Pokémon battle (Legends: Z-A)

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Unlike other core series games, which use a turn-based battle system, Pokémon Legends: Z-A uses a real-time combat system where Trainers and their Pokémon can move around a 3D space. This system has some gameplay similarities to Pokémon UNITE.

The similar features presented here along with new mechanics include precise timing of when to swap out Pokémon or use their moves, moves hitting specific areas of the field, and a cooldown feature in place of PP, with a different length of time for each move. The moves now use precise button commands with the A, B, X, or Y buttons when locked on to a target, which can be customized.

Unlike in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, held items, including Berries, are present in the game.

Contents

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Close table of contents

• (Return to top)
• Battle mechanics
  • Cooldown and Speed
  • Casting time
  • Range
  • Movement type
  • Stat modifiers
  • Status conditions
  • Held items
  • Abilities
• Battle variants
  • Multi Battle
  • Battle zones
  • Z-A Battle Club
• Trivia
• References

Contents

Battle mechanics

In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the real-time combat system involves both the Trainers and their Pokémon moving around the battlefield to cast and avoid attacks. When in battle, the player has the following options for battle commands:

Overworld movement

• Tilting the left stick moves the player in the overworld. The player's Pokémon will automatically follow the player when not executing a move.
  • In lieu of an option to run from a battle, the player can escape wild Pokémon and battle zone Trainers by moving far away enough from the opponent
• Pressing the left stick toggles crouching, which makes the player harder to spot by wild Pokémon and battle zone Trainers.
• Tilting the right stick rotates the camera angle.
• Pressing B toggles running. (This option is unavailable in Z-A Battle Club.)
• Pressing Y performs a dodge roll. (This option is unavailable in Z-A Battle Club.)

Battle commands

• Holding down ZL locks onto a target in the player's direct line of sight and enables the move menu. While this button is held...
  • Pressing A/B/X/Y commands the Pokémon to use the move assigned to that button on the target.
  • Pressing + toggles Plus Moves
• Pressing the right stick activates Mega Evolution.

Party Pokémon

• The directional buttons are used to change Pokémon
  • ⯇ and ⯈ change the Pokémon selection from the player's party.
  • ⯅ sends out the selected Pokémon, automatically recalling any active Pokémon.
  • ⯆ recalls the active Pokémon. (This option is unavailable in Z-A Battle Club.)

Satchel items

• Pressing X opens the main menu. The player can access their satchel mid-battle to use medicine or Berries.
• Holding down ZR enables the Poké Balls menu, overriding the move menu if ZL is also held. While this button is held...
  • ⯇ and ⯈ change the Poké Ball selection from the player's satchel
  • Releasing ZR throws the selected Poké Ball
  • Pressing B cancels the command

Cooldown and Speed

Cooldown time determines how much time must elapse before the same move is used again, effectively replacing PP from turn-based Pokémon games. The cooldown time starts counting down after the move has completed its execution loop. While a Pokémon's summary screen only shows the base cooldown time of each move, the Speed stat can shorten the final cooldown time. A move's final cooldown time can range between 3 to 60 seconds. If a Pokémon is afflicted with the drowsy status condition, its move's cooldown time is effectively doubled; at each frame, the remaining cooldown time decrements at half the rate.

The following formula shows how the final cooldown time of a move is calculated.

$Cooldow{n}_{final}=\max (3,Cooldow{n}_{base}-\frac{3\times \max (0,\lfloor Speed\times Modifier\rfloor -25)}{100})\times Drowsy$

where

• $Cooldow{n}_{base}$ is the stated cooldown time of the move, as shown in the user's Pokémon summary screen
• $Speed$ is the Speed stat, as shown in the user's summary screen
• $Modifier$ is a value that applies for Speed Power from donuts. They can be
  • Level 1: 1.1
  • Level 2: 1.25
  • Level 3: 1.5
  • None: ×1
• $Drowsy$ is 2 if the user is drowsy, and 1 otherwise

A Pokémon's movement speed is a separate mechanic that determines how quickly a Pokémon travels on the map. Although related to Speed from the turn-based games, it is completely independent of a Pokémon's Speed stat in Legends: Z-A. Stat modifiers have no effect on cooldown time; instead, moves like Agility and String Shot affect movement speed.

Casting time

Moves in Pokémon Legends: ZA require a specific amount of time, measured in frames, to complete. These include a wind-up and an execution. During the wind-up, the user is vulnerable and unable to move; it is only during the execution that move becomes in effect. Speed does not affect the frames needed to cast a move. Flinching cancels the move's wind-up, causing it to go on cooldown without execution.

Wind-up times are used to carry over certain battle mechanics that would otherwise only make sense in turn-based formats:

• Priority moves have zero wind-up time
• Moves that cannot miss typically have very short wind-up times, most of which are just one frame.
• Moves with a charging turn typically have long wind-up times.

Range

Moves have several range values that largely determine if a move successfully connects. The minimum and maximum range values determine how far the user must be from the target before winding up that move. The effective range value determines how far the move's hitbox travels.

Each move has a movement type that basically determines where the user must be positioned before a move can start executing. In battle, the time a Pokémon spends repositioning between moves is time spent being vulnerable and not attacking.

Movement Type

Value	Target	Behavior
0	Self	Instantly begin move wind-up.
1	Close Range	Move to be within min and max range from the target, then begin wind-up.
3	Long Range	Move to the front-right of Trainer, at the time of command, then begin wind-up.

Every move has a spawn origin value that categorizes moves based on their animations.

Spawn Origin

Value	Move animation
0	Spawn from the user's location and linearly travel to the target's
1	Spawn from the target's location
2	The user dashes to the target's location to attack. The user is temporarily invulnerable during the dash.
4	Area of effect spawns from the ground of the user's location.
5	Area of effect spawns from the ground of the target's location.
6	The user disappears and becomes invulnerable, then spawns from the ground to attack the target
7	The user disappears and becomes invulnerable, then spawns in the air to attack the target

Self-targeting moves

Origin	Moves
0	Swords Dance Growth Agility Teleport Double Team Recover Harden Light Screen Reflect Focus Energy Metronome Amnesia Splash Acid Armor Conversion Curse Protect Detect Endure Safeguard Morning Sun Synthesis Moonlight Charge Wish Iron Defense Bulk Up Calm Mind Aqua Ring Nasty Plot Work Up Cotton Guard Relic Song King's Shield Spiky Shield Geomancy Shore Up No Retreat
1	Conversion 2
4	Mist Smokescreen Haze Substitute Shed Tail

Close-range moves: Origin > 0

Origin	Moves
1	Hypnosis Dream Eater Charm Swagger Torment Taunt Heal Block Trick-or-Treat Forest's Curse Topsy-Turvy Eerie Impulse
2	Quick Attack Mach Punch Extreme Speed Fake Out Close Combat Dragon Rush Giga Impact Bullet Punch Aqua Jet Heavy Slam Heat Crash Play Rough First Impression Lunge
4	Earthquake Stone Edge Bulldoze Thousand Waves Plasma Fists Stone Axe
5	Toxic Shadow Sneak Electroweb Sticky Web
6	Dig Phantom Force Spectral Thief
7	Fly Bounce Flying Press Hyperspace Hole Dragon Ascent

Close-range moves: Origin = 0

Locator	Hitbox	Moves
origin	Area of effect around or in front of the user	Body Slam Sing Petal Dance Perish Song Ancient Power Overheat Silver Wind Sheer Cold Discharge Lava Plume Power Whip Wood Hammer Ominous Wind Sludge Wave Low Sweep Freeze-Dry Boomburst Ice Hammer Overdrive Triple Axel Make It Rain Gigaton Hammer
origin	User dashes to the target's location. Hitbox moves with the user.	Take Down Double-Edge Surf Waterfall Flame Wheel Rollout Spark Megahorn Muddy Water Volt Tackle Flare Blitz Brave Bird Head Smash Flame Charge Wild Charge Drill Run Aura Wheel Meteor Assault Glaive Rush Trailblaze
center	Area of effect around the user	Tail Whip Self-Destruct Explosion Feather Dance Fake Tears Dazzling Gleam Brutal Swing Double Iron Bash Mortal Spin
face	Front-facing area of effect	Snarl
front	Front-facing area of effect	Comet Punch Fire Punch Ice Punch Thunder Punch Wing Attack Vine Whip Headbutt Tackle Leer Bite Growl Roar Peck Absorb Screech Lick Glare Leech Life Super Fang Slash Outrage Giga Drain False Swipe Steel Wing Dynamic Punch Iron Tail Metal Claw Crunch Rock Smash Facade Brick Break Knock Off Luster Purge Blaze Kick Hyper Voice Poison Fang Rock Tomb Metal Sound Shadow Punch Aerial Ace Dragon Claw Leaf Blade U-turn Poison Jab Night Slash X-Scissor Drain Punch Shadow Claw Thunder Fang Ice Fang Fire Fang Psycho Cut Zen Headbutt Iron Head Double Hit Storm Throw Circle Throw Volt Switch Dual Chop Horn Leech Sacred Sword Secret Sword Parabolic Charge Parting Shot Draining Kiss Nuzzle Infestation Power-Up Punch Psychic Fangs Shadow Bone Liquidation Octolock Breaking Swipe Flip Turn Dual Wingbeat Barb Barrage Last Respects Rage Fist Bitter Blade
rangeattack	Front-facing projectile attack	Supersonic Poison Powder Stun Spore Sleep Powder Seed Bomb Disarming Voice

Long-range moves

Origin	Moves
0	Pay Day Razor Wind Whirlwind Poison Sting Pin Missile Ember Flamethrower Water Gun Hydro Pump Ice Beam Psybeam Bubble Beam Hyper Beam Leech Seed Razor Leaf Solar Beam String Shot Thunder Wave Confuse Ray Fire Blast Swift Skull Bash Sky Attack Spore Bonemerang Tri Attack Sludge Bomb Spikes Zap Cannon Dragon Breath Shadow Ball Will-O-Wisp Mist Ball Hydro Cannon Bullet Seed Icicle Spear Mud Shot Magical Leaf Rock Blast Water Pulse Toxic Spikes Aura Sphere Dark Pulse Air Slash Bug Buzz Dragon Pulse Power Gem Vacuum Wave Focus Blast Energy Ball Ice Shard Flash Cannon Leaf Storm Gunk Shot Magnet Bomb Stealth Rock Charge Beam Dark Void Acid Spray Scald Frost Breath Psystrike Techno Blast Moonblast Diamond Storm Steam Eruption Water Shuriken Mystical Fire Oblivion Wing Light of Ruin Origin Pulse Solar Blade Leafage Core Enforcer Fleur Cannon Steel Beam Scale Shot Meteor Beam Scorching Sands Spicy Extract Chilling Water Armor Cannon Nihil Light
1	Gust Blizzard Thunder Shock Thunderbolt Thunder Rock Throw Confusion Psychic Mimic Rock Slide Icy Wind Twister Future Sight Heat Wave Draco Meteor Psyshock Hurricane Icicle Crash Fairy Wind Thousand Arrows Hyperspace Fury Order Up Salt Cure
5	Fire Spin Whirlpool Blast Burn Sand Tomb Frenzy Plant Earth Power Magma Storm Land’s Wrath Precipice Blades

Movement type

Moves have several attributes that determine how the hitbox behaves in relation to the user's and target's position.

Stat modifiers

Similar to Pokémon Legends: Arceus, stat modifiers in this game are limited to just one stage, but measured in seconds rather than turns. An aura appears around the user to represent stat modifiers, disappearing once the effect duration expires.

Moves that affect Speed in the core series games instead affect movement speed in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which is independent of the Pokémon's actual Speed stat. It does not reduce moves' cooldown timers, but instead affects how quickly a Pokémon can reposition itself on the map. Higher movement speed effectively reduces the amount of time in between moves, and it makes it easier to evade opposing attacks.

Accuracy and evasion are not present in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Double Team instead works like Protect with a wind-up delay. Smokescreen allows players to hide from wild Pokémon, similar to Smoke Bombs in Legends: Arceus.

Status conditions

Condition	Effect
Burn	The Pokémon incrementally loses HP, and damage from its physical attacks is reduced by half.
Freeze	The Pokémon cannot move or cast most moves for a certain amount of time. The target may use certain moves to thaw out immediately.
Paralysis	The Pokémon's movement speed is reduced.
Poison	The Pokémon incrementally loses HP. Being badly poisoned increases the rate of HP loss over time.
Drowsy	The Pokémon's moves take twice as long to cooldown for a certain amount of time.
Confusion	The Pokémon may not move in a straight line for a certain amount of time.
Flinch	Any move the Pokémon was winding up is cancelled and goes on cooldown.

Abilities

Although Abilities are not explicitly in Legends: Z-A, specific Pokémon have passive mechanics that are based on their standard Abilities from the core series games. However, not every passive mechanic exactly emulates of those Abilities.

Pokémon		Ability	Effect
	Mega Raichu X	Unknown	Using Volt Tackle raises Attack.
	Mega Starmie	Huge Power	Base Attack is 40% higher than in other core series games.
	Mega Mawile
	Meditite	Pure Power	Base Attack is 40% higher than in other core series games.
	Medicham
	Mega Medicham
	Cobalion	Justified	Using Sacred Sword raises Attack and Sp. Atk.
	Terrakion
	Virizion
	Keldeo
	Aegislash	Stance Change	While in Shield Forme, using a damaging move switches the user to Blade Forme.
			While in Blade Forme, using King's Shield switches the user to Shield Forme.
	Zygarde	Power Construct	When at or below 50% HP, the user changes to Complete Forme.
	Mimikyu	Disguise	While in Disguised Form, the next damaging move against it is capped at 1/8 the user's total HP. Getting hit switches the user to Busted Form.
	Morpeko	Hunger Switch	While in Full Belly Mode, Aura Wheel is Electric-type, and using it switches the user to Hangry Mode.
			While in Hangry Mode, Aura Wheel is Dark-type, and using it switches the user to Full Belly Mode.
	Dondozo	Commander	If Tatsugiri (not Mega Evolved) is in the party, then upon sending out Dondozo, it will swallow Tatsugiri. This raises all of Dondozo's stats, but disallows it from being recalled.
	Tatsugiri

Battle variants

Multi Battle

In the Mega Dimension DLC, there are several missions that require the user to battle alongside an NPC against two others.

Battle zones

Main article: Battle zone (Lumiose City)

In battle zone, NPC Trainers are situated around the battle zone with their lead Pokémon by their side. A battle is initiated when

• The NPC Trainer spots the player, causing them to be "caught off guard" and unable to issue commands for a few seconds, or
• The player's Pokémon attacks the NPC's Pokémon before being spotted. This attack always results in a critical hit.

Z-A Battle Club

Z-A Battle Club is the player-vs-player format of Pokémon: Legends Z-A, where four participants simultaneously battle each other, akin to the Battle Royal format from Generation VII. Players are scored based on the number of Pokémon they knock out with the battle's 3-minute time limit.

• The player can only switch Pokémon up to three times. This limit is reset when one of their Pokémon is knocked out.
• If a Pokémon is knocked out, its Trainer will go on timeout for a few seconds. The player that dealt the finishing hit is awarded a point. If the Pokémon is knocked out from self-inflicted damage (e.g. via Explosion or Life Orb), the last player to deal damage gets the point.

When the battle initiates, one of three possible venues is randomly selected:

• Autumnal Avenue, in front of Quasartico Inc.
• Rouge Plaza
• Vert Sector 6

There are two modes for Z-A Battle Club:

• Ranked Battles — Players are matched randomly online and earn rewards and points for ranking up after each battle. Certain Mega Stones are only obtainable by reaching a specific rank each season. Eligible Pokémon vary between seasons.
• Private Battles — Players use room passcode to join a battle and can choose from a set of battle rules. No rewards are earned from these battles.

Trivia

• In any battle in Pokémon Legends: Z-A where the player is partnered with an NPC, that NPC will never run out of Pokémon, looping back to the first Pokémon they sent out if they normally would have.