Battle

Each game in the Pokémon series takes place in a fictional region of the Pokémon World, typically based on a real-world location, and begins with the player receiving a Starter Pokémon, usually from that region's Pokémon Professor. Players have the option to choose one of three different types of Pokémon. Many games include a rival character who acts as a roadblock or boss opponent throughout the game. A major subplot of most games is to defeat a criminal organization, whose intents are usually trying to take over the world through the misuse of powerful Pokémon known as Legendary Pokémon. Battles between Pokémon are the central game mechanic of the Pokémon games. Within the game, they are used to train Pokémon to gain experience and become stronger and to progress through the game's story. Battles can also be done between players by connecting at least two game systems. Pokémon uses a turn-based system. The player may carry between one and six Pokémon in their active party; the first Pokémon in the lineup is automatically sent into battle when one begins. At the start of each turn, both sides may use a move, use an item, switch their active Pokémon out for another in their party, or attempt to flee from battle if against a wild Pokémon. Each Pokémon uses attacks to reduce their opponent's Hit Points (HP) to zero, at which point the Pokémon faints and is unable to battle. Pokémon also have in-battle "abilities", which give them different attributes in battle. When an opponent's Pokémon faints, the player's Pokémon receives experience points; when a Pokémon accumulates enough, then its level increases. If the player's Pokémon faints, they may select another Pokémon from their active party to battle; in battles against wild Pokémon, the player may attempt to flee instead. If all of a player's Pokémon faint, the player loses the battle. This causes the player to lose some money and return to the last Pokémon Center they visited. Pokémon Legends: Z-A uses a real-time battle system where a player and the Pokémon moves around the field using moves strategically, albeit with a similar system of one to six Pokémon and the ability to level up through battle or with the use of items. The player will only return to a Pokémon Center after the player themselves has enough damage inflicted on them by a wild Pokémon. Since their introduction in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, abilities were absent in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!, Let's Go, Eevee!, Legends: Arceus, and Legends: Z-A. A Pokémon's type is an elemental attribute determining the strengths and weaknesses of each Pokémon and its moves. These types interact in rock–paper–scissors-style relationships: Pokémon take double damage from attacking moves of types they are weak to and half damage from moves of types they resist. Some types have special properties unrelated to the damage chart; for example, certain types cannot be affected by certain status conditions. Players can catch Pokémon in the wild, engaging with them in a Pokémon battle. In most Pokémon games, players aim to weaken wild Pokémon in battle to then throw a Poké Ball, which are used to capture the Pokémon and add it to the player's team or get sent to storage. Pokémon can "evolve" once they reach a certain benchmark, such as by reaching a certain level, having an item used on them, or by having a high level of friendship. This changes their form and appearance and causes them to grow stronger. Players have the ability to trade their Pokémon with one another by connecting two compatible games. Because of the Pokémon series revolving around catching as many Pokémon as possible, trading is considered an important aspect of Pokémon. Certain Pokémon are only able to evolve by trading as well. Players also may encounter alternately colored Pokémon known as "Shiny Pokémon", which are significantly rarer than a standard Pokémon. Various facilities can be found throughout the Pokémon world such as Pokémon Centers, Poké Marts, and Pokémon Gyms. At a Pokémon Center, the player can have their Pokémon healed for free and access the PC, where players can organize their collection of Pokémon and store and withdraw items. The PC was retired beginning with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, and in every game since then (with the exception of Pokémon Legends: Arceus) the collection of Pokémon outside of the main party are accessible by the player at any point out of battle. Poké Marts are shops where players can buy items with the money they win during battles; certain cities may have specialized shops, like a pharmacy or a department store. Periodically, a town will contain a Pokémon Gym, which houses a powerful Trainer known as a Gym Leader that functions as a boss. Victory against them grants the player a Gym Badge; after collecting eight Gym Badges, the player may challenge the region's Elite Four and Pokémon League Champion (in Pokémon Sword and Shield, the Elite Four is replaced by the Champion Cup, a single-elimination tournament that determines who gets the right to challenge the Pokémon League Champion). Gyms are absent in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, being replaced by trials that serve a similar purpose. Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Legends: Z-A do not use Gyms, and only have a single major settlement in each game. Z-A has the player reach higher ranks by battling strong opponents from Lumiose City in an event called the Z-A Royale. Many games also have facilities dedicated to battling, such as the Battle Frontier, Battle Tower, and Battle Maison, that unlock after the game is beaten. Afterward, the game remains virtually open-ended, with the ultimate goal of the player being to obtain at least one member of each of the different species of Pokémon, thus completing a fictional encyclopedia of all Pokémon species known as a Pokédex. Filling the Pokédex is a more major part of the progression of Legends: Arceus than in other games.