Unown (Pokémon)

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Unown
アンノーン Unknown
130
Artwork from FR/LG
National Dex #201
Johto Dex #061
Hoenn Dex #346
Sinnoh Dex #114
Fiore Browser R—
Almia Browser R—
Type Psychic
Species Symbol Pokémon
Height 1′08″ (0.5m)
Weight 11.0 lbs. (5.0kg)
Ability Levitate
Egg group No eggs
Time to hatch 10,240 steps
Effort yield 1 Atk, 1 SpA
Exp. yield 61 base exp.
Lv100 at 1,000,000 exp.
Gender
Pokédex color Black
Catch rate 225

Unown (Japanese: アンノーン Unknown) is a Psychic-type Pokémon. As of Generation IV, Unown has 28 derivative shapes. There are 26 English alphabet characters, plus two punctuation marks: ? (question mark) and ! (exclamation mark). That shape is determined by its personality value.

Contents

Biology

They tend to stick to walls or orbit other Unown when in a group.

Physiology

It is a floating, flat Pokémon with appendages that make it resemble letters. It is black all over and has a large, single eye.

Gender differences

This Pokémon is genderless.

Different forms

Unown has 28 different forms, one for each letter of the alphabet, as well as '!' and '?'. These are chronicled in the Unown Dex. The '!' and '?' forms were not introduced until Generation III.

Special abilities

Unown's only known move in battle is the enigmatic Hidden Power. In the anime, they are capable of reading the thoughts of other lifeforms (which isn't a unique ability in itself). However, great numbers of them are capable of warping reality to suit the dreams and wishes of whoever is in control.

Behavior

Unown can make telepathic contact with humans (and many other creatures also). Unown have a timidness that rarely makes them venture outside of their dimension.

Habitat

Unown live in their own dimension.

When they move to the Pokémon World, Unown seem to prefer to make their habitat in ancient ruins, appearing only in the Ruins of Alph in Johto, Tanoby Chambers in the Sevii Islands, Solaceon Ruins in Sinnoh and Unown Relic in the Mystery Dungeon world.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

In the anime

An Unown in the anime
An Unown in the anime
Cynthia next to a tablet that has Unown on it
Cynthia next to a tablet that has Unown on it

The Unown play a large role in the third movie, creating the illusions which drive the plot.

Notes about Unown can be seen on Professor Oak's computer at the beginning of the movie. The information (as presented in the Japanese version) has been cleaned up and transcribed here:

  • Because of their very timid and careful character, Unown do not want to go out to the external world.
  • Unown have the power to perceive the feelings of other creatures (including human beings).
  • Unown communicate with each other over electromagnetic waves but cannot use telepathy.
  • Given all this, Unown are still classified as a species of Pokémon, as opposed to any other sort of creature.

Oddly enough, also on Professor Oak's computer appear several Unown of shapes not yet encountered.

Unown from DP060
Unown from DP060

An Unown fell out of the Unown dimension in Address Unown. After it was healed by the group, it helped defend against Team Rocket and its mind merged with that of Ash's Larvitar so that the group could help it to address its inner pain.

Unown appeared on a tablet that Cynthia was reading in Top-Down Training, and make yet another appearance in DP060. Also, many Unown made an appearance in the The Rise of Darkrai, seen wandering the dimension which Dialga and Palkia originally dwell in.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Special manga

Unown first appeared in Volume 8 when Gold and Bugsy were in the Ruins of Alph. Gold had his Sunkern use Flash to blind Team Rocket, but accidentally disturbed the Unown from their slumber with the light from Flash. Bugsy later returns to study the Ruins further in Volume 11, where he captures an Unown (G).

Unown later appear in Volume 24, having been awakened by Sird from the Tanoby Ruins to use as a distraction while she fought Lorelei. The Unown later appear again throughout the volume, being employed by Team Rocket as living security cameras while impeding the progress of Red, Blue and Green.

It also appeared in DP saga when Diamond, Pearl and Berlitz were visiting Solaceon City. Diamond and Pearl befriended two Unowns (D and P) who behaved like them.

In the TCG

Main article: Unown (TCG)

Other appearances

Super Smash Bros. Melee

When one Unown is released from a Poké Ball it will fly off the screen. It then returns with a large swarm similar to what Beedrill did in the original Super Smash Bros. The only difference is that Beedrill only attack from left or right while Unown can come from any direction. Any opponent caught in this is is damaged and juggled.

There are also a number of Unown Pokéfloats. In the second half of the cycle, a number fly across the screen. Towards the end of the cycle, staying on the stage relies on hopping between the Unown.

Game data

Pokédex entries

Gen Game Pokédex entry
II Gold Their shapes look like hieroglyphs on ancient tablets. It is said that the two are somehow related.
Silver Its flat, thin body is always stuck on walls. Its shape appears to have some meaning.
Crystal Because different types of Unown exist, it is said that they must have a variety of abilities.
Stadium 2 Their shapes look like hieroglyphs on ancient tablets. It is said that the two are somehow related.
III Ruby This Pokémon is shaped like ancient writing. It is a mystery as to which came first, the ancient writings or the various Unown. Research into this topic is ongoing but nothing is known.
Sapphire This Pokémon is shaped like ancient writing. It is a mystery as to which came first, the ancient writings or the various Unown. Research into this topic is ongoing but nothing is known.
Emerald This Pokémon is shaped like ancient text characters. Although research is ongoing, it is a mystery as to which came first, the ancient writings or the various Unown.
FireRed Its flat, thin body is always stuck on walls. Its shape appears to have some meaning.
LeafGreen Their shapes look like hieroglyphs on ancient tablets. It is said that the two are somehow related.
IV Diamond Shaped like ancient writing, it is a huge mystery whether language or Unown came first.
Pearl They seem to communicate among each other telepathically. They are always found stuck on walls.

Game locations

Gen Game Rarity Location
II Pokémon Gold and Silver Common Ruins of Alph
Pokémon Crystal Common Ruins of Alph
III Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire None Trade
Pokémon Emerald None Trade
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Common Tanoby Chambers
Pokémon Colosseum None Trade
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness None Trade
IV Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Common Solaceon Ruins
Pokémon Platinum Unknown
Pal Park Forest


In side games

Game Location
Pokémon Trozei! Phobosphere (G)
Endless Level 48 (N)
Endless Level 83 (Y)
Forever Level 48 (N)
Endless Level 83 (Y)
Mr. Who's Den
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Unown Relic

In Pokémon Trozei, rounds at Mr. Who's den that contain Unown will include multiple forms at the same time.

Each form of Unown is found on different floors in the Unown Relic:

Form Floors Form Floors Form Floors Form Floors
A 1, 7 H 2, 8, 10 O 1, 4, 10, 11 V 3, 6, 10
B 1, 7 I 3, 7, 9, 11 P 2, 4, 9, 10 W 6
C 1, 5, 6, 8, 11 J 3, 5, 9, 10 Q 5, 8, 10, 11 X 2, 6
D 1, 8 K 3, 7, 9, 11 R 1, 5, 9 Y 7
E 2, 6, 9, 11 L 3, 9 S 2, 5, 8, 9, 11 Z 1, 7
F 2 M 4, 8, 11 T 3, 5, 10  ! 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
G 2, 5, 8, 11 N 4, 10 U 1, 6, 8  ? 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Base stats

HP: 48
 
Attack: 72
 
Defense: 48
 
SpAtk: 72
 
SpDef: 48
 
Speed: 48
 

Type effectiveness

Weakness Resistance

Note: If Skill Swap or Gravity is used, the effectiveness of Ground becomes 1×.

Learnset

Unown is capable of learning the following moves.
Moves in bold are damage moves to which STAB apply.


By leveling up

Level Generation II Generation III Generation IV
Start Hidden Power Hidden Power Hidden Power

By TM/HM

Unown is incapable of learning any TM/HM moves.

By breeding

Unown cannot be bred.

By tutoring

Unown is incapable of learning any tutored moves.

Special moves

Side game data

Pokémon Trozei!
Image:Trozeiani201.gif Rarity: Common Image:Trozeiani201.gif
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
Body size: 1 Recruit Rate:
1.8% (A-Z)
0.1% (!?)
Friend Area:
Aged Chamber AN
Aged Chamber O?
Phrases
51%-100% HP What am I, you ask?
26%-50% HP My HP has plunged to half...
1%-25% HP I cannot go on... I have little power left...
Level Up I have leveled up.



Evolution

Basic
Image:Unown_Alphabet.gif
Unown

Sprites

Gen Game
I Red Blue Yellow Red (Ja) Green Back
This Pokémon did not appear during Generation I.
II Gold Silver Crystal   Back
Image:Spr_2g_201.png Image:Spr_2s_201.png Image:Spr_2c_201.gif Image:Spr_b_g2_201.png
Image:Spr_2g_201_s.png Image:Spr_2s_201_s.png Image:Spr_2c_201_s.gif Image:Spr_b_g2_201_s.png
III Ruby Sapphire Emerald FireRed LeafGreen Back
Image:Spr 3r 201.png Image:Spr 3e 201.gif Image:Spr 3f 201.png Image:Spr b g3 201.png
Image:Spr 3r 201 s.png Image:Spr 3e 201 s.gif Image:Spr 3f 201 s.png Image:Spr b g3 201 s.png
IV Diamond Pearl Platinum   Back
Image:Spr 4d 201.png Image:Spr 4p 201.png Image:Spr b g4 201.png
Image:Spr_4d_201_s.png Image:Spr 4p 201 s.png Image:Spr b g4 201 s.png
Unown For other sprites and images, please see Unown images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Unown's forms

Image:201A.pngImage:201B.pngImage:201C.pngImage:201D.pngImage:201E.pngImage:201F.pngImage:201G.pngImage:201H.pngImage:201I.pngImage:201J.pngImage:201K.pngImage:201L.pngImage:201M.pngImage:201N.pngImage:201O.pngImage:201P.pngImage:201Q.pngImage:201R.pngImage:201S.pngImage:201T.pngImage:201U.pngImage:201V.pngImage:201W.pngImage:201X.pngImage:201Y.pngImage:201Z.pngImage:201Exclamation.pngImage:201Question.png

Trivia

Unown 6?
Unown 6?
  • In Spell of the Unown, Professor Oak had some pictures of unreleased Unown on his computer. They resemble a few Greek alphabet letters, especially σ (lowercase sigma), Σ (capital sigma), π (pi) and Ω (omega). The top-middle Unown may be also a variation of an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, the Eye of Horus. This may lead to the conclusion that there are more forms of Unown, being the prototypes of other known (or unknown) alphabets.
  • In Generation II, the Unown appear to be able to generate a radio signal.
  • In Diamond and Pearl, the Ruin Maniac in the Maniac Tunnel proposes a little contest with the player: he will dig straight through the mountain as the player captures the 26 letter-shaped Unown. If all 26 Unown are caught in Solaceon Ruins, the Maniac Tunnel leads to a chamber with Unown ! and ? to be found. Additionally, the chances of finding a Hippopotas in the tunnel are increased.
    Molly's book with Unown on it.
    Molly's book with Unown on it.
  • In the third movie, Molly Hale owned a book that had Unown on the cover of it.

Origin

Their appearances are corruptions of the modern Latin alphabet. The shapes of the Unown are used like runes in the Pokémon world, although in Generation III their place has been taken by Braille.

Name origin

Unown's name is a misspelling of the word unknown. Its German name, Icognito, comes from Ikone and Inkognito, one who has their identity concealed. Its French name, Zarbi, comes from the word bizarre in verlan, a youth language.

In other languages

External links


Super Smash Bros. series
Games: Super Smash Bros. | Super Smash Bros. Melee | Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Characters: Pikachu | Jigglypuff | Mewtwo | Pichu | Pokémon Trainer (Squirtle | Ivysaur | Charizard) | Lucario
Stages: Saffron City | Pokémon Stadium | Poké Floats | Pokémon Stadium 2 | Spear Pillar
Poké Ball: Articuno | Beedrill | Bellossom | Blastoise | Bonsly | Celebi | Chansey | Charizard | Chikorita | Clefairy | Cyndaquil | Deoxys
Electrode | Entei | Gardevoir | Goldeen | Groudon | Gulpin | Hitmonlee | Ho-Oh | Jirachi | Koffing | Kyogre | Latias and Latios
Lugia | Manaphy | Marill | Meowth | Mew | Metagross | Moltres | Munchlax | Onix | Piplup | Porygon2 | Raikou | Scizor
Snorlax | Staryu | Starmie | Suicune | Togepi | Torchic | Unown | Venusaur | Weavile | Weezing | Wobbuffet | Zapdos
Stickers & Trophies: Melee Trophy list | Brawl Sticker list | Brawl Trophy list
Misc: The Subspace Emissary | My Music | Final Smash | Pokémon Change | Brawl cameos
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Image:Project Pokédex logo.png This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon as a species.
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