Terrain

Terrain (Japanese: フィールド field) is a type of field effect in the Pokémon games that affects Pokémon on the ground. The mechanic was introduced in Generation VI. In battle, there is often no initial terrain, but it can be changed by Pokémon's moves and Abilities. Only one type of terrain may be present at a time, with any new terrain put in place overwriting the previous terrain.

In the core series games

Effects

Once activated, a terrain affects all Pokémon on the ground, and it normally lasts for 5 turns regardless of how it is created, but if the Pokémon who activated it held a Terrain Extender when the terrain was put into effect, it lasts 8 turns. Terrain that occurs naturally (e.g., fog) lasts until it is replaced or removed.

Pokémon that are in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move are considered to not be on the ground for the purposes of terrain.

Natural objects disappear and cannot be destroyed while terrain is in effect.

Terrain	Image	Description	Details
Electric Terrain		For five turns, Pokémon on the ground won't fall asleep. The power of Electric-type moves is boosted.	Increases the power of Electric-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 30% (50% prior to Generation VIII). Prevents Pokémon on the ground from falling asleep and being afflicted by Yawn.
Grassy Terrain		For five turns, Pokémon on the ground will have a little HP restored at the end of each turn. The power of Grass-type moves is boosted.	Increases the power of Grass-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 30% (50% prior to Generation VIII). Restores 1/16 HP to all Pokémon on the ground each turn. Halves the power of Bulldoze, Earthquake, and Magnitude.
Misty Terrain		For five turns, Pokémon on the ground won't get any status conditions. Damage from Dragon-type moves is halved.	Halves the damage taken by Pokémon on the ground from Dragon-type moves. Prevents Pokémon on the ground from being afflicted with non-volatile status conditions and (from Generation VII onward) confusion.
Psychic Terrain		For five turns, Pokémon on the ground won't be hit by priority moves. The power of Psychic-type moves is boosted.	Increases the power of Psychic-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground by 30% (50% prior to Generation VIII). Prevents Pokémon on the ground from being hit by moves with increased priority.

Causing terrain

Each terrain has a corresponding move, Max Move, and Ability that will create it. A certain Z-Move and certain other Abilities may summon terrain as well.

	Electric Terrain	Grassy Terrain	Misty Terrain	Psychic Terrain
Terrain move	Electric Terrain	Grassy Terrain	Misty Terrain	Psychic Terrain
Z-Move / Max Move	Max Lightning	Max Overgrowth	Max Starfall	Genesis Supernova Max Mindstorm
Ability	Electric Surge Hadron Engine	Grassy Surge Seed Sower*	Misty Surge	Psychic Surge

Moves that remove terrain

A terrain can be removed using any of the following moves.

Move	Type	Category	Power	Accuracy	Notes
Defog	Flying	Status	—	—%	Generation VIII onwards only. Lowers the target's evasion one stage. Also removes the effects of fog, screen-creating moves, and entry hazards
G-Max Wind Rage	Flying	Varies	—	—%	Exclusive G-Max Move of Gigantamax Corviknight Also removes the effects of screen-creating moves and entry hazards
Ice Spinner	Ice	Physical	80	100%	—
Splintered Stormshards	Rock	Physical	190	—%	Exclusive Z-Move of Lycanroc
Steel Roller	Steel	Physical	130	100%	Fails when there is no terrain

Moves affected by terrain

Some moves can have their effects changed depending on the terrain.

Move	Type	Category	Power	Accuracy	Notes
Expanding Force	Psychic	Special	80	100%	Power is increased and hits all opposing Pokémon if used on Psychic Terrain
Floral Healing	Fairy	Status	—	100%	Restores up to ⅔ of the target's maximum HP if used on Grassy Terrain
Grassy Glide	Grass	Physical	70	100%	Increased priority if used on Grassy Terrain
Misty Explosion	Fairy	Special	100	100%	Base power is increased by 50% if used on Misty Terrain
Rising Voltage	Electric	Special	70	100%	Power doubles when the target is on Electric Terrain
Terrain Pulse	Normal	Special	50	100%	Power doubles and changes type depending on the terrain

Environment-based moves

Terrain causes moves that vary with environment to ignore the current location and determine their effect based on the terrain, regardless of whether the move's user is on the ground.

	Electric Terrain	Grassy Terrain	Misty Terrain	Psychic Terrain
Nature Power	Thunderbolt	Energy Ball	Moonblast	Psychic
Secret Power	May cause paralysis (Thunder Shock animation)	May cause sleep (Vine Whip animation)	May lower Special Attack one stage (Fairy Wind animation)	May lower Speed one stage (Confusion animation)
Camouflage	Electric	Grass	Fairy	Psychic

Abilities affected by terrain

Certain Abilities are activated under certain terrains.

Name	Effect	Generation introduced
Grass Pelt	While Grassy Terrain is active, the Defense of the Pokémon with this Ability is increased by 50%.	VI
Hadron Engine	Turns the ground into Electric Terrain when the Pokémon enters a battle. The futuristic engine within the Pokémon also boosts its Sp. Atk stat on Electric Terrain.	IX
Mimicry	Changes the Pokémon's type depending on the terrain.	VIII
Quark Drive	Boosts the Pokémon's most proficient stat on Electric Terrain or if the Pokémon is holding Booster Energy.	IX
Surge Surfer	While Electric Terrain is active, doubles the Speed of Pokémon with this Ability.	VII

Items that interact with terrain

If a Pokémon is holding one of these four held items when the appropriate terrain is created, or switches in while the appropriate terrain is in effect, the item will be consumed and boost one of the holder's stats by one stage. The item will activate regardless of whether or not the Pokémon is grounded.

Electric Terrain	Grassy Terrain	Misty Terrain	Psychic Terrain
Electric Seed	Grassy Seed	Misty Seed	Psychic Seed
boosts Defense		boosts Special Defense

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Missing Mystery Dungeon details

Pokémon Masters EX

Terrain (here called terrain effects) function similarly to the main series. At normal game speed, all terrain effects last for 45 seconds excluding time that sync pairs spend performing sync moves or Max Moves but including time that they spend one everything else. This includes—but is not limited to—a move's animation time, stats getting raised/lowered, taking damage from a hailstorm/sandstorm, a skill activating, or a status condition taking effect. At faster speeds, terrain effects last shorter in ways that accommodate for quicker gameplay. This results in terrain effects consistently ending in the exact in-game moments regardless of game speed.

Setting terrain effects

There are five means to apply terrain effects; only Electric, Grassy, and Psychic Terrain are available in these ways:

By Pokémon move

Name	Playable sync pairs
Psychic Terrain	Bianca & Musharna
Electric Terrain	Volkner & Luxray Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu
Grassy Terrain	Sygna Suit Lyra & Celebi (Direct link)

By Trainer move

Name	Terrain	Playable sync pairs	Notes
Fun Times!	Grassy Terrain	Whitney (Holiday 2022) & Sawsbuck	The remaining MP (or move points) for the user’s Move Gauge Boost must be two when "Fun Times!" is selected.
	Psychic Terrain		The remaining MP for the user’s Move Gauge Boost must be one when "Fun Times!" is selected.
	Electric Terrain		The remaining MP for the user’s Move Gauge Boost must be zero when "Fun Times!" is selected.
Psychic Wish	Psychic Terrain	May (Anniversary 2022) & Latias	—
Try This!	Psychic Terrain	Sygna Suit Steven & Deoxys (Direct link)	—

By Max Moves

Name	Terrain	Playable sync pairs
Max Lightning	Electric Terrain	Elesa (Classic) & Emolga
Max Mindstorm	Psychic Terrain	Bede & Hatterene

By Skill

Skills that set terrain effects are in one of both of these categories: Passive and Grid. Passive skills are always on a sync pair. Grid skills are capable of being equipped from a sync grid if their users reach a certain move level, which always start at one.

Name	Skill's kind	Terrain	Description	Playable sync pairs	Required move level	Recurring opponents
Conductive Sync	Passive	Electric Terrain	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Electric Terrain the first time the user's sync move is used each battle.	Volkner (New Year's 2022) & Electivire	—	—
Electric Terrain Debut & Extension 5	Passive	Electric Terrain	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Electric Terrain the first time the user enters a battle each battle. Extends the duration of Electric Terrain when the terrain turns into Electric Terrain while the user is on the field.	Sygna Suit Hau & Tapu Koko (Direct link)	—	—
Power Plant	Passive	Electric Terrain	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Electric Terrain after using the user's sync move.	Kris & Jolteon (Direct link)	—	—
	Grid			Sygna Suit Hau & Tapu Koko (Direct link)	3
MAX Conductivity	Grid	Electric Terrain	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Electric Terrain after using the user's max move.	Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu	3	—
Green Thumb	Passive	Grassy Terrain	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Grassy Terrain after using a sync move.	—	—	Will & Exeggutor (Champion Stadium: Johto Challenge) Tapu Bulu (Legendary Arena/Gauntlet) (Direct link)

Special case

Every time Legendary Arena's/Gauntlet's Tapu Bulu enters battle, which includes every moment that it gets a new HP bar, the field of play instantly sets Grassy Terrain.

Removing terrain

Only Defog can clear terrain effects.

Name	Category	Slots of move gauge	MP (uses)	Base Power	Max Power	Accuracy	Target	Effect tag	Description	Playable sync pairs
Defog	Status	2	2	—	—	—%	An opponent	—	Clears the entire terrain and zone effects. Clears all field effects from the opponents' field of play. Lowers the target's evasiveness by one stat rank.	Lisia & Altaria Darach & Staraptor

Effects

• Electric Terrain: Increases the damage of Electric-type attacks by 50% and prevents afflictions of Sleep (though it does not cure Pokémon who were already asleep before that terrain takes effect).
• Grassy Terrain: Increases the damage of Grass-type attacks by 50% and restores HP of the Pokémon that uses a Grass-type move* by 1/16 of their maximum HP (rounded down) unless they hit themselves in confusion.
• Psychic Terrain: Increases the damage of Psychic-type attacks by 50%.

All effects are also in this table:

Terrain	Type of boosted attacks	Additional effect
Electric Terrain	Electric	Prevents Pokémon from falling asleep (but does not awaken those already sleeping).
Grassy Terrain	Grass	Restores 1/16 HP (rounded down) to the Pokémon that uses a Grass-type move (unless they hit themselves in confusion).*
Psychic Terrain	Psychic	-

Effects on actions

Pokémon moves

Some attack moves can have their effects changed depending on the terrain.

Name	Action class	Type	Category	Slots of move gauge	MP (uses)	Base Power	Max Power	Accuracy	Target	Effect tag	Description	Playable sync pairs
Grassy Glide	Regular move	Grass	Physical	3	—	100	120	100%	An opponent	—	Will not consume the move gauge when the terrain is Grassy Terrain.	Sygna Suit Lyra & Celebi (Direct link)
B Volt Tackle	Buddy move	Electric	Physical	2	—	150	180	100%	All opponents	—	Activation Condition: When the field of play’s terrain turns into Electric Terrain. Deactivation Condition: When the field of play’s terrain is no longer Electric Terrain. Ignores passive skills that would reduce the damage of this attack. Ignores passive skills that would protect the target against a critical hit. Ignores the target’s Enduring effect. The power of this move is not lowered even if there are multiple targets. Lowers the target’s Defense and Sp. Def by 1 stat rank when the target is paralyzed.	Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu
B Electroweb	Buddy move	Electric	Special	1	—	100	120	100%	All opponents	—	Activation Condition: When weather, terrain, or zone effects are activated. Deactivation Condition: When all weather, terrain, and zone effects are cleared. This attack’s power is doubled when the zone is a Fairy Zone. Lowers the target’s Speed by two stat ranks. Raises the Speed of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.	Sygna Suit Hau & Tapu Koko (Direct link)
B Protect	Buddy move	Normal	Status	—	1	—	—	—%	All allies	Heals	Activation Condition: When weather, terrain, or zone effects are activated. Deactivation Condition: When all weather, terrain, and zone effects are cleared. Applies the Damage Guard Next effect to all allied sync pairs. Restores the HP of all allied sync pairs by approximately 20% of their maximum HP. HP is restored by 30% instead when the zone is a Fairy Zone. Returns lowered stats of all allied sync pairs to normal when the weather is rainy.	Sygna Suit Mina & Tapu Fini (Direct link)

Sync moves

The following sync moves' attack powers double in certain terrain. For Electric-, Grass-, and Psychic-type sync moves, this power-doubling feature stacks multiplicatively with the type-matching damage boosts that terrain effects provide, which can result in tripled power.

Name	Type	Category	Base Power	Max Power	Target	Description	Playable sync pairs
Indomitable Happiness Normal Impact	Normal	Physical	250	300	An opponent	This attack’s power increases when a terrain is in effect.	Whitney (Holiday 2022) & Sawsbuck
Lightning-Fast Volt Tackle	Electric	Physical	200	240	An opponent	This attack’s power increases when the terrain is Electric Terrain.	Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu
Thundering Deity Gigavolt Havoc	Electric	Special	200	240	An opponent	This attack’s power increases when the terrain is Electric Terrain.	Sygna Suit Hau & Tapu Koko (Direct link)
Time-Transcending Magical Leaf	Grass	Physical	200	240	An opponent	This attack’s power increases when the terrain is Grassy Terrain.	Sygna Suit Lyra & Celebi (Direct link)

Effects on skills

In addition, there are skills that are active only under certain terrain effects or that activate when any terrain effect is set:

Terrain	Skill	Effect
Electric Terrain	Charged Immunity	Prevents status conditions from afflicting the user
	Electric Terrain Debut & Extension 5	Turns the field of play’s terrain into Electric Terrain the first time the user enters a battle each battle. Extends the duration of Electric Terrain when the terrain turns into Electric Terrain while the user is on the field.
	Electrorepulsion 3	Reduces damage that the user takes from attack moves by 30%
	Grounding Wire	Prevents the user from flinching, becoming confused, or becoming trapped
	Power Induction 1	Powers up the user's attack moves by 10%
	Power Induction 3	Powers up the user's attack moves by 30%
	Power Induction 5	Powers up the user's attack moves by 50%
	Red's Fighting Spirit	Extends Electric Terrain's duration if the terrain turns into Electric Terrain while the user is on the field; quickly charges the user's move gauge; restores the user’s HP whenever their Pokémon takes an action
	Shock Recovery 1	Restores 1/10 of the user's maximum HP when their Pokémon takes an action
	Sync Induction 5	Powers up the user's sync moves by 50%
	Team Charged Slo-mo 9	Lowers the Speed of all opposing sync pairs by one stat rank when the user’s attack move is successful
	Team Charged Speed Drain 9	Grants all the following effects if the user’s attack move against the target is successful: Raises the Speed of each allied sync pairs by one stat rank. Lowers the Speed of each opponent by one stat rank.
	Team Electric Current	Stats cannot be lowered for all allied sync pairs
	Team Power Induction 2	Powers up the attack moves of all allied sync pairs by 20%
	Turbo Charge 2	Quickly charges the user's move gauge
Grassy Terrain	Empowering Overgrowth 3	Powers up the user's attack moves by 30%
	Grassy Cushion 2	Reduces damage that the user takes from attack moves by 20%
	Team Verdant Defense Drain 9	Grants all the following effects if the user’s attack move against the target is successful: Raises the Defense of each allied sync pairs by one stat rank. Lowers the Defense of each opponent by one stat rank.
	Turbo Turf 1	Quickly charges the user's move gauge
	Turbo Turf 2	Quickly charges the user's move gauge
	Verdant Immunity	Prevents status conditions from afflicting the user
	Verdant Recovery 1	Restores 1/10 of the user's maximum HP when their Pokémon takes an action
Psychic Terrain	Precognition 2	Quickly charges the user's move gauge
	Precognition 3	Quickly charges the user's move gauge
	Premonition 2	Reduces damage that the user takes from attack moves by 20%
	Psychic Freebie 9	Grants the user the Free Move Next effect after their attack move is successful
	Psychic Stasis	Prevents the user's stats from getting lowered
	Team Weird Sp. Def Drain 9	Grants all the following effects if the user’s attack move against the target is successful: Raises the Sp. Def of each allied sync pairs by one stat rank. Lowers the Sp. Def of each opponent by one stat rank.
	Weird Immunity	Prevents status conditions from afflicting the user
	Weird Recovery 1	Restores 1/10 of the user's maximum HP when their Pokémon takes an action
	Weird Shield	Increases the user's Special Defense by 50%
	Weird Vibes 1	Powers up the user's attack moves by 10%
	Weird Vibes 5	Powers up the user's attack moves by 50%
Any Terrain	Melemele Ocean Breeze	Increasing the Special Moves ↑ Next effect of each allied sync pairs by one rank when any ally activates a weather, terrain, or zone effect.
	Poni Ocean Breeze	Raises the Defense and Sp. Def of each allied sync pairs by one rank per stat when any ally activates a weather, terrain, or zone effect.
	Team Altered Field Dodge 9	Raises the evasiveness of each allied sync pairs by one stat rank when any ally activates a weather, terrain, or zone effect.
	Terrain Sync-Up 9	Powers up the user's sync move by 90%

Trivia

• Psychic Terrain is the only terrain to not be introduced in Generation VI.
  • Additionally, Psychic Terrain is the only terrain to not appear in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
• Fairy Terrain is the only terrain that is not in Pokémon Masters EX.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 場地 Chèuhngdeih * Mandarin 場地 / 场地 Chǎngdì * Dutch Veld French Champ German Feld Italian Campo Korean 필드 Field Portuguese Brazil Terreno Portugal Campo Russian Поле Pole Spanish Campo

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