Sync pair

Tina & Flareon, a 4★ sync pair that can be upgraded to 6★ EX

A sync pair (Japanese: バディーズ Buddies) is a pair consisting of one Pokémon Trainer and one Pokémon in Pokémon Masters EX. Each sync pair has one of five roles:

• Strike sync pairs, which are focused on attacking.
• Support sync pairs, which are focused on defending, healing HP, and increasing stats of the whole team.
• Tech sync pairs, which are focused on disrupting the opponents, such as lowering their stats and inflicting status conditions.
• Sprint sync pairs, which are focused on attacking fast and reducing the sync move countdown.
• Field sync pairs, which are focused on setting up field effects.

A list of all sync pairs can be found here.

Mechanics

Moves

Main article: List of moves (Masters)

Sync pairs can know four moves at a given time, though the available moves can change based on certain conditions, such as after activating Mega Evolution or using a sync move.

Sync pairs have access to two different types of moves:

• Pokémon moves: These require a specific amount of move gauge slots to be used. Status effects that would activate after an action is taken, such as damage from Poison, will activate after using a Pokémon move.
• Trainer moves: These are unique to Pokémon Masters EX, and act similar to items in the core series. They do not usually require the use of move gauge slots, but can only be used a set number of times in a battle. Trainer moves can be used even if the pair's Pokémon is unable to act due to status effects. Effects that would activate after a Pokémon takes an action will not activate in response to a Trainer move.

Pokémon moves have additional sub-types:

• Quick moves: Moves that do not expend move gauge slots, but instead have a set number of times they can be used. Some moves have both restrictions in place, such as Fly.
• Max moves: Powerful moves exclusive to Dynamax sync pairs. These do not expend move gauge slots and can be used at any time, but only once per battle. If a sync pair has multiple max moves, only one can be used per battle.
• Buddy moves: Powerful moves that can only be used when certain move-specific activation conditions are met. These moves also have deactivation conditions that will make the move unavailable for use if met. Some sync pairs have buddy moves with a limited number of uses.
• Sync moves: Powerful moves that can be used once a certain amount of moves have been used in battle. Each sync pair knows one sync move, though the sync move can change if the pair's Pokémon reaches its final evolutionary stage. Some sync moves will activate Mega Evolution.

The power of Pokémon moves can be increased by obtaining duplicates of the same sync pair, through events or scouting. Moves initially start at level 1, and each duplicate increases the power of the sync pair's moves by one level, up to level 5. At level 5, the power of the moves is increased by 20% relative to level 1.

If a sync pair duplicate is obtained after they have already reached move level 5, then a power-up item corresponding to their initial star rarity is received instead. In the case of Legendary Adventures sync pairs, despite starting at 5★ rarity, the power-up item received will be 3★.

Skills

See also: Skill (Masters), Lucky skill

Sync pairs can also learn passive skills, which are similar to Abilities in the core series. Sync pairs can know anywhere from one to three passive skills by default. Certain conditions such as Mega Evolution can change a pair's passive skills, but cannot exceed the limit of three.

Master sync pairs can know four passive skills instead, with the fourth being a master passive skill that affects the entire party.

One additional "lucky skill" slot can be unlocked by using lucky scrolls. Skills for this slot can then be learned at random by using lucky cookies.

Additional skills not subject to the above limits can be unlocked on a sync pair's sync grid. Some of the skills unlocked in this way will only activate when specific moves are used.

Level

Sync pairs gain experience and level up by winning battles or by using Level-Up Manuals. Leveling up increases a sync pair's stats, with them being identical in their role to the stats of the core series games except for Speed, which instead affects the rate at which the move gauge fills.

Sync pairs have level caps, initially starting with a level cap of 100. The player can use items to increase the level cap to 110, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, and then one level at a time up to 150.

Each level beyond level 140 requires 1 Certificate of Excellence to unlock, meaning a total of 10 certificates are needed for a pair to reach level 150.

Pokémon hatched from Eggs do not have level caps, and are thus immediately eligible for level 150.

Raise in level cap	Items required
	Great Drinks //	Ultra Drinks //	Drink+'s //	Great Drink+'s //	Ultra Drink+'s //	Drink++'s //	Great Drink++'s //	Gym Leader Notes	Elite Four Notes	Type-specific Tome, Vol. 1	Type-specific Codex, Vol. 1
100 → 110	225	113	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	3	N/A	N/A	N/A
110 → 120	N/A	375	200	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7	2	N/A	N/A
120 → 125	N/A	N/A	300	150	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	5	50	N/A
125 → 130	N/A	N/A	N/A	400	200	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	150	N/A
130 → 135	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	400	200	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	50
135 → 140	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	400	200	N/A	N/A	N/A	150

Evolution

Reaching certain levels can allow the Pokémon to evolve; for example, at level 30, Barry's Piplup can evolve into Prinplup, at level 45 it can evolve into Empoleon.

Once a pair's Pokémon's reaches its final evolutionary stage, the pair's sync move will change. Extending the Barry example, the pair will learn the sync move Late Fee Bubble Beam once Prinplup evolves into Empoleon.

Some Pokémon will also change other moves upon evolution; for example, Elio's Popplio will change its Water Gun into Sparkling Aria upon evolving into Primarina.

To initiate an evolution, the pair must have reached the required level, and a sync pair story about the evolution must be completed. These stories cost evolution shards or evolution crystals, and each includes a one-on-one battle as well as story scenes.

Pokémon hatched from Eggs do not have sync pair stories, so they are instead evolved from the Affinity menu by using evolution shards and crystals. The item cost for evolving Egg Pokémon is lower than the cost for standard sync pairs.

Evolution	Items required		Level required
	Standard	Egg
First stage	Evolution Shard ×5	Evolution Shard ×1	Level 30
Second stage	Evolution Crystal ×3	Evolution Crystal ×1	Level 45

Increasing potential

The player can also increase the stats of a sync pair by using power-ups. Each power-up increases a sync pair's potential by one, up to a maximum of 20.

If the sync pair is initially at 5★, then each rise in potential boosts their HP stat by 5 and their following stats by 2 each: Attack, Defense, Special Attack (or Sp. Atk), Special Defense (or Sp. Def), and Speed. For all other sync pairs, each rise in potential provides a +2 boost to HP and a +1 boost to each other stat.

The potential of a 1★, 2★, 3★, 4★, or 5★ sync pair can only be raised by using 1★, 2★, 3★, 4★, or 5★ power-ups, respectively. For example, a 3★ power-up can only increase the potential of a 3★ sync pair.

If a 1★-4★ sync pair reaches 20 potential, then their potential instantly resets to zero, and their number of stars automatically increases by one—all while their stats remain the same.

6★ EX

Morty's EX style

Main article: 6★ EX

Certain sync pairs at 5★ and with 20 potential can be given 50 Champion Spirits (or Legendary Spirits for Legendary Adventures pairs) to be raised to 6★ EX. This allows the sync pair's Trainer to change their pose and switch to their EX style, which is usually based on their partner Pokémon's regular/Shiny colors. In addition, upgrading to 6★ EX enhances the pair's sync move in one of the following ways depending on their role:

• Strike: Sync move targets all opponents without its damage scaling down, even if multiple targets are present.
• Tech: Sync move's power increases by 50%.
• Support: The user's first sync move of each battle doubles the number of sync buffs granted to their team (from one to two). A sync move buff acts in stages, similar to a stat buff in the core series, with a +50% increase to overall damage per buff. Effectively, except in special circumstances, this boosts that team's damage from 1.5× after the first sync move to 2× instead.
• Sprint : The first time the user's sync move is used each battle, the sync move countdown is reduced by three.
• Field : Implements a specified field effect before the user's sync move is used the first time each battle. Extends the field effect duration only that time.

If a 5★ sync pair cannot be raised to 6★ EX, then they can still receive 5★ power-ups to increase their stats, but without access to a costume change or an upgraded sync move.

Certain sync pairs that can be raised to 6★ EX do not have an EX style—this applies to sync pairs who have the same outfit as their original version. This includes pairs obtained from Battle Point rewards, Trainer Lodge rewards, and sync pairs that are exclusive to variety scouts.

If a sync pair involving Scottie or Bettie is raised to 6★ EX, the EX style is added to a list of outfits under Poryphone Menu → Profile → Edit Look → Clothes. If an EX style is applied here, all sync pairs involving Scottie/Bettie will wear the new outfit, even if those pairs are not 6★ EX themselves.

Type and resistance

Even though each pair has a single type, the resistances and defensive properties of the pair do not depend on it. Each sync pair has only a single weakness to a specific type and the resistances to status alterations, when available, are exclusively gained through passive skills.

Sync grid

Main article: Sync grid

Each sync pair has access to a sync grid, where sync orbs can be spent to unlock various upgrades:

• Increase base stats (blue tiles)
• Increase the power or accuracy of moves (green tiles)
• Add additional passive skills (yellow tiles)
• Add special passive skills, which only activate upon using specific moves (red tiles)
• Increase the power of the sync move (rainbow tiles)
• Increase the power of a Max move (orange tiles) or G-Max move (purple tiles)

Power boost

Sync pairs obtained through Legendary Adventures can receive a pair-specific power boost from the villain event corresponding to their region.

A Power Boost can enable a pair to perform Mega Evolution, or add six tiles to the pair's sync grid (but not both). Which is received will vary based on the pair.

• Mega Evolution:
  • Giovanni & Mewtwo
  • Zinnia & Rayquaza
• Additional sync grid tiles:
  • Silver & Ho-Oh
  • Cyrus & Palkia
  • Ghetsis & Kyurem
  • Professor Sycamore & Xerneas
  • Scottie & Solgaleo
  • Bettie & Solgaleo
  • Hop & Zamazenta

EX role

Main article: EX role

Certain sync pairs can use a roll cake to unlock their EX role—a secondary role that differs from the pair's original role. Doing so will give a stat boost depending on the unlocked EX role.

EX role	Stats gained
	HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
Strike	+60	+40	N/A	+40	N/A	N/A
Support	+60	N/A	+40	N/A	+40	N/A
Tech	+60	+20	+20	+20	+20	N/A
Field	+60	N/A	+20	N/A	+20	+40
Sprint	+60	+20	N/A	+20	N/A	+40

If the pair is also raised to 6★ EX, they will gain a second role-based enhancement to their sync move - for example, a Strike sync pair that unlocks a Tech EX role will have their sync move both attack all opponents (due to the Strike role) and deal 50% more damage (due to the Tech role).

However, the EX role available to a given sync pair (if any) is pre-determined for that sync pair—the player cannot freely choose a role to be the pair's EX role.

Defunct mechanics

As the game has been updated over time, certain mechanics have been removed or otherwise function differently. These are included here for historical purposes.

Unlocking moves and skills

Moves and Skills menu prior to version 1.12.0

Prior to version 1.12.0, each sync pair knew two moves when recruited, and could unlock additional moves, up to a maximum of four moves. Some passive skills would also not be available by default, and would need to be unlocked. Starting from version 1.12.0, sync pairs know all available moves and passive skills by default.

Moves and skills were normally unlocked using cap-unlock drinks and training machines. Sync pairs rewarded from legendary events also used custom training machines exclusive to their respective event. The amount of each item needed varied between these sync pairs.

• On Giovanni & Mewtwo's second run, the pair was updated to no longer use Custom Super Training Machines. This item became unobtainable for any players who did not get them during the event's initial run, as it no longer served a purpose.

Legendary Sync Pair(s)	Unlock	Items required
		Great Drinks //	Ultra Drinks //	Training Machine	Super Training Machine	Custom Training Machine	Custom Super Training Machine
Giovanni & Mewtwo (First run)	Third move	N/A	N/A	30	N/A	100	N/A
	Fourth move	N/A	N/A	70	50	150	50
	Passive skill	150	100	N/A	N/A	200	N/A
Scottie/Bettie & Solgaleo	Third move	N/A	N/A	30	N/A	100	N/A
	Fourth move	N/A	N/A	70	50	120	100
	Passive skill	150	100	N/A	N/A	150	N/A
Zinnia & Rayquaza	Third move	N/A	N/A	30	N/A	100	N/A
	Fourth move	N/A	N/A	70	50	220	N/A
	Passive skill	150	100	N/A	N/A	150	N/A
Giovanni & Mewtwo (Second run)	Third move	N/A	N/A	30	N/A	100	N/A
	Fourth move	N/A	N/A	70	50	200	N/A
	Passive skill	150	100	N/A	N/A	200	N/A
Silver & Ho-Oh	Third move	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	100	N/A
	Fourth move	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	220	N/A
	Passive skill	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	150	N/A

The pair given as a log-in gift, Professor Oak & Mew, used only Custom Training Machines:

Legendary event level caps

Sync pairs rewarded from legendary events used custom items exclusive to their respective event to unlock their level caps. The amount of each item needed also varied between these sync pairs.

• Starting with Zinnia & Rayquaza, and for any legendary event pairs re-run afterwards, Custom Drinks were used instead of Custom Training Machines to increase level cap.
• Starting in version 2.2.0, all legendary event pairs use normal level cap materials. Custom materials can no longer be used, though they can be exchanged for normal materials.

Legendary Sync Pair(s)	Raise in level cap	Items Required
		Drinks //	Great Drinks //	Ultra Drinks //	Drink+'s //	Custom Drinks / Custom Training Machines*	Custom Super Drinks / Custom Super Training Machines*	Gym Leader Notes	Elite Four Notes
Giovanni & Mewtwo (5★)	45 → 60	25	N/A	N/A	N/A	100	N/A	N/A	N/A
	60 → 75	75	25	N/A	N/A	150	N/A	N/A	N/A
	75 → 90	N/A	75	50	N/A	250	100	N/A	N/A
	90 → 105	N/A	N/A	250	N/A	350	150	3	N/A
	105 → 120	N/A	N/A	N/A	250	500	300	N/A	5
Scottie/Bettie & Solgaleo (5★), Zinnia & Rayquaza (5★)	45 → 60	25	N/A	N/A	N/A	100	N/A	N/A	N/A
	60 → 75	75	25	N/A	N/A	120	N/A	N/A	N/A
	75 → 90	N/A	75	50	N/A	150	150	N/A	N/A
	90 → 105	N/A	N/A	250	N/A	170	170	3	N/A
	105 → 120	N/A	N/A	N/A	250	200	200	N/A	5
Silver & Ho-Oh (5★)	45 → 60	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	100	N/A	N/A	N/A
	60 → 75	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	120	N/A	N/A	N/A
	75 → 90	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	150	150	N/A	N/A
	90 → 105	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	170	170	N/A	N/A
	105 → 120	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	200	200	N/A	N/A
Cyrus & Palkia (5★)	100 → 110	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	100	100	N/A	N/A
	110 → 120	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	200	200	N/A	N/A

The pair given as a log-in gift, Professor Oak & Mew, used unique unlock costs that consist entirely of Custom items:

List of sync pairs

Main article: List of sync pairs

Methods of obtaining sync pairs

PML Arc

Main article: PML Arc

Several sync pairs are automatically recruited after completing certain missions over the course of the PML Arc.

Sync pair scout

Main article: Sync pair scout

The sync pair scout allows players to spend Gems to obtain random sync pairs from various showcases.

Ticket scout

A "ticket scout" can be performed by using various types of ticket items:

• • A "5★-guaranteed ticket scout" requires 30 5★ Scout Tickets to scout a single 5★ pair. The pairs available exclude limited-time pairs, such as those from Poké Fair, Master Fair, Seasonal, or Costume scouts.
  • A "5★-guaranteed [region] scout" works similar to the above case, and costs 30 tickets corresponding to a specific Pokémon region. The 5★ pair received will be from that region.
  • A "featured ticket scout" requires 1 ticket corresponding to a specific sync pair, and gives one pair when redeemed, with a 25% chance to be the pair matching the ticket. The required ticket can typically only be obtained from a paid-Gem-only sync pair scout for the specific sync pair.
  • A "guaranteed ticket scout" is similar to featured Ticket Scout, but guarantees the sync pair associated with the ticket.
  • A "select scout" requires 1 select ticket, and allows for selecting a specific sync pair to receive. Some select scout tickets also allow for scouting 10 or 11 pairs before making the selection.

Legendary event

Main article: Legendary event

Various Trainers which form 5★ sync pairs with Legendary Pokémon can be obtained for completing the story of their respective legendary events.

Special sync pair event

Main article: Special sync pair event

Special sync pair events offer a sync pair for the player to obtain, and Event Vouchers gathered from battles can be exchanged for upgrades for the featured sync pair.

Eggs

Main article: Egg Pokémon (Masters)

Eggs obtained from completing certain battles can be hatched in Professor Bellis's laboratory and form sync pairs with Scottie/Bettie.

Battle Points

Main article: Battle Point (Masters)

BP Sync Pair Vouchers and BP Sync Pair Super Vouchers obtained as Battle Point Tier Rewards can be exchanged for various sync pairs.

Trainer Lodge

Main article: Trainer Lodge

Raising a guest to Friendship Level 100 unlocks a new sync pair for that Trainer, which can be obtained using Lodge Stones.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 拍檔組合 Paakdong Jóuhahp 拍組 Paak-Jóu Mandarin 拍檔組合 Pāidǎng Zǔhé 拍組 Pāi-Zǔ French Duo German Gefährte Italian Unità Korean 버디즈 Buddies Spanish Pareja de Compis

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.