Alternacura (Natural Cure)

Natural Cure automatically heals all major status conditions (burn, paralysis, sleep, poison, freeze) when the Pokemon switches out of battle, introduced in Generation III. The cure activates the moment the Pokemon leaves the field, regardless of how the status was inflicted or how long it has been active.

If a Pokemon acquires Natural Cure during battle through Skill Swap or Role Play, it still benefits from the cure upon switching out. Conversely, if a Pokemon loses Natural Cure during battle, it will not be cured when switching. The ability does not heal status while the Pokemon remains on the field -- only the act of switching triggers the cleanse. Notably, at the end of a battle, Natural Cure also activates, meaning the Pokemon enters the next battle (in formats with persistent teams) with a clean status.

With 19 Pokemon carrying this ability, Natural Cure is one of the most widespread and valuable defensive abilities in competitive play. Key users include Blissey, Starmie, Celebi, and Roserade. It enables a hit-and-run defensive playstyle -- absorb a status move, pivot out to remove it, and switch back in fresh. This synergizes perfectly with moves like Heal Bell and pivoting moves like U-turn or Teleport, making Natural Cure users among the most reliable long-term defensive anchors.