Stance

Garchomp in High Stance.

Stance refers to the posture a Battle Pokemon 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 Pokemon - namely their Weak Attacks (Y), Strong Attacks (X) or Pokemon Attacks, or "Specials" (A).

As aforementioned, during regular gameplay, a Battle Pokemon 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 Pokemon poses differently for High Stance, or crouches for Low Stance. Depending on the Pokemon, 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 Pokemon can remain in a given stance indefinitely until one stops pressing up or down. Each Battle Pokemon is granted certain effects from either one or both of their Stances. These effects and the Battle Pokemon 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 and Darkrai.
• Charges Support Gauge: Pikachu Libre, Empoleon and Braixen.
• Counter Armor on High Attacks: Blaziken and Gengar (Mega Gengar only). The Pokemon 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 Pokemon'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 Pokemon (Machamp, Mewtwo, Shadow Mewtwo, Blaziken and Garchomp). This renders the Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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.

Specialized Stances

There are some Pokemon 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 Pokemon 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.

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.