Substitute

Changes over time

How Substitute changed from game to game, newest first.

1. Gen IX

   … enough damage is inflicted on it, dropped: or if the user switches out or dropped: faints. added: faints, or if any Pokémon uses Tidy Up. Baton Pass can be used to …

2. Gen VI

   … stage changes caused by other Pokémon. added: Sound-based moves and Pokémon with the Infiltrator Ability ignore substitutes. The user still takes normal damage …

3. Gen II

   … its place in battle. The substitute dropped: has 1 HP plus the HP used to create it, and is removed once enough damage is inflicted on dropped: it or 255 damage is inflicted at once, added: it, or if the user switches out or faints. added: Baton Pass can be used to transfer the substitute to an ally, and the substitute will keep its remaining HP. Until the substitute is broken, it receives damage from all attacks made by dropped: the opposing added: other Pokémon and shields the user from status effects and stat stage changes caused by dropped: the opponent, unless the effect is Disable, Leech Seed, sleep, primary paralysis, or secondary confusion and the user's substitute did not break. added: other Pokémon. The user still takes normal damage from added: weather and status effects while behind its dropped: substitute, unless the effect is confusion damage, which is applied to the opposing Pokémon's substitute instead. added: substitute. If the substitute breaks during a multi-hit attack, the dropped: attack ends. added: user will take damage from any remaining hits. If a substitute is created while the user is trapped by a binding move, the binding effect ends immediately. Fails if the user does not have enough HP remaining to create a dropped: substitute, added: substitute without fainting, or if it already has a substitute. dropped: The user will create a substitute and then faint if its current HP is exactly 1/4 of its maximum HP.

Numbers: PokéAPI’s changelog. Descriptions: Pokémon Showdown’s for each generation, PokéAPI’s notes where Showdown’s don’t differ. Champions: Pokémon Showdown.

See it in the games

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How it works in Champions

Good to know

• Snatch can steal it.

Who runs Substitute on Showdown

1. Mega Gengar9.1% of its sets
2. Mega Delphox4.5% of its sets
3. Mega Raichu Y1.2% of its sets
4. Mega Floette1.1% of its sets
5. Klefki10.1% of its sets
6. Mega Aggron18.7% of its sets
7. Delphox14.8% of its sets
8. Mega Lucario10.3% of its sets
9. Drampa12.5% of its sets
10. Mega Chandelure4% of its sets
11. Skeledirge7.2% of its sets

Smogon · Showdown Champions VGC · Sep 2026: Smogon’s usage stats from Pokémon Showdown, not the in-game ladder.

Who learns Substitute

315 Pokémon can learn it in Pokémon Champions.

Show all 315 in Champions

VenusaurCharizardBlastoiseBeedrillPidgeotArbokPikachuRaichuClefableNinetalesVileplumeArcanineAlakazamMachampVictreebelSlowbroGengarKangaskhanStarmiePinsirTaurosGyaradosVaporeonJolteonFlareonAerodactylSnorlaxDragoniteMeganiumTyphlosionFeraligatrAriadosAmpharosAzumarillPolitoedEspeonUmbreonSlowkingForretressSteelixQwilfishScizorHeracrossSkarmoryHoundoomTyranitarSceptileBlazikenSwampertPelipperGardevoirSableyeMawileAggronMedichamManectricSharpedoCameruptTorkoalAltariaMiloticCastformBanetteChimechoAbsolGlalieMetagrossTorterraInfernapeEmpoleonStaraptorLuxrayRoseradeRampardosBastiodonLopunnySpiritombGarchompLucarioHippowdonToxicroakAbomasnowWeavileRhyperiorLeafeonGlaceonGliscorMamoswineGalladeFroslassRotomSerperiorEmboarSamurottWatchogLiepardSimisageSimisearSimipourMusharnaExcadrillAudinoConkeldurrScolipedeWhimsicottKrookodileScraftyCofagrigusGarbodorZoroarkReuniclusVanilluxeEmolgaEelektrossChandelureBearticStunfiskGolurkHydreigonVolcaronaChesnaughtDelphoxGreninjaDiggersbyTalonflameVivillonPyroarFlorgesPangoroFurfrouMeowsticAegislashAromatisseSlurpuffMalamarBarbaracleDragalgeClawitzerHelioliskTyrantrumAurorusSylveonHawluchaDedenneGoodraKlefkiTrevenantGourgeistAvaluggNoivernDecidueyeIncineroarPrimarinaToucannonCrabominableLycanrocToxapexMudsdaleAraquanidSalazzleTsareenaOranguruPassimianMimikyuDrampaKommo-oCorviknightFlappleAppletunSandacondaPolteageistHattereneGrimmsnarlMr. RimeRunerigusAlcremieFalinksMorpekoDragapultWyrdeerKleavorBasculegionSneaslerOverqwilMeowscaradaSkeledirgeQuaquavalMausholdGarganaclArmarougeCeruledgeBelliboltScovillainEspathraTinkatonPalafinOrthwormGlimmoraHoundstoneAnnihilapeFarigirafKingambitGholdengoSinistchaArchaludonHydrappleHeat RotomWash RotomFrost RotomFan RotomMow RotomSunny CastformRainy CastformSnowy CastformFemale MeowsticBlade AegislashSmall GourgeistLarge GourgeistSuper GourgeistMega VenusaurMega Charizard XMega Charizard YMega BlastoiseMega AlakazamMega GengarMega KangaskhanMega PinsirMega GyaradosMega AerodactylMega AmpharosMega ScizorMega HeracrossMega HoundoomMega TyranitarMega BlazikenMega GardevoirMega MawileMega AggronMega MedichamMega ManectricMega BanetteMega AbsolMega GarchompMega LucarioMega AbomasnowEternal FloetteMega SwampertMega SceptileMega SableyeMega AltariaMega GalladeMega AudinoMega SharpedoMega SlowbroMega SteelixMega PidgeotMega GlalieMega MetagrossMega CameruptMega LopunnyMega BeedrillAlolan RaichuAlolan NinetalesMidnight LycanrocDusk LycanrocGalarian SlowbroGalarian SlowkingGalarian StunfiskHisuian ArcanineHisuian TyphlosionHisuian SamurottHisuian ZoroarkHisuian GoodraHisuian AvaluggHisuian DecidueyeFemale BasculegionPaldean Tauros (Combat Breed)Paldean Tauros (Blaze Breed)Paldean Tauros (Aqua Breed)Mega ClefableMega VictreebelMega StarmieMega DragoniteMega MeganiumMega FeraligatrMega SkarmoryMega FroslassMega EmboarMega ExcadrillMega ScolipedeMega ScraftyMega EelektrossMega ChandelureMega ChesnaughtMega DelphoxMega GreninjaMega PyroarMega FloetteMega MalamarMega BarbaracleMega DragalgeMega HawluchaMega DrampaMega FalinksMega Raichu XMega Raichu YMega ChimechoMega Absol ZMega StaraptorMega Garchomp ZMega Lucario ZMega GolurkMega CrabominableMega ScovillainMega Glimmora

All 999 Pokémon that learn it in any game → Filter the Pokédex to Champions →