Z-Move

Warning: This article is based on a canon topic. You may post fanon theories on this topic under a new headline (your username). Information here may not be wholly representative of the canon topic; to see more information on the topic, please see Z-Move.

Currently found only in the 7^th Pokémon generation, Z-Moves are those games' intended successor to Mega Evolution, despite that mechanic's return in those games. Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves would both be replaced by Dynamaxing in Generation 8.

To use Z-Moves, the player must have a Key Item called a Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring. The player must then have Z-Crystals, which their Pokémon must equip as held items. There exists one Z-Crystal for every type in the game, and as they are generally given out as rewards for completing a Trial or beating an Island Kahuna, they replace the Gym Badges seen in other Pokémon games.

There also exist Pokémon-specific Z-Crystals that are generally given as event items or under very specific circumstances, such as the Mimikium-Z, which turns Mimikyu's Play Rough into Let's Snuggle Forever.

Generally, damaging moves get upgraded into extremely powerful ultra-moves (such as Breakneck Blitz, Bloom Doom, and Inferno Overdrive), while status moves generally just add an extra effect to their own (such as Z-Synthesis restoring all lowered stats in addition to HP). A Z-Move can only be used once per battle.

Z-Moves in fanon

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The 2017 DLC packs to both Tropes vs. Women in Pokémon Training and Pokémon Stadium X updated both games to Generation 7 standards, and by extension, added Z-Moves. Only one new Z-Move was added to the game: Radical Centrism, which is exclusive to Kyurem's Black and White forms and causes it to transform into Ultra Kyurem.