Pokemon Sword and Shield details Battle Stadium, Dynamaxing and Max Moves, new abilities, and items
Connect online and battle against other players.
The Pokemon Company has released new information, video, and screenshots of Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield introducing the Battle Stadium, Dynamaxing and Max Moves, and new abilities and items.
Get the details below.
■ The Battle Stadium
In Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, you can connect to the internet and battle against Trainers from all over the world in the Battle Stadium. Features like Rental Teams and Online Competitions also allow for different ways to connect to other Pokemon Trainers.
Note: A Nintendo Switch Online membership (paid) is required to use the Battle Stadium. There is no need to set up a Pokemon Global Link account.
Ranked Battles
In Ranked Battles, you can take on Pokemon Trainers from across the globe with a Battle Team you trained up, in an attempt to become the most powerful Trainer in the world! As the name implies, you will have a rank in Ranked Battles that indicates how strong you are as a Trainer. Your rank will change depending on the results of your battles! You’ll face Trainers of a similar rank, so your battles are sure to be challenging!
—You’ll earn points based on the results of your battles!
—Your rank will increase once you earn enough points!
—Dynamax Pokemon play a dynamic role in Ranked Battles, too!
—You can receive items by meeting certain criteria, such as battling multiple times in a row.
Each rank in Ranked Battles belongs to a specific tier. The top tier is where Trainers will take part in intense Ranked Battles, with everyone aiming to become the best in the world!
You can check your own ranking in the Battle Stadium when you’re competing in the highest ranks. And check out the smartphone version of Pokemon HOME if you want to see how all participants of a competition placed or the rankings of the Pokemon used. In Ranked Battles, your rank will go down a certain amount at the end of each season before being carried over to a new season.
Casual Battles
In Casual Battles, you can enjoy Pokemon battles without worrying about who wins and who loses. Another noteworthy aspect of Casual Battles is that you can use certain Legendary Pokemon and Mythical Pokemon that are not eligible for Ranked Battles!
—About Battle Rules
There are two formats for battles in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. Players can take part in the Single Battle and Double Battle formats. You can choose from these two battle formats for Ranked Battles and Casual Battles, too.
Online Competitions
There are two categories of Online Competitions you can participate in for some fun battling: Official Competitions and Friendly Competitions.
—Official Competitions
In Official Competitions, you take part in special battles with a variety of different rules and restrictions, in order to see where you place among the participants. Certain competitions may even grant you the chance to participate in the Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield World Championships if you do well in them!
Aim to be the best in competitions with various regulations.
—Friendly Competitions
In Friendly Competitions, you can join competitions hosted by other players—but you’re also able to host a competition yourself!
The host will decide the regulations used for Friendly Competitions.
—Use Rental Teams to Battle with All Sorts of Different Pokemon
Rental Teams let you borrow Battle Teams easily by inputting IDs available online. You can use these rented Battle Teams in various different battles. You’ll also be able to make your own Battle Teams public to Pokemon Trainers all over the world!
■ Check Out All the New Features that Will Make Pokemon Battles Even More Exciting
Dynamaxing and Max Moves
The Dynamax phenomenon not only makes Pokemon huge—it can also give them a boost in power. Dynamaxing your Pokemon can sway the course of a battle! The Max Moves that only Dynamax Pokemon can use aren’t just powerful, either. They all have impressive additional effects!
—The Water-type Max Move Max Geyser will trigger the rain weather condition!
—The Fighting-type Max Move Max Knuckle will increase the Attack of all allied Pokemon, as well as the user!
—Even if an opponent uses a move like Protect, a Max Move will still blast through it and deal some damage!
—All status moves used by a Dynamax Pokemon become Max Guard, which can even protect against other Max Moves.
Dynamaxing and Held Items
In Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, you’ll be able to Dynamax any Pokemon from the Galar region so long as you have the Dynamax Band. There’s no need to have the Pokemon hold a special item. This means that you can choose which one of your Pokemon to Dynamax depending on what’s happening in the battle. You could even have your Pokemon hold items that boost their offenses so they can unleash Max Moves that are even more powerful!
New Abilities will be Appearing in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield
Many new Abilities have been discovered in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield! The Ability of Galarian Weezing, Neutralizing Gas, is one such Ability! This Ability neutralizes the ongoing effects of other Pokemon’s Abilities and even prevents Abilities from being triggered!
—Galarian Weezing will fill the area with Neutralizing Gas when it enters the battlefield!
—Once the Pokemon with Neutralizing Gas leaves the battlefield, the Abilities of the other Pokemon will be activated again.
Here are Two New Items: Room Service and Eject Pack
There are new items available in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield that will broaden the strategies you can use in Pokemon battles! These include items that can combo with specific moves to give you an edge in battles, like Room Service and Eject Pack.
—When held by a Pokemon, Room Service will lower the holder’s Speed when the move Trick Room is successfully used.
—When a Pokemon holding Eject Pack has any of its stats lowered, it will immediately switch out so you can send in another Pokemon from your team!
■ Catch Pokemon with Hidden Abilities Through Max Raid Battles
Some Pokemon have rare Abilities known as Hidden Abilities, which are different to their usual Abilities. In Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, it seems that Pokemon caught in Max Raid Battles might have these Hidden Abilities. Plus, there’s also a chance that you’ll encounter a special Pokemon capable of Gigantamaxing in Max Raid Battles! While extremely rare, by attempting many different battles, there’s a chance you could even encounter a Pokemon that can Gigantamax…and also has a Hidden Ability!
—A Corviknight caught in tall grass with the Pressure Ability.
—A Corviknight caught in a Max Raid Battle with the Mirror Armor Ability.
—Participate in lots of Max Raid Battles if you want to catch a Pokemon with a Hidden Ability!
The New Ability Mirror Armor
Corviknight’s Hidden Ability, Mirror Armor, is a new Ability introduced in these titles. This Ability will bounce back any stat-lowering effects from Abilities or moves!
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are due out for Switch on November 15.
Watch the footage below. View the screenshots at the gallery.
