Move mastery

Move mastery (Japanese: 技の皆伝 move mastery) is the signature mechanic of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, allowing a Pokémon to use a move in the agile style (Japanese: 早業 Swift Move) or strong style (Japanese: 力業 Force Move). Using the agile style reduces a move's power and effects, but increases the user's action speed, allowing it to execute a subsequent move sooner. Using the strong style increases a move's power, effects, and accuracy, but decreases the user's action speed, causing the user to move later in subsequent turns. Using either style also costs 2 PP; this works by deducting an additional PP from the move after it is selected, meaning that a move with 1 PP remaining can be used in either style.

If a Pokémon can learn a move by leveling up, then it can also master that move by leveling up. Zisu, at the Training Grounds, can also help a Pokémon master a move in exchange for a Seed of Mastery, including moves she serves as a Move Tutor for (which cannot be mastered any other way). In the wild, alpha Pokémon may come with one of these Move Tutor moves already in its moveset, in which case this move will already be mastered. Mastered moves are indicated by a icon on the summary and move selection screens.

The moves Teleport, Mimic, Splash, and Struggle can never be mastered. Rotom cannot master the special moves associated with its appliance forms.

Effects of mastered moves

Status moves and moves with secondary effects are also affected by the agile style and strong style in ways besides power and action speed.

For effects on power and accuracy, see List of moves in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

For effects on action speed, see list of moves by action speed modifier

Moves that affect battle status

Moves that cause recoil damage to the user

Moves that heal the user

Moves with heightened critical-hit ratios

Moves that evolve the Pokémon

A couple of Pokémon evolve into another by using a certain style of its signature move at least 20 times. They are as follows:

Pokémon Move Style Evolved Form Stantler Psyshield Bash Agile Wyrdeer Hisuian Qwilfish Barb Barrage Strong Overqwil

Trivia

• Even though in-game text states that using agile style moves increases the user's action speed, only self-targeting moves actually do so. Agile style moves that target an opponent work by lowering the opponent's action speed. Therefore:
  • Knocking out an opposing Trainer's Pokémon with an agile style move will not affect the action order against the next Pokémon.
  • In battles against multiple Pokémon at once, using an agile style move against one target will not cause the user to move ahead of the other foes.
• Ingo uses Rotom that have mastered their respective appliance moves during the Path of Solitude, even though this should be impossible.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 精通招式 Jīngtūng Jīusīk Mandarin 精通招式 Jīngtōng Zhāoshì French Maîtrisé capacité German Attacke gemeistert Italian Padroneggiato mossa Korean 기술 숙달 Gisul Sukdal Spanish Dominado movimiento

Agile Style

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 迅疾 Seunjaht Mandarin 迅疾 Xùnjí French Style Rapide German Tempotechnik Italian Tecnica rapida Korean 속공 Soggong Spanish Estilo rápido

Strong Style

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 剛猛 Gōngmáahng Mandarin 剛猛 / 刚猛 Gāngměng French Style Puissant German Krafttechnik Italian Tecnica potente Korean 강공 Ganggong Spanish Estilo fuerte

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.