Stance Change (Ability)

Stance Change (Japanese: バトルスイッチ Battle Switch) is an Ability introduced in Generation VI. It is the signature Ability of Aegislash.

Effect

In battle

Stance Change allows Aegislash to switch between Shield Forme (high defensive stats, low offensive stats) and Blade Forme (high offensive stats, low defensive stats). Aegislash is always in Shield Forme if it is not battling, and as such, switching out reverts it to Shield Forme.

If Shield Forme Aegislash uses a damaging move, it changes to Blade Forme immediately before using the move. If Blade Forme Aegislash uses King's Shield, it changes to Shield Forme immediately before using the move. Status moves other than King's Shield will not change its Forme. Moves that call other moves, such as Sleep Talk, will not change its Forme, even if they call a damaging move or King's Shield.

The Ability activates prior to and independently of any checks for status conditions that may stop the execution of the Aegislash's move, such as sleep or confusion.

Role Play, Gastro Acid, Worry Seed, Simple Beam, and Entrainment fail if the target has the Ability Stance Change. Skill Swap fails if either Pokémon has Stance Change. Stance Change cannot be copied by Trace, Power of Alchemy, or Receiver. Stance Change cannot be replaced by Mummy or suppressed by Core Enforcer. If a Pokémon other than Aegislash obtains Stance Change with Imposter or Transform, the Pokémon will not change Formes.

Generation VII

Sleep and confusion now prevents Aegislash from changing Formes.

Outside of battle

It is unknown if Stance Change has an effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Stance Change

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0681		Aegislash	Steel	Ghost	Stance Change	None	None
681B	Aegislash	Aegislash	Steel	Ghost	Stance Change	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

Aegislash
The Pokémon changes form depending on how it battles.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Aegislash changes its form depending on the battle situation.
Sawyer's Aegislash	Valuable Experience for All!		Debut
	Aegislash changes its form depending on the battle situation.
Sawyer's Aegislash	Valuable Experience for All!		None

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Blade Forme Shield Forme
The Pokémon changes form depending on how it battles.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Aegislash changes its form depending on the battle situation.
Celosia's Aegislash	Lucky Lucario Was Here		Debut
	Aegislash changes its form depending on the battle situation.
Celosia's Aegislash	Lucky Lucario Was Here		None

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 戰鬥切換 Jindau Chitwuhn Mandarin 戰鬥切換 / 战斗切换 Zhàndòu Qiēhuàn * 戰鬥轉換 Zhàndòu Zhuǎnhuàn * French Déclic Tactique German Taktikwechsel Italian Accendilotta Korean 배틀스위치 Battle Switch Brazilian Portuguese Mudança em Posição Spanish Cambio Táctico

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.