Battle distance is divided into three simple positions:

• Engaged
• Near
• Far

These positions describe how far combatants are from one another rather than measuring exact feet or meters.

Distance describes where two combatants are in relation to each other.

For example, a Pokémon may be Near its opponent while its tamer is Far from that same opponent.

The Battle System tracks these relationships as the fight changes.

Tamers do not need to count squares or measure exact movement.

The goal is to understand the general battlefield situation:

• Who is close enough to attack?
• Who is behind cover?
• Who is farther away?
• Who can reach an important location?
• What obstacles are between combatants?

Staff may clarify a position if the description of the battlefield becomes unclear.

Changing position costs 1 Action.

A Reposition Action moves a combatant one distance band.

For example:

Engaged → Near

or

Near → Far

Moving from Engaged directly to Far requires two Reposition Actions unless another effect allows greater movement.

The same rule applies when approaching an opponent.

A Pokémon at Far may use one Action to move to Near, then another Action to move to Engaged.

Movement happens when the Action resolves.

Because of this, a combatant may move before an opponent's planned attack begins.

If that movement places the target outside the move's range, the move cannot begin.

When a move cannot begin because the target is out of range, its SP is not spent.

See Battle Basics and Stamina & Exhaustion for more information about Actions changing before they resolve.

Moving away from an opponent does not automatically give that opponent a free attack.

If the opponent wants to attack, that attack must already be part of its Actions for the turn.

There is no universal Defend Action that automatically reduces incoming damage.

A Pokémon or tamer can still protect themselves by:

• moving out of range
• taking cover
• using a defensive move
• creating a barrier
• using terrain
• performing another appropriate defensive action

The effect depends on what they actually do.

Moves are assigned a Range that shows where they can be used.

Contact moves require the user to be Engaged with the target.

If the target moves away before the move begins, the move cannot be used unless another effect allows it to reach.

Short-range moves may be used from:

• Engaged
• Near

They cannot reach a target at Far.

Ranged moves can reach all three distance bands.

Using a Ranged move against a target at Far gives:

-10 percentage points to Accuracy

unless the move or another effect specifically removes that penalty.

Some moves may ignore, change, or create their own Range rules.

Moves such as Fly, Dig, Dive, charging attacks, area attacks, and other unusual techniques may follow additional rules.

See Special Move Rules when a move does not fit the standard Range categories.

Trees, rocks, ruins, fallen logs, walls, terrain, and other objects may provide cover.

Cover makes a combatant harder to hit when the obstacle is actually between the attacker and target.

Cover only protects against attacks coming from a direction the obstacle actually blocks.

A large rock may protect a Pokémon from an opponent in front of it while offering no protection from an opponent attacking from the side.

Full Cover blocks direct attacks when the attacker cannot reach or clearly target the opponent through the obstruction.

The normal 5% minimum Hit Chance does not allow an attack to pass through Full Cover.

More information about Accuracy can be found in Battle Stats & Damage.

A direct attack requires the attacker to be able to reasonably see or otherwise locate its target.

Dense vegetation, walls, darkness, smoke, terrain, or other obstacles may interfere with Line of Sight.

An attack cannot simply target a combatant whose location is completely unknown.

Some moves affect an area or part of the battlefield rather than one direct target.

These moves may still affect a location even when ordinary direct targeting is difficult.

Area moves follow the rules listed for that move and may also affect terrain or objects in the surrounding area.

The environment described in the thread is part of the battle.

A forest does not behave like an open field, and a rocky cliff does not behave like a calm shoreline.

Staff may assign battlefield conditions based on the location.

When the environment clearly helps or hinders an Action, staff may apply a situational modifier.

These modifiers are generally:

• Minor: ±5 percentage points
• Significant: ±10 percentage points
• Major: ±15 percentage points

These modifiers may affect Accuracy, movement, escape, or another appropriate check.

Difficult Terrain may slow movement or make certain Actions harder.

The exact effect depends on the environment.

For example:

• deep mud may make rapid movement difficult
• loose rock may make climbing dangerous
• thick vegetation may interfere with visibility
• steep terrain may make changing elevation harder

Staff will describe any important effect when the battlefield is established.

Hazardous Terrain can actively threaten Pokémon and tamers.

Examples include:

• open flames
• unstable cliffs
• dangerous currents
• collapsing structures
• poisonous terrain
• falling rocks

Hazards may deal damage, create Status effects, restrict movement, or require an Action to avoid depending on the situation.

Natural environmental conditions are separate from Weather and Terrain created by Pokémon moves.

Move-created Weather, Terrain, barriers, and entry hazards are covered in Weather & Battlefield Effects.

A Grounded combatant is standing, moving, or otherwise supported by the ground or another solid surface.

Some moves, hazards, Terrain effects, and Abilities only affect Grounded targets.

A Pokémon capable of flight may become Airborne when the battlefield allows it.

Being Airborne does not automatically make a Pokémon impossible to attack.

Ranged attacks, other flying Pokémon, environmental conditions, and appropriate moves may still reach it.

Taking off or landing requires a Reposition Action when the change is important to the battle.

Staff does not need to track minor hovering or ordinary movement when it has no mechanical effect.

Higher ground may provide an advantage when the environment makes that position useful.

Elevation may affect:

• visibility
• cover
• movement
• Range
• environmental Actions

Being higher than an opponent does not automatically grant a bonus. The position must actually provide an advantage in the situation.

Water can change how Pokémon move and which techniques are practical.

Pokémon adapted to swimming may move through deep water more easily than Pokémon that struggle in aquatic environments.

Staff may apply environmental modifiers when water clearly helps or hinders a combatant.

Moves such as Fly, Dig, Dive, Bounce, Phantom Force, and similar techniques may temporarily change where a Pokémon can be targeted.

Their individual rules are covered in Special Move Rules.

Pokémon and tamers may interact with the battlefield instead of using a standard move.

An Environmental Action usually costs:

1 Action

Examples include:

• pushing over a loose object
• moving behind cover
• cutting through vegetation
• knocking debris into an opponent's path
• climbing onto higher ground
• opening or blocking a route
• extinguishing a small fire
• moving an injured companion
• interacting with an existing hazard

Tamers are encouraged to use the environment creatively.

Describe what the Pokémon or tamer is attempting to accomplish rather than deciding the result yourself.

Staff may determine whether the attempt:

• succeeds
• requires a check
• changes the battlefield
• gives a situational modifier
• creates a hazard
• fails because the environment cannot reasonably support it

An Environmental Action may cause damage if the situation reasonably supports it.

Damage caused by falling objects, fire, collapsing terrain, traps, or other unusual sources may be determined by staff rather than using an ordinary Pokémon move.

An Environmental Action that directly deals damage still counts toward the side's one damaging Action for that turn.

See Battle Basics for the damaging Action limit.

Tamers can use their shared Actions to move, take cover, manipulate objects, or otherwise interact with the battlefield.

Rules specifically governing tamer attacks, weapons, armor, and injuries can be found in Tamer Combat.

Distance, terrain, hazards, and obstacles may affect attempts to escape a battle.

Full fleeing and retreat rules can be found in Switching, Retreat & Battle End.