Pokémon Home: How do Effort Levels work

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Effort Levels are direct stats found on your Pokémon. These additional stats boost your Pokémon's traditional stats overall. For example, your Pokémon's Special Attack stat may be fixed, but you can enhance it by increasing the Effort Level in that category. With Pokémon Legends: Arceus coming to Pokémon Home, how will Effort Levels work on this platform?

How Effort Levels work in Pokémon Home

Certain games, such as Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, do not include Effort Levels. According to what we can determine, any Pokémon from Arceus: Legends will have its base stats set to one of the game's base Pokémon. If you send a level 25 Eevee from Legends: Arceus to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl, Sword, or Shield, for example, it will act as if you caught that Eevee in that game. It should not acquire the same stat benefits from Effort Levels as traditional Eevee in the game, making them stronger.

That would not be the case if you wanted a more powerful version of that Pokémon in the game. Furthermore, their moveset will change. A level 25 Eevee from Legends: Arceus will have the same moves as a level 25 Eevee from the other game. In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, there will be some limits, although those sent to Pokémon Sword and Shield appear to be more flexible. However, it appears that the Pokémon will be unable to use any special moves.

These limitations should keep any Pokémon from Pokémon Legends: Arceus from causing more damage than is reasonable in the game. Things will be restricted by the code that has already been built to guarantee that nothing is out of balance. Any Pokémon you bring from Pokémon Legends: Arceus and utilize in other games will appear in a Strange Ball, distinguishing them from the other Pokémon you catch.