Illusion (Ability): Difference between revisions

Illusion (Japanese: イリュージョン Illusion) is an Ability introduced in Generation V. It is the signature Ability of Zorua and Zoroark.

Effect

In battle

Generation V

Illusion will change the appearance of the Pokémon to that of the last Pokémon in the player's party. Illusion will not disguise the Pokémon if the last Pokémon in the player's party is fainted or is of the same species. Illusion will replicate the type of Poké Ball, nickname (or species name if none), Shininess (if any), gender, and form of the Pokémon it is masquerading as; however, it does not replicate the level of the masqueraded Pokémon. The effect is only aesthetic: it does not affect the Pokémon's stats, type, moves, etc.

The illusion wears off—causing the Pokémon with this Ability to appear as its true self—when the user is damaged directly by a damaging move or when Illusion is negated or replaced. Indirect damage or loss of HP (such as through Substitute, Life Orb, weather, status conditions, entry hazards, recoil, and so on) will not break Illusion. If the Pokémon with Illusion is hit by a multi-strike move, the illusion will be broken after the first hit.

A Pokémon with Illusion can masquerade as another Pokémon with Illusion, provided that they are different species.

Illusion cannot be Traced, copied with Role Play, or swapped with Skill Swap. If a Pokémon other than Zorua or Zoroark obtains this ability with Imposter or Transform, the Pokémon will not copy this ability.

Generation VI

Illusion can now mimic another Pokémon with Illusion of the same species.

Illusion now disguises the Pokémon as the last conscious Pokémon in the party.

Outside of battle

Illusion has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, the Ability functions similar to the main series games for foe Pokémon. A Pokémon with this Ability can transform into another Pokémon that can be found on the same floor of a Mystery Dungeon. For partner Pokémon, this Ability becomes nonexistent.

In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, partner Pokémon with this ability transform into Kecleon.

Pokémon with Illusion

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0570		Zorua	Dark		Dark	Illusion	None	None
0571		Zoroark	Dark		Dark	Illusion	None	None
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In the anime

Zoroark Zorua Transformed Luke's Zorua
The user can either change its shape into a human or Pokémon, or it creates illusions for everyone to see.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Zoroark's eyes glow light blue and its outlines start to glow pink. Then, a magenta wave of energy appears by its face and moves down to its feet. As the wave moves down, its body changes its shape into the opponent, or Zoroark's eyes glow red and it causes the opponent to see illusions of its choosing.
Zoroark (M13)	Zoroark: Master of Illusions		Debut
A wild Zoroark	The Island of Illusions!		None
	Zorua's eyes glow light blue and it jumps up high into the air, spinning its body while in the air. As it spins, its body starts to glow pink and it changes its shape into the opponent.
Zorua (M13)	Zoroark: Master of Illusions		As a human, its tail is visible, and when the tail is pushed, pulled, or grabbed, Zorua instantly returns to its normal form. Also, its eyes don't glow light blue before it spins.
Luke's Zorua	Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!		None

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Zorua Zorua
The user makes itself appear as something else.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Zorua changes its appearance into something else, occasionally retaining its eyes, eyebrows, and eyelids when it does so. If Zorua takes damage, it takes a wisp-like appearance as it is forced out of its transformation.
N's Zorua	Lost in the Big City		Debut

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Zorua
The user becomes a copy of something or someone else.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Zorua changes its appearance into something else, but leaves out the tail.
A wild Zorua	Who's the Real Villain!?		Debut

Trivia

• In Generation V, if Entrainment is used on a Pokémon with Illusion while it is disguised as another Pokémon, when its Ability activates the banner will state that the Ability belongs to the Pokémon that was used as the disguise. If the Pokémon's Ability is changed again, these messages will correctly state the Pokémon who the Ability belongs to when it activates.
• Although this ability is forbidden in Pokéstar Studios, one NPC uses a Zoroark with the ability.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 幻覺 Huàn​​jué​ Finnish Illuusio French Illusion German Trugbild Indonesian Ilusi Italian Illusione Korean 일루전 Illusion Polish Iluzja Portuguese Ilusão Spanish Ilusión

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.