Worst Pokemon Abilities

The Top Ten
Truant

It doesn't have any redeeming factors. It makes you immobile every other turn. The opponent can just use Protect every other turn, and you can't do anything.

The only good thing about Truant is using it with Entrainment, which lets you get long streaks in the Battle Maison with Durant.

This ability is not that good, but it does describe how lazy Slaking is.

Slow Start

Truant might be infamous, but it's overpowered if used right. On the other hand, Slow Start is just about as bad.
It halves Attack and Speed for FIVE TURNS. What? Oh wait... it also resets if you switch out.
This will always be bad.

I just don't understand why they made this ability. Regigigas is a legendary. It is supposed to be strong and hard to catch.

At least with Truant, you can use recharge moves during the turn you miss. Slow Start, on the other hand...

Defeatist

Why would any Pokémon have an ability that halves its own stats? Game Freak does odd things sometimes.

Halving stats? This is one of the worst things (after Garbodor) that Gen V introduced.

I love Archeops, but this ability made me question putting him on my team.

Run Away

At least this has some use in-game (but definitely not competitive).

HM slave with Run Away is decent for getting through caves... although you could just use repels or lead with your fastest Pokémon.

Run Away is an ability that lets you run away. That's pretty much it. This ability is worthless in battle and is just a waste of an ability slot.

"You met a Shiny Entei in this cave!" Nope, just Zubats. Yes, now's my chance - accidentally pressed the Run Away button. "You ran away successfully with Run Away!"

Stall

Slow Start and Truant are given to Pokémon that would be broken otherwise, but THIS is just bad. I mean, really bad. And I know, Payback exists, but that doesn't stop it from being terrible.

The thing about Sableye is this: Would you rather have the ability that makes your status moves go first or the one that kills your Speed stat?

The fact that Sableye was mediocre and then they gave it an ability that makes it even more mediocre really harms Sableye.

Klutz

It's pointless. Just teach your Pokémon Toxic.

Okay, sure, put this on random Pokémon to severely cripple them so you have to get another one.

Illuminate

I actually didn't know Starmie could have this ability. I used one in Pokémon B2W2 and had it at the front of my party. I got so annoyed with running into wild Pokémon that I threw my DS against the wall and broke it...

Thankfully, an already useless early-game Pokémon is the only one to actually have this ability.

It makes the encounter rate higher. Why would you want that unless you're hunting shiny Pokémon?

Weak Armor

Weak Armor is mainly used by defensive Pokémon with barely any Speed. This ability is so backwards that it turns a physical tank into a failure. Thus, it should be higher on the list.

This ability ruined Skarmory. The Swords Dance setup and sweep with this ability just don't work.

Normalize

This ability makes all the moves the Pokémon uses Normal-type. This is useless, as Normal is the worst of all types, being super effective against nothing. If it turned all moves into a better type, such as Ice, it might be better. However, even then, your coverage would still be pathetic.

What's the point? Congratulations, you now literally cannot hit a single Ghost-type. Also, Normal type sucks.

This ability can be okay under some circumstances, but if you're up against a Ghost-type, you're screwed.

Infiltrator

The Newcomers

? Plus

I couldn't find Minus on here, but besides the fact that it's useless outside of a double battle, Plusle and Minun just aren't that good.

This ability only does anything if your opponent happens to have Minus, and most Pokémon with this ability are not very useful anyway.

? Levitate

Good, but why are there so many Ground or Flying types with Levitate?

The Contenders
Gluttony

God, I hate Gluttony. It makes every Nuzlocke of the Gen 3 remakes a crapshoot. I could get Zigzagoon with Pickup (a good HM slave with a decent ability) or good death fodder.

It only works with certain berries, and depending on your remaining HP, Sitrus Berries are often better anyway.

The name itself makes me hate it.

Frisk

What's the point of this ability? Every Pokémon with this ability has another, much better ability.
Alolan Exeggutor has Harvest.
Yanma has Speed Boost.
Stantler has Sap Sipper.
Duskull has Levitate.
Even Noivern's Telepathy is more useful.

Honey Gather

Honey is just useless outside of the Sinnoh games.

Honey is bad anyway. Just use Sweet Scent.

Wonder Guard
Heavy Metal
Emergency Exit

Do you hate setting up with Swords Dance? Were you too slow and the other Pokémon hit you for half health? Do you hate winning? This is the ability for you.

Golisopod has too low Speed and Special Defense to be useful with this ability. I mean, Stealth Rock does 1/4 damage, and then a fast, powerful move by the opponent activates it. When it comes out again, the same thing happens, only now it is defeated.

Hustle

It's not so bad if you have an accuracy-boosting move or an X Accuracy, but other than that, it's easily the worst non-negative ability of all time. Sure, physical attacks hit harder, but you can't land them anymore. This should be in 5th place, just below the intentionally bad abilities.

If an ability has the original Japanese name alluding to seppuku and its French name literally means "agitation," you would be better off without it. It's especially unnecessary for strictly special attackers like Togekiss.

Pure Power

It's just Huge Power with a way better name.

Damp
Zen Mode

Darmanitan is a good Pokémon with high Attack and strong physical moves. It also has Belly Drum, which maximizes Attack. Why should it turn into a Psychic-type special attacker? This mode doesn't suit its moveset. Its only good special move is Overheat, which lowers Special Attack by two stages, so it's a one-time use. Some use special TMs, but this ability doesn't activate until Darmanitan has reached 50% health. Thus, Darmanitan's special moves are useless until it has reached half health, and it will be quickly KO'd because of its low Speed.

Zen Mode increases Darmanitan's stats to 540, but it's still quite useless.

No Guard

I probably use this for one or maybe two moves with low accuracy. Meanwhile, my opponent swaps to a Pokémon with Horn Drill and takes me out. Yay.

This ability is great and terrible all at once.

Water Absorb

It's bad! Do you know what it does? It heals the Pokémon with that ability if hit by a Water-type move! I hate it! Unless it's my Pokémon that has that ability!

Skill Link

It's actually not bad. Mega Heracross has it and can learn Pin Missile, Bullet Seed, and Rock Blast.

Aura Break

No one should ever use this unless you know for a fact an aura will be there. Power Construct is way better.

This ability just cancels the effects of auras.

Pickpocket

It requires you to not have an item for this ability to work. Stupid ability.

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