Pokemon Legends: Arceus Replaces Two Classic Status Conditions

Pokemon Legends: Arceus has introduced multiple new status conditions to the game, some of which bring positive effects to Pokemon and others that replace classic status conditions that have been part of the franchise since the earliest games. The new Pokemon game includes a brand new battle system that fundamentally alters how traditional Pokemon battles work. While the battle system in Pokemon Legends: Arceus still uses a turn-based system, there's now an emphasis on speed and power, which make fights go a lot quicker. To go along with this new battle system, Pokemon Legends: Arceus also introduces five new status conditions that impact the speed and strength of a Pokemon in battle. 

The two new negative status conditions are the "Frostbite" and "Drowsy" status conditions, which replace the Asleep and Frozen conditions. A Pokemon with Frostbite is injured at the end of each of its turns, and moves that use the Special Attack stat are also less powerful. Basically, Frostbite acts similarly to Burn, but it impacts special moves instead of physical attacks. The "Drowsy" status condition acts similarly to paralysis. Instead of totally inhibiting a Pokemon from taking an action, a Pokemon is less likely to act on its turn. We'll note that both Frostbite and Droziness interact with the new Snowy weather condition, as Frostbite is more likely to occur in snowy conditions and Drowsy Pokemon are even less likely to use a move.

The game also introduces two positive status conditions – the "Obscured" condition and "Primed" condition. An obscured Pokemon has a higher chance of evading enemy attacks, while a primed Pokemon will deal more damage with its move. We should note that some Pokemon moves still increase a Pokemon's offensive stats; however, a Pokemon that becomes Primed will still be Primed even if its hit with a move that lowers its offensive stats.

A Pokemon can also become "Fixated" on a specific move. If a Pokemon fixates on a move, using that move will result in it doing more damage. However, the Pokemon will also take more damage from its enemy's moves. Certain moves automatically trigger the "Fixated" status condition, such as Rollout or Outrage. In previous games, a Pokemon would automatically use Rollout and Outrage for multiple turns, but the Fixated condition allows a player to use items or other moves instead of being forced into a situation where they can only use a single move for multiple turns. 

These new status conditions are basically a necessity to recreate the effects of certain moves within the context of the new battle system. Because moves hit so much harder in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it doesn't make as much sense for a Pokemon to be totally incapacitated for multiple turns, hence the removal of the Asleep and Frozen conditions. 

We'll see whether these status conditions remain in future Pokemon games or if they're unique to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. 

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available on the Nintendo Switch.