From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
- If you were looking for the "Ancient" category of cards introduced in the Paradox Rift expansion, see Ancient (TCG).
An example of a Pokémon with an Ancient Trait
Ancient Traits (Japanese: 古代能力 Ancient Power) are special attributes given to certain Pokémon, starting in the Primal Clash expansion. They are not Abilities, and as such, effects that would prevent Abilities from activating (such as Wobbuffet's Bide Barricade or Garbodor's Garbotoxin) do not apply. Ancient Traits do not count as Rule Boxes either. Despite this, Pokémon with Ancient Traits were not allowed in the Gym Leader Challenge format until November 16, 2021.
The Ancient Trait bar and text is placed at the top of the card, beneath the Pokémon's name. Apart from Pokémon-EX, Ancient Trait cards have artwork that differs from normal cards— the artwork extends down into the moves and fades into the bottom quarter, which is colored depending on the Pokémon's type. As the artwork takes up most of the space available, the basic information of the Pokémon (Pokédex number, species, height and weight) is not shown.
Ancient Trait cards are treated as regular cards in play; they can be evolved from and into regular cards along its evolutionary line. A Pokémon's Ancient Trait does not depend on its type or rarity, though certain Ancient Traits are unique to the super-ancient Pokémon (Δ Wild and θ Max).
Whenever a non-Pokémon-EX card with an Ancient Trait appeared in a TCG set, a regular and usually weaker card of the same Pokémon was released as well. Many of their attacks also take advantage of its Ancient Trait, such as α Growth Kingdra and Primal Kyogre-EX which attacks remove Energy cards from themselves.
List of Ancient Traits
α Recovery
α Recovery (Japanese: α回復 α Recovery) is featured in the Primal Clash expansion. When a Pokémon with α Recovery recovers HP, the amount recovered is doubled.
α Growth
α Growth (Japanese: αグロウ α Grow) is featured in the Primal Clash expansion. When an Energy card is attached to a Pokémon with α Growth from the player's hand without using an attack, Ability or Trainer card, a second Energy card may be attached if the player has one in their hand.
Ω Barrage
Ω Barrage (Japanese: Ω連打 Ω Barrage) is featured in the Primal Clash expansion. A Pokémon with Ω Barrage may attack twice in a turn. If the first attack Knocks Out the opponent's Active Pokémon, the second attack hits the new one.
Ω Barrier
Ω Barrier (Japanese: Ωバリア Ω Barrier) is featured in the Primal Clash expansion and on Regirock, an XY Black Star Promo. The effects of the opponent's Trainer cards (other than Pokémon Tools and Stadium cards) do not apply to any Pokémon with Ω Barrier.
Δ Plus
Δ Plus (Japanese: Δプラス Δ Plus) is featured in the Roaring Skies expansion. When a Pokémon with Δ Plus Knocks Out an opposing Pokémon due to damage from its attacks, the player takes one extra Prize card.
Δ Evolution
Δ Evolution (Japanese: Δ進化 Δ Evolution) is featured in the Roaring Skies expansion and on two XY Black Star Promos. A Pokémon with Δ Evolution may be played to evolve a Pokémon during that player's first turn or the same turn it was put into play.
Δ Wild
Δ Wild (Japanese: Δワイルド Δ Wild) is exclusively featured on M Rayquaza-EX, released in the Roaring Skies expansion. Due to this Ancient Trait, it takes 20 less damage from attacks from the opponent's 
, 
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Pokémon.
θ Stop
θ Stop (Japanese: θストップ θ Stop) is featured in the Ancient Origins expansion and on three XY Black Star Promos. Pokémon with θ Stop are unaffected by opposing Pokémon's Abilities.
θ Double
θ Double (Japanese: θダブル θ Double) is featured in the Ancient Origins expansion. A Pokémon with θ Double may have up to 2 Pokémon Tool cards attached to it.
θ Max
θ Max (Japanese: θマックス θ Max) is featured in the Ancient Origins expansion. When a Pokémon in play evolves into a Pokémon with θ Max, all damage is healed from it.
See also
In other languages
Ancient Trait
