Pokemon Legends: ZA it effectively made the long-standing basic move of substitution completely unnecessary, as the real-time combat system allows trainers to work around it with powerful attacks and movement. Although the replacement is still available as a technical machine move-in Pokemon Legends: ZAit's not worth pushing into the turn set for the game's fast-paced battles.
In the traditional turn-based battle system used by most Pokemon mainline games since Gen 1, Substitute creates a lure for its user at a cost of 25% of their maximum HP. This decoy will then take damage in place of the main user, although the alternate will break after taking enough damage. Having a substitute on the field allows a Pokémon to survive an attack that would otherwise take it out in one hit, giving it time to counterattack or retreat. Effective use of Substitute is a viable defensive strategy in competitive combat Pokemon battles and almost any Pokemon can learn it Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Substitute is useless in Pokemon Legends: ZA
Although Substitute can still be used to avoid receiving debuffs Pokemon Legends: ZAits practical use in battle is debatable given the game's combat system. Unlike the past Pokemon games, Pokemon Legends: ZA uses a real-time action combat system similar to that Xenoblade Chronicles series where moves have short cooldown timers and can otherwise be used freely. However, Pokemon Legends: ZAMovement also allows trainers to set up or avoid attacks that have a specific range. While using Substitute still puts a decoy on the field for the opposing trainer to target, it doesn't prevent its user from being targeted for attacks anyway, making it more of a distraction than a useful move. Pokemon Legends: ZAranked battles.
Additionally, the purpose of the substitute to take damage instead of its user is debatable due to certain area of effect (AOE) attacks. Moves that deal damage in a straight line, such as Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and Water Pump, can pass right through the surrogate and hit its user at the same time. Some of the best Pokemon Pokemon Legends: ZAsuch as Gyarados and Dragonite, it can easily break through the surrogate and hit the intended target.
While the substitute remains a viable option in turn mode Pokemon battles for defensive purposes, fast pace Pokemon Legends: ZAUnfortunately, the combat system made using Substitute a pointless endeavor. It remains to be seen if PokemonThe next generation of the mainline will return to the traditional turn-based battle format, or if Pokemon Legends: ZAReal-time combat is here to stay.
- Released
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October 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy violence, in-game purchases
Source: ComicBook
