Strong And Agile Style In Pokemon Legends: Arceus Explained

"Pokémon Legends: Arceus" changes the series in a lot of ways. The world is more open, the combat is more action-oriented, and players can even ride their Pokémon around the hills and plains of the Hisui region. While critics have suggested that the graphical side of the game could be better, it's received nothing but praise for its other innovations on the "Pokémon" formula. Among the new mechanics that fundamentally change the way Pokémon battles traditionally work are the Strong and Agile Style systems.

Nearly every "Pokémon" game since "Red" and "Blue" have had similar move-set growth systems: Pokémon could learn up to four moves. When the maximum number was reached, the player would have to choose a weaker move they wanted to replace to make room for the Pokémon to learn a newer one. In "Arceus," however, weak moves don't necessarily remain weak. The moves which are used most frequently level up and get more powerful alongside the Pokémon, eventually resulting in those moves' Strong and Agile forms being unlocked. These new forms add a layer of versatility to the combat unseen in previous generations. Here's how they work.

If a player wants to unlock the Strong and Agile forms of a move, all they have to do is keep using that move in combat, leveling it up until it becomes "mastered." This will probably happen to many moves naturally over the course of the game, but the player may have to make a conscious effort to level up specific moves they don't use frequently in combat. Players can also use a rare item called the Seed of Mastery — which can be taken to Captain Zisu at the training grounds — to instantly master a move. A move that has been mastered will automatically gain the ability to be used in Strong style and Agile Style.

Captain Zisu explains how these styles work immediately after the battle on the training grounds with either Akari or Rei (depending on the gender the player chose for their character). She explains that Strong Style allows the player's Pokémon to deal more damage, but that it will take longer to act between moves, giving your opponent more opportunities to retaliate. Agile Style is the opposite. The Pokémon's moves will have less power, but it will be able to act more quickly afterward, potentially even getting to attack twice. 

The player can select either the Strong or Agile Style in battle by hitting either the L or R or the Left or Right Button when selecting the mastered move. However, players should also be aware that both Strong and Agile Styles use up more PP than regular moves.