Freeze (status condition)
- Freeze redirects here. For the unexpected freezes which prevent the game from continuing, see game freeze. For the Badge given by Brycen, see Badge → Freeze Badge. For the location in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, see Mt. Freeze. For the location in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, see Frozen Mountain.
The freeze condition (FRZ) (Japanese: 凍り Ice), also called ice in the Pokémon Stadium series, causes a Pokémon to be unable to make a move. It is the only status condition that does not have a move that will always cause it or an Ability that can cause it, and because of this, it is arguably the most uncommon.
It is associated with the Ice type, as the majority of moves that can freeze are of this type. Ice-type Pokémon are usually immune to being frozen, except from Tri Attack in Generation II. In Generation V, Pokémon glow blue and stop moving when frozen.
Effect
Freezing causes a Pokémon to be unable to make a move for an indeterminate number of turns. The specifics vary between generations.
Generation I
Once frozen, a Pokémon cannot be thawed out in battle other than via the use of items such as an Ice Heal, being hit by a damaging Fire-type move that can inflict burn (i.e. any Fire-type move except Fire Spin), or the opponent using the move Haze. If a frozen Pokémon uses a move with 0 PP on the same turn that it thaws out, the PP of the move will roll over to 63 PP, and full PP Ups will be applied to it.
Generation II
A frozen Pokémon has a 10% chance of being thawed out each time it attempts to move. On the turn that a Pokémon defrosts, it cannot attack until the next turn, similar to sleep in Generation I.
In Generation II only, Tri Attack has a 1/3 chance of thawing a frozen target.
In addition, some moves can still be used by the frozen Pokémon while frozen (thawing it out in the process). Pokémon cannot be frozen in harsh sunlight, but harsh sunlight does not affect when an already-frozen Pokémon thaws.
Generation III
Same as Generation II, but the thaw chance is now 20% and Pokémon can attack on the turn that they defrost. An animation also shows up whenever a Pokémon is unable to move due to being frozen (in contrast to previous generations, in which it only showed up when freeze was inflicted).
Now all damaging Fire-type moves can thaw a frozen target, regardless of whether or not they have a chance to burn; however, Fire-type Hidden Power cannot thaw a frozen target. Tri Attack can no longer thaw a frozen Pokémon. Freezing also disables the Ability Flash Fire.
Generation IV
Fire-type Hidden Power can now thaw a frozen target.
A frozen Sky Forme Shaymin will revert to its Land Forme.
Generation V
Pokémon glow blue and have their animation stopped when inflicted with freeze.
Freezing no longer stops Flash Fire from working.
Generation VI onward
Frozen Pokémon no longer glow blue.
Appearance
Core series games
Side series games
Spin-off series games
Causes
Moves
Unlike other major status conditions, the freeze status can only be caused by Pokémon moves (rather than by Abilities or items), with those moves rarely causing it. Currently, no moves have freeze as a primary effect. The following are the moves that can cause the freeze status:
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Other causes
Pokémon can be frozen by the Gentleman's Dusclops in the Battle Pike, and by the Battle Arcade.
Curing
In all generations except Generation I, freeze has a chance to be cured on its own on the frozen Pokémon's turn; it has a 10% chance in Generation II, and 20% chance in all subsequent generations. Consequently, the frozen Pokémon may thaw out on the turn of freezing. Pokémon cannot be frozen in harsh sunlight, but harsh sunlight has no effect on Pokémon that are already frozen.
Being frozen can be cured with the use of an Ice Heal, a Pumkin Berry (Generation III only) and Aspear Berry (Burnt Berry in Generation II). In addition, like all other major status conditions, it can be cured by the items Full Heal, Rage Candy Bar, Lava Cookie, Old Gateau, Casteliacone, Lumiose Galette, Shalour Sable, Big Malasada, Full Restore, Heal Powder, Lum Berry (MiracleBerry in Generation II), and Sacred Ash.
In Generation I and II, if a frozen Pokémon is hit by a damaging Fire-type move that can inflict burn (i.e. every Fire-type move except Fire Spin and Hidden Power), it will be thawed; in Generation II, if a frozen Pokémon is hit by Tri Attack, it has a 1/3 chance of being thawed.
From Generation III onward, if a frozen Pokémon is successfully hit by a damaging Fire-type move, it will be immediately thawed; moves that change type such as Weather Ball can thaw a frozen target if they are Fire-type, except Hidden Power in Generation III. From Generation V onward, Pokémon with the Ability Flash Fire will not be thawed by Fire-type moves, since they will not be damaged by them (prior to Generation V, Flash Fire cannot be activated while the Pokémon is frozen).
Starting in Generation VI, if a frozen Pokémon is successfully hit by Scald or Steam Eruption, it will be immediately thawed; since Pokémon with the Ability Water Absorb, Dry Skin, or Storm Drain do not take damage from Scald or Steam Eruption, they cannot be thawed by them.
A frozen Pokémon can still use the moves Flame Wheel, Sacred Fire, Flare Blitz, Fusion Flare, Scald, Steam Eruption, Burn Up, Pyro Ball, and Scorching Sands while frozen; these moves will thaw the user, then execute normally. They will thaw out the user even if they are blocked, miss, deal no damage due an Ability like Flash Fire, or are prevented from being executed by Powder, heavy rain, or extremely harsh sunlight; however, they cannot thaw out the user if they would fail (such as a non-Fire-type Pokémon using Burn Up).
The moves Heal Bell (unless the Pokémon has Soundproof as their Ability in Generation III and IV) and Aromatherapy remove the freeze condition from all Pokémon in the user's party. In Generation I only, using Haze cures the opponent from the freeze condition.
Pokémon with Natural Cure will be cured upon switching out, those with the Hydration Ability will be cured while it is raining. Pokémon with Shed Skin have a 1/3 chance of being cured every turn, and Pokémon with Healer have a 30% chance of curing their allies.
Prevention
Ice-type Pokémon cannot become frozen, except in Generation II by Tri Attack. However, if a Pokémon is frozen while not Ice-type (e.g. due to a type-changing move like Soak), it remains frozen even if it becomes Ice-type later (e.g. due to switching out and in again after its type is changed).
Pokémon with the Magma Armor or Comatose Abilities cannot be frozen.
Safeguard and Misty Terrain (for grounded Pokémon) prevent any status conditions for five turns.
Advantages
The frozen status increases the catch rate of any given Pokémon.
Other game effects
In Pokémon Emerald, when the player is inside the Battle Pyramid, the types of Pokémon encountered on each floor follow a set of categories; one of these categories is Pokémon with moves that freeze.
In the spin-off games
Mystery Dungeon series
Frozen Pokémon cannot take any action and are immune to all damage except Fire-type and Blast Seed. Pokémon will thaw out after a few turns.
Rumble series
Freeze (Frozen when inflicted in-game) is a negative status in the Rumble series. A frozen Pokémon is unable to move or use any moves for roughly five seconds. However, if the affected Pokémon is controlled by a player, inputting movement or button commands will make the effect wear off faster, with a minimum duration of about two seconds. Frozen Pokémon are still, with ice crystals surrounding their body.
No types are immune to freeze, but Pokémon with the Adept, Ice Boost, or Steady Special Traits cannot be frozen, and those with the Reflector Trait will cause the user of the freeze-inducing move to become frozen instead if hit by one.
Pokémon Conquest
In Pokémon Conquest, frozen Pokémon cannot take any action, but their Warrior can still use Warrior Skills or items on their turn. At the start of each turn there is a chance of a frozen Pokémon thawing, and they may act normally during that turn. Freeze can be inflicted by Abilities and by Ice-type attacks, and Ice types are immune to freezing. Freezing can be cured by certain Warrior Skills, items, or by ending a Pokémon's turn on a status condition-curing tile of the battlefield, such as a Hot Spring or a Water Bucket.
Pokémon Shuffle
In Pokémon Shuffle, a frozen Pokémon cannot use any disruptions, its disruption countdown is paused, and it takes 20% more damage from Ice-type Pokémon.
Freezing can be inflicted by Pokémon with the Freeze and Freeze+ Skills.
Fighting, Poison, Ghost, Steel, Fire, Electric, Psychic, Ice, and Fairy-type Pokémon are immune to being frozen.
In the anime
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Incomplete episode list. |
In the anime, the frozen status is literally the same as in the games; once a Pokémon is frozen, it can't move and is open to attacks. In some cases, a referee may call a frozen Pokémon unable to battle.
Freezing is one of the most common status conditions featured in the anime, resulting often when a Pokémon gets hit by an Ice-type attack like Ice Beam or Blizzard.
- In The Ultimate Test, Ash's rental Meowth got frozen by an Ice Beam from the Pokémon League entrance exam instructor's Vaporeon, ending the match in the instructor's victory. Team Rocket's Meowth jumped onto the field and kicked the ice surrounding the instructor's Meowth into pieces, freeing the latter.
- In The Mandarin Island Miss Match, Meowth and the rest of Team Rocket got frozen by an Ice Punch from Prima's Jynx.
- In Charizard Chills, Ash's Charizard was frozen by an Ice Beam from Tad's Poliwrath, winning its Trainer the match. Ash stayed up all night with Charizard to treat its injuries, winning back its loyalty.
- In Moving Pictures, a frozen Sunkern fell from the sky near Ash and his friends. It was later thawed out after being put in a basin of hot water.
- In Freeze Frame, Jigglypuff was frozen, but was then thawed out by a Flamethrower from Ash's Cyndaquil.
- In Pace - The Final Frontier!, Ash's Pikachu was frozen by Brandon's Regice's Ice Beam. However, thanks to Ash's encouragement, Pikachu was able to break free from the ice with a Thunderbolt.
- In The Rise of Darkrai, Darkrai was briefly frozen by an Ice Beam from Kai's Empoleon before the former broke out of the ice with brute force.
- In Hot Springing a Leak!, Ash's Chimchar, Brock's Sudowoodo, Dawn's Piplup, and Leona's Swinub* were all frozen by Blizzard, the former two by Swinub's Blizzard, and the latter two by Sudowoodo's Blizzard, which was used via Mimic.
- In A Pyramiding Rage!, Paul's Lairon was frozen when it was hit by Brandon's Regice's Ice Beam.
- In The Eighth Wonder of the Sinnoh World!, Ash's Torterra was briefly frozen by a double super effective Ice Punch from Volkner's Electivire during a Gym battle with the latter's Trainer, before the Continent Pokémon fell to the ground from the force of the punch, breaking the ice but rendering it unable to battle.
- In A Real Rival Rouser, Ash's Pikachu was frozen by Paul's Froslass's Ice Beam, but thawed itself out by using Volt Tackle.
- In Iris and Excadrill Against the Dragon Buster!, Iris's Excadrill was frozen by an Ice Beam in a battle with Georgia's Beartic before it broke out of the ice with Metal Claw.
- In Kyurem VS. The Sword of Justice, Kyurem froze the three Swords of Justice with Ice Burn* and also froze Keldeo with Freeze Shock*.
- In Eevee and Friends, Glaceon froze Oshawott with Ice Beam when he caused a disruption in its room. He broke free afterward.
- In Jostling for the Junior Cup!, Iris's Dragonite was frozen by Georgia's Beartic's Ice Beam.
- In Rescuing the Unwilling!, Lusamine's Absol froze the feet of Gladion's Silvally to the ground. In the next episode, however, Gladion places a Fire Memory in Silvally's RKS System, changing its type to Fire and allowing to melt its feet out of the ice.
- In I Choose You!, Corey's Gengar was frozen after Neesha had her Blastoise use Ice Beam on it, forcing Corey to recall it.
- In Full Moon and Many Arms!, a wild Necrozma was briefly frozen by an Ice Beam from Lana's Ride Dragonair before the former broke out of the ice with brute force.
- In Best Friend...Worst Nightmare!, Chloe's Yamper was briefly frozen by a Gengar's Ice Punch, but was thawed by the heat pads on Goh's Scorbunny's feet.
- In A Chilling Curse!, Ash's Pikachu got his foot frozen from one of Team Rocket's Dusclops using Ice Punch on it. The Gengar from Best Friend...Worst Nightmare! used Shadow Ball on Pikachu's foot, freeing the Mouse Pokémon's foot from the ice.
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- In Onix is On!, Red's Poli froze a Pewter Gym Trainer's Graveler with Ice Beam.
- In ...But Fearow Itself!, Red had Poli freeze a then-wild Fearow with Ice Beam after distracting the Beak Pokémon with a Double Team afterimage.
- In The Jynx Jinx, Red's Poli was frozen by Ken's Jynx's Ice Punch.
- In Make Way for Magmar!, Giovanni used his Cloyster to freeze and subsequently kill two wild Magmar.
- In You Know... Articuno!, Articuno used Blizzard to freeze Team Rocket's Muk that was attacking Red and his Pokémon. This, however, forced Articuno to spend so much energy that Team Rocket was able to capture it soon after. When Koga later used Articuno against Red and Blue during the Silph Co. showdown, he had it use Blizzard to freeze the two Trainers solid. However, they were freed from the ice when Blue's Charizard used Flamethrower on the room from outside of the building.
- In Golly, Golem!, Red's Poli was frozen by Giovanni's Cloyster in a battle at Viridian Gym.
- In Tyranitar War, Silver's Sneasel froze Gold's Sunbo with Blizzard.
- In Savvy Swinub, Pryce used his Swinub's Blizzard to freeze Suicune, although it was afterward revealed that the "Suicune" was actually a moving ice statue created by Pryce and moved by his Ice Pokémon.
- In A Well-Journeyed Jumpluff, Orm's Jumpluff got frozen after Yellow had her Omastar named Omny use Blizzard on it.
- In Moving Past Milotic, a Dusclops froze Emerald's borrowed Rapidash during his Battle Pike challenge. It was able to thaw itself out by using Flame Wheel.
- In Susceptible to Sceptile, Emerald's Sceptile was frozen by Ruby's Feefee's Blizzard during their Battle Dome match.
- In Shunning Spiritomb, Cyrus's Weavile froze Cynthia's Spiritomb. Cynthia tried to heal Spiritomb with an Aspear Berry, but Cyrus prevented this by having Weavile use Embargo. This forced the Sinnoh Champion to recall it and send her Milotic in her place.
In other languages
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| Status conditions | |||
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| BURN | FREEZE | PARALYSIS | POISON |
| SLEEP | CONFUSION | FLINCH | INFATUATION |
| FAINTING | |||
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This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
