Talk:Imposter (Ability)
Does not copy IVs?
I don't understand this line. Transform copies IVs for the purpose of hidden power, while stats are copied directly (except for HP, which uses the users). Does Eccentric differ from this in any way?--Deuxhero 04:56, 11 January 2011 (UTC)
- I think that this is worth bumping after so long because the contradictory line that says that the stats are copied exactly is still in the article. Ampere 10:46, 14 December 2011 (UTC)
- The stats are indeed copied. The exact value of those stats is copied. If say a level 100 Xerneas had 397 S. Attack, the Imposter Ditto would also have 397 S. Attack, even if the ditto was at level 1. As for the IV thing, the IVs don't change at all. So if you transorm into a pokemon that has Hidden Power, and you use it, you will use the Hidden Power that Ditto would have gotten if you could teach Hidden Power to a Ditto. My Ditto has Flying type hidden power, and no matter what I transform into, if it has Hidden Power, it will always be Flying Type for me.
Hope that cleared everything up. PowerPlantRaichu (talk) 00:24, 12 March 2014 (UTC)
Imposter Item
If a ditto has the ability imposter, and its item is Quick Powder (The ones that doubles speed) will the item still take effect after Ditto is transformed? - unsigned comment from Masamune (talk • contribs)
- Why would it? Imposter works basically the same as Transform, except it doesn't need to waste a turn transforming. So in all likelihood the Quick Powder would cease to function just the same as if it had transformed normally. Also, sign your comments with four tildes (~). --AndyPKMN (talk) 12:32, 22 April 2011 (UTC)
moves
Why is the copying of the opponent's attacks not mentioned?!? - Pokémon Questions? -- 19:50, 15 February 2012 (UTC)
- Probably because whenever Transform is used it copies the opponents move set already. --Spriteit 14:31, 16 February 2012 (UTC)
Japanese translation?
It's true that かわりもの can translate to the noun "eccentric", but isn't it more likely that here it refers to an alteration/exchange/proxy? golgothasTerror (talk) 05:07, 31 October 2013 (UTC)
Mega Evolution.
I know the Pokemon will copy a mega evolution, but can it mega evolve if it (coincidentally) has the mega stone or (in case of Rayquaza) Dragon Ascent?Yamitora1 (talk) 13:55, 24 October 2015 (UTC)
- No. Like species-specific held items, Mega Evolution is restricted to the Pokémon's actual species, not the one it is currently transformed into. --SnorlaxMonster 08:13, 25 October 2015 (UTC)
Does it copy abilities?
It didn't specify in the article. sumwun (talk) 21:39, 11 May 2016 (UTC)
- Of course it does. The only things it doesn't copy are HP & items. BTW, Imposter does EVERYTHING that Transform does. Unowninator (talk) 21:41, 11 May 2016 (UTC)
Imposter/Transform & Z-Moves
If the user transforms into the opponent's Mega Evolved form or Primal form and is holding a Z-Crystal, can the user perform a Z-Move? --AwesomeDJPokémon 11:59, 9 April 2017 (UTC)
- I've added it at Z-Move a while ago: you get a prompt that there's no selectable move available, even when there.. is. (While I've only tested for Transform, I assume Imposter to work the same.)
- I've now added it at Transform as well (which is where we go into detail for that mechanic). Nescientist (talk) 12:55, 9 April 2017 (UTC)
Imposter opponent in Max Raid Battles
Going at it for a while, I never saw the raid boss Ditto's Imposter try to copy my Ditto with Imposter. I believe if you and your opponent in a link battle both have Imposter at the start of the battle, the game picks randomly which will activate and then the other will do nothing. Maybe for Max Raids the game favors the host at the beginning of the battle?
As for Zacian, Zamazenta, and Eternatus, this was documented online when Sword/Shield released and I found a number of videos and posts about it with a quick search. When fighting a Ditto in a Max Raid, neither Imposter or Transform work on these Pokemon, so filling the party with them is a quick way to cheese a raid boss Ditto. My question is if this info about Imposter failing belongs in the Imposter article, the Max Raid Battle article, or maybe neither? Charatara (talk) 14:53, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
- Ah I forgot. Those three Pokemon are thought to cause Imposter and Transform to fail because they do not have a valid Dynamax form for the raid boss Ditto to copy. Charatara (talk) 14:55, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
- If multiple Imposters come out at once at the start of battle (or after a double KO), the higher Speed gets their ability to go off first. Since transforming is a disadvantage in a Ditto mirror (reducing your Transform PP from 10 or 16 down to 5), this is why it's usually recommended that Ditto in competitive battles should aim for the lowest innate speed possible. However, a raid boss that transforms into another Ditto will never run out of PP (but neither will it be capable of actually doing anything). SadisticMystic (talk) 15:32, 12 November 2025 (UTC)
- Oh shoot, I assumed for some reason the boss's speed didn't matter. That was dumb. Yeah it can definitely copy Imposter. Charatara (talk) 15:40, 12 November 2025 (UTC)