How Plus Moves Work and How to Get Them

Learn how to unlock and utilize powerful Plus Moves in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Boost your Pokémon's attacks and break through enemy defenses with this essential guide.

Hey there! So, you're diving into Pokémon Legends: Z-A and want to know about these 'Plus Moves,' right? Think of them as your Pokémon's regular moves, but with a serious power-up! When you use a Plus Move, it either hits way harder or makes status effects last longer. If you're already hitting a Pokémon's weakness, a Plus Move will absolutely demolish its health bar. It's like a supercharged attack!

But here's the catch: these moves can be pretty expensive, especially when your Pokémon is Mega Evolved. So, it's all about choosing the right moment to unleash them. A really cool thing about Plus Moves is that they can even break through defensive moves like Protect or Detect. So if an opponent is trying to stall you out, a Plus Move is your best bet to force them to take damage. Say goodbye to those pesky defensive tactics!

How to Get Plus Moves

Alright, let's talk about how to actually get these awesome upgrades. For most moves that your Pokémon learn naturally, they'll eventually turn into Plus Moves after you've trained them quite a bit. You'll usually see a little prompt when a move gets upgraded, and then you'll notice a special icon next to its name in your move list. It typically happens around 10 levels after you first learn the move.

Now, TM moves are a bit different. These require a special item called a Seed of Mastery. You can find these by defeating Alpha Pokémon out in the world. It's not a guaranteed drop every time, but you can often get a few from a single Alpha Pokémon. Keep an eye out for them!

Once you've snagged a Seed of Mastery, you'll want to take it to Josée at the Justice Dojo. She's the one who can teach your Pokémon how to master their move, turning it into a Plus Move. This is super important if you're building a competitive moveset that relies on TM moves, because naturally learned moves might not always give you the utility you need. Just a heads-up, the Justice Dojo doesn't unlock until you've completed Mission 19. So, until then, you'll be collecting Seeds of Mastery naturally by beating or catching Alpha Pokémon during your adventures.