages to sneak past, but others are required and advance the storyline, such as against members of the game's villainous team, Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and lastly the Pokémon Champion, a title given to the highest ranked battler; in Pokémon the Series, the title is Pokémon Master instead.
As soon as a battle begins, battle music plays and the view changes to its own battle mode. The transitional animation depends on various factors, such as the time or where the battle is occuring. When a battle with a wild Pokémon begans, "A wild <name of Pokémon> appears!" is displayed onscreen, but in a Pokémon Trainer, the message is "<Trainer name> wants to battle!" instead. A wild Pokémon is always shown on the battle screen from the start, while trainers summon theirs from their Poké Balls before starting the battle.
Turns[]
All Pokémon battles are turn-based. Each time it is the player's turn, they choose from one of four options, which have been consistent throughout the core series: "Fight" to choose one of up to four moves for their Pokémon to use; "Bag" to access their Bag and choose which item to use; "Pokémon" to switch a different Pokémon into battle, or "Run" to try and escape from the battle. In most battles, it is only possible to use one of the four options.
The Pokémon with a higher Speed stat usually attacks first, followed by the slower Pokémon. However, certain moves such as Quick Attack are guaranteed to allow the user to go first. The side who either uses an item or either recalls or flees always uses its turn first. Some of the more powerful moves require the Pokémon to take two or more turns to charge it, so even if the Pokémon is faster, they still have to wait for the opposing side to use the same number of turns that charging the move requires.
Structure[]
Each side has to employ their own strategies throughout the battles, typically which move is the most effective to use at a time or which item can help the Pokémon out the most. Strategies involving which moves are more critical in battles where using items is prohibited, such as at a Battle Frontier or the Battle Subway.
Many non-playable characters generally do not use items on their Pokémon in battle, but more experienced trainers do, namely Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and Champion. Scientists use stat-enhancing items such as X Attack, Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion use items in battle.
When battling wild Pokémon, a trainer may attempt to use a Poké Ball to catch the Pokémon. If the capture is successful, the battle ends with the trainer obtaining it as their new Pokémon. If the capture fails, the wild Pokémon uses a move, and the battle continues. If the player tries to use a Poké Ball in a trainer battle, the opponent blocks the Poké Ball, as trainers are forbid from stealing others' Pokémon.
Fleeing is another option that works only in wild encounters, unless the Pokémon is trapped in battle from a move such as Leech Seed. If the player is unsuccessful at fleeing, this counts as the end of their turn. From Generation II onward, some wild Pokémon may decide to flee.
Battles allow Pokémon to gain experience points if they have not fainted, regardless of how much the Pokémon has actually participated in battle. As more experience points are acquired, the Pokémon's level may increase, and therefore its statistics and effort values, as well as possibly learning a move or even evolving. If a Pokémon has gone beyond a certain level, it may start to disobey the trainer, but as the player acquires Gym Badges, the maximum level of obedience that a Pokémon has increases.
Environment[]
Pokémon battles can take place in a variety of environments, something that is reflected by the background from Generation III onward. The terrain can affect the usage of moves such as Secret Power. Certain attacks can also temporarily change the battlefield. The battle can sometimes also be affected by the weather, which can be changed itself temporarily by certain moves and Abilities.
Aftermath[]
Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version screenshot in which the wild Starly is caught, which is a way to end the battle
In trainer battles, the end of battle is always either winning or losing. In wild encounters, it can be either catching the Pokémon or fleeing from the battle.
If the player wins a battle by defeating all of the opponent's Pokémon, the experience points and effort values earned by the opponent's last Pokémon are calculated first. A dialog box then appears and the player receives Pokémon Dollars, the number being higher with certain Trainer classes and especially the stronger their opponent's Pokémon are. Some trainers give additional items when losing, namely Gym Leaders, who give prizes such as a Gym Badge and a TM. Some battles do not reward anything, such as in battle facilities, nor are the Pokémon encountered there registered in the Pokédex.
If the player loses, which is when all of their Pokémon has fainted, they "black out" and are next seen at either the most recently visited Pokémon Center or their home if they have not visited one yet. Regardless of the destination, every Pokémon in the player's party has their HP and PP fully restored, as well as any status conditions cured. Just as the opposing trainer hands out money upon losing, the player also does this action, more specifically half of their money in games up to Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version, but from Pokémon Emerald Version onward, the number of Pokémon Dollars lost is the value of the level of the strongest Pokémon in the player's party multiplied by 120. If the last Pokémon on both sides are KO'd simultaneously, such from either Pokémon using Explosion, the player is still determined to have lost.
If a wild Pokémon is caught, the Pokédex entry of its species is also shown if the player has received a member of it for the first time. The player is then able to give the wild Pokémon a nickname. If the player already has six Pokémon in their party, a dialog box informs them that the Pokémon has been transferred to the Pokémon Storage System. From Generation VII onward, the player can send a different Pokémon to the box instead and add the newly caught Pokémon directly to the team. Prior to Generation V, no experience points are awarded to the player's Pokémon who participated in the wild encounter up to the point of the wild Pokémon being caught.
Appearances[]
Core series[]
In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, some battles have natural objects, which can be destroyed to obtain certain items from them once the battle is over.
In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, the player is able to flee from a Pokémon battle, although this is counted as a loss, meaning that the player hands out Pokémon Dollars before showing up at the most recently visited Pokémon Center.
Anime[]
Pokémon battles are a central theme in Pokémon the Series. Ash Ketchum strives to become a Pokémon Master by engaging in battles with several trainers throughout his journey. Many of the battles have a referee, unlike the core series, who determines if a Pokémon is unable to battle as well as the winner of a match.
Battles are a lot less linear than in the core series, especially because they are not turn-based. From this, trainers are given a lot more freedom, to the point of even forming their own strategies, such as Ash's Pikachu using his tail as a lightning rod in "Electric Shock Showdown". Many Pokémon can use more than four moves, especially in earlier seasons. The environment has a larger role, with Pokémon having the ability to take advantage of their surroundings, such as by hiding behind trees or rocks, or by diving through water.
Particularly nimble Pokémon like Ash's Pikachu can dodge enemy attacks and thereby gain an advantage against stronger but slower opponents.
Some battles have specialized rules, like some in the core series, especially in battle facilities or in battles against certain trainers like the Island Kahunas. The different rules are often to test certain skills of the trainer. One instance of a restrictive battle occurs in "Guiding an Awakening!", where Ash is only allowed to use one Pokémon against Nanu's three Pokémon.
Battles are often interrupted by the Team Rocket trio's plot to steal Pokémon, such as Ash's and Misty's in "The Water Flowers of Cerulean City", or Ash's and Clemont's in "Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!".
Manga[]
Pokémon Adventures[]
Battles against other trainers, including Gym Leaders, are also in Pokémon Adventures. Villainous teams are more violent with their Pokémon and use them to threaten or attack other characters in battles. The injuries to Pokémon from battling are more noticeable, and at one point, Blue's Charmeleon even slices off the head of Koga's Arbok. The battles are less linear, like with the anime, and trainers also utilize some of their own strategies.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters[]
In Pokémon Pocket Monsters, Pokémon either use proper moves or objects, but they can also attack with their body. A trainer wins various battles when the opposing Pokémon has been damaged enough, but various actions that prevent the opposing Pokémon from fighting also apply, such as by throwing it far out of the arena.
Trading Card Game[]
Battles within the Pokémon Trading Card Game are mostly reflective of battles in the core series, namely for being turn-based battles between two players. Pokémon have a certain number of HP, which has to be reduced to zero through either attacks or indirect damage to defeat them. A player can normally have one active Pokémon and up to five Pokémon on the bench, just as a party in the core series can have up to six Pokémon. While there are fewer types than in the core series, the type advantages and disadvantages are still very similar. Items are also usable in battle, and status conditions like Poison, Paralysis, and Sleep also retain similar effects. In certain cases, the game has allowed for two-on-two Multi Battles.
There are some major differences. A Pokémon has the ability to evolve during a battle. There are also supporter cards, which depict a character, usually a trainer, who helps the player using the card in a certain way. Instead of PP, a Pokémon needs to have an energy card to be able to use its move of the matching type, or even to recall and switch out a different Pokémon. While only up to five Pokémon cards can be on the bench, a player may have more than six basic Pokémon in their deck, as both sides each begin with sixty cards in their deck. After a player defeats a certain number of Pokémon, they win and receive a "prize card" from the opposing player.