How to get the Pokemon Sword and Shield Ability Capsule

Pokemon Sword and Shield ability capsule
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Pokemon Sword and Shield Ability Capsule is a very helpful item, allowing Pokemon to swap abilities (assuming they have two to pick from). It's a very useful item in Pokemon Sword and Shield, especially if you're deep into the competitive battling scene and want to have total control over your Pokemon team and what they're capable of. Below we'll show you how to get the Ability Capsule in Pokemon Sword and Shield, as well as how to use to change your Pokemon pals' abilities.

How to get the Ability Capsule in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokemon Sword and Shield Ability Capsule

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Unfortunately, the only way to get an Ability Capsule in Sword and Shield is to beat the game. If you’re getting into the competitive side of the game though this shouldn’t be too much of an ask. You’re going to want your monsters to be as powerful as possible in the first place regardless. Once you’ve finished the story and beaten Leon, you can then head to the Battle Tower, a looming competitive gauntlet that you can compete in for a new currency, Battle Points. 

Once you’ve beat the game, head over to the Battle Tower and speak to the man at the desk on the left hand side. He will sell you an Ability Capsule for a staggering 50 Battle Points, so you best put your best team forward and get to competing if you wish to buy one! This is the only known way to get an Ability Capsule in Sword and Shield.

How to use the Ability Capsule in Pokemon Sword and Shield

The point of an Ability Capsule is to swap the ability of a Pokemon, and it only works on certain Pokemon who have two abilities that can be swapped. For example, Rookidee can have either Keen Eye or Unnerve, and if you don’t like Keen Eye, you can use an Ability Capsule to manually swap the ability to Unnerve. The same goes for plenty of other Pokemon in Sword and Shield like Chewtle, Wooloo, Rolycoly and more. Google is your friend if you want to find out which Pokemon have two abilities that can be swapped! 

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Freelance writer


Jordan Oloman has hundreds of bylines across outlets like GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, USA Today, The Guardian, The Verge, The Washington Post, and more. Jordan is an experienced freelance writer who can not only dive deep into the biggest video games out there but explore the way they intersect with culture too. Jordan can also be found working behind-the-scenes here at Future Plc, contributing to the organization and execution of the Future Games Show.