Pokemon Legends: Arceus is out, and for those of you still on the fence of purchasing the game, you should know that there are a massive amount of changes from regular Pokemon titles. We’ve compiled a story spoiler-free list of the notable new features and changes you can expect to find in Arceus.
Needless to say, there will be non-story spoilers ahead, so continue at your own risk.
New Status Conditions in Arceus
First up, Arceus does away with Abilities. No Pokemon have abilities like Sand Rush or Static. Instead, the game focuses on a whole host of new status conditions, some of which are triggered by items.
- Frostbite: Similar to Burn, the target Pokemon takes damage every turn, but this effect reduces Special Attack instead.
- Obscured: The Pokemon is concealed in the environment, raising the chance that the Pokemon will evade attacks.
- Primed: The Pokemon has adopted a hard-hitting stance, increasing the damage it deals with its moves..
- Fixated: The Pokemon is fixated on the last move it used. This move will deal increased damage while the fixation lasts, but any damage dealt to the fixated Pokemon is also increased.
- Drowsy: The Pokemon is drowsy and may fail to act. Any damage it takes is also increased.
- Terrific Might: The Pokemon takes reduced damage from status conditions and move effects such as poisoning and splinters. This is a boss condition.
- Wild Might: All the Pokemon’s stats are boosted. The Pokemon also takes reduced damage from status conditions and move effects such as poisoning and splinters. This is a boss condition.
- Terrible Might: All the Pokemon’s stats are boosted. The Pokemon also takes reduced damage from status conditions and move effects such as poisoning and splinters. This is a boss condition.
In addition, there are also new weather conditions:
- Snow: Pokemon are more likely to get frostbite, and drowsy Pokemon are more likely to fail to act. The Speed of Ice-type Pokemon is also boosted.
- Jagged Splinters: At the end of each turn, the Pokemon is hurt by the jagged splinters digging into it. This replaces the Stealth Rock effect from previous games.
- Strong Sunlight: The Speed of Grass-type Pokemon is boosted.
- Fog: All moves are less accurate, apart from moves that are always sure to hit.
Arceus System Changes
Now, there are some core system changes to discuss. There are no Gym Battles, as Gyms didn’t exist back in the past. Instead, Trial Captain battles have made a comeback, in the form of Noble Battles. You will be fighting against very powerful Pokemon, packing one of the Might status effects listed above.
Stats are slightly different as well. Instead of the old Effort Value system, you now have a new one that, oddly enough, is similar to Dark Souls. You can now invest points into each stat via the sacrifice of Grit items, such as Grit Dust and Grit Gravel. The number of items required increases with points invested, up to a maximum of ten.
Move Tutors, Relearners, and such are not in the game, as the process has been simplified quite a bit. You can now swap moves at any time, and moves your Pokemon has learned are memorized in a list, allowing you to relearn old moves anytime you wish.
There is online functionality, as you can find items dropped by blacked-out players in the field and send them back to the player who lost them. This process rewards you with something called Merit Points, which can be exchanged for items in Jubilife Village. In addition, you can trade with players upon unlocking the trade feature.
New Items in Arceus
Finally, there are a lot of new items, but we wanted to focus in on some specific ones, down below:
- Blank Plate: A stone tablet imbued with the essence of normalcy. When used on a certain Pokemon, it allows that Pokemon to gain the power of the Normal type.
- Legend Plate: A stone tablet imbued with the essence of all creation. When used on a certain Pokemon, it allows that Pokemon to gain the power of every type there is.
- Adamant Crystal: When used on Dialga, this large, glowing gem wells with power and allows the Pokemon to change form.
- Lustrous Globe: When used on Palkia, this large, glowing orb wells with power and allows the Pokemon to change form.
- Griseous Core: When used on Giratina, this large, glowing gem wells with power and allows the Pokemon to change form.
- Choice Dumpling: A dumpling that will make a Pokemon become fixated on a move in battle. The Pokemon will deal more damage when using that move but will take more damage as well.
- Twice-Spiced Radish: These pickled vegetables prime a Pokemon for battle. The Pokemon takes a hard-hitting stance, which boosts the power of the Pokemon’s moves by 50 percent.
- Swap Snack: When eaten, this curious snack temporarily swaps a Pokemon’s offensive stats with its defensive stats.
- Linking Cord: A string exuding a mysterious energy that makes you feel a strange sense of connection. It’s loved by certain Pokemon.
