Hidden Ability - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia (2024)

A Hidden Ability (Japanese: 隠れ特性 Hidden Ability) is a rare Ability that Pokémon normally do not have access to, introduced in Generation V. Hidden Ability is commonly abbreviated "HA". Most Pokémon encountered in the games will not have a Hidden Ability; but usually, there are special encounter methods where Pokémon can have a Hidden Ability. Certain event Pokémon and special in-game Pokémon may also have their Hidden Ability.

Mechanics

A Hidden Ability is an extra ability option for a Pokémon that replaces its normal Ability. A Pokémon with its Hidden Ability will retain its Hidden Ability upon evolution in the same way that its normal Abilities may change. For example, a Caterpie with its Hidden Ability of Run Away will have Shed Skin upon evolving once and Tinted Lens upon evolving into Butterfree.

When breeding with a Pokémon that has its Hidden Ability, its offspring have a chance of having their Hidden Ability as well.

Not all species of Pokémon have a unique Hidden Ability, but it is still possible for their Ability slot to be their Hidden Ability. An example is a Metapod that evolved from a Caterpie that had its Hidden Ability: Metapod only has one Ability, Shed Skin, but if it has its Hidden Ability slot, it will evolve into a Butterfree with Tinted Lens. For some encounter methods that can spawn Pokémon with Hidden Abilities, a Pokémon that does not have a distinct Hidden Ability can still have its Hidden Ability slot. This will become apparent in a situation like Metapod if its evolution has a distinct Hidden Ability; or if the Pokémon is transferred forward to a generation where it has a Hidden Ability (like Weezing, which gained a new Hidden Ability, Stench, in Generation VII and was catchable as a Hidden Pokémon).

An Ability Patch can be used to change a Pokémon's Ability from a normal Ability slot to its Hidden Ability slot or (since Generation IX) vice versa.

List pages

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation V)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VI)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VII)

Main article: List of Pokémon with released Hidden Abilities (Generation VIII)

Acquisition methods

General methods

Generation V

• All Pokémon encountered in Entree Forest (i.e. obtained from the Pokémon Global Link, either via the Pokémon Dream World or a Global Link promotion) will always have their Hidden Ability, if they have one.
  • Since the closure of the Pokémon Global Link, several evolutionary families can no longer be newly encountered with their Hidden Ability (other than by breeding Pokémon caught there): the Burmy and Tirtouga families.
• Pokémon obtained from the Pokémon Dream Radar always have their Hidden Ability.
• Pokémon encountered in Hidden Grottos always have their Hidden Ability.

Generation VI

• Any Pokémon encountered in a Horde Encounter may have their Hidden Ability.
• Pokémon encountered in the Friend Safari have approximately a 1 in 3 chance of having their Hidden Ability if the Friend to whom the Friend Safari corresponds has been recognized as a Friend in the PSS (i.e. if both players have been on the PSS at the same time).
• Hidden Pokémon have a chance of having their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), which increases as the Search Level for that species increases.

Generation VII

• Pokémon that appear as the tenth or later Pokémon in an SOS Battle have a chance of having their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), which increases as the chain length increases.
• All Pokémon transferred from the Virtual Console releases of the Generation I or Generation II games via Poké Transporter have their Hidden Ability, if they have one.

Generation VIII

• Pokémon encountered in Max Raid Battles may have their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), depending on the specific raid.
• Using an Ability Patch on a Pokémon gives it its Hidden Ability (unless its species does not have one).
• Pokémon encountered in grass patches that have more grass shaking off via the Poké Radar will have their Hidden Ability, if their species has one. These patches have a 1/128 chance of being generated when the Radar is used, for a total of approximately a 1/32.38 chance (or approximately 3.09%) of at least one of the four patches generated being such.

Generation IX

• Pokémon encountered in Tera Raid Battles may have their Hidden Ability (even if their species does not have a Hidden Ability), depending on the specific raid.

Specific Pokémon

• Certain event Pokémon may have their Hidden Ability.
• In Pokémon Black and White, some overworld Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • The five Darmanitan in the Desert Resort.
  • The Musharna in the Dreamyard on Fridays.
• In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, some overworld and gift Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • N's Darmanitan, which can be caught in the Desert Resort after using Memory Link.
  • On Mondays, a male Jellicent at Undella Bay^B2 or a Braviary on Route 4^W2.
  • On Thursdays, a Mandibuzz on Route 4^B2 or a female Jellicent at Undella Bay^W2.
  • A Deerling given as a gift on Route 6.
  • A male Eevee gifted by Amanita in Castelia City, after the player has entered the Hall of Fame.
  • Yancy/Curtis will trade the player a specific Pokémon with a Hidden Ability after the player has entered the Hall of Fame and ridden the Ferris wheel with them.
• In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, a Kecleon with its Hidden Ability will appear behind the astronaut face board at the Mossdeep Space Center after the Delta Episode.
• In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, some Totem-sized Pokémon have their Hidden Ability. This is to ensure the Totem Pokémon in question have only one possible Ability upon being received.
  • Totem-sized Gumshoos, Alolan Marowak, and Ribombee in Ultra Sun.
  • Totem-sized Alolan Raticate, Togedemaru, and Kommo-o in Ultra Moon.
• In Pokémon Sword and Shield, certain static encounter and gift Pokémon have their Hidden Ability:
  • All gift Pokémon given to the player by the Diglett Trainer in the Fields of Honor (except Alolan Raichu, which does not have a Hidden Ability).
  • The gift Porygon given to the player by Hyde at the Master Dojo.
  • The Spiritomb that appears at Ballimere Lake after interacting with the tombstone and interacting with 32 players' avatars.
• In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, all Legendary Pokémon encountered at Ramanas Park have their Hidden Abilities if applicable.
• In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Titan Bombirdier (which can be caught after being defeated) has its Hidden Ability.

In other languages

See also

• List of Pokémon by Ability

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