Infiltrator

Gen V

Effect

This Pokémon's moves ignore Light Screen, Reflect, and Safeguard.

GenerationGen V

Pokemon26

Hidden Ability Holders16

Game Descriptions

Gen VPasses through the foe’s barrier and strikes.

Gen VIPasses through the opposing Pokémon’s barrier and strikes.

Gen VIIPasses through the opposing Pokémon’s barrier, substitute, and the like and strikes.

Gen VIIIPasses through the opposing Pokémon’s barrier, substitute, and the like and strikes.

Gen IXThe Pokémon's moves are unaffected by the target's barriers, substitutes, and the like.

Infiltrator in Battle

Infiltrator allows the Pokemon's moves to bypass protective barriers and similar effects set up by the opponent. Specifically, it ignores Light Screen, Reflect, Aurora Veil, Safeguard, Mist, and — starting in Generation VI — Substitute. This means an Infiltrator user can hit a Pokemon hiding behind a Substitute directly, making it an excellent counter to Substitute-based strategies.

The ability does not bypass Protect, Detect, or similar turn-based protection moves — it specifically targets persistent field-side effects and Substitutes. This distinction is important: Infiltrator punishes defensive setup, not defensive play-by-play. Found on 25 Pokemon including Crobat, Chandelure, Noivern, and Dragapult, Infiltrator is a popular choice in competitive play for offensive Pokemon that want to maintain pressure regardless of the opponent's screens or Substitute stalling. Introduced in Generation V, it has become more valuable over time as Substitute and screen strategies have remained staples of competitive Pokemon.

Pokemon With Infiltrator (26)

# ▲	Name	Type	Other Abilities	Hidden?	HP	Atk	Def	SpA	SpD	Spe	Total
#041	Zubat	poison flying	Inner Focus	HA	40	45	35	30	40	55	245
#042	Golbat	poison flying	Inner Focus	HA	75	80	70	65	75	90	455
#169	Crobat	poison flying	Inner Focus	HA	85	90	80	70	80	130	535
#187	Hoppip	grass flying	ChlorophyllLeaf Guard	HA	35	35	40	35	55	50	250
#188	Skiploom	grass flying	ChlorophyllLeaf Guard	HA	55	45	50	45	65	80	340
#189	Jumpluff	grass flying	ChlorophyllLeaf Guard	HA	75	55	70	55	95	110	460
#291	Ninjask	bug flying	Speed Boost	HA	61	90	45	50	50	160	456
#336	Seviper	poison	Shed Skin	HA	73	100	60	100	60	65	458
#442	Spiritomb	ghost dark	Pressure	HA	50	92	108	92	108	35	485
#546	Cottonee	grass fairy	PranksterChlorophyll (HA)	Regular	40	27	60	37	50	66	280
#547	Whimsicott	grass fairy	PranksterChlorophyll (HA)	Regular	60	67	85	77	75	116	480
#607	Litwick	ghost fire	Flash FireFlame Body	HA	50	30	55	65	55	20	275
#608	Lampent	ghost fire	Flash FireFlame Body	HA	60	40	60	95	60	55	370
#609	Chandelure	ghost fire	Flash FireFlame Body	HA	60	55	90	145	90	80	520
#677	Espurr	psychic	Keen EyeOwn Tempo (HA)	Regular	62	48	54	63	60	68	355
#678	Meowstic	psychic	Keen EyePrankster (HA)	Regular	74	48	76	83	81	104	466
#678	Meowstic (Female)	psychic	Keen EyeCompetitive (HA)	Regular	74	48	76	83	81	104	466
#686	Inkay	dark psychic	ContrarySuction Cups	HA	53	54	53	37	46	45	288
#687	Malamar	dark psychic	ContrarySuction Cups	HA	86	92	88	68	75	73	482
#714	Noibat	flying dragon	FriskTelepathy (HA)	Regular	40	30	35	45	40	55	245
#715	Noivern	flying dragon	FriskTelepathy (HA)	Regular	85	70	80	97	80	123	535
#885	Dreepy	dragon ghost	Clear BodyCursed Body (HA)	Regular	28	60	30	40	30	82	270
#886	Drakloak	dragon ghost	Clear BodyCursed Body (HA)	Regular	68	80	50	60	50	102	410
#887	Dragapult	dragon ghost	Clear BodyCursed Body (HA)	Regular	88	120	75	100	75	142	600
#946	Bramblin	grass ghost	Wind Rider	HA	40	65	30	45	35	60	275
#947	Brambleghast	grass ghost	Wind Rider	HA	55	115	70	80	70	90	480

Related Abilities (Gen V)

Ability	Pokemon	Description
Pickpocket	16	Steals attacking Pokémon's held items on contact.
Sheer Force	37	Strengthens moves with extra effects to 1.3× their power, but prevents their extra effects.
Contrary	11	Inverts stat changes.
Unnerve	28	Prevents opposing Pokémon from eating held Berries.
Defiant	16	Raises Attack two stages upon having any stat lowered.
Defeatist	2	Halves Attack and Special Attack at 50% max HP or less.
Cursed Body	15	Has a 30% chance of Disabling any move that hits the Pokémon.
Healer	12	Has a 30% chance of curing each adjacent ally of any major status ailment after each turn.

Infiltrator

Infiltrator in Battle

Pokemon With Infiltrator (26)

Related Abilities (Gen V)

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