Editing Pokémon Change

|image={{tabber|title1=Squirtle to Ivysaur|content1=[[File:Squirtle Down B SSBU.gif|300px]]|title2=…to Charizard|content2=[[File:Ivysaur Down B SSBU.gif|300px]]|title3=…to Squirtle|content3=[[File:Charizard Down B SSBU.gif|300px]]}}

|interwikipage=Recall

'''Pokémon Change''' ({{ja|ポケモンチェンジ|Pokemon Chenji}}, ''Pokémon Change'') is [[Pokémon Trainer]]'s [[down special move]].

[[File:Pokemon change diagram.jpg|left|thumb|150px|The three available Pokémon in order (counterclockwise): Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard.]]

|ssbbdesc=Call Squirtle back and swap it for a different Pokémon. Use a Pokémon for too long and it will tire.

|ssbbchar2=Ivysaur

|ssbbdesc2=Call Ivysaur back and swap it for a different Pokémon. Removing a tired Pokémon from battle lets it grow strong again.

|ssbbdesc3=Call Charizard back and swap it for a different Pokémon. Damage carries over to the next Pokémon.

|ssbuchar=Squirtle

|ssbudesc=Switches to Ivysaur. Immune to damage initially, but become vulnerable if used repeatedly.

|ssbuchar2=Ivysaur

|ssbudesc2=Switches to Charizard. Immune to damage initially, but become vulnerable if used repeatedly.

|ssbudesc3=Switches to Squirtle. Immune to damage initially, but become vulnerable if used repeatedly.

[[File:PokemonFatigue.jpg|thumb|All three Pokémon's idle animations in prime condition and fatigued condition.]]'''Stamina''' is a measure of how much energy the Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon have in ''Brawl''.

In [[The Subspace Emissary]], stamina is removed, allowing exclusive usage of one Pokémon.

===Zero switching===

A technique known as "zero switching" can be performed on horizontally moving platforms, which allows a Pokémon to switch out while leaving the player free to react immediately after the next Pokémon is switched in. To perform the technique, the player must initiate Pokémon Change while standing on the edge of a [[platform]] that is moving out from under them (such as the left edge of the [[Smashville]] platform when it is moving right). If done properly, the next Pokémon will appear in the air, leaving the player free to immediately input any aerial action. The zero switch also gives Squirtle and Ivysaur two midair jumps instead of one upon reappearance. Zero switching is commonly used competitively to avoid the high ending lag that results from switching normally (since the move cannot be started in midair, but this technique allows it to at least be ended in midair).

ZeroSwitchSquirtle.gif|Squirtle zero switching to Ivysaur.

Ivysaurzeroswitch.gif|Ivysaur zero switching to Charizard.

Charizardzeroswitch.gif|Charizard zero switching to Squirtle.

REMINDER: Our Manual of Style states that all Pokémon are to use gender-neutral pronouns.

In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', stamina is absent, allowing the use of one Pokémon without penalty. Pokémon Change can now be performed in mid-air and has a much faster switch time from not being subject to load times. This reduces the risk of switching Pokémon, greatly improving their synergy with one another. It also improves recovery options, as Charizard maintains its extra midair jump, and Ivysaur's [[Vine Whip]] no longer causes [[helpless]]ness should it miss the [[edge]]. In exchange, Pokémon Change now has a cooldown of approximately two seconds and no longer resets [[stale move negation]].

 

Pokémon Change grants intangibility frames on frame 1-25. This never changes despite the Skill List noting that spamming the move increases vulnerability.

Aesthetically, in a match with [[8-Player Smash|at least 5 players]], in [[Squad Strike]]'s Tag Team mode, or on [[Custom Stages]], the Pokémon Trainer(s) will not appear on-screen - instead Poké Balls will be thrown and recalled from behind the screen.

Quick switch cancel is a technique to skip Pokémon Change's two-second cooldown. By using a special move, Pokémon Trainer will do a pointing animation, which overrides his recall animation. This allows him to use Pokémon Change immediately afterwards without the cooldown. The quickest special move to use for each Pokémon is Squirtle's [[Water Gun]] charged then jump-cancelled, Ivysaur's [[Vine Whip]], and Charizard's [[Flamethrower]] unheld. Ivysaur's [[Razor Leaf]] is practical for keeping a projectile in front of it, while being almost exactly as quick as Vine Whip. Vine Whip is helpful in mid-air to quick switch cancel from Squirtle to Charizard, as it does not cause helplessness. The rest of the special moves are less practical to quick switch cancel with, as they are either slow, too committal, or cause helplessness. Because the technique relies on overriding Pokémon Trainer's recall animation, the technique cannot be used if he is physically not on-screen (which occurs in matches with at least 5 players, in Squad Strike's Tag Team mode, and on Custom Stages).

[[File:PokemonSwapScreen.png|thumb|left|The mid-battle Pokémon swap screen in ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Pokémon Blue''.]]

[[File:GoPikachu.gif|thumb|The animation for sending out a Pokémon in ''Pokémon Sun'' and ''Pokémon Moon''.]]

While the phrase "Pokémon Change" itself is only an official term in the Japanese version, it describes the act of switching out a Pokémon mid-battle. It is a crucial tactic in the games, both in-game and competitively, and takes place before all other actions for that turn, unless the change was initiated by a move such as {{iw|bulbapedia|Baton Pass|move}}. {{iw|bulbapedia|Pursuit|move}} is an exception to this, as it is designed to counter switching. In the games, as switching takes up the user's turn, the benefits of switching in a Pokémon to face a target it is effective against must be weighed against the risks of being hit hard, setup on, or simply out-predicted by the opponent.

{{clr}}

Brawl Pokemon Change.jpg|{{SSBB|Pokémon Trainer}} swapping his Pokémon on [[Pokémon Stadium 2]].

Squirtle SSBU Skill Preview Down Special.png|Squirtle being switched out for Ivysaur as shown by the Move List in ''Ultimate''.

Ivysaur SSBU Skill Preview Down Special.png|Ivysaur being switched out for Charizard as shown by the Move List in ''Ultimate''.

Charizard SSBU Skill Preview Down Special.png|Charizard being switched out for Squirtle as shown by the Move List in ''Ultimate''.

*In ''Brawl'', only one character can be loaded at once, so if multiple Pokémon Changes or [[Transform]]s occur simultaneously, they must each wait for the previous one to complete.

*If two Pokémon Trainers are using the same [[palette swap]] (via [[team battle]] or a glitch), transforming into the other player's active character will be instant since the data is already active.

*In ''Brawl'', if Pokémon Change is used in mid-air, the Pokémon Trainer will just stare down at his Poké Ball and toss it up in the air twice.

**This can also happen in [[The Subspace Emissary]] while the Trainer only has Squirtle, or on the last stock in the [[Event 5: Become the Champion!|Become the Champion!]] event as KO'd Pokémon are unavailable.

**Another instance of this happening in [[The Subspace Emissary]] is while the Trainer is left outside the elevator, where he will not respawn until some floors below; but even once he does respawn, switching is unavailable.

*In ''Brawl'', the Poké Balls used in the move are smaller and darker in color than the [[Poké Ball]] item, likely to prevent confusion between the two.

*Pokémon Change is the only transformation move to return in ''Ultimate''.

{{Multiple Special Moves|Pokémon Trainer|Squirtle|Ivysaur|Charizard}}