Plus Moves are a new addition to Pokemon Legends: Z-A, giving trainers a way to boost the effectiveness of their Pokemon’s moves in the heat of combat. However, due to a lack of tutorials, players may find themselves confused about how Plus Moves work.
This guide covers everything there is to know about Plus Moves in PLZA, including what they are, how to identify them, and how to use them in battle. Here’s the breakdown.
What Are Plus Moves in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Plus Moves are stronger versions of regular moves available to all Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
- For physical and special attack moves, this means the amount of damage they deal is increased.
- For status-inducing moves (e.g., Toxic), this means the duration of their effect on the battlefield is increased.
- For area-of-effect moves (e.g., Surf), this means their AoE is larger in addition to their damage being increased.
Plus Moves can be identified by a small plus icon on top of a circle, visible next to the move name in a Pokemon’s status screen.
Plus Moves are directly related to Mega Power. Each time a Plus Move is used, a single chunk of Mega Power (bottom right of the screen) is consumed.
When a Pokemon is Mega Evolved, all of its moves become Plus Moves for the duration that it remains in that form, regardless of whether that Pokemon knows them as Plus Moves in its non-Mega form.
The Plus Move mechanic only unlocks after players obtain a Mega Ring in Main Mission 09, when they defeat the Rogue Mega Absol.
How to Learn Plus Moves in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
There are two ways to learn Plus Moves:
- Level Up
- Seeds of Mastery
Level Up
Pokemon Moves learned via level up naturally evolve into Plus Moves as the Pokemon’s level increases. If, for example, a 
Heracross learns Bug Buzz at level 30, the move will not be a Plus Move at that level. However, as the Heracross’ level increases, Bug Buzz will eventually turn into a Plus Move as it levels. It can take anywhere from 3 to 10 levels for a regular move to transform into its Plus variant.
Seeds of Mastery
Pokemon Moves learned via TMs (Technical Machines) do not naturally become Plus Moves as a Pokemon levels up. To turn a TM into a Plus Move, you’ll need to bring Seeds of Mastery to Josee at the Justice Dojo after you’ve reached Rank E. The Justice Dojo can be found directly east of the Prism Tower, near the center of Lumiose City.
Seeds of Mastery can mainly be obtained by defeating or capturing Alpha Pokemon in PLZA. The easiest way to farm them is to cycle through multiple Wild Zones, finding and defeating Alpha Pokemon as the area’s spawns reroll.
How to Use Plus Moves in Pokemon Legends Z-A
To use a Plus Move with a non-Mega Evolved Pokemon, press the + button on the Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 while targeting an opponent. Eligible Plus Moves’ icon will change (shown above), indicating they are ready to be used. Doing so will consume one-fourth of the Mega Power on the bottom right.
Mega Power is a representation of the energy contained within the trainer’s Mega Ring, and is shared among the Pokemon. This means if you Mega Evolve a Pokemon, then switch and use a Plus Move with a different Pokemon, the duration for which your Mega Evolved Pokemon will remain in that state will be reduced. Of course, if you then use a normal move with a non-Mega Pokemon, you’ll recharge the Mega Power meter, so it balances out if you’re careful with it.
- Released
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October 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
