Understanding how Hidden Power works in competitive Pokémon battles helps players solve one of the biggest problems in team building: limited type coverage. Many Pokémon lack moves that let them strike their common checks or counters, and Hidden Power fills that gap by giving them access to almost any elemental type. This guide explains Hidden Power across every generation, why it became a key tool in high-level formats, and how its mechanics shaped the outcome of battles. Whether you play older cartridge games, Pokémon Showdown formats, or you study classic metas, knowing how Hidden Power functions allows you to make smarter choices during team creation, move selection, and matchup planning.

What Is Hidden Power in Pokémon? (Full Move Breakdown for Beginners & Competitive Players)

Hidden Power is a special move introduced in Generation 2 that changes its type based on a Pokémon’s Individual Values (IVs). The strength of Hidden Power varies depending on the game generation, and its usefulness depends on how well it helps cover a Pokémon’s weaknesses or deal with threats that would otherwise wall it. Competitive players often prefer Hidden Power because it gives access to types that are not available in a Pokémon’s normal movepool. This flexibility made it an important tool in older generations, especially when forming strategies against common threats. Hidden Power helped many Pokémon function better in matches by giving them the ability to hit opponents they would normally struggle against.

Hidden Power’s role in type coverage

Hidden Power’s strongest contribution is its ability to fix coverage gaps that limit a Pokémon’s performance. Many strong attackers depend on only a few moves, and Hidden Power lets them break past foes that resist their standard options. For example, sweepers commonly use Hidden Power Ice to beat Dragon-types or Hidden Power Fire to break through Steel-types. This advantage gives players more freedom to build teams without getting stuck with predictable patterns. Hidden Power’s flexible typing helps turn certain matchups from unwinnable into winnable, especially when dealing with bulky Pokémon that would normally shrug off attacks. Its usefulness becomes clear when you see how a single Hidden Power type can change the outcome of a whole battle.

Why Hidden Power was essential in competitive battling (Smogon, VGC, online meta)

In formats like Smogon tiers and early VGC seasons, Hidden Power served as a stabilizing tool that kept many offensive threats relevant. Pokémon such as Jolteon, Volcarona, Landorus-T, and Latios relied on Hidden Power to handle opponents that resisted their main coverage. Without it, their matchups would have been limited, making it easy for players to build counter-heavy teams. Hidden Power allowed these Pokémon to stay competitive by giving them a move capable of pressuring common defensive cores. Online battle simulators also boosted its importance because players could immediately use ideal IV spreads, which made Hidden Power types extremely consistent. Overall, it played a meaningful part in shaping top-level strategies during several generations.

Hidden Power typing vs. natural movepools

Natural movepools often restrict the strategic potential of many Pokémon. Some powerful attackers have great stats but lack the elemental coverage needed to beat key targets, and Hidden Power solves this weakness. Grass-types benefit from Hidden Power Fire to handle Steel threats, while Electric-types often need Hidden Power Ice to strike Ground-types that block their main attacks. Water-types sometimes choose Hidden Power Electric or Grass to pressure mirror matches. Because movepools vary widely from one Pokémon to another, Hidden Power provided a standardized way to expand options without breaking game balance. This made it popular among players who wanted a flexible tool when preparing for difficult matchups.

How Hidden Power Actually Works (Simplified + Technical Explanation)

Hidden Power changes type based on a set of numerical values called IVs. These values define a Pokémon’s genetic strengths and range from 0 to 31 in modern games. The type depends on which IVs are odd or even, and in older games, the amount of power also varies based on IV totals. While the formula may look technical, the result is fairly simple: the game checks your Pokémon’s IV pattern and assigns a type from a preset list. Because of this system, players who want a specific Hidden Power type usually adjust their IVs through breeding or tools such as calculators. Understanding this mechanic helps players build stronger teams that benefit from precise move effects.

How the IV-based formula determines type

The type calculation checks the least significant bit of each IV, meaning it checks whether each IV is odd or even. Every statistic contributes a small value, and these values add up to a final number. That number determines the Hidden Power type according to a fixed chart used in the games. This method assigns types like Fire, Ice, Grass, or Fighting depending on how the IVs line up. Because each stat participates in the calculation, players sometimes lower certain IVs deliberately to hit the type they want. Although it takes planning, this system makes it possible for competitive trainers to obtain nearly any type on most Pokémon that can learn Hidden Power.

How Hidden Power’s base power is calculated

In Generations 2–5, Hidden Power’s base power is also tied to IV combinations. The game reviews IV values and generates a number that sets the move’s strength, which can fall between 30 and 70 depending on the generation. A higher base power usually requires specific IV spreads, so competitive breeders searched for combinations that gave both the ideal type and a strong power level. This balancing act sometimes required giving up perfect IVs in other stats, making team building more strategic. From Generation 6 onward, the power became fixed at 60, creating more consistency and saving players time. This change made Hidden Power easier to use across most formats.

Why Hidden Power cannot be Normal or Fairy type

Hidden Power is restricted from becoming a Normal or Fairy move because the game’s internal type list excludes those options for balance reasons. If Hidden Power could become Normal, it would overlap with too many existing moves and lose its purpose. If it could become Fairy, it would create many new coverage paths that could distort matchups, especially after Fairy became a strong counter to Dragons. Keeping these two types off the list helps ensure that Hidden Power stays focused on providing coverage rather than functioning as a universal tool. Limiting certain types helps maintain clear roles across movepools and avoids creating unfair mechanics.

Physical vs. Special mechanics across different gens

Before Generation 4, whether Hidden Power was physical or special depended on its assigned type. For example, Hidden Power Fighting would be physical in older games, while Hidden Power Ice would be special. This created interesting situations where some Pokémon used Hidden Power to access physical damage through unusual types. In Generation 4 and onward, all moves gained a fixed category, making Hidden Power always special. This change removed the unpredictability of the older system and made Hidden Power easier to plan around. While physical attackers lost some options, the shift brought clarity to how Hidden Power fit into modern strategies.

STAB interaction: Can you get Same-Type Attack Bonus with Hidden Power?

A Pokémon can receive STAB from Hidden Power if the Hidden Power type matches one of its natural types. This situation is rare but possible. For instance, Hidden Power Grass can give STAB to Grass-type Pokémon, and Hidden Power Electric can provide STAB for Electric-types. While most players use Hidden Power for coverage rather than same-type damage, certain Pokémon might benefit from STAB if the type lines up with a useful matchup. This interaction confirms that Hidden Power behaves like a standard move in terms of damage calculation, making it easier to integrate into a Pokémon’s overall strategy.

Hidden Power in Every Pokémon Generation (Gen 2 to Gen 9)

Across Pokémon history, Hidden Power played different roles depending on game mechanics, available movepools, and competitive environments. Each generation offered unique reasons for using or avoiding Hidden Power, which shaped how players approached battles. Early games relied on Hidden Power heavily because special attackers needed specific coverage types to beat bulky threats. Later generations refined how the move works, making it more stable and predictable. Eventually, the move was removed from the mainline games, but it continues to influence legacy formats and online battle communities. Studying its evolution helps players understand why Hidden Power mattered for so long and how those changes impact competitive strategies today.

Hidden Power in Generation 2: Early Mechanics & Competitive Relevance

Generation 2 introduced Hidden Power with rules that differ from later games. The type depends on only two IVs: Attack and Defense. This limited spread reduced the number of possible outcomes but still offered enough variation to be useful. The move’s base power varies significantly, so players often experimented to find the strongest combination. Because physical and special moves depend on type rather than category, Hidden Power could behave in different ways depending on the outcome. Competitive players in Gen 2 used Hidden Power to patch coverage gaps, especially for attackers with restricted movepools. Despite being rough around the edges, Hidden Power added strategic depth to an otherwise rigid system.

Hidden Power in Generation 3: More Precise IV Calculations

Generation 3 expanded Hidden Power’s rules by making all six IVs part of the typing formula. This gave far more potential outcomes and allowed more accurate customization for competitive play. The base power still ranged from 30 to 70, so players looked for specific IV spreads that produced both a strong type and high power. Many mixed attackers relied on Hidden Power to strike targets they couldn’t handle otherwise. Pokémon like Salamence, Gengar, and Raikou used Hidden Power Ice or Grass to pressure key opponents. The added precision helped Hidden Power become a central part of Gen 3 strategy and team building.

Hidden Power in Generation 4: Always Special + New Competitive Dynamics

Generation 4 reworked battle categories so moves became fixed as physical or special, making Hidden Power always special. This rule change heavily affected physical attackers that once relied on Hidden Power types like Flying or Fighting. Even with this limitation, Hidden Power remained vital for special sweepers. Hidden Power Ice, in particular, became one of the most used moves in Gen 4, helping deal with popular Dragons such as Garchomp, Salamence, and Dragonite. Special attackers found new opportunities because Hidden Power offered dependable coverage against Ground-types and Flying-types. This generation cemented Hidden Power’s status as an essential competitive tool.

Hidden Power in Generation 5: Weather Wars & Heavy Usage

Generation 5’s metagame revolved around permanent weather abilities, creating fast-paced battles that increased Hidden Power’s relevance. Many Pokémon relied on Hidden Power Fire to break Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Scizor, which dominated the meta. Others preferred Hidden Power Ice to handle Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Dragons. Common competitive Pokémon such as Thundurus-T, Keldeo, Latios, and various Rotom forms ran Hidden Power regularly because it solved multiple matchup problems. The high pressure of constant weather-based offenses made coverage moves extremely important, and Hidden Power became one of the most frequently used options in this generation.

Hidden Power in Generation 6: Base Power Becomes Fixed

Generation 6 simplified Hidden Power by making its base power always 60. This change improved consistency and allowed players to focus on type selection without worrying about damage variation. Breeding became more organized because breeders only needed to match IVs to the desired type without sacrificing power. Many special attackers continued to rely on Hidden Power, especially for breaking through Steel-types and defensive walls. Although new Fairy-types changed matchups across the board, Hidden Power still served as a backup plan against threats that resisted main attacks. This generation made Hidden Power more user-friendly without removing its strategic value.

Hidden Power in Generation 7: Reduced Use But Still Meta-Important

Generation 7 introduced Z-Moves, which shifted attention away from Hidden Power in many cases. However, the move remained important for Pokémon that lacked alternative coverage. Ultra Beasts like Xurkitree and Nihilego frequently used Hidden Power to help them handle specific threats. IV spreading also became simpler due to improved breeding and training mechanics, making it easier to obtain perfect Hidden Power types. Although its overall presence declined, Hidden Power still had meaningful applications in matchups that demanded specific coverage options. As a result, it continued to play a steady role in competitive formats despite new mechanics stealing the spotlight.

Hidden Power in Generation 8 & Gen 9: Removal From Mainline Games

Hidden Power was removed starting in Generation 8, and many players believe this change happened because the move limited Game Freak’s design freedom. With perfect IVs becoming standard, every Pokémon could easily access ideal coverage through Hidden Power, which made matchups predictable. Removing the move allowed new mechanics like Tera Types to take its place by offering more dynamic coverage options. While Hidden Power is absent from modern games, it remains active in older formats, battle simulators, and legacy tournaments. Its impact still lives on, and players who enjoy past metas continue to rely on Hidden Power to shape strategies and solve coverage problems.

Hidden Power Type Chart: How to Determine Your Pokémon’s Hidden Power Type

Simplified Typing Table for Beginners

Hidden Power typing is determined entirely by a Pokémon’s IVs, but beginners don’t need to memorize formulas to understand the basics. Every Pokémon in Generations 2–7 can generate one of 16 different Hidden Power types (all except Fairy in Gen 6–7). In simple terms, each stat’s IV contributes to a “pattern,” and that pattern converts to a type.
For beginners, the easiest way to remember it is:

• Ice, Fire, Grass, and Electric are the most common competitive types.
  
• Fighting, Ground, and Dark appear via very specific IV ranges.
  
• Bug, Flying, Poison, Rock, and Steel appear frequently with random IV spreads.
  

A simplified cheat-sheet many players use is:
If your Pokémon has high Speed and Special Attack IVs, you usually get Hidden Power Ice or Fire.

Complete Technical IV-to-Type Mapping Chart

For advanced players, here is the full technical Hidden Power formula used from Gen 3–5 and preserved in Showdown sets:

Hidden Power type index =
⌊((a + 2b + 4c + 8d + 16e + 32f) × 15 ) / 63⌋

Where each variable represents whether the IV for HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, Sp. Atk, and Sp. Def is odd (1) or even (0).

Full Type Mapping (Index → Type):

0 = Fighting
1 = Flying
2 = Poison
3 = Ground
4 = Rock
5 = Bug
6 = Ghost
7 = Steel
8 = Fire
9 = Water
10 = Grass
11 = Electric
12 = Psychic
13 = Ice
14 = Dragon
15 = Dark

Competitive players manipulate IVs to hit index 8, 10, 11, 13, and occasionally 3 or 14, depending on the set.

Why “Hidden Power Ice” and “Hidden Power Fire” Dominate Competitive Play

Two types became universally dominant:

Hidden Power Ice

• Top counters: Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, Salamence, Dragonite
  
• Most sweepers needed Ice coverage to break Ground/Dragon cores
  
• Many fast special attackers naturally rolled spreads close to HP Ice
  

Hidden Power Fire

• Counters common steel staples like Ferrothorn, Scizor, Skarmory, Forretress
  
• Perfect coverage for Grass-types and Electric-types needing anti-Steel tools
  
• Strong synergy with VoltTurn cores
  

Because these sets solved some of the most central defensive threats in the meta, HP Ice and HP Fire became near-mandatory for special attackers in generations 4–7.

When to Choose Hidden Power Ground, Electric, Grass, or Fighting

While Ice and Fire dominate, other types play crucial niche roles:

Hidden Power Ground

• Best for Heatran, Magnezone, Jirachi, certain Electric-types
  
• Helps special attackers that otherwise can’t break Steel/Fire walls
  
• Used heavily by Tapu Koko, Jolteon, and Mega Manectric in older metas
  

Hidden Power Electric

• Coverage vs Gyarados, Mantine, Pelipper, bulky Water-types
  
• Common on Ice- and Grass-type special attackers lacking Electric STAB
  
• Great on Pokémon like Volcarona in Gen 5–7
  

Hidden Power Grass

• Anti–Water/Ground tech (Swampert, Gastrodon, Quagsire)
  
• Popular on Fire-types like Heatran and Charizard Y in Gen 6–7
  

Hidden Power Fighting

• Used for Tyranitar, Heatran, Dark/Steel matchups
  
• Niche but vital in Gen 5–6 for Psychic-types lacking Fighting coverage
  

How to Get the Right Hidden Power Type (Breeding, IV Manipulation, Tools, Calculators)

Why Specific IV Spreads Matter

Hidden Power typing depends on the odd/even pattern of six IVs.
This means:

• You can’t have perfect 31 IVs across all stats and also choose your Hidden Power type.
  
• Competitive players intentionally lower certain IVs to force a specific type index.
  
• Speed or Special Attack IVs are often set to 30 instead of 31 to hit HP Ice or HP Fire.
  

A competitive Hidden Power set is always a compromise between:
Type, Base Power, and Speed Tie considerations (in older gens).

Breeding for Hidden Power in Gen 3–7

Breeding HP types used to be one of the most difficult tasks in Pokémon.
Mechanics per generation:

• Gen 3–4: RNG-heavy, inconsistent IV inheritance
  
• Gen 5: Power Items enabled controlling specific IVs
  
• Gen 6–7: Destiny Knot allowed 5 IV guaranteed passes → making HP manipulation easier
  
• Pokémon often required multiple parents with precise IVs, especially for HP Ice/Fire/Grass/Ground
  

Breeders targeted specific spreads like 31/30/30/31/31/31 (HP Ice) or 31/30/31/30/31/31 (HP Fire).

Using Hidden Power Calculators (NLP: IV Checker, Type Checker, Pokémon Tool)

Modern players use Hidden Power calculator and IV checkers to instantly confirm a Pokémon’s HP type.

Popular tools allow you to:

• Input your Pokémon’s IVs → instantly see HP type
  
• See recommended IV spreads for each competitive type
  
• Check Showdown sets for standard HP spreads
  
• Compare multiple spreads for optimal Speed ties
  

These calculators became essential for players optimizing for tournament-level builds.

Soft-resetting, RNG Manipulation, and Advanced Methods

Hardcore players used methods like:

• Soft-resetting for desirable IV spreads in Gen 3–6
  
• RNG abuse (Emerald, Platinum, HGSS, BW, Sun/Moon) to force perfect spreads
  
• RNG reporter tools to identify exact seed/frames needed
  
• Emerald cloning glitch for replicating parents or targets
  

RNG manipulation became the most reliable way to guarantee the rarest Hidden Power IV combinations.

Competitive Uses: Best Hidden Power Types for Each Role

Hidden Power Ice for Dragons & Ground-Types

HP Ice remains the king of coverage because it KOs or heavily damages:

• Landorus-T
  
• Garchomp
  
• Salamence
  
• Dragonite
  
• Gliscor
  
• Zygarde (pre-ban)
  

Electric- and Fire-types rely on HP Ice to break Ground immunities.

Hidden Power Fire for Steel-Types & Ferrothorn Counters

HP Fire enables Pokémon to break:

• Ferrothorn
  
• Scizor
  
• Forretress
  
• Kartana
  
• Mega Scizor
  
• Steel/Bug/Grass cores
  

Grass-types love HP Fire to handle common counter-switches.

Hidden Power Electric/Grass for Water-Types

Great to counter:

• Gyarados
  
• Pelipper
  
• Mantine
  
• Slowbro
  
• Swampert
  
• Gastrodon
  
• Quagsire
  

Volcarona, Charizard-Y, and Heatran benefit heavily from these two.

Hidden Power Ground for Heatran and Magnezone

Essential for many special attackers lacking Ground coverage:

• Tapu Koko
  
• Raikou
  
• Jolteon
  
• Magnezone (mirror match)
  
• Latios / Latias
  
• Manectric
  

Hidden Power Fighting for Dark & Steel Matchups

Used mostly by Psychic-types and Normal-types needing Fighting coverage:

• Espeon
  
• Alakazam
  
• Raikou (Gen 5)
  
• Heliolisk
  
• Porygon-Z

Best Pokémon That Use Hidden Power in Competitive Formats (Gen 2–7 + Showdown Legacy)

Sweepers That Rely on Hidden Power

• Jolteon (HP Ice)
  
• Volcarona (HP Ground / Electric)
  
• Greninja (HP Fire in early XY)
  
• Alakazam (HP Fire/Ice)
  
• Keldeo (HP Electric/Grass)

Wallbreakers That Need Hidden Power for Coverage

• Heatran (HP Grass)
  
• Charizard Y (HP Ground)
  
• Manectric-Mega (HP Ice)
  
• Raikou (HP Ice/Fighting)
  
• Thundurus-I (HP Ice)
  

Common OU/UU Pokémon with Optimized Hidden Power Sets

• Tapu Koko
  
• Serperior
  
• Latios/Latias
  
• Magnezone
  
• Celebi
  
• Rotom-Wash (rare HP Grass)
  
• Gengar
  

Hidden Power in VGC Formats

Hidden Power had limited but important roles:

• Niche coverage in 2014–2017 metas
  
• Used to break specific defensive cores
  
• Electric-types often carried HP Ice
  
• Fire-types sometimes ran HP Ground to beat Heatran

Hidden Power vs Modern Alternatives (Tera Types, Coverage Moves, New Mechanics)

How Tera Types Replaced Hidden Power

Tera Types completely removed the need for Hidden Power by allowing:

• Any Pokémon to gain ANY type
  
• Guaranteed, 100% accuracy coverage
  
• Powerful STAB Terastallized moves
  
• No IV manipulation required

This makes Hidden Power obsolete in modern formats.

Modern Coverage Moves Performing the Same Role

New moves that replaced HP coverage include:

• Ice Spinner
  
• Freeze-Dry
  
• Aura Wheel (Morpeko)
  
• Mystical Fire
  
• Earth Power
  
• Focus Blast
  
• Grass Knot
  
• Weather Ball (post-Gen 8 version

Why Hidden Power Would Break Gen 9 Balance

If Hidden Power returned in Gen 9:

• Fast special attackers would dominate
  
• Tera Ice + Hidden Power Ice sweeps would be impossible to defend
  
• Defensive cores would collapse
  
• Pokémon with poor move pools would become overpowered

Frequently Asked Questions (PAA-Style for Featured Snippets)

Why Was Hidden Power Removed?

Game Freak removed Hidden Power to simplify competitive play, reduce IV dependency, and prevent over-centralizing coverage.

Which Pokémon Benefit Most from Hidden Power?

Electric-, Fire-, and Psychic-types traditionally rely on HP Ice, Fire, or Ground for key coverage.

Can Hidden Power Be +STAB?

No. Hidden Power cannot match a Pokémon’s primary typing unless that typing is removed by mechanics (e.g., conversion moves).

Is Hidden Power Worth Using in Showdown Today?

Yes, only in Generations 2–7 formats.
It is unavailable in Gen 8–9 tiers.

How Do I Check Hidden Power Type Quickly?

Use an IV checker or Hidden Power type calculator and input your Pokémon’s IV spread.

Can You Get Hidden Power Fairy or Hidden Power Normal?

No. Hidden Power cannot be Fairy or Normal in any generation.

Final Thoughts: Is Hidden Power Still Relevant in Competitive Pokémon?

Hidden Power remains one of the most iconic mechanics in Pokémon history.
While modern games have replaced it with cleaner systems like Tera Types, its legacy continues in:

• Legacy Showdown tiers
  
• Gen 3–7 competitive formats
  
• Specialized breeding and RNG communities
  

For many players, Hidden Power represents the “golden age” of nuanced competitive play, reward for mastery, and deep mechanical understanding.