Sticky Hold (Ability)

Sticky Hold	ねんちゃく
	Adhesion
Flavor text Generation III Prevents item theft. Generation IV Protects the Pokémon from item theft. Generation V Protects the Pokémon from item theft. Generation VI Protects the Pokémon from item theft. Generation VII Items held by the Pokémon are stuck fast and cannot be removed by other Pokémon. Generation VIII Items held by the Pokémon are stuck fast and cannot be removed by other Pokémon. Generation IX The Pokémon's held items cling to its sticky body and cannot be removed by other Pokémon.

Sticky Hold (Japanese: ねんちゃく Adhesion) is an Ability introduced in Generation III.

Effect

In battle

This Ability prevents the held item of the Pokémon with this Ability from being taken by Covet, Thief, Pickpocket, or Magician; eaten by Bug Bite or Pluck; destroyed by Incinerate; or removed by Knock Off. It also prevents the Pokémon from being affected by other Pokémon's Trick or Switcheroo (even if it has no held item), but not its own.

Sticky Hold does not prevent a Sticky Barb being transferred by its own effect.

Sticky Hold can be ignored by Mold Breaker, Turboblaze, and Teravolt.

Generation III and IV

Even if the Pokémon is knocked out by the attack, Sticky Hold protects the held item.

Generation V onward

If the Pokémon is knocked out by the attack, Sticky Hold does not protect the held item.

The held items of Pokémon with Sticky Hold are unaffected by Corrosive Gas.

Outside of battle

	This Ability effect may be in need of research. Reason: In Generation VII, does Sticky Hold only make Pokémon fishing encounters more common, or does it make hooking anything more common? You can discuss this on the talk page.

From Pokémon Emerald onwards, if a Pokémon with Sticky Hold is in the first place in the party (even if fainted), bites will occur more often while fishing. Suction Cups has the same effect.

Due to an error in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, the ability has no effect outside of battle. This behavior is kept in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, where the ability also has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Sticky Hold

#	Pokémon	Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
	Grimer	Poison		Poison	Stench	Sticky Hold	Poison Touch
	Muk	Poison		Poison	Stench	Sticky Hold	Poison Touch
	Gulpin	Poison		Poison	Liquid Ooze	Sticky Hold	Gluttony
	Swalot	Poison		Poison	Liquid Ooze	Sticky Hold	Gluttony
	Shellos	Water		Water	Sticky Hold	Storm Drain	Sand Force
	Gastrodon	Water	Ground	Sticky Hold	Storm Drain	Sand Force
	Trubbish	Poison		Poison	Stench	Sticky Hold	Aftermath
	Accelgor	Bug		Bug	Hydration	Sticky Hold	Unburden
Please note that this is only 100% accurate to Generation IX games. For Generation III games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation IV or later and Hidden Abilities. For Generation IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities. For Generation V games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VI or later. For Generation VI games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VII or later. For Generation VII games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VIII or later. For Generation VIII games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation IX or later.

In other games

Description

Games Description MDRB Prevents the Pokémon's hold item from being taken. MDTDS Prevents the Pokémon's hold item from being taken. BSL もっている どうぐを うばわれない MDGtI Held items can't be dropped or stolen.* The Pokémon won't drop items or have them taken away from it.* SMD The Pokémon won't drop items or have them taken away from it. MDRTDX The Pokémon won't drop items or have them taken away.

In the anime

	Gulpin
The Pokémon's sticky body firmly attaches to any object it touches.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
Gulpin	Any object that touches Gulpin's sticky skin gets firmly stuck on it.
Team Rocket's multiple Gulpin	A Rollicking Roll…		Debut

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

• Alder's Accelgor was revealed to have Sticky Hold as its Ability.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 黏著 Nìhmjeuk Mandarin 黏著 / 黏着 Niánzhuó Finnish Tahmaote French GluVIII+ GlueIII–VII German KlebekörperVIII+ WertehalterIII–VII Italian Antifurto Korean 점착 Jeomchak Polish Kleistość Portuguese Viscosidade Spanish Viscosidad

References

Variations of the Ability Sticky Hold
Sticky Hold • Suction Cups

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.