Hidden Abilities have existed since the fifth Generation of the Pokémon franchise, and return in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as secret traits of the iconic collectible pocket monsters that grant powerful effects. Normally when players catch a Pokémon, it has an Ability that provides extra variety to battles within the species they catch, which may also change upon certain evolutions. However, Hidden Abilities take this process even further, granting rare traits that have an even greater impact, despite not all being beneficial. Players that want to unlock a Pokémon's Hidden Ability must overcome the strict requirements necessary to utilize these powerful aspects of creatures they can find in the open-world.
There are two methods in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet for acquiring Pokémon with Hidden Abilities, the first of which involves earning an Ability Patch. These exclusive items are only found through completing Tera Raid Battles of six-star difficulty as one of several reward options for completing these larger battles. Separate from the Titans within Pokémon Scarlet & Violet that grant HM moves upon defeat, the Raid Battles of this game are not required to advance the overall narrative of the game. The second process players may embark upon centers around Pokémon Breeding, specifically with a Pokémon that already has a Hidden Ability in order to it down.
Getting Pokémon with Hidden Abilities in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Whereas Tera Raid Battles have a chance to grant players Ability Patches, which can be applied to a Pokémon whose Hidden Ability is desired, gaining another Pokémon with this trait through Breeding takes a few more steps. Unlike special items such as the Sun Stone in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Ability Patches are not consumed when used, and can be removed without getting rid of the Hidden Ability bestowed onto a specific Pokémon.
Regarding Breeding, once players have a Pokémon with a Hidden Ability, they can pair it with another of the opposite gender that also has a Hidden Ability through the picnic setup to produce an offspring hatched from an Egg that also has its Hidden Ability.
Alternative solutions within Pokémon Breeding have existed throughout the infamous Daycares present in previous titles that have been replaced by the new picnics, where players may substitute an opposite gender Pokémon of the same Egg Group with the transforming oddity Ditto in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Players that take extra time to set up the Egg Power of their Pokémon before beginning a picnic by using different food varieties have an even higher chance to initiate the breeding between the two desired Pokémon as well.
Breeding unlocks the Hidden Ability through the Egg produced, and when used with Ability Patches gives players an incentivizing, although time-consuming, method to consistently find Pokémon with these traits in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
