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Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Pokémon (口袋妖怪) |
| Species/Race | Spirit Power-based beings originating from, or connected to, the Spirit Realm 3 22 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 2 2 |
Background / History
Pokémon first appeared in the human world 218 years before the present, an event designated Spirit Year One. According to accounts from high-ranking Pokémon, a cataclysm damaged the Spirit Realm and caused fragments of its space to merge with the human world; the nature of that disaster remains unknown. 3
Their arrival led to the development of Pokémon Trainers, Spirit Duels, Pokémon Cards, and eventually Card Duels—a civilian card game modeled after Spirit Duels for people without Trainer talent. 2 3
Biology and Lifecycle
Pokémon manifest in the human world through bodies composed of Spirit Power that have taken flesh-like forms to adapt to local laws. Food accelerates their Spirit Power recovery but is not necessary for survival. 3
- Defeat or bodily destruction in the human world is not true death: a Pokémon returns to Spirit Space and can descend again after recovering its Spirit Power. 3
- A Pokémon’s true body exists in the Spirit Realm; destruction there is permanent. 22
- Pokémon Cards serve as media for communicating with Spirit Space and can accelerate a Pokémon’s recovery. 3
- Pokémon sealed in Cards are not necessarily lonely or restless; Professor Sycamore argues that humans should not impose such assumptions on them. 3
- Stronger Pokémon generally display greater intelligence. Professor Mohn proposed that Pokémon in the human world may be projections of their Spirit Realm bodies, though this remains unproven. 3
- Pokémon cannot reproduce biologically because they are formed from Spirit Power. 77
Trainers and Command
A Trainer’s Duel Spirit Power rank determines the highest Star rank of Pokémon they can reliably command. A Trainer may summon a Pokémon above that limit, but it may ignore orders or even turn against them. 3
| Trainer / Pokémon factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Trainer Duel Spirit Power | Sets the maximum Star rank of Pokémon the Trainer can command reliably. 3 |
| Star rank | Corresponds to a Pokémon’s spiritual power, stamina, and general combat potential. 23 |
| Talent | Determines the maximum level a Pokémon can reach; it cannot continue gaining Spirit Power after reaching that limit. 3 |
| Daily training | Improves move mastery and can teach new moves, but does not directly increase level. 5 |
| Battle experience | Spirit Power gains depend on combat contribution and securing the final blow. 3 |
Levels and Talent
Levels are a human-made measurement of accumulated Spirit Power rather than an inherent Pokémon attribute. Exact levels require specialized measuring equipment. 3
| Card classification | Level range | Identifying feature |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary | 1–20 | Standard Pokémon Card appearance 3 |
| Silver Letter | 21–30 | Card name turns silver 3 |
| Gold Letter | 31–40 | Card name turns gold 3 |
| Gold Flash | 41–50 | Entire card emits a golden glow 3 |
Known talent grades include Weak, Average, Strong, Fierce, and Berserk. Talent is ordinarily difficult to assess directly, forcing Trainers to infer it from physical strength, agility, and intelligence. 3 86 89 115 122
Evolution and Forms
Pokémon can possess multiple evolutionary branches, but only species with an existing corresponding form can access a given evolution. 122
| Form / method | Documented characteristics |
|---|---|
| Natural evolution | Generally preserves the Pokémon’s prior conditions; ordinary evolution is described as permanent. 41 137 |
| Card-spirit evolution | Certain card spirits can freely switch between base and evolved forms after evolving. 4 |
| Ritual Form | One of the three evolution branches publicly known for decades. 22 |
| Fusion Form | A known evolutionary branch; Polymerization-type Spell Cards can temporarily grant evolved abilities. 22 41 |
| Synchro Form | A known evolutionary branch; Tuners are more likely, but not exclusively able, to undergo Synchro Evolution. 52 |
| Link Form | A newly identified form exemplified by Goblin Attack Force after it absorbed a Mekk-Knight core. 46 |
| Xyz Form | An additional evolution branch that may occur at any stage of a compatible Pokémon’s evolution line. It is associated with the Pokémon’s self-trust and uses Spirit Cores for powerful combat techniques. 122 |
| Pendulum | A system in which a Pokémon Card can be activated as a Spell Card, retaining its Pendulum Effect rather than its ordinary Pokémon effect. 52 |
Battle Capabilities
A Pokémon’s battle strength is not decided by card values alone. Moves, lineage matchups, abilities, training, combat experience, and Trainer commands all affect the outcome. 3 5 96
- Attack and Defense values — Function as approximations of base combat attributes rather than absolute win conditions. 3
- Moves and skills — Pokémon require practice to master moves; leveling alone does not automatically grant or perfect them. 5
- Lineage matchups — Attribute advantages and resistances can decisively alter a battle, even against opponents with superior raw power. 96
- Traits — Pokémon possess actual traits that may activate under specific conditions, such as a hostile Trainer refining a Spell Card. 12
- Spirit Cores — Some traits generate or consume Spirit Cores to enhance spiritual output, activate abilities, or fuel high-output techniques. 12 52 122
- Exclusive skills — Powerful Pokémon may have unique skills that are difficult to learn through ordinary training; Skill Cards can help them acquire such techniques. 63
- Spell Card support — Trainers can refine Spell Cards to strengthen, protect, restrict, evolve, or otherwise support Pokémon in combat. 3 7
Spirit Duels
| Duel type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Temporary Duel | Trainers personally spend Spirit Power to use Spell Cards. If a Pokémon is dispersed, its Trainer suffers backlash based on the Pokémon’s Star rank. 3 |
| Official Duel | Uses a Duel Barrier. Defeated Pokémon do not cause Trainer backlash, and Spell Card refinement costs half as much Spirit Power. 3 |
In both forms of Spirit Duel, Pokémon receive Trainer commands and can adapt their actions in battle. This differs from Card Duels, where combat outcomes strictly follow card effects and attack-defense values without player commands. 2 3
Pokémon Cards and Pokédex
- Pokémon Cards — Act as communication media with Spirit Space, allowing Trainers to summon, store, and recover Pokémon. 3
- Card authentication — Trainers can tell by touch whether a Pokémon truly resides within a card. 3
- Pokédex records — A Pokédex initially provides only an image of unfamiliar Pokémon; detailed data becomes available after the Pokémon is defeated or captured. 12
- Actual traits — Pokédex data records real-world Pokémon traits, which can differ from card-style appraisal information. 12
- Skill recording — Professor Elm added a Pokédex function that identifies and records Pokémon skills. 63
- Spirit Realm limitation — Pokémon cannot be captured in the Spirit Realm, and destroying them there prevents the Pokédex from collecting detailed information. 22