And a special thanks to
Here, I will explain how the first 10 Pokemon Abilities work realistically, and what they would look like.
1. Stench
"Stench has a 10% chance of making the target flinch when hit by a damaging move... Outside of battle, if the Pokemon with Stench is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), the chance of encountering a wild Pokemon is decreased by 50%" (Bulbapedia). Gloom has this as a Hidden Ability, while Grimer, Muk, Stunky, Skuntank, Trubbish, and Garbodor all can have it regularly.
This ability is relatively self-explanatory. The Pokemon stinks. Literally. It stinks so badly that it causes the opponent to curl their nose and turn away, losing a turn. I wouldn't necessarily call it flinching, like the game states it. It's more like a purely disgusted and gagging on its own stomach fluids type of reaction. Additionally, the bad stench causes wild Pokemon to flee from the powerful odor, even the hardiest seem to flee from this horrendous odor
Gloom's honey drool is rather stinky, but doesn't get especially bad unless it has this Hidden Ability. Grimer and Muk are sludge, Stunky and Skuntank are skunks, and Trubbish and Garbodor are literally a pile of garbage. This is by far the easiest Ability to have to explain... Why did I even bother to do this one...? In case you wanted to know, Stunky and Skuntank expel it from their behinds, while the sludge and garbage 'mons burp their toxic gases. This stench (ha-hah, get it?) lasts for 24 hours... Ew.
In contests, this is probably not the best idea, unless you want to dock yourself points or use it to your advantage to cause the opponent to falter from the stench (since the stench lasts for a long time, any other person coming up to the stage after you will be greeted by your lovely present). I really can't see this as any other use, unless you could visibly see it and whip it around with wind. In the wild, it's good to have this Pokemon out, so you can keep any aggressive wild Pokemon at bay while you run to the nearest Pokemon Center or rush back to town or scare away potential trainers/bad guys.
2. Drizzle (Rainfall - JP Tran.)
"Drizzle summons rain in battle as soon as the Pokemon with Drizzle enters the battle, [and lasts for five turns. This can be extended to eight turns if the Pokemon is holding a Damp Rock.] Its effects are the same as the move Rain Dance. If a Pokemon with Drizzle is sent out in the same turn as another Pokemon whose Ability affects the weather, the slower Pokemon's Ability will override the faster Pokemon's Ability. If heavy rain, extremely harsh sunlight, or a mysterious air current is present, Drizzle will fail to activate" (Bulbapedia).
This Ability is a bit strange. Before Gen VI, it would last the entire battle, but now it lasts only as long as Rain Dance. I guess it was a meta-game thing, where it was too OP, so they nerfed it. Three Pokemon can have this ability, those being Politoed as a Hidden Ability, Pelipper in Gen VII, and Kyogre as its former signature Ability. When the Pokemon unleashes its powers and readies for battle, they create dark clouds and make a torrential downpour.
Since Kyogre is a Legendary, it could probably keep it raining for an indeterminate amount of time, being the one who created the marine ecosystem and filled the planet with oceans and seas. Since it is a Legendary, its Drizzle is different from the other two Pokemon, causing tsunamis and storms. Politoed and Pelipper probably use a variation of Rain Dance that immediately take effect when the battle starts, but it only lasts for a short amount of time because, to keep it raining, they must exert an extensive level of energy. That level of energy could only be achieved if they are Kyogre.
In contests, this could do well if you want to show off your Rain Dance team, making Water-Type moves look amazing, as well as making typhoons to show off the raw power of your Pokemon. I could see this being used in a Beauty, Tough, and Cool types of contests, showing off cool stunts of your Pokemon doing something in the rain, or manipulating the rain to make it look tough, cool, or beautiful. In the wild, this would obviously having some advantages, either healing any Pokemon allies nearby that have Rain Dish or Dry Skin, as well as reducing the damage of Fire-Type moves to a minimum (could be stacked with Water Sport, too... Mwahaha!). Seeing the kinds of Pokemon who have this ability, they would most likely use it to get away or weaken their opponent as they try to repel them away from their territory. If Kyogre does it, then that just means it hates the sight of land and tries to get rid of it by sinking it all in water... Yea, it really needs to get on with the times. Or it could just be so enraged from waking up abruptly in its nap that it tries to coat everything in water.
3. Speed Boost (Acceleration - JP Tran.)
"At the end of each turn, Speed Boost raises the Speed stat of the Pokemon with this Ability by one stage. Speed Boost will not activate on the turn the Pokemon with this Ability is switched in. It will activate if the Pokemon is switched in due to a previous Pokemon fainting" (Bulbapedia).
This one kind of sounds like they gradually get faster and faster the longer they are out on the battlefield. Oh wait, that's exactly what that is! Yanma, Mega Blaziken, Ninjask, and Yanmega have this as their natural Ability, while Torchic, Combusken, Blaziken, Carvanha, Sharpedo, Venipede, Whirlipede, and Scolipede (after Gen V) have it as their Hidden Ability. This Ability activates when the Pokemon receives a surge of adrenaline or recognizes that it's in a battle, causing them to get faster and faster as time goes on.
Yanma, Ninjask, and Yanmega fly continually faster, leaving a trail of "light"/illusion/afterimage behind them, their wings moving faster and faster as their heart rate speeds up. Torchic, Combusken, Blaziken, Mega Blaziken, Venipede, Whirlipede, and Scolipede move around the field on foot to gain speed, their legs getting more and more twitchy as they move around more and more. Carvanha and Sharpedo build up speed while swimming, becoming more and more savage and wanting to get a hit on the opponent quickly while the adrenaline fuels their bloodlust (which makes them faster). Sometimes, the Pokemon will lose its boosts when they get hit, but that's from the anime, and I have no idea how accurate that is, even though it's canon... (Officer Jenny calling her Growlithe an Arcanine? Heh...).
In contests, this could be utilized in Tough, Cool, or Smart contests, showing off your Pokemon's strength as well as speed, or showing how well you can use your other attacks in quick succession in a show of cleverness and with great timing. In contest battles, this could be used to infiltrate the Pokemon's defenses and setup, destroying their appeal and making them look like silly dunces. In the wild, this is mainly used to infiltrate opponent's defenses, leaving it little room to attack back, or to get away quickly.
4. Battle Armor (Kabuto Armor - JP Tran.)
"Battle Armor prevents the opponent from landing a critical hit" (Bulbapedia). Wow... That's simple.
Battle Armor, or Kabuto Armor, is armor that is as tough as a Kabuto's armor. It protects the Pokemon from attacks that are aimed at their weak points or when they aren't paying attention and should get a crit (more commonly known as critical hits). Cubone and Marowak have access to it as their Hidden Ability, while Kabuto, Kabutops, Anorith, Armaldo, Skorupi, Drapion, and Type: Null have this Ability naturally.
Kabuto, Kabutops, Anorith, and Armaldo's fossilized scales help to protect them from predators. Cubone and Marowak either use their skulls to take the hits, or their scales are super tough, leaving them without a weak spot. Skorupi and Drapion have a really tough exoskeleton, while Type: Null was just made by an amalgamation of different Pokemon, so the Pokemon's hide must be tough and durable, giving it the Battle Armor Ability.
In contests, this could be used to make your Pokemon look tough by making it get hit by a bunch of different attacks (hopefully that it isn't weak to). I would most likely see this ability actually being used in Tough contest battles, where the opponent has no way to get through its defenses enough to land a sure and powerful hit, leaving them no room for critical hits. Although, this is a hard one to even see happening, unless they knew beforehand. I guess scars would look cool... In the wild, Battle Armor is all there to protect the Pokemon, nothing else special about it.
5. Sturdy
Any attack/damage (except for Perish Song and Destiny Bond) that would drop the Pokemon with this ability from full to zero health will leave it with one HP. It acts much like a Focus Sash. Basically, the Pokemon's will or tough body keeps them from fainting from a single hit, just as long as they aren't weakened beforehand.
Pokemon who may have this naturally are Geodude, Alolan Geodude, Graveler, Alolan Graveler, Golem, Alolan Golem, Magnemite, Magneton, Onix, Sudowoodo, Pineco, Forretress, Steelix, Shuckle, Skarmory, Donphan, Nosepass, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Bonsly, Magnezone, Probopass, Roggenrola, Boldore, Gigalith, Sawk, Dwebble, Crustle, Tirtouga, Carracosta, and Cosmoem. Relicanth, Regirock, Tyrunt, Carbink, Bergmite, Avalugg, and Togedemaru have access to it as their Hidden Abilty.
Any Pokemon that are made out of rock and/or metal or have rock/rock-like/metal/metal-like structures on them (Geodude, Alolan Geodude, Graveler, Alolan Graveler, Golem, Alolan Golem, Magnemite, Magneton, Onix, Sudowoodo, Steelix, Shuckle, Skarmory, Nosepass, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Regirock, Bonsly, Magnezone, Probopass, Roggenrola, Boldore, Gigalith, Dwebble, Crustle, Carbink, and Togedemaru) will use their feature(s) to "protect" themselves from OHKO attacks. Any Pokemon with any other tough materials covering their body (Pineco, Forretress, Relicanth, Bergmite, and Avalugg) will use it to "protect" themselves, as well. Any Pokemon with a strong determination to stay alive after a hit (Sawk), Pokemon with a really tough hide (Donphan, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Tirtouga, Carracosta and Tyrunt), and Pokemon with a very dense body (Cosmoem) will live when hit by said OHKO attacks.
In contests and in the wild, this is used to survive any OHKO attacks or any powerful attacks that could OHKO it in a single attack. Just a defensive maneuver, so it could either run or make a last-ditch attempt at attacking before finally succumbing to their wounds.
6. Damp (Moisture - JP Tran.)
"Damp prevents all Pokemon from using Self-Destruct and Explosion," (Bulbapedia), as well as the Ability Aftermath. They dampen their surroundings to prevent such explosive attacks, whether by actual water or by spreading some spore-like substance which is damp (kind of like a Bug-Type Water Sport).
Pokemon who have this naturally are Psyduck, Golduck, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Politoed, Wooper, and Quagsire, while Paras, Parasect, Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Frillish, and Jellicent have it as their Hidden Ability. All the Water-Type Pokemon listed above use their Water powers to make the field and air damp, whether be it a physical action using a kind of Water Sport-Mist combination or their moist skin causes the air around them to mist up slightly with wator vapor. The odd Pokemon in this list (Paras and Parasect) use their mushrooms to expel a kind of damp spore, rendering the Pokemon around them unable to explode.
This water vapor serves no other purpose except to stop the explosions from happening. The opponent becomes covered in the damp air, rendering it unable to explode because of the water droplets making them too... Well, damp to explode in the first place. The reason for this is a mystery though it should be noted that in the world outside of Pokemon, explosives, as a whole, are rendered ineffective by moisture. I'm thinking that Damp makes the opponent stick together with a bit of Hydrogen-Oxygen bonding from the water vapor in the air, or it needs heat/arid enviroments to explode, which there are none in the air after Damp is activated. When I say heat, I actually mean just room temperature or higher, and Damp brings it down quite a bit. It's also difficult to do much damage when the air is moist. This means that the Pokemon who use these explosive moves will not faint, and it is shown in the manga that the Pokemon had a bit of smoke rise from their body when they tried to use Explosion against Red's Poliwrath (of course, that same manga edition was still experimenting with Abilities, since it was a new thing in Gen III. The reason why I say this is because the Pokemon fainted after the explosion was nullified, which shouldn't exactly happen, but I guess there could be some truth to it).
In contests, this water vapor could be used to make the audience and judges feel as if they're taking a cold shower or being near a misty waterfall. This could also ruin your opponents strategy when they try to take your Pokemon down with it with explosive moves, or getting the last laugh. In the wild, it's mainly used to for defense, protecting it from its prey or predators or enemies that seem to want to perform kamikaze.
7. Limber (Flexible - JP Tran.)
"Limber prevents the Pokemon from being afflicted with paralysis" (Bulbapedia). This is simple enough as it is, but the ability does need a bit of explaining as to why it is called Limber/Flexible. When you stretch (therefore becoming flexible) before you do a work-out, you can reduce the chances of pulling or damaging a muscle (I've heard mixed opinions about this though). I guess in a battle, if you pull a muscle, you're essentially paralyzed from the pain. Most of the Pokemon who have this ability are rather lithe in appearance.
The Pokemon with this Ability naturally are Persian, Hitmonlee, Ditto, Glameow, Purrloin, Liepard, Stunfisk, Hawlucha, Mareanie, and Toxapex, while the other two that get it as a Hidden Ability are Buneary and Lopunny. All the cat Pokemon, Hitmonlee, Ditto, Buneary, Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Stunfisk (to some degree) have lithe or supple body shapes, making it next to almost impossible for them to damage anything or to have their nervous system scrambled. Mareanie and Toxapex are based off of sea anemones, so their nervous systems are covered in materials that protect them from being scrambled. In the wild, this could help them keep from hurting themselves or protect them from predatory or prey-like Electric-Type Pokemon.
In contests, Pokemon with Limber physically show that they are Limber. A Persian with the Ability Limber will look more lithe or supple than a Persian with a different Ability, like Technician or Unnerve. This could make the Pokemon even more graceful when performing stunts. This could also protect the Pokemon during a contest battle or a regular battle from harming themselves by pulling a muscle or getting paralyzed.
8. Sand Veil (Hidden in Sand - JP Tran.)
"During a sandstorm, the accuracy of any move against a Pokemon with this Ability is modified by a factor of 4/5. A Pokemon with this Ability will take no damage from the sandstorm if it otherwise would.... if a Pokemon with Sand Veil is in the first place in the party (even if fainted) in an area with a sandstorm (such as Route 228 in Sinnoh), the chance of encountering a wild Pokemon is decreased by 50%" (Bulbapedia). The sandstorm, as you probably guessed, helps them to hide, whether it's because of the same color palette, or their ability to "guide" the sands around them (Ground-Type powers, especially if they can learn Sandstorm). Their skin is also tougher, to withstand the buffeting of the sands, which can be from their living conditions.
The Pokemon who may have this naturally are Sandshrew, Sandslash, Diglett and Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio and Alolan Dugtrio, Gligar, Gliscor, Cacnea, Cacturne, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Helioptile, and Heliolisk. Phanpy, Donphan, Larvitar, Stunfisk, Sandygast, and Palossand have it as their Hidden Ability. In the wild, they use this Ability to hide from predators or to efficiently strike prey, since the sands around them cover them and keep their predators/prey in the dark as to their position. Sandshrew, Sandslash, Diglett, Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio, Alolan Dugtrio, Helioptile, Heliolisk, Larvitar, Stunfisk, Sandygast, and Palossand are just about the same color palette for sand, and Sandygast and Palossand are literally sand. For Gligar, Gliscor, Cacnea, Cacturne, Gable, Gabite, Garchomp, Phanpy, and Donphan, they either move around fast enough, or the sand sticks to their skin, allowing them to hide better.
In contests, you can mystify the audience and judges by having a Pokemon with Sand Veil use Sandstorm, and then disappearing and reappearing in different spots through the sandstorm (just as long as the Sandstorm doesn't extend to the audience).
9. Static (Static Electricity - JP Tran.)
"When a Pokemon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, there is a 30% chance that the attacking Pokemon will become paralyzed. This can affect Ground-Type Pokemon.... if a Pokemon with Static is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), then there is a 50% chance the game will force an encounter with an Electric-type Pokemon, if one is possible" (Bulbapedia). I’ll bet you guys didn't know those last two bits until now! The electricity coursing throughout the Pokemon's body can hit other unsuspecting predators/attackers, locking up their body parts so the Pokemon with Static can either run away or take the unfair advantage. The lesser-known effect could be from the Electric-Type Pokemon being attracted to the static electricity given off from the Lead Pokemon (which are usually out or have a larger/more powerful presence in your party). Electric-Type Pokemon need electrical sources to keep their own levels balanced, and those you find the most in the wild are likely Pokemon that need the electrical boost to balance out their internal levels.
The Pokemon who may have this naturally are Pikachu, All Cap Pikachus, Raichu, Pichu, Spiky-Eared Pichu, Voltorb, Electrode, Electabuzz, Elekid, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Electrike, Manectric, Emolga, and Stunfisk. Zapdos has Static as its Hidden Ability (in Gen V, it was Lightning Rod for Zapdos, but there was no way to obtain one with this particular Ability). The only reason why Static affects Pokemon who are attacking the one with it is because it is a defense mechanism, only used when they are in pain or in danger. When you hit an Electric-Type Pokemon, sparks fly from their bodies. If those Pokemon have Static, the sparks flying from their bodies can ultimately affect the attacking Pokemon, but they all come from one or two sources in their entire body.
Pikachu, Raichu, Cap Pikachu, Pichu, Spiky-Eared Pichu, and Emolga have cheek pouches filled with electricity. Voltorb and Electrode are filled with electricity from their diet (which is why they explode frequently). Electabuzz and Elekid store their electricity in their antennae. Mareep and Flaaffy have it in their wool, while Ampharos and their pre-evolutions also store it in their jewels on their tails and forehead. Electrike and Manectric store it in their head crests. Zapdos stores it in its feathers. Finally, Stunfisk have several electrical organs throughout its back, especially where the exclamation mark is.
In contests, this could be used to deter your opponent from getting the upper hand and slow down their Pokemon.
10. Volt Absorb (Electricity Storage - JP Tran.)
"When a Pokemon with Volt Absorb is hit by [an...] Electric-type move, its HP is restored by [1/4] of its maximum HP, and the move will have no effect on that Pokemon [otherwise, the attack will do nothing if the Pokemon with this Ability has full HP already]" (Bulbapedia). Basically, the Pokemon has excess storage in their bodies to collect this electricity. This storage facility can then be used to heal themselves from damage they've received. This storage facility will then expel any electricity that it has saved into the ground, or some other grounding device. While not in the gaming mechanics, it would be cool if Pokemon that had no grounding capabilities had to use the pent-up energy in its attacks or else it could potentially harm the Pokemon from the overload of the dangerous energy in its system.
The Pokemon who may have this ability naturally are Jolteon, Chinchou, Lanturn, Thundurus in Therian Forme, and Zeraora. Minun and Pachirisu may have it as a Hidden Ability (after the fifth generation). Raikou, before Generation VII, also had Volt Absorb as its Hidden Ability, but there was no way to obtain one. It was then replaced with Inner Focus in Gen VII. I will include how it would appear if Raikou did still have the ability though. Basically, the Jolteon would store it in its fur, Chinchou and Lanturn in the light balls they have on their antennae, Minun and Pachirisu in their cheeks, Thundurus in his tail or cloud-like appendages, Raikou in its cape, and Zeraora in their claws and the blue accent in the mane (I assume). Any Electric-Type attack that courses throughout the Pokemon's entire body will then stop at that particular part of the Pokemon's body and be absorbed within their organs/bodily systems.
In contests, this could be used to deter your opponent. That's all I can think of, though. In the wild, they can store electricity by going into urban settings or power plants, feeding off of the electricity there and healing themselves. This could result in power outages, as there are some Pokemon that need a lot of electricity to heal. Realistically, the amount of electricity one absorbs will determine how well the wounds heal up.
BONUS!! Cacophony (Noise - JP Tran.)
Now, this Ability is an unnused one that was supposed to be a signature Ability for the Whismur line, but was replaced with Soundproof. Why? There were already Abilities that have the same effect, like Air Lock and Cloud Nine. It was based upon a Japanese Exploud card from the Great Encounters deck, so it was supposed to be for these particular Pokemon, but they changed it. Makes me angry. Anyway, the Ability protects them from any sound-based attacks. Whismur, Loudred, and Exploud still can hear people, it's just that they make so much noise anyway that, if they want to, they can choose not to hear by expelling their own noises. Besides, their ears have speakers anyway, so why not? I don't know, what do you think? I'm pretty sure this could be funny in contests, where the Pokemon uses Cacophony to make a lot of noise, making it impossible for the opponent's Pokemon to listen to what their trainer wants them to do. In the wild, they use it to either startle their prey/enemies that interfere with their territory boundaries, or to protect themselves from sound-based moves.
And that concludes this part of the series. Enjoy and comment down below your own theories on how they work, no matter how bogus they may sound. Also, tell me your thoughts on if Game Freak should bring back Cacophony from beyond the grave. Have a wonderful day, you guys, and I'll post another one of these very soon!
Auf Wiedersehen~!
1. Stench
"Stench has a 10% chance of making the target flinch when hit by a damaging move... Outside of battle, if the Pokemon with Stench is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), the chance of encountering a wild Pokemon is decreased by 50%" (Bulbapedia). Gloom has this as a Hidden Ability, while Grimer, Muk, Stunky, Skuntank, Trubbish, and Garbodor all can have it regularly.
This ability is relatively self-explanatory. The Pokemon stinks. Literally. It stinks so badly that it causes the opponent to curl their nose and turn away, losing a turn. I wouldn't necessarily call it flinching, like the game states it. It's more like a purely disgusted and gagging on its own stomach fluids type of reaction. Additionally, the bad stench causes wild Pokemon to flee from the powerful odor, even the hardiest seem to flee from this horrendous odor
Gloom's honey drool is rather stinky, but doesn't get especially bad unless it has this Hidden Ability. Grimer and Muk are sludge, Stunky and Skuntank are skunks, and Trubbish and Garbodor are literally a pile of garbage. This is by far the easiest Ability to have to explain... Why did I even bother to do this one...? In case you wanted to know, Stunky and Skuntank expel it from their behinds, while the sludge and garbage 'mons burp their toxic gases. This stench (ha-hah, get it?) lasts for 24 hours... Ew.
In contests, this is probably not the best idea, unless you want to dock yourself points or use it to your advantage to cause the opponent to falter from the stench (since the stench lasts for a long time, any other person coming up to the stage after you will be greeted by your lovely present). I really can't see this as any other use, unless you could visibly see it and whip it around with wind. In the wild, it's good to have this Pokemon out, so you can keep any aggressive wild Pokemon at bay while you run to the nearest Pokemon Center or rush back to town or scare away potential trainers/bad guys.
2. Drizzle (Rainfall - JP Tran.)
"Drizzle summons rain in battle as soon as the Pokemon with Drizzle enters the battle, [and lasts for five turns. This can be extended to eight turns if the Pokemon is holding a Damp Rock.] Its effects are the same as the move Rain Dance. If a Pokemon with Drizzle is sent out in the same turn as another Pokemon whose Ability affects the weather, the slower Pokemon's Ability will override the faster Pokemon's Ability. If heavy rain, extremely harsh sunlight, or a mysterious air current is present, Drizzle will fail to activate" (Bulbapedia).
This Ability is a bit strange. Before Gen VI, it would last the entire battle, but now it lasts only as long as Rain Dance. I guess it was a meta-game thing, where it was too OP, so they nerfed it. Three Pokemon can have this ability, those being Politoed as a Hidden Ability, Pelipper in Gen VII, and Kyogre as its former signature Ability. When the Pokemon unleashes its powers and readies for battle, they create dark clouds and make a torrential downpour.
Since Kyogre is a Legendary, it could probably keep it raining for an indeterminate amount of time, being the one who created the marine ecosystem and filled the planet with oceans and seas. Since it is a Legendary, its Drizzle is different from the other two Pokemon, causing tsunamis and storms. Politoed and Pelipper probably use a variation of Rain Dance that immediately take effect when the battle starts, but it only lasts for a short amount of time because, to keep it raining, they must exert an extensive level of energy. That level of energy could only be achieved if they are Kyogre.
In contests, this could do well if you want to show off your Rain Dance team, making Water-Type moves look amazing, as well as making typhoons to show off the raw power of your Pokemon. I could see this being used in a Beauty, Tough, and Cool types of contests, showing off cool stunts of your Pokemon doing something in the rain, or manipulating the rain to make it look tough, cool, or beautiful. In the wild, this would obviously having some advantages, either healing any Pokemon allies nearby that have Rain Dish or Dry Skin, as well as reducing the damage of Fire-Type moves to a minimum (could be stacked with Water Sport, too... Mwahaha!). Seeing the kinds of Pokemon who have this ability, they would most likely use it to get away or weaken their opponent as they try to repel them away from their territory. If Kyogre does it, then that just means it hates the sight of land and tries to get rid of it by sinking it all in water... Yea, it really needs to get on with the times. Or it could just be so enraged from waking up abruptly in its nap that it tries to coat everything in water.
3. Speed Boost (Acceleration - JP Tran.)
"At the end of each turn, Speed Boost raises the Speed stat of the Pokemon with this Ability by one stage. Speed Boost will not activate on the turn the Pokemon with this Ability is switched in. It will activate if the Pokemon is switched in due to a previous Pokemon fainting" (Bulbapedia).
This one kind of sounds like they gradually get faster and faster the longer they are out on the battlefield. Oh wait, that's exactly what that is! Yanma, Mega Blaziken, Ninjask, and Yanmega have this as their natural Ability, while Torchic, Combusken, Blaziken, Carvanha, Sharpedo, Venipede, Whirlipede, and Scolipede (after Gen V) have it as their Hidden Ability. This Ability activates when the Pokemon receives a surge of adrenaline or recognizes that it's in a battle, causing them to get faster and faster as time goes on.
Yanma, Ninjask, and Yanmega fly continually faster, leaving a trail of "light"/illusion/afterimage behind them, their wings moving faster and faster as their heart rate speeds up. Torchic, Combusken, Blaziken, Mega Blaziken, Venipede, Whirlipede, and Scolipede move around the field on foot to gain speed, their legs getting more and more twitchy as they move around more and more. Carvanha and Sharpedo build up speed while swimming, becoming more and more savage and wanting to get a hit on the opponent quickly while the adrenaline fuels their bloodlust (which makes them faster). Sometimes, the Pokemon will lose its boosts when they get hit, but that's from the anime, and I have no idea how accurate that is, even though it's canon... (Officer Jenny calling her Growlithe an Arcanine? Heh...).
In contests, this could be utilized in Tough, Cool, or Smart contests, showing off your Pokemon's strength as well as speed, or showing how well you can use your other attacks in quick succession in a show of cleverness and with great timing. In contest battles, this could be used to infiltrate the Pokemon's defenses and setup, destroying their appeal and making them look like silly dunces. In the wild, this is mainly used to infiltrate opponent's defenses, leaving it little room to attack back, or to get away quickly.
4. Battle Armor (Kabuto Armor - JP Tran.)
"Battle Armor prevents the opponent from landing a critical hit" (Bulbapedia). Wow... That's simple.
Battle Armor, or Kabuto Armor, is armor that is as tough as a Kabuto's armor. It protects the Pokemon from attacks that are aimed at their weak points or when they aren't paying attention and should get a crit (more commonly known as critical hits). Cubone and Marowak have access to it as their Hidden Ability, while Kabuto, Kabutops, Anorith, Armaldo, Skorupi, Drapion, and Type: Null have this Ability naturally.
Kabuto, Kabutops, Anorith, and Armaldo's fossilized scales help to protect them from predators. Cubone and Marowak either use their skulls to take the hits, or their scales are super tough, leaving them without a weak spot. Skorupi and Drapion have a really tough exoskeleton, while Type: Null was just made by an amalgamation of different Pokemon, so the Pokemon's hide must be tough and durable, giving it the Battle Armor Ability.
In contests, this could be used to make your Pokemon look tough by making it get hit by a bunch of different attacks (hopefully that it isn't weak to). I would most likely see this ability actually being used in Tough contest battles, where the opponent has no way to get through its defenses enough to land a sure and powerful hit, leaving them no room for critical hits. Although, this is a hard one to even see happening, unless they knew beforehand. I guess scars would look cool... In the wild, Battle Armor is all there to protect the Pokemon, nothing else special about it.
5. Sturdy
Any attack/damage (except for Perish Song and Destiny Bond) that would drop the Pokemon with this ability from full to zero health will leave it with one HP. It acts much like a Focus Sash. Basically, the Pokemon's will or tough body keeps them from fainting from a single hit, just as long as they aren't weakened beforehand.
Pokemon who may have this naturally are Geodude, Alolan Geodude, Graveler, Alolan Graveler, Golem, Alolan Golem, Magnemite, Magneton, Onix, Sudowoodo, Pineco, Forretress, Steelix, Shuckle, Skarmory, Donphan, Nosepass, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Bonsly, Magnezone, Probopass, Roggenrola, Boldore, Gigalith, Sawk, Dwebble, Crustle, Tirtouga, Carracosta, and Cosmoem. Relicanth, Regirock, Tyrunt, Carbink, Bergmite, Avalugg, and Togedemaru have access to it as their Hidden Abilty.
Any Pokemon that are made out of rock and/or metal or have rock/rock-like/metal/metal-like structures on them (Geodude, Alolan Geodude, Graveler, Alolan Graveler, Golem, Alolan Golem, Magnemite, Magneton, Onix, Sudowoodo, Steelix, Shuckle, Skarmory, Nosepass, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Regirock, Bonsly, Magnezone, Probopass, Roggenrola, Boldore, Gigalith, Dwebble, Crustle, Carbink, and Togedemaru) will use their feature(s) to "protect" themselves from OHKO attacks. Any Pokemon with any other tough materials covering their body (Pineco, Forretress, Relicanth, Bergmite, and Avalugg) will use it to "protect" themselves, as well. Any Pokemon with a strong determination to stay alive after a hit (Sawk), Pokemon with a really tough hide (Donphan, Shieldon, Bastiodon, Tirtouga, Carracosta and Tyrunt), and Pokemon with a very dense body (Cosmoem) will live when hit by said OHKO attacks.
In contests and in the wild, this is used to survive any OHKO attacks or any powerful attacks that could OHKO it in a single attack. Just a defensive maneuver, so it could either run or make a last-ditch attempt at attacking before finally succumbing to their wounds.
6. Damp (Moisture - JP Tran.)
"Damp prevents all Pokemon from using Self-Destruct and Explosion," (Bulbapedia), as well as the Ability Aftermath. They dampen their surroundings to prevent such explosive attacks, whether by actual water or by spreading some spore-like substance which is damp (kind of like a Bug-Type Water Sport).
Pokemon who have this naturally are Psyduck, Golduck, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Politoed, Wooper, and Quagsire, while Paras, Parasect, Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra, Mudkip, Marshtomp, Swampert, Frillish, and Jellicent have it as their Hidden Ability. All the Water-Type Pokemon listed above use their Water powers to make the field and air damp, whether be it a physical action using a kind of Water Sport-Mist combination or their moist skin causes the air around them to mist up slightly with wator vapor. The odd Pokemon in this list (Paras and Parasect) use their mushrooms to expel a kind of damp spore, rendering the Pokemon around them unable to explode.
This water vapor serves no other purpose except to stop the explosions from happening. The opponent becomes covered in the damp air, rendering it unable to explode because of the water droplets making them too... Well, damp to explode in the first place. The reason for this is a mystery though it should be noted that in the world outside of Pokemon, explosives, as a whole, are rendered ineffective by moisture. I'm thinking that Damp makes the opponent stick together with a bit of Hydrogen-Oxygen bonding from the water vapor in the air, or it needs heat/arid enviroments to explode, which there are none in the air after Damp is activated. When I say heat, I actually mean just room temperature or higher, and Damp brings it down quite a bit. It's also difficult to do much damage when the air is moist. This means that the Pokemon who use these explosive moves will not faint, and it is shown in the manga that the Pokemon had a bit of smoke rise from their body when they tried to use Explosion against Red's Poliwrath (of course, that same manga edition was still experimenting with Abilities, since it was a new thing in Gen III. The reason why I say this is because the Pokemon fainted after the explosion was nullified, which shouldn't exactly happen, but I guess there could be some truth to it).
In contests, this water vapor could be used to make the audience and judges feel as if they're taking a cold shower or being near a misty waterfall. This could also ruin your opponents strategy when they try to take your Pokemon down with it with explosive moves, or getting the last laugh. In the wild, it's mainly used to for defense, protecting it from its prey or predators or enemies that seem to want to perform kamikaze.
7. Limber (Flexible - JP Tran.)
"Limber prevents the Pokemon from being afflicted with paralysis" (Bulbapedia). This is simple enough as it is, but the ability does need a bit of explaining as to why it is called Limber/Flexible. When you stretch (therefore becoming flexible) before you do a work-out, you can reduce the chances of pulling or damaging a muscle (I've heard mixed opinions about this though). I guess in a battle, if you pull a muscle, you're essentially paralyzed from the pain. Most of the Pokemon who have this ability are rather lithe in appearance.
The Pokemon with this Ability naturally are Persian, Hitmonlee, Ditto, Glameow, Purrloin, Liepard, Stunfisk, Hawlucha, Mareanie, and Toxapex, while the other two that get it as a Hidden Ability are Buneary and Lopunny. All the cat Pokemon, Hitmonlee, Ditto, Buneary, Lopunny, Hawlucha, and Stunfisk (to some degree) have lithe or supple body shapes, making it next to almost impossible for them to damage anything or to have their nervous system scrambled. Mareanie and Toxapex are based off of sea anemones, so their nervous systems are covered in materials that protect them from being scrambled. In the wild, this could help them keep from hurting themselves or protect them from predatory or prey-like Electric-Type Pokemon.
In contests, Pokemon with Limber physically show that they are Limber. A Persian with the Ability Limber will look more lithe or supple than a Persian with a different Ability, like Technician or Unnerve. This could make the Pokemon even more graceful when performing stunts. This could also protect the Pokemon during a contest battle or a regular battle from harming themselves by pulling a muscle or getting paralyzed.
8. Sand Veil (Hidden in Sand - JP Tran.)
"During a sandstorm, the accuracy of any move against a Pokemon with this Ability is modified by a factor of 4/5. A Pokemon with this Ability will take no damage from the sandstorm if it otherwise would.... if a Pokemon with Sand Veil is in the first place in the party (even if fainted) in an area with a sandstorm (such as Route 228 in Sinnoh), the chance of encountering a wild Pokemon is decreased by 50%" (Bulbapedia). The sandstorm, as you probably guessed, helps them to hide, whether it's because of the same color palette, or their ability to "guide" the sands around them (Ground-Type powers, especially if they can learn Sandstorm). Their skin is also tougher, to withstand the buffeting of the sands, which can be from their living conditions.
The Pokemon who may have this naturally are Sandshrew, Sandslash, Diglett and Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio and Alolan Dugtrio, Gligar, Gliscor, Cacnea, Cacturne, Gible, Gabite, Garchomp, Helioptile, and Heliolisk. Phanpy, Donphan, Larvitar, Stunfisk, Sandygast, and Palossand have it as their Hidden Ability. In the wild, they use this Ability to hide from predators or to efficiently strike prey, since the sands around them cover them and keep their predators/prey in the dark as to their position. Sandshrew, Sandslash, Diglett, Alolan Diglett, Dugtrio, Alolan Dugtrio, Helioptile, Heliolisk, Larvitar, Stunfisk, Sandygast, and Palossand are just about the same color palette for sand, and Sandygast and Palossand are literally sand. For Gligar, Gliscor, Cacnea, Cacturne, Gable, Gabite, Garchomp, Phanpy, and Donphan, they either move around fast enough, or the sand sticks to their skin, allowing them to hide better.
In contests, you can mystify the audience and judges by having a Pokemon with Sand Veil use Sandstorm, and then disappearing and reappearing in different spots through the sandstorm (just as long as the Sandstorm doesn't extend to the audience).
9. Static (Static Electricity - JP Tran.)
"When a Pokemon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, there is a 30% chance that the attacking Pokemon will become paralyzed. This can affect Ground-Type Pokemon.... if a Pokemon with Static is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), then there is a 50% chance the game will force an encounter with an Electric-type Pokemon, if one is possible" (Bulbapedia). I’ll bet you guys didn't know those last two bits until now! The electricity coursing throughout the Pokemon's body can hit other unsuspecting predators/attackers, locking up their body parts so the Pokemon with Static can either run away or take the unfair advantage. The lesser-known effect could be from the Electric-Type Pokemon being attracted to the static electricity given off from the Lead Pokemon (which are usually out or have a larger/more powerful presence in your party). Electric-Type Pokemon need electrical sources to keep their own levels balanced, and those you find the most in the wild are likely Pokemon that need the electrical boost to balance out their internal levels.
The Pokemon who may have this naturally are Pikachu, All Cap Pikachus, Raichu, Pichu, Spiky-Eared Pichu, Voltorb, Electrode, Electabuzz, Elekid, Mareep, Flaaffy, Ampharos, Electrike, Manectric, Emolga, and Stunfisk. Zapdos has Static as its Hidden Ability (in Gen V, it was Lightning Rod for Zapdos, but there was no way to obtain one with this particular Ability). The only reason why Static affects Pokemon who are attacking the one with it is because it is a defense mechanism, only used when they are in pain or in danger. When you hit an Electric-Type Pokemon, sparks fly from their bodies. If those Pokemon have Static, the sparks flying from their bodies can ultimately affect the attacking Pokemon, but they all come from one or two sources in their entire body.
Pikachu, Raichu, Cap Pikachu, Pichu, Spiky-Eared Pichu, and Emolga have cheek pouches filled with electricity. Voltorb and Electrode are filled with electricity from their diet (which is why they explode frequently). Electabuzz and Elekid store their electricity in their antennae. Mareep and Flaaffy have it in their wool, while Ampharos and their pre-evolutions also store it in their jewels on their tails and forehead. Electrike and Manectric store it in their head crests. Zapdos stores it in its feathers. Finally, Stunfisk have several electrical organs throughout its back, especially where the exclamation mark is.
In contests, this could be used to deter your opponent from getting the upper hand and slow down their Pokemon.
10. Volt Absorb (Electricity Storage - JP Tran.)
"When a Pokemon with Volt Absorb is hit by [an...] Electric-type move, its HP is restored by [1/4] of its maximum HP, and the move will have no effect on that Pokemon [otherwise, the attack will do nothing if the Pokemon with this Ability has full HP already]" (Bulbapedia). Basically, the Pokemon has excess storage in their bodies to collect this electricity. This storage facility can then be used to heal themselves from damage they've received. This storage facility will then expel any electricity that it has saved into the ground, or some other grounding device. While not in the gaming mechanics, it would be cool if Pokemon that had no grounding capabilities had to use the pent-up energy in its attacks or else it could potentially harm the Pokemon from the overload of the dangerous energy in its system.
The Pokemon who may have this ability naturally are Jolteon, Chinchou, Lanturn, Thundurus in Therian Forme, and Zeraora. Minun and Pachirisu may have it as a Hidden Ability (after the fifth generation). Raikou, before Generation VII, also had Volt Absorb as its Hidden Ability, but there was no way to obtain one. It was then replaced with Inner Focus in Gen VII. I will include how it would appear if Raikou did still have the ability though. Basically, the Jolteon would store it in its fur, Chinchou and Lanturn in the light balls they have on their antennae, Minun and Pachirisu in their cheeks, Thundurus in his tail or cloud-like appendages, Raikou in its cape, and Zeraora in their claws and the blue accent in the mane (I assume). Any Electric-Type attack that courses throughout the Pokemon's entire body will then stop at that particular part of the Pokemon's body and be absorbed within their organs/bodily systems.
In contests, this could be used to deter your opponent. That's all I can think of, though. In the wild, they can store electricity by going into urban settings or power plants, feeding off of the electricity there and healing themselves. This could result in power outages, as there are some Pokemon that need a lot of electricity to heal. Realistically, the amount of electricity one absorbs will determine how well the wounds heal up.
BONUS!! Cacophony (Noise - JP Tran.)
Now, this Ability is an unnused one that was supposed to be a signature Ability for the Whismur line, but was replaced with Soundproof. Why? There were already Abilities that have the same effect, like Air Lock and Cloud Nine. It was based upon a Japanese Exploud card from the Great Encounters deck, so it was supposed to be for these particular Pokemon, but they changed it. Makes me angry. Anyway, the Ability protects them from any sound-based attacks. Whismur, Loudred, and Exploud still can hear people, it's just that they make so much noise anyway that, if they want to, they can choose not to hear by expelling their own noises. Besides, their ears have speakers anyway, so why not? I don't know, what do you think? I'm pretty sure this could be funny in contests, where the Pokemon uses Cacophony to make a lot of noise, making it impossible for the opponent's Pokemon to listen to what their trainer wants them to do. In the wild, they use it to either startle their prey/enemies that interfere with their territory boundaries, or to protect themselves from sound-based moves.
And that concludes this part of the series. Enjoy and comment down below your own theories on how they work, no matter how bogus they may sound. Also, tell me your thoughts on if Game Freak should bring back Cacophony from beyond the grave. Have a wonderful day, you guys, and I'll post another one of these very soon!
Auf Wiedersehen~!
