Z-Moves and Z-Crystals

The big battle novelty of Generation VII: once per battle, your Pokémon can unleash a Z-Move, a super-powered version of one of its attacks, while you perform the pose of its type. Here is how they work and where to find each crystal.

💎The basics

• The Z-Ring is forged from the Sparkling Stone that Tapu Koko drops at the very start of the game. Hala hands it to you at the Iki Town festival.
• The Z-Crystal is held by the Pokémon, like an item. A type crystal (Normalium Z, Firium Z…) transforms any move of that type; a Pokémon-specific crystal transforms a specific move of that Pokémon.
• Only one Z-Move per battle, for the whole team. If it fails, it is lost for that battle.
• Power depends on the original move: the stronger it is, the stronger the Z-Move. A Z-Move breaks through protections like Protect, dealing only part of its damage.

✨Status moves as Z-Moves

A Pokémon holding a crystal can also turn a status move of the same type into a Z-Move. It keeps its effect and gains a bonus: Z-Swords Dance resets lowered stats, Z-Protect does too, Z-Sharpen raises Attack by one extra stage, Z-Acupressure raises the critical-hit ratio. A precious weapon for competitive strategies.

🌊The eighteen type Z-Moves

• Breakneck BlitzNormalium Z
• All-Out PummelingFightinium Z
• Hydro VortexWaterium Z
• Inferno OverdriveFirium Z
• Bloom DoomGrassium Z
• Continental CrushRockium Z
• Gigavolt HavocElectrium Z
• Corkscrew CrashSteelium Z
• Never-Ending NightmareGhostium Z
• Savage Spin-OutBuginium Z
• Black Hole EclipseDarkinium Z
• Acid DownpourPoisonium Z
• Tectonic RageGroundium Z
• Twinkle TackleFairium Z
• Devastating DrakeDragonium Z
• Subzero SlammerIcium Z
• Shattered PsychePsychium Z
• Supersonic SkystrikeFlyinium Z

🗺️Where to find each Z-Crystal

Most are obtained by completing a Trial or a Grand Trial; a few are hidden around the archipelago or reserved for the post-League. Distribution crystals can no longer be obtained.

💃The poses

Each type has its own pose, which your character performs as the Z-Move is launched, a different gesture for each of the eighteen types. The Z-Ring draws on the bond between Trainer and Pokémon: the pose is the demonstration of it.

For an annotated list of the crystals and their best holders, see our guide All the Z-Crystals.