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What are Z-Moves in Pokemon? Even though they're a battle gimmick seen in the Sun & Moon series of games, there's a surprising amount of lore and story tied to them and the Alola region where they're often used. At their core, Z-Moves are special attacks used by Pocket Monsters that combine their wishes with those of their trainers, allowing for the combined energy to increase the move's power.
In the main series of games, Z-Moves were introduced in the Pokemon Sun & Moon games and persisted in the Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon sequels but were removed with the final Generation VII title, Let's Go! Pikachu/Eevee. Still, there's quite a bit of lore surrounding them, and it doesn't hurt to examine how they work and were used throughout the Pocket Monsters universe.
Z-Move lore in Pokemon explored
In the greater fictional Pocket Monsters universe, much is not known about Z-Moves or the Z-Power that fuels them. However, it is speculated by Professors Kukui of Alola and Burnet of the Dream Radar game that Z-Power was fueled by the appearance of Ultra Wormholes, unstable portals that lead to Ultra Space and which subsequently allowed the Ultra Beasts to emerge in Alola.
Certain Alolan legends also indicate that the legendary species Solgaleo and Lunala bestowed the Guardian Deities of Alola (Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele) crystallized Z-Power which would come to be known as Tapunium Z. It's unclear how, but eventually, humans learned to harness Z-Power by utilizing Z-Crystals and creating Z-Rings that can be worn by trainers.
By giving a creature a Z-Crystal that matches its species or move type, a trainer wearing a Z-Ring can combine their strength with their partner, allowing the two's energies to combine and for the Pocket Monster to use a Z-Move. Typically, this is limited to once per battle, but trainers who earn a high affection with their Rotom can use Z-Rotom Power to use a Z-Move twice per battle.
How do Pokemon use Z-Moves?
By most indications in lore, Pocket Monsters can't use Z-Moves without a trainer. The creature must hold an appropriate Z-Crystal that matches its species or move types, and its trainer must be equipped with a Z-Ring. Trainers must also execute a specific maneuver that activates the combination of their energy with their partner Pocket Monster, allowing for the Z-Move to be performed.
Due to the immense energy inherent in the use of a Z-Move, it is limited to a single use per battle unless Z-Rotom Power is utilized. Depending on the Pokemon and/or the elemental type of its moves, different Z-Moves can be used. Various Z-Crystals exist, including those that can be used as long as a creature knows a move of the crystal's type and those geared toward specific Pocket Monsters.
Who was the first Pokemon to use a Z-Move?
According to Alolan legends in Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, Necrozma once successfully defeated Solgaleo/Lunala, transforming it into Dusk Mane/Dawn Wings Necrozma. Darkness fell over Alola, but an unnamed youthful trainer and Alola's Guardian Deities fought Necrozma by harnessing Z-Power found in strange stones across the region.
It's likely that by bonding with their trainer at the time, the Guardian Deities were able to use some form of Z-Move due to the Z-Power they were harnessing before Z-Moves were commonly known. With Necrozma defeated, Solgaleo/Lunala bestowed the deities with the Z-Stone Tapunium Z, created from the Z-Power of Necrozma's formerly luminous body before it became corrupted.
What Pokemon can use Z-Moves?
Due to the different types of Z-Crystals, any Pokemon can use Z-Moves. There are 18 different "standard" Z-Crystals based on elemental types that can be used by any creature as long as it knows a move that matches the Z-Crystal's type. There are also 17 additional Z-Crystals that will only work for certain Pocket Monsters.
Overall, the only creatures incapable of using Z-Moves are those in their Mega-Evolved or Primally-Reverted states. The full slate of Z-Crystals and the Z-Moves they bestow can be found below:
Elemental Z-Crystals/Z-Moves
Pokemon-Specific Z-Crystals/Z-Moves
As previously mentioned, Z-Moves haven't appeared in the mainline series since Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, though they have appeared in spin-offs such as the Masters EX mobile title.
That said, with Mega Evolutions returning in the upcoming title Legends: Z-A, there may be hope for Z-Moves to make a re-appearance, though that would be unlikely given the new game takes place in the Kalos region.
