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Pokémon mechanic

Abilities & Pokémon Powers

Special effects that are not attacks.

How it works

Some Pokémon have an effect that is separate from their attacks. In the earliest sets these were called Pokémon Powers. Later eras used names such as Poké-Power and Poké-Body, and the modern game calls them Abilities.

The name changed, but the idea stayed the same: a card does something useful that is not an attack, such as moving Energy around or helping you draw cards. Because they run alongside attacks, Abilities strongly shape what a deck can do.

Base Set holds three famous examples. Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur each have a Pokémon Power that supports the deck in a different way.

In practice

An example in play

Think of a turn where you do not attack right away. You draw, and then you use an effect on a Pokémon that is already on the table. Nothing is knocked out, no damage is dealt, and yet the board is better than before. That is what an Ability, or an older Pokémon Power, is for.

Venusaur from Base Set is a clean example. Its Power moves Grass Energy between your Pokémon, so you can steer fuel to the one that needs it. Blastoise has a Pokémon Power too, and it shows how early cards could change a game without attacking.

The modern version appears on Mew ex, whose Ability supports the deck's draw, and on Charizard ex, whose Ability helps set up Energy. The names changed over time, but the job stayed: do something useful beside the attack.

Players new to the game often watch only the attacks. Watching the Abilities across the table is just as useful, because they tell you what the other deck is trying to do before any damage appears.

Common mistakes

  • Attacking first and forgetting the Ability. An attack ends your turn, so use Abilities before you attack.
  • Treating an Ability as an attack. Using one does not end your turn, because only an attack does that. Read the card for any limits.
  • Skipping the card text. Some Abilities have limits, such as a restriction on when they work. Read the whole box.
  • Mixing up the old names. Pokémon Power, Poké-Power and Poké-Body are older labels for the same general idea.

Questions readers ask

Is an Ability the same as an attack?

No. An attack ends your turn. Abilities are listed among the optional actions of a turn, as our turn guide explains.

Do all Pokémon have one?

No. Many cards have only attacks. Of the featured cards on this site, Pikachu and Mewtwo from Base Set are not listed with a Power or Ability, while Charizard, Blastoise and Venusaur have one.

Why were they renamed?

This site does not cover the reasons. It only notes the sequence of names across the eras.

Cards that show this mechanic

More mechanics in this game

  • Evolution How Basic Pokémon grow into Stage 1 and Stage 2 Pokémon.
  • Prize Cards The face-down cards that decide how a game is won.
  • Weakness & Resistance Type matchups printed on every Pokémon card.
  • Trainer Cards Item, Supporter and Stadium cards that support the game plan.
  • Pokémon ex & GX Special Pokémon groups that trade extra power for extra risk.

Go further

Last reviewed October 29, 2026. This page explains the idea in general terms and is not an official rules reference.