The Potential Of Dynamax Part 1: Its Known Mechanics
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Art by Kaiju Bunny
Introduction
Like most Pokémon games nowadays, Pokémon Sword and Shield are introducing a major new battle mechanic: Dynamax. On a surface level, Dynamaxing seems to be the replacement for Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves, making your Pokémon gigantic and giving them strong new moves. However, thanks to demos shown at various trade shows, plenty of information is already known about the workings of Dynamax. This article aims to gather all the information we know.
General Mechanics
The 3-Turn Limit and One-time use.
Unlike previous gimmicks, Dynamax only lasts three turns total. You are able to choose your max moves immediately upon activating Dynamax, however. Also, much like past gimmicks, you can only activate Dynamax once per battle.
The HP boost
From screenshots and the E3 demo, it can safely be said that Dynamaxing gives an approximate 50% boost to a Pokémon's HP stat, and no other stats are affected.
This doesn't work quite like Zygarde-C's HP boost, however. This one seems to be percentage based, so if a Pokémon has 90% of its health when Dynamax is activated, it will have 90% of its Dynamaxed health as well. This works the other way around too: if a Dynamaxed Pokémon has 50% of its health left when it shrinks back to normal, it will have 50% of its normal health left as well.
Items
Game Freak has confirmed that items are in fact usable during Dynamax. For example, Dynamaxed Pokémon can use Life Orb just fine. It is unknown how every item interacts with Dynamax mechanics.
Switching
The E3 demo has shown that Dynamaxed Pokémon can be switched out. It is currently unknown if Dynamax will be disabled upon switching out.
Max Moves Mechanics
A major feature of Dynamax is that it changes all of a Pokémon's moves to Max Moves, special boosted moves that usually have a secondary effect that activates 100% of the time! Additionally, much like Z-Moves, their category and physical / special alignment appear to change based on the base move. Base Power boosts work differently than Z-Moves however, with low-BP moves like Razor Leaf becoming a 110-BP Max Overgrowth, Take Down and Play Rough becoming 130 BP, and Double-Edge becoming 140 BP.
Here are the current Max Moves we know about.
- Dark - Max Darkness: Always lowers the foe's Special Defense by one stage.
- Electric - Max Lightning: Always activates Electric Terrain.
- Fairy - Max Starfall: Always activates Misty Terrain.
- Fighting - Max Knuckle: Always raises the user's and their ally's Attack by one stage.
- Fire - Max Flare: Always activates sun.
- Flying - Max Airstream: Always boosts the user's Speed by one stage. Unknown if it also raises the Speed stat of the user's ally.
- Grass - Max Overgrowth: Always activates Grassy Terrain.
- Ice - Max (name unknown): Always activates hail.
- Normal - Max Strike: Always lowers the foe's Speed by one stage.
- Rock - Max Rockfall: Always activates sand.
- Status Moves - Max Guard: Works much like Protect and will protect the user from Max moves.
- Steel - Max Steelspike: Always boosts the user's Defense by one stage. Unknown if it also raises the Defense stat of the user's ally.
- Water - Max Geyser: Always activates rain.
Other Interactions
Protect: Max Moves, much like Z-Moves last generation, will break through Protect. It's unknown how by much, if at all, their damage is reduced.
Flinches: While Dynamaxed, a Pokémon gains an Inner Focus-like attribute, becoming immune to flinches. This includes Fake Out, making this especially useful in doubles!
Gigantamax and G-Max Moves
There are some Pokémon that have special formes that can be obtained from Max Raids that, when Dynamaxed, take on an entirely new forme! It's unknown what effect this has on stats, though the HP boost is identical to Dynamax. Gigantamax Pokémon also receive an exclusive Max Move, called G-Max Moves, which have special, exclusive effects that always activate. These moves are used instead of the regular Max Moves for their type.
Gigantamax Alcremie
Alcremie's G-Max Move is G-Max Finale, a Fairy-type attack that heals teammates on its side while damaging its foes.
Gigantamax Corviknight
Corviknight's G-Max Move is G-Max Wind Rage, a Flying-type attack that removes hazards, Reflect, Light Screen, and Terrains.
Gigantamax Drednaw
Drednaw's G-Max Move is G-Max Stonesurge, a Water-type attack that also sets up Stealth Rock.
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