Pokémon Forms

Introduction

Many Pokémon have more than one form. Forms are different versions of the same species: they share the same Pokédex number but can have different appearance, types, stats, or abilities. In the team builder, you choose which form your Pokémon has.

Forms fall into three main categories: variant forms, regional forms, and in-battle forms. Below we explain each and show examples you can use in the team builder.

Variant forms

Variant forms are different forms of the same species that you pick before battle. They are not tied to a specific region; they are just alternative versions. For example, Rotom has several appliance forms: Wash, Heat, Frost, Fan, and Mow. Each has a different type and you choose one when building your team.

So you might use Rotom (base) or Rotom Wash (Electric / Water). They share the same dex number but are different forms with different strengths. In the team builder, you select the form you want from the form selector.

Other examples of variant forms include Deoxys (Normal, Attack, Defense, Speed), Lycanroc (Midday, Midnight, Dusk), Urshifu (Single-Strike vs Rapid-Strike), and Ogerpon with its different masks.

Example variant forms (choose one per species in the team builder):

Rotom Rotom Wash Rotom Heat Rotom Frost Rotom Fan Rotom Mow Deoxys (Normal) Deoxys Attack Deoxys Defense Deoxys Speed Lycanroc Midday Lycanroc Midnight Lycanroc Dusk Urshifu Single-Strike Urshifu Rapid-Strike Ogerpon Ogerpon Wellspring Mask Ogerpon Hearthflame Mask Ogerpon Cornerstone Mask

Regional forms

Regional forms are forms that come from a specific region: Alola, Galar, Hisui, or Paldea. They look different and often have different types or abilities from the original. For example, Ninetales (Kantonian) is Fire-type, while Alolan Ninetales is Ice / Fairy.

When you build a team, you choose the regional form you want (e.g. Galarian Weezing instead of regular Weezing). The form is fixed for that team slot; you don’t switch between regional forms in battle.

Example regional pairs (base vs regional):

• Ninetales → Alolan Ninetales
• Weezing → Galarian Weezing
• Persian → Alolan Persian
• Diglett → Alolan Diglett
• Meowth → Galarian Meowth
• Grimer → Alolan Grimer
• Exeggutor → Alolan Exeggutor
• Marowak → Alolan Marowak

In-battle forms

In-battle forms are forms that are triggered during the battle, not when you build the team. Your Pokémon starts in its normal form and then transforms when a condition is met. Common examples include:

• Mega Evolution — the Pokémon holds a Mega Stone and the trainer triggers the evolution in battle. See the Mega Evolution guide for how it works and the requirements.
• Primal forms — Groudon and Kyogre use the Red Orb and Blue Orb to become Primal in battle.
• Gigantamax (Gmax) — in Galar, some Pokémon can Gigantamax for a special appearance and G-Max move. See the Dynamax & Gigantamax guide.
• Other examples — Aegislash (Shield / Blade), Giratina (Origin), Zacian / Zamazenta (Crowned), Palafin (Hero), and others. The form changes when the right move or condition happens in battle.

In formats that allow it, you still build your team with the base or preferred form; the game then applies the in-battle transformation when the mechanic is used.

Example in-battle forms (selected in team builder; activated in battle):

Mega Charizard X Primal Groudon Primal Kyogre Pikachu Gmax Aegislash (Shield/Blade) Giratina Origin Zacian Crowned Zamazenta Crowned Palafin Hero

Choosing forms in the team builder

When you add a Pokémon to your team, the form selector shows all available forms for that species (variant and regional). Pick the form you want before battle; that choice is saved with the team. For in-battle forms like Mega Evolution or Gigantamax, you still pick the form in the team builder (e.g. Mega Charizard X); the builder then sets the required item (e.g. Charizardite X) and, for Mega Rayquaza, the required move (Dragon Ascent).