Gigantamax
Gigantamax (Japanese: キョダイマックス Kyodaimax) is a special kind of Dynamax introduced in Generation VIII. Like other Dynamaxing, Gigantamaxing increases a Pokémon's size drastically and its HP in battle. Only certain species of Pokémon can Gigantamax, and when they do, their appearance changes significantly, unlike regular Dynamaxing. As revealed by Professor Magnolia, the Pokémon distorts space to change its size while affecting the world around them while altering their appearance drastically.
History
Gigantamax, as a type of Dynamax, originated from Eternatus, who provides the Galar region with Power Spots where Dynamax can be triggered. The Galar Particles left by Eternatus affected the Pokémon living in Galar, giving a few of them the Gigantamax Factor needed for transformation. These Pokémon may only be found in Pokémon Dens. As a type of Dynamax, a Wishing Star and Dynamax Band are required to use the Gigantamax transformation.
Gigantamax Factor
Even within species that are capable of Gigantamaxing, only certain individuals can Gigantamax. Pokémon that can Gigantamax are said to have the Gigantamax Factor.[1] Pokémon with the Gigantamax Factor can be seen having the 
symbol next to their name on the summary screen.
When a Pokémon Dynamaxes, if it has the Gigantamax Factor and is of a species that has a Gigantamax form (Japanese: キョダイマックスのすがた), it will turn into its Gigantamax form. If it does not have the Gigantamax Factor it will simply Dynamax as normal; if it has the Gigantamax Factor but does not have its own Gigantamax form (e.g. because it evolves into a Pokémon that does), it will also Dynamax as normal.
Unlike others of their species, Pikachu, Meowth, and Eevee with the Gigantamax Factor cannot evolve.
Acquisition
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, wild Pokémon with the Gigantamax Factor can only be caught in Max Raid Battles, but have a rare encounter rate and typically a lower catch rate. If the wild Pokémon that has a Gigantamax Form has the Gigantamax Factor, it will appear in its Gigantamax form in the Max Raid Battle. Pokémon encountered in Max Raid Battles that do not have a Gigantamax form will not have the Gigantamax Factor, with the exception of certain Wild Area News Max Raid Battles.
Some Pokémon can only have the Gigantamax Factor in Max Raid Battles exclusive to limited-time Wild Area News. In addition, Machamp and Coalossal with the Gigantamax Factor are exclusive to Pokémon Sword, and Gengar and Lapras with the Gigantamax Factor are exclusive to Pokémon Shield. Players with the opposite game may still join Max Raid Battles to obtain these forms.
Pikachu, Eevee, and Charmander can be obtained with the Gigantamax Factor as gift Pokémon. Meowth with the Gigantamax Factor was first distributed via Mystery Gift.
Bred Pokémon cannot inherit the Gigantamax Factor. Charmander, Charmeleon, and Milcery are the only Pokémon without a Gigantamax form that can have the Gigantamax Factor; Charmander as a gift Pokémon, Charmeleon by evolving it, and Milcery from Wild Area News-exclusive Max Raid Battles.
In the upcoming The Isle of Armor expansion, there will be a way for certain Pokémon to be trained to Gigantamax.
Effects
In its Gigantamax form, a Pokémon can use a G-Max Move. Each G-Max Move is exclusive to a specific species of Gigantamax Pokémon. All of a Gigantamax Pokémon's moves of a certain type turn into G-Max Moves instead of their corresponding Max Move. Outside of G-Max Moves, Gigantamax is functionally identical to Dynamax; Pokémon's HP increases according to its Dynamax Level, while all other stats and its Ability remain the same.
The Gigantamax Factor cannot be copied using Transform or Imposter. Even if a Pokémon transforms into a Pokémon that has the Gigantamax Factor, it can still only Dynamax to its standard form.
In the Pokédex, Gigantamax forms are all listed with heights ending in a plus, suggesting that the recorded height is only a minimal estimate, and weights of "???", suggesting that their weights are immeasurable. A Gigantamax Pokémon must be used in battle in order to register the Gigantamax entry in the player's Pokédex; this is in contrast to other form differences, whereby the form difference only has to be seen in order to register the entry as long as at least one of the other forms of the Pokémon is registered as owned.
Gigantamax Pokémon
In the anime
Gigantamaxing debuted in Mind-Boggling Dynamax!, where Ash and Goh witnessed a Snorlax Gigantamaxing in the Wild Area and had to figure out a way to stop an incoming train from colliding with it.
In JN012, Leon's Charizard was shown to Gigantamax against Lance's Red Gyarados during the Pokémon World Championships finals. In the same episode, a wild Gigantamax Drednaw also appeared. It reappeared in the next episode.
In JN013, Ash's Pikachu Gigantamaxed into Gigantamax Pikachu for the first time.
Gallery
Gigantamax Charizard
Gigantamax Pikachu
Gigantamax Snorlax
Gigantamax Drednaw
In the manga
In the Pocket Monsters manga
Gigantamaxing debuted in JNM02, where a Snorlax was seen Gigantamaxing.
In JNM04, Leon's Charizard Gigantamaxed during a battle against Lance's red Gyarados. In the same chapter, a Drednaw Gigantamaxed.
In the TCG
Gigantamax is featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game as 
. It was added as a new mechanic to the game in the Sword & Shield expansion (the Sword and Shield sets in Japan).
Released along with the first Pokémon V cards, Pokémon VMAX introduce the Dynamax and Gigantamax mechanics into the Trading Card Game. Pokémon VMAX evolve from their respective Pokémon V, giving them boosted Hit Points (so far, the biggest HPs in a Pokémon card) and more powerful attacks. When a VMAX Pokémon is knocked out, the opponent takes three Prize cards instead of one.
So far, all released VMAX Pokémon have one or two attacks and no abilities. While keeping the same layout of Pokémon V, VMAX Pokémon cards have a rainbow background and details on the card's bottom, as well its illustration also fading into the top-most area and having the visual aura of Dynamaxing/Gigantamaxing on the Pokémon.
| Related cards Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Pokémon
| |||||||
| Card | Type | English Expansion |
Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion |
Rarity | # |
| Butterfree
|
|
Explosive Walker | 
|
002/070 | |||
| Explosive Walker | 
|
079/070 | |||||
| Centiskorch
|
|
Explosive Walker |
|
017/070 | |||
| Explosive Walker |
|
080/070 | |||||
| Charizard
|
|
Charizard VMAX Starter Set | 002/021 | ||||
| Copperajah
|
|
Rebellion Crash |
|
076/096 | |||
| Drednaw
|
|
Infinity Zone |
|
027/100 | |||
| Grimmsnarl
|
|
Grimmsnarl VMAX Starter Set | 007/020 | ||||
| Lapras
|
|
Sword & Shield | 
|
050/202 | Sword |
|
015/060 |
| Sword |
|
069/060 | |||||
| Meowth
|
|
SWSH Black Star Promos | SWSH005 | S-P Promotional cards | 029/S-P | ||
| Snorlax
|
|
Sword & Shield |
|
142/202 | Shield |
|
046/060 |
| Shield |
|
070/060 | |||||
| Toxtricity
|
|
Rebellion Crash |
|
037/096 | |||
Trivia
- There is at least one Gigantamax form and G-Max Move of every type, regardless of DLC.
- Currently, almost all Pokémon who can Gigantamax are from either Generation I or Generation VIII. The only exceptions to this are Garbodor and Melmetal, who are from Generations V and VII, respectively.
- Urshifu is the only Legendary Pokémon that has a Gigantamax form.
- Melmetal is the only Mythical Pokémon that has a Gigantamax form.
- Urshifu is the only Pokémon with more than one Gigantamax form.
- Although Toxtricity and Alcremie have multiple alternate forms, they each have only one Gigantamax form.
- Flapple and Appletun are the only Pokémon who share a Gigantamax form, although their G-Max Moves are different.
In other languages
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Gigantamax Factor
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References
See also
| Pokémon transformations | ||
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This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |