Skip to content
Horde and Sky Battles
Pokémon X and Y

Horde and Sky Battles

Learn about Horde and Sky Battles in pokemon xy. Horde battles offer 5x EVs and shiny chances, while Sky Battles restrict Pokémon to Flying-type or Levitate ability.

By ··10 min read·Multi-source verified
1 reading this guide  

Learn about Horde and Sky Battles in pokemon xy. Horde battles offer 5x EVs and shiny chances, while Sky Battles restrict Pokémon to Flying-type or Levitate ability.

Horde Battles

In certain Routes, you may encounter a horde of five wild Pokémon, typically of the same species. These Pokémon are weaker than usual. To make these battles easier, use wide-area moves like Surf or Earthquake. If you wish to catch a Pokémon from a horde, ensure your Pokémon can withstand up to five attacks or ailments per turn.

You can force a Horde battle by using the Sweet Scent move (learned by certain Grass-type Pokémon) or the Honey item, provided Hordes can be encountered in that location and it is not raining.

Benefits of Horde battles include:

  • Pokémon in Hordes are more likely to have a Hidden Ability.
  • You can earn 5 times the EVs (Effort Values) per battle, speeding up EV training.
  • Your rate of finding a Shiny Pokémon is multiplied by 5.

Sky Battles

Across Kalos, select Sky Trainers can be challenged to Sky Battles. These battles use only Flying-type Pokémon or Pokémon with the Levitate ability. These battles are optional and not forced.

To succeed in Sky Battles, you'll want strong Flying/Levitate Pokémon. Aside from the restriction on Pokémon and the background, Sky Battles function identically to regular Single Battles.

Tips
  • For Horde Battles, consider Pokémon with moves that hit multiple targets, such as Surf or Earthquake.
  • If aiming to catch Pokémon from a horde, a durable Pokémon is recommended to survive multiple hits.
  • The Sweet Scent move or Honey item can be used to trigger Horde Battles, but only if Hordes are possible in the area and it's not raining.
  • Sky Battles require a careful selection of Pokémon that are either Flying-type or possess the Levitate ability.
  • Increased chances of encountering Pokémon with Hidden Abilities.
  • Faster EV training due to 5x EVs per battle.
  • A 5x increased chance of finding Shiny Pokémon.
  • Experience and potential rewards from defeating Sky Trainers.

100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content