Summary

  • Legendary Pokemon have unique abilities that enhance their strength in battle.
  • Specific signature abilities like Fairy Aura or Dark Aura power up certain moves.
  • Abilities like Shadow Shield or Unseen Fist provide a solid competitive edge.

Legendary Pokemon are the most powerful creatures in the Pokemon world. They earned this reputation, not only due to their powerful signature moves and their extremely high stats but also thanks to their unique abilities that no other Pokemon can normally use.

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Most Legendaries have their signature abilities that are often related to their lore and origins, while also giving them a huge advantage in battle. Some of these abilities are so overpowered that they have helped their respective user break the competitive Pokemon metagame in the past. There are a lot of good ones to choose from, but the following are the absolute best in the entire franchise.

1 Fairy Aura / Dark Aura

Xerneas’ And Yveltal’s Signature Abilities

Xerneas uses Fairy Aura and Yveltal uses Dark Aura in the anime.
Pokemon X and Y
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JRPG
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Released
October 12, 2023
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
3DS
Genre(s)
JRPG

The Box Art Legendaries of Pokemon X and Y were not the first ones to have their signature abilities, but they definitely were some of the biggest standouts in the series. Their abilities, named Fairy Aura and Dark Aura respectively, are very simple yet both work extremely well.

Fairy Aura increases the power of all Fairy-type moves by around 33%, and Dark Aura does the same with Dark-type moves. The twist is that they not only power up the moves used by Xerneas and Yveltal but also the moves of those types that every other Pokemon uses on the battlefield. This means that these two abilities are especially useful for Double Battles.

2 Intrepid Sword / Dauntless Shield

Zacian’s And Zamazenta’s Signature Abilities

Zacian and Zamazenta in the Pokemon anime.
Pokémon Sword and Shield
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Released
November 15, 2019
Developer(s)
Nintendo
Platform(s)
Nintendo Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure

As the Box Art Legendaries of Sword and Shield, it makes a lot of sense for Zacian to focus on Attack and Zamazenta on Defense, and their signature abilities are very useful on that front. Intrepid Sword raises Zacian’s Attack by one stage every time it enters the battlefield, while Dauntless Shield raises Zamazenta’s Defense by one stage every time it enters the battlefield.

Zacian and Zamazenta will always have one guaranteed extra point in Attack and Defense whenever they’re sent out by their trainers, which may not seem like much, but it can actually change the entire tide of the battle if used carefully. Even though both abilities have been changed in subsequent generations, and they can only work once per battle now, they are still very effective.

3 Hadron Engine

Miraidon’s Signature Ability

Miraidon in the Pokemon anime.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
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Released
November 18, 2022
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
Switch
Genre(s)
RPG

As Pokemon battles have become more and more complex, so have their abilities. Hadron Engine is a solid example of this phenomenon since it can do two things at the same time: it summons Electric Terrain automatically, and it also raises Miraidon’s Special Attack stat on said terrain.

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As a Dragon and Electric-type Pokemon, Miraidon greatly benefits from Electric Terrain, especially since it also increases the power of its amazing signature move, Electro Drift. This is way better than its counterpart, Koraidon, who can summon sunlight with its signature ability, even though it’s a Dragon and Fighting-type Pokemon who doesn’t immediately benefit from this weather change.

4 RKS System

Silvally’s Signature Ability

Gladion's Silvally changes into a Rock Type.
Pokemon Sun and Moon
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Released
November 18, 2016
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
3DS
Genre(s)
JRPG

Most fans tend to forget that Silvally is a Legendary Pokemon and they can’t be blamed, since this is actually an artificial being created by Aether Foundation who is supposed to mimic the Mythical Pokemon Arceus. As a result of this intentional resemblance, its signature ability, RKS System, works just like Arceus’ Multitype, and it lets Silvally change its type depending on which memory disc it is holding.

People who have the opportunity to train this Legendary are very lucky because this gives Silvally a lot of adaptability and versatility since it can practically turn into any type they need in each battle. This is the main gimmick of this Pokemon, and it revolves entirely around the RKS System, so it’s obvious that its signature ability is of extreme importance.

5 Shadow Shield

Lunala’s Signature Ability

Full Moon Lunala in the Pokemon anime.
  • Pokemon: Sun and Moon

Unlike the two generations that came before it, Generation Seven featured two Box Art Legendaries with completely distinct signature abilities. While Solgaleo’s Full Metal Body is far from useless, it doesn’t hold a candle to Lunala’s incredible Shadow Shield, which gives it a much-needed advantage in battle.

This ability reduces the damage that Lunala takes when it has full HP. So, competitive Pokemon players immediately gravitated toward Lunala when it was revealed, seeing that Shadow Shield works exactly like Dragonite's Multiscale, which has always been considered one of the best signature abilities in the series. The Moone Pokemon needed this buff because the combination of Psychic-type and Ghost-type is one of the weakest ones in the game, and it would’ve been very frail without Shadow Shield.

6 Desolate Land / Primordial Sea

Primal Groudon And Primal Kyogre’s Signature Abilities

Primal Groudon uses Desolate Land and Primal Kyogre uses Primordial Sea in Pokemon Generations.
Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
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Released
November 21, 2014
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
Nintendo 3DS
Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure

Groudon and Kyogre are almost always some of the first Legendary Pokemon with practical signature abilities that come to people's minds. Their original weather-summoning abilities – Drought and Drizzle – were already excellent for their time, but they were greatly enhanced in the Generation Six remakes, where both Pokemon got access to Primal Reversion.

Desolate Land lets Primal Groudon summon harsh sunlight and Primordial Sea lets Primal Kyogre summon heavy rain, which are enhanced versions of sunlight and rain that can’t be invalidated by other weather summoning moves or abilities (except for each other). Groudon has a significant upper hand in this case because Desolate Land nullifies all Water-type moves, which would normally be super effective on it, as a Ground and Fire-type Pokemon. Of course, Primordial Sea nullifies all Fire-type moves, but Kyogre can already resist them without this ability.

7 Prism Armor / Neuroforce

Necrozma’s Signature Abilities

Regular Necrozma in the anime and Ultra Necrozma in the game.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
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Released
November 17, 2017
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
Nintendo 3DS
Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure

Prism Armor lets its user reduce the power of any super effective attack that it receives. This is a very simple yet effective ability that makes it feel like Necrozma has the ultimate defense in battle. Things get even better when it uses Ultra Burst to turn into the mighty Ultra Necrozma.

With a base stat total of 754, the type combination of Psychic and Dragon, and the destructive Z-Move known as Light That Burns the Sky, Ultra Necrozma is already extremely strong. But its signature ability, Neuroforce, takes it to a whole new level, as it increases the power of any super effective move that it uses on its opponents. So it ultimately feels like Necrozma has the ultimate offense as well.

8 As One

Calyrex’s Signature Ability

Calyrex transforms into its Ice Rider and Shadow Rider forms in Pokemon Sword and Shield
  • Pokemon: Sword and Shield: The Crown Tundra (DLC)

Sometimes, signature abilities can get so complex that it’s easy to say that they work as if the Pokemon had two abilities at the same time. But in the case of Calyrex’s As One, this is actually true. When it enters its Ice Rider or Shadow Rider forms, it can both use its original ability, Unnerve, alongside Gastrier’s and Spectrier’s respective signature abilities, Chilling Neigh and Grim Neigh.

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As a result of this powerful combination, Calyrex can prevent enemies from eating their berries while also raising its Attack or Special Attack every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon. This is a lot, and it makes it clear that As One was one of many deciding factors that made Calyrex so infamous within competitive Pokemon circles.

9 Unseen Fist

Urshifu’s Signature Ability

Single Strike Style Urshifu using Wicked Blow and Rapid Strike Style Urshifu using Surging Strikes in the Pokemon anime.
  • Pokemon: Sword and Shield: Isle of Armor (DLC)

Both forms of Urshifu became absolute beasts of the competitive Pokemon metagame in Generation Eight. And while this was due to several factors - like its typing, its Gigantamax form, and its two signature moves - its signature ability, Unseen Fist, was also of great help. This ability lets it ignore protection moves, like Protect or Detect, whenever it uses an attack that makes direct contact.

The thing is that Urshifu is a Fighting-type Pokemon with an Attack stat of 130, meaning that almost every attacking move that it’ll use is inevitably going to make direct contact. Protect has always been a key element of competitive battles, so the fact that there is a Pokemon that can completely ignore it almost broke the balance of the game. It feels like no other Pokemon is safe when they're facing Urshifu.

10 Delta Stream

Mega Rayquaza’s Signature Ability

Mega Rayquaza tries to calm down Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon in the anime.
  • Pokemon: Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

As the third member of the Weather Trio, Rayquaza always had abilities that let it counter both Groudon and Kyogre. So, when Primal Reversion and Mega Evolution were added to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Mega Rayquaza needed something much more powerful to counter Desolate Land and Primordial Sea. Thus, Delta Stream was created specifically for this reason.

This ability summons powerful, strong winds that can nullify Desolate Land and Primordial Sea. That’s already very useful in and of itself, but what makes Delta Stream such an amazing signature ability is the fact that it also eliminates every weakness of the Flying-type. This means that Rayquaza not only takes complete control of the weather but that it’s also nullifying half of its weaknesses in the process, including its double weakness to Ice-type moves. This is one of many reasons that explain why Mega Rayquaza is often considered one of the most overpowered Pokemon ever created.

A collage of 3 Legendary Pokemon using their respective signature moves: Ho-oh using Sacred Fire, Mega Rayquaza using Dragon Ascent and Palkia using Dragon Ascent.
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