??? (type): Difference between revisions

The ??? type does not exist in Generation {{gen|I}}. It exists in Generations {{gen|II}}, {{gen|III}}, and {{gen|IV}} solely to be the type of the [[Status moves|status move]] {{m|Curse}}; in Generation III, {{pkmn|Egg}}s are marked as ???-type as well. Unlike other types, the ??? type does not have any weaknesses or resistances.

[[Pokémon Egg]]s are displayed as being ???-type in [[Generation III]] on their status screen, to maintain the fact that the identity of the Pokémon inside is supposed to be unknown. This does not appear in [[Generation II]], which uses a special status screen for Pokémon Eggs different from that of normal Pokémon, and was removed in [[Generation IV]], when the section of a Pokémon's status screen that displays type was separated from where it was met. From Generation IV on, Eggs are considered as {{type|Normal}} Pokémon by the game.{{fact}}

{{m|Weather Ball}}'s type changes depending on the weather condition. If Weather Ball is used when the field is under the effect of {{weather|Shadow Sky}}, Weather Ball changes to a ???-type move and will be neither super effective nor not very effective against any type. Despite this, if a Pokémon with {{a|Color Change}} is hit with this move under these conditions, it will be changed to a {{type|Normal}} Pokémon.

 

This situation is the only way to legitimately encounter the type effectiveness of a ???-type move.

{{p|Arceus}} has the Ability {{a|Multitype}}, which changes its type and appearance depending on the [[Plate]] it is holding. Likely as a precaution for Arceus hacked to be ???-type, a ???-type sprite of Arceus is present in {{5v|Diamond|Pearl|Platinum|HeartGold|SoulSilver}}; however, it is never otherwise used without hacking.

In [[Generation IV]], if a pure {{type|Flying}} Pokémon uses {{m|Roost}}, it becomes typeless{{fact}} until the end of the turn, effectively behaving as if it were ???-type. However, in Generation IV, all Flying-type Pokémon have two types (except {{p|Arceus}} holding the [[Sky Plate]], who is unable to learn {{m|Roost}}). To obtain a ???-type Pokémon, the {{player}} must change a Pokémon to be pure Flying-type (with {{a|Color Change}}, {{m|Conversion}} or {{m|Conversion 2}}), followed by using {{m|Roost}}. In [[Generation V]], if a pure Flying-type Pokémon uses {{m|Roost}}, it becomes a pure {{type|Normal}} Pokémon until the end of the turn instead.

The ??? type is not present in the coding of the [[Generation V]] games, with the displayed typing of Eggs having been removed the previous generation and the type of {{m|Curse}} newly changed to {{t|Ghost}}. This was possibly because repeatedly making special accommodations (such as having to draw two otherwise unused {{p|Arceus}} sprites and writing in a special exception for {{m|Conversion}}'s behavior) for a barely-used type had become tiresome. Considering that the only official use of the type was for a single, non-damaging and non-targeting move at the time of its retirement, the type itself was essentially useless.