Ability · Gen 3 · 8 Pokémon
Trace
On switch-in, or when it can, this Pokemon copies a random adjacent foe's Ability.
On switch-in, this Pokemon copies a random opposing Pokemon's Ability. Abilities that cannot be copied are As One, Battle Bond, Comatose, Commander, Disguise, Embody Aspect, Flower Gift, Forecast, Hunger Switch, Ice Face, Illusion, Imposter, Multitype, Neutralizing Gas, Poison Puppeteer, Power Construct, Power of Alchemy, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive, Receiver, RKS System, Schooling, Shields Down, Stance Change, Teraform Zero, Tera Shell, Tera Shift, Trace, Zen Mode, and Zero to Hero. If no opposing Pokemon has an Ability that can be copied, this Ability will activate as soon as one does.
Trace was introduced in Generation 3. 8 Pokémon and forms can have it.
Best Pokémon with Trace
Ranked by usage in public Pokémon Showdown battles (Champions VGC first, then National Dex OU, SV OU and Champions Singles), with how many of each Pokémon's sets actually run Trace.
Pokémon with Trace
As a regular ability (8)
Porygon
Ralts
KirliaTrace FAQ
What does Trace do?
On switch-in, this Pokemon copies a random opposing Pokemon's Ability. Abilities that cannot be copied are As One, Battle Bond, Comatose, Commander, Disguise, Embody Aspect, Flower Gift, Forecast, Hunger Switch, Ice Face, Illusion, Imposter, Multitype, Neutralizing Gas, Poison Puppeteer, Power Construct, Power of Alchemy, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive, Receiver, RKS System, Schooling, Shields Down, Stance Change, Teraform Zero, Tera Shell, Tera Shift, Trace, Zen Mode, and Zero to Hero. If no opposing Pokemon has an Ability that can be copied, this Ability will activate as soon as one does.
Which Pokémon have Trace?
8 Pokémon and forms can have Trace: Mega Alakazam, Porygon, Porygon2, Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, Meowstic-M-Mega and Meowstic-F-Mega.
What are the best Pokémon with Trace?
By competitive usage, the most used Pokémon that can have Trace are Meowstic-F-Mega (#82 in Champions VGC, 100% run Trace), Mega Alakazam (#83 in Champions VGC, 100% run Trace), Gardevoir (#189 in Champions VGC, 37.7% run Trace), Meowstic-M-Mega (#263 in Champions VGC, 100% run Trace) and Porygon2 (#93 in National Dex OU, 71% run Trace).
Effect text from Pokémon Showdown (MIT); which Pokémon have it from Showdown's Pokédex, cross-checked against PokéAPI. Unofficial fan site.