Slow Start (Ability)

Slow Start スロースタート
Slow Start
Flavor text
Generation IV
Temporarily halves Attack and Speed.
Generation V
Temporarily halves Attack and Speed.
Generation VI
Temporarily halves the Pokémon's Attack and Speed stats.
Generation VII
For five turns, the Pokémon's Attack and Speed stats are halved.
Generation VIII
For five turns, the Pokémon's Attack and Speed stats are halved.SwShBDSP
The Pokémon's Attack and Speed stats are halved until it gets going.LA
Generation IX
For five turns, the Pokémon's Attack and Speed stats are halved.

Slow Start (Japanese: スロースタート Slow Start) is an Ability introduced in Generation IV. Prior to Generation IX, it was the signature Ability of Regigigas.

Effect

  This Ability effect may be in need of research.
Reason: How the Ability functions in link battles between Japanese DP and other Generation IV games, effect in Pokémon Battle Revolution
You can discuss this on the talk page.

In battle

Generations IV to VII

Slow Start causes the Attack and Speed stats to be halved during the first five turns in battle. This counter is reset if the Pokémon is switched out.

If this Ability is replaced due to a move like Skill Swap or Worry Seed or is suppressed, the Pokémon's stats return to normal.

In the Japanese version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, removing Slow Start does not undo the Attack and Speed drop; it must still wait five turns. This was changed in localized versions as well as in Pokémon Platinum.

Foul Play uses the target's halved Attack stat to calculate damage.

If the user holds a typed Z-Crystal and uses a Z-Move based on a special move, Slow Start will also reduce the Special Attack stat for the duration of that move only.

Generation VIII

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Abilities do not occur in normal gameplay. However, Slow Start has been reworked into a status condition exclusive to Regigigas. Regigigas will gain the Slow Start status condition upon entering battle for its first five turns, halving its Attack and Speed stats. Due to the different way damage is calculated in this game, Slow Start's effect on Attack is much less impactful on damage output than in other games.

Outside of battle

Slow Start has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Slow Start

# Pokémon Types First Ability Second Ability Hidden Ability
0486   Regigigas
Normal Normal Slow Start None None
0965   Varoom
Steel Poison Overcoat None Slow Start
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
  • For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

When the Pokémon enters a dungeon floor, its Travel Speed is reduced for 15 turnsTDS or 5 turnsSMD. The Pokémon's Attack is not affected.

Description

Games Description
MDTDS Limits the Pokémon's Movement Speed at the start.
BSL はじめは いどうそくどが おそい
MDGtI Unavailable
SMD When the Pokémon goes to a different floor, its Travel Speed goes down! It returns to normal after a certain number of turns pass.


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!


Pocket Monsters Diamond and Pearl: Regigigas Major Capture Operation!!


Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!


Trivia

  • In Pokémon Rumble Blast, Regigigas has the Special Trait-equivalent of Slow Start: Slow-Starting. Instead of going into full strength after an amount of time, it has to defeat 10 Pokémon to go to full strength.

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 慢啟動 Maahn Káiduhng *
錯失先機 Chosāt Sīngēi *
Mandarin 慢啟動 / 慢启动 Màn Qǐdòng *
錯失先機 Cuòshī Xiānjī *
  French Début Calme
  German Saumselig
  Italian Lentoinizio
  Korean 슬로스타트 Slow Start
  Spanish Inicio Lento
  Vietnamese Khởi Động Chậm
  This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.