There are few series that have as much brand recognition as Pokémon and even two decades after its debut it’s still as celebrated as it’s ever been. The core Pokémon series continues to drive the franchise, but there are now more entry points for newcomers to get on board, whether it’s the Pokémon anime, card game, or the wealth of spin-off titles that exist. In addition to these larger changes to the series as a whole, there have also been revisions to the nuances of Pokémon combat.
The techniques that Pokémon learn have been present since the beginning, but subsequent titles have introduced abilities that ideally imbue Pokémon with an extra power or advantage. However, some of these abilities are incredibly obtuse or downright unhelpful.
10 Heavy Metal Is Proof That Bigger Isn’t Always Better
It's interesting to see how certain aspects of Pokémon battle make use of a Pokémon's weight or height and try to get creative. Heavy Metal is an ability that subscribes to this rule and it basically doubles the weight of the affected Pokémon. This extra weight is typically a negative and will result in the Pokémon taking additional damage from certain weight-based moves. There are a few attacks like Heat Crash and Heavy Slam that benefit from Heavy Metal's changes, but it's not enough to actually justify this ability. It’s ultimately a letdown for Steel-Type Pokémon.
9 Normalize Is A Dreadful Equalizer
It becomes increasingly important in battle to be aware of which Pokémon types are effective and weak against each other. This level of awareness can often be the deciding factor in a competition. Normalize is an ability that turns all of the Pokémon’s attacks into Normal-Type moves, which is never an advantage. Normal-Type attacks aren’t super effective against any other type and they’re downright useless against Ghost-Type Pokémon. It’s possible that Normalize could be slightly helpful with the right full party, but it’s a lost cause if it’s a one-on-one encounter.
8 Anticipation Doesn’t Give The Player Enough Information And Feels Like A Tease
Pokémon battles can be like a game of poker in some respects and it never hurts to know what tactics the opponent has planned. Anticipation seems like it would be a major asset, but it can actually just make the player even more paranoid.
The ability alerts the player if the opponent’s Pokémon has any super effective attacks or instant KO maneuvers like Explosion or Self-Destruct. However, Anticipation doesn't tell you which attack the enemy possesses, only if they do or don't have something powerful. It withholds the most important piece of the information.
7 Run Away Is Redundant In The Wild And Useless In Battle
There’s no shame in the realization that victory is impossible and it’s better to cut one’s losses. Pokémon does allow players to flee from battle if the situation gets too intense and Run Away is an ability that gives the Pokémon a higher probability of escape. What makes Run Away a lost cause is the fact that a lot of the time, such as in competitive battles, it’s impossible to run away, which makes the ability irrelevant. Additionally, there are also a number of items that allow the same perks as Run Away without any of the setbacks.
6 Stall Leaves The Pokémon Left In The Dust
Sometimes a strategy is so misguided that it can almost somehow seem smart in a confusing kind of way. Stall is an ability that forces the Pokémon in question to attack last in the battle rotation. There’s nothing helpful about this and it’s an ability that’s upfront about how it purely restricts the Pokémon. There are occasions where the use of Skill Swap can make Stall practical, but it’s only by pawning it off on the opponent and forcing them to deal with its effects.
5 Slow Start Makes Its Pokémon Useless For The Majority Of The Battle
Slow Start is absolutely infuriating and it’s a great way to make a powerful Pokémon useless. Slow Start halves the Pokémon’s attack and speed stats for five entire turns, which is typically enough time for that Pokémon to meet their end.
To add insult to injury, the “five-count” resets if the Pokémon is swapped out of battle, so it can’t be avoided. Part of the reason that Slow Start is so disadvantageous to the Pokémon is that it does make Regigigas less of a powerhouse, but that's no excuse for its existence.
4 Stench Wards Off Wild Pokémon And Has Zero Function In Battle
There are Pokémon abilities that are meant to be an asset out in the wild, rather than battle, but they can still be a mixed bag. The idea behind the Stench ability is that the Pokémon’s noxious odor staves off wild Pokémon and decreases the encounter rate if the Pokémon is in the lead party slot. However, Stench doesn’t do anything inside battle. Stench has actually received some minor improvements in later entries in the series and it now has a 10% chance of flinching with physical moves, but it's such a tiny change that's nothing to get excited over.
3 Defeatist Preaches A Pessimistic Look At A Pokémon’s Determination
Defeatist seems like it'd be the type of ability that gives a Pokémon an extra burst of energy in their final moments, but it's instead the opposite and a rather depressing take on the affected Pokémon's state of mind. The Defeatist ability kicks in when the Pokémon's health dips below 50%, at which point their attack and special attack stats get cut in half. There's no advantage to be gained here and it just makes a weakened Pokémon even more vulnerable. Defeatist basically confirms that the Pokémon will lose if they lose half of their life.
2 Illuminate Makes The Pokémon A Magnet For Unwanted Attention
Illuminate is an ability that is basically the opposite of Stench, but its effects are considerably more aggravating. Illuminate increases the encounter rate with wild Pokémon, which is often something that players actively try to avoid. Perhaps early on in a game, it’s exciting to have constant encounters, but it slows down the journey later on and certain areas are already filled with steady encounters. In addition to this frustration, Illuminate has no function within battle, so it becomes even more useless. It wouldn’t have been difficult to add a minor perk to this ability, but it remains a hindrance.
1 Truant Gives The Opponent Free Shots At The Pokémon Party
Truant is the bane of many Pokémon trainers’ existence and it’s an ability that often gets lumped together with Slow Start because of how much it hinders its Pokémon. Truant forces its Pokémon to attack every other turn, which means that the enemy gets to attack twice in a row each time. It’s extremely difficult to achieve a victory under these conditions. This is another situation where this ability handicap is to make Slaking less destructive, but it goes too far and makes the Pokémon irredeemable in the process.