The launch of a new Pokémon game always brings gameplay talk like how to find Pokémon and what new features there are to enjoy. Pokémon Legends: Arceus begs the question of whether it still plays like the other games in the case of abilities and moves to use in battle. Some veteran players may be disappointed by the answer.
Are There Abilities in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?
The short answer: no. There are no Pokémon abilities in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
This may come as a surprise for anyone who’s played the previous games. Abilities were first introduced to the franchise in Generation III with Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Players use passive abilities for numerous reasons. They can impact weather, boosts stats like speed, and prevent Pokémon from fleeing.
Even so, a lack of any ability doesn’t mean you can’t strategize in the battle with your Pokémon. In all honesty, you might have to focus even more now on what Pokémon you pick to fight.
Instead of abilities, Pokémon Legends: Arceus places a heavy focus on moves and style.
To begin, there aren’t any transitions so that your battles happen in real-time. Moves are as crucial as ever, so you still have to be aware of the Pokémon you’re fighting to know which move is best.
As for style, you can go for a Strong Style or Agile Style. With a Strong Style, you might have to wait for a move or two before attacking, but you’ll have a good deal of power behind it. For Agile Style, you can move sooner for great speed, but the power is cut down.
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It can take some adjustment to the battle style in Pokémon Legends: Arceus concerning no abilities. However, this is an easy undertaking considering how seamless the battles are altogether. So, leave abilities in the past with the previous games and dive on into this newer style of transition-free battles.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.