If you’re looking for Ability Capsules & Patches to change your Pokemon’s abilities, here’s where to find them in Scarlet & Violet!
Pokemon abilities were introduced in Gen 3, adding a new and interesting mechanic to battling. But while they were near-impossible to change at the time, they’ve since become far easier to switch around.
In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, getting your hands on Ability Capsules and Patches will allow you to change your Pokemon’s ability with ease. But you won’t be able to do so until late in your Paldea adventure.
Where to Find an Ability Capsule in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Ability Capsules are available to purchase at Chansey Supply stores for ₽100,000 once a trainer has completed the main story of Pokemon Scarlet or Violet.
They are also obtainable as rewards of Black Crystal Tera Raid Battles, which have a six-star difficulty level and only appear in the postgame.
All Chansey Supply stores will have Ability Capsules for sale once the main story is complete. You can find these special shops in the following locations:
- Mesagoza
- Cascarrafa
- Levincia
- Montenevera
Need to earn some extra cash fast to afford these ability changes? Here’s where to find the Amulet Coin and boost your income!
What Does an Ability Capsule Do in Scarlet & Violet?
Using an Ability Capsule will change a Pokemon’s ability if it has a second potential ability. For example, the Pokemon Magnemite can have Magnet Pull or Sturdy as possible abilities.
Using an Ability Capsule on a party member will change your Pokemon’s ability to its other possible option.
Bear in mind that not all Pokemon will have a second potential ability, making Ability Capsules useless on that partner.
However, if you want to instead change to a creature’s Hidden Ability, you’ll need an Ability Patch instead.
Where to Find an Ability Patch in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
To access a Pokemon’s Hidden Ability, trainers will need to find an Ability Patch which are only available as a reward for completing Black Crystal Tera Raid Battles.
These six-star difficulty raids are only available after completing the main story of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, and boast some of the strongest boss fights in the entire game!
If you manage to take down the Tera Raid boss, you can get an Ability Patch as one of the potential rewards.
There are no ways to buy an Ability Patch in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet at this point in time.
What Does an Ability Patch Do in Scarlet & Violet?
Using an Ability Patch will change a Pokemon’s ability to its Hidden Ability in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Some abilities, such as Magnemite’s Analytic, are only available as Hidden Abilities, and can completely change how a Pokemon performs in battle.
You should be careful when using an Ability Patch and make sure to look up your Pokemon’s Hidden Ability.
After all, while Analytic boosts Magnemite’s attack power by 30%, it also means that it will always attack last, no matter its current Speed.
Read More: How to Increase Shiny Odds in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
How to Check a Pokemon’s Ability in Scarlet & Violet
To check a Pokemon’s current ability in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet:
- Press X to open the menu
- Navigate to Boxes and Press A (or select a Party member from the list on the left)
- Select a Pokemon you’d like to check the ability of
- Choose Check Summary
- Then, press Right on the D-Pad
Your Pokemon’s current ability will now be displayed in the bottom right of the screen.
As for a Pokemon’s possible abilities, we recommend checking a Pokemon’s Bulbapedia entry. The community-driven encyclopedia has every Pokemon’s potential abilities and Hidden Ability available to check before you use up a rare item.
How to Change a Pokemon’s Ability in Scarlet & Violet
To change a Pokemon’s ability in Pokemon Scarlet or Violet, trainers will need to use an Ability Capsule. However, if they want to change abilities to that Pokemon’s Hidden Ability, they must instead use an Ability Patch.
Both Ability Capsules and Patches are only available in Scarlet & Violet’s post-game.
While you’re messing with your Pokemon’s ability, don’t forget that you can tweak a Pokemon’s nature in Scarlet & Violet too!