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Garchomp high stance

Garchomp in High Stance.

Stance refers to the posture a Battle Pokémon adopts in Duel Phase when either up or down is pressed with the control stick. Altering one's Stance gives them access to different forms of their moves in this Phase.

The Stances initiated by pressing up or down during this phase are known as High Stance and Low Stance, respectively. A change from one stance to another is referred to as a Stance Change. During ordinary gameplay, Stances are most often adopted in the instant before using a move, rather than being held for extended periods of time.

Basic Stance Properties[]

In Duel Phase, changing a Stance is analogous to inputting a direction before using a move. This applies to all the single-button attacks available to a Pokémon - namely their Weak Attacks (Y), Strong Attacks (X) or Pokémon Attacks, or "Specials" (A).

As aforementioned, during regular gameplay, a Battle Pokémon tends to only adopt a High or Low Stance in the brief period before using a move. This is indicated by a posture change in which a Pokémon poses differently for High Stance, or crouches for Low Stance. Depending on the Pokémon, other aesthetic changes may take place (such as Sceptile's Seeds glowing or Lucario's aura flaring).

A Stance is most distinguishable from a standard directional input when held for an extended period. A Pokémon can remain in a given stance indefinitely until one stops pressing up or down. Each Battle Pokémon is granted certain effects from either one or both of their Stances. These effects and the Battle Pokémon that exhibit them are as follows:

High Stance Effects[]

  • Avoids Low Attacks: Gengar and Chandelure. Both can move in High Stance, with Gengar moving faster than it normally walks.
  • Charges Synergy Gauge: Pikachu, Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, Croagunk, Lucario, Decidueye and Darkrai.
  • Charges Support Gauge: Pikachu Libre, Empoleon and Braixen.
  • Counter Armor on High Attacks: Blaziken and Gengar (Mega Gengar only). The Pokémon gains armor that is resistant to Normal Attacks, just as it would if it were performing a Counter Attack. This armor only works against moves coming from an enemy in their own High Stance.
  • Recharges Shield: Weavile and Aegislash. As a Shield blocks attacks, it begins to weaken and turn red. Shields will normally revert to their full defensive capability over time - holding Weavile's High Stance shortens this time. However, Aegislash will not naturally recharge its shield in Duel Phase, and must use High Stance to do so.
  • Red Armor: Charizard, Machamp and Garchomp. Red Armor is armor that renders the user immune to Grabs. Garchomp's High Stance Red Armor is a unique form called "Rough Skin". It halves damage taken and returns that half to the attacker.
  • Removal of Debuffs Accelerated: Debuffs are always temporary, with the duration of each varying based on what caused it. By holding Suicune's High Stance, the time for the Debuff to dissipate shortens.
  • Restores Recoverable HP: Sceptile, Gardevoir, and Blastoise. When blocking and/or taking some attacks, a Battle Pokémon's HP bar may indicate the different between the current HP and the amount before taking damage by a dull green bar. This is Recoverable HP, and Recovers under circumstances that allow it (triggering a Phase Change to Duel Phase, certain High Stances, and activating Synergy Burst, etc.)

Low Stance Effects[]

  • Avoids High Attacks: The majority of the cast, excluding very tall Pokémon (Machamp, Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, Blaziken and Garchomp). This renders the Pokémon in question immune to attacks used by an enemy that is in High Stance (that is, upward-directed or "High" moves).
  • Charges Synergy Gauge: Garchomp exclusively.
  • Counter Armor Against Low Attacks: Machamp, Gengar (only during Synergy Burst), Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo and Blaziken. The Pokémon gains the same armor they would when performing a Counter Attack, making them resistant to Normal Attacks.
  • Recharges Shield: Exclusive to Pikachu in Low Stance, in addition to the aforementioned ability to avoid High Attacks.

Table of Stances[]

Pokémon Stance Type Effect Description Image Image (Synergy Burst)
Darkrai
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Darkrai - High Stance.jpg File:Darkrai (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Darkrai - Low Stance.jpg File:Darkrai (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Blaziken
High Stance
Counter Armor on High Attacks File:Blaziken - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Blaziken - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Blaziken - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Blaziken - Low Stance.jpg
Pikachu
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Pikachu - High Stance.jpg File:Pikachu (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Recharges Shield File:Pikachu - Low Stance.jpg File:Pikachu (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Lucario
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge Charges his aura. Lucario assumes a pose by standing on one leg, with his left arm kept down and right arm kept up. Lucario closes his eyes, lets out a grunt, and his four appendages rise upwards and wave in the air. Aura energy emanates from his feet, with swirls of wind around him. Lucario - High Stance Mega Lucario - High Stance
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks Kneels down, with his left leg extended out. Puts his left paw on his left thigh, raises his right paw, and looks downwards while his four appendages rise upwards and wave in the air. Lucario - Low Stance Mega Lucario - Low Stance
Gardevoir
High Stance
Restores Recoverable HP File:Gardevoir - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Gardevoir - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Gardevoir - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Gardevoir - Low Stance.jpg
Pikachu Libre
High Stance
Charges Support Gauge File:Pikachu Libre - High Stance.jpg File:Pikachu Libre (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Pikachu Libre - Low Stance.jpg File:Pikachu Libre (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Scizor
High Stance
Avoids Low Attacks File:Scizor - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Scizor - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Scizor - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Scizor - Low Stance.jpg
Aegislash
High Stance
Recharges Shield File:Aegislash - High Stance.jpg File:Aegislash (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Aegislash - Low Stance.jpg File:Aegislash (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Croagunk
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Croagunk - High Stance.jpg File:Croagunk (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Croagunk - Low Stance.jpg File:Croagunk (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Sceptile
High Stance
Restores Recoverable HP File:Sceptile - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Sceptile - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Sceptile - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Sceptile - Low Stance.jpg
Gengar
High Stance
Avoids Low Attacks

Counter Armor on High Attacks (Mega Gengar)

File:Gengar - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Gengar - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks

Counter Armor Against Low Attacks (Mega Gengar)

File:Gengar - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Gengar - Low Stance.jpg
Decidueye
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Decidueye - High Stance.jpg File:Decidueye (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Decidueye - Low Stance.jpg File:Decidueye (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Machamp
High Stance
Red Armor File:Machamp - High Stance.jpg File:Machamp (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Counter Armor Against Low Attacks File:Machamp - Low Stance.jpg File:Machamp (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Braixen
High Stance
Charges Support Gauge File:Braixen - High Stance.jpg File:Braixen (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Braixen - Low Stance.jpg File:Braixen (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Empoleon
High Stance
Charges Support Gauge File:Empoleon - High Stance.jpg File:Empoleon (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Empoleon - Low Stance.jpg File:Empoleon (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Blastoise
High Stance
Restores Recoverable HP File:Blastoise - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Blastoise - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Blastoise - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Blastoise - Low Stance.jpg
Mewtwo
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Mewtwo - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Mewtwo X - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Counter Armor Against Low Attacks File:Mewtwo - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Mewtwo X - Low Stance.jpg
Chandelure
High Stance
Avoids Low Attacks File:Chandelure - High Stance.jpg File:Chandelure (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Chandelure - Low Stance.jpg File:Chandelure (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Suicune
High Stance
Removal of Debuffs Accelerated File:Suicune - High Stance.jpg File:Suicune (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Suicune - Low Stance.jpg File:Suicune (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Weavile
High Stance
Recharges Shield File:Weavile - High Stance.jpg File:Weavile (Synergy Burst) - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Weavile - Low Stance.jpg File:Weavile (Synergy Burst) - Low Stance.jpg
Charizard
High Stance
Red Armor File:Charizard - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Charizard X - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Avoids High Attacks File:Charizard - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Charizard X - Low Stance.jpg
Garchomp
High Stance
Red Armor File:Garchomp - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Garchomp - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Garchomp - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Garchomp - Low Stance.jpg
Shadow Mewtwo
High Stance
Charges Synergy Gauge File:Shadow Mewtwo - High Stance.jpg File:Mega Shadow Mewtwo X - High Stance.jpg
Low Stance
Counter Armor Against Low Attacks File:Shadow Mewtwo - Low Stance.jpg File:Mega Shadow Mewtwo X - Low Stance.jpg

Specialized Stances[]

There are some Pokémon that have access to Stances unique only to them, with some being incorporated into their High or Low Stance, and others being entered in a different manner. These Pokémon and the stances in question are as follows.

Charizard's Flying Stance[]

Many of Charizard's attacks lift it off of the ground and into the air. By Cancelling out of these moves, Charizard remains airborne while flapping its wings as long as the R button is held. In Flying Stance, Charizard gains access to several aerial moves that can be chained together.

Decidueye's Flying Stance[]

Empoleon's Slide Stance[]

A stance unique to Empoleon in which it skates along a path of ice. This stance is entered in a variety of ways including inputting X after certain moves or holding A during others. There are several attacks that it can do in this state, with two of them being exclusive to this stance. In addition, Empoleon's jump is changed, allowing it to travel much farther horizontally. Overall, this is one of Empoleon's most useful techniques for movement.

Garchomp's Dig Stance[]

Garchomp's Running Stance[]

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