Multi Battle

A Multi Battle (Japanese: マルチバトル Multi Battle), usually referred to as a Tag Battle (Japanese: タッグバトル Tag Battle) in , is a type of Double Battle in which each of the four Pokémon is controlled by a separate Pokémon Trainer.
Starting with Generation III, Multi Battles occur when the has teamed up with another Trainer. If the player has teamed up with another Trainer as part of the storyline, their Pokémon total as well as that of their opponents may exceed the limit of six Pokémon per team imposed by party restrictions for other types of Pokémon battle.
In Generations VI and VII, Multi Battles allow a player to Mega Evolve a Pokémon even if their partner has already done so during the same battle.
In Generation VII, like with Mega Evolution, a player may use a Z-Move even if their teammate has already done so during the same battle.
In Generation VIII, each team may only Dynamax or Gigantamax once per battle. Each turn, only one specific player from each team is given the opportunity to Dynamax a Pokémon; if a player skips their opportunity to use Dynamax, then their teammate will get the opportunity to on the next turn.
==In the games==
===Multi Battle mode===
In Generation III, up to four players can battle with each other in a Multi Battle via Game Link Cable by choosing the "Multi Battle" mode in the Pokémon Cable Club Colosseum. Players decide which side to battle. This is the only way to have a Multi Battle in and 
In Generation IV, the Pokémon Cable Club Colosseum was renamed to the Pokémon Communication Club Colosseum, but Multi Battles can still be conducted by selecting "Multi Battle".
In Generation V, Multi Battles can be conducted through the IR section of the C-Gear, and you can select an opponent and pair with somebody through the IR function.
In Generation VI, the player accesses Multi Battles with the Player Search System's Battle option. After selecting a connection type, the player must then change the number of players to four, and select three other players on the touch screen. 
====Quotes====
Pokémon Center Receptionist
:"Multi Battle is for four Trainers with one or more Pokémon each."
:"Each Trainer can have one Pokémon in battle at a time."
===In-game events===
Since , Multi Battles have been possible at various points throughout the games.
* In , at the Mossdeep Space Center, the player battles Maxie and Tabitha of Team Magma alongside .
* In , the player teams up with:
** Cheryl while traversing Eterna Forest for the first time, until they reach the Eterna City exit.
** Riley while traversing Iron Island for the first time, until they reach the back of the island.
** Buck while traversing Stark Mountain for the first time, until they reach the back of the cave.
** Mira while traversing Wayward Cave for the first time, until they reach the cave entrance.
** Marley while traversing the additional area of for the first time, until they reach the exit.
** / against two male in Jubilife City.
** / against two male in Veilstone City.
** against Mars and Jupiter at Spear Pillar.
** in Pokémon Platinum only, against Flint and Volkner in the Fight Area, upon entering the Battle Zone for the first time.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Lance against Ariana and a in the Team Rocket HQ.
** against Clair and Lance in the Dragon's Den.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Cheren against two s in Wellspring Cave.
** Cheren against two s on at Alder's request.
* In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, the player teams up with:
** Hugh while traversing Castelia Sewers for the first time, until they reach the Relic Passage exit.
** Cheren against two s on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at the Pokémon World Tournament.
** Hugh against two s on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at the Pokémon World Tournament.
** Hugh against two Team Plasma Grunts on the Plasma Frigate when it is docked at .
** Hugh against Zinzolin and a Team Plasma Grunt in Lacunosa Town.
** / against es Ingo and Emmet outside Gear Station in Nimbasa City.
** Bianca while traversing Reversal Mountain for the first time, until they reach the Undella Town exit.
** Cheren while traversing Pinwheel Forest for the first time.
** one of Cilan, Chili, and Cress against the other two in Striaton City.
* In , the player teams up with:
** / against Tierno and Trevor on .
** / against two s in the Glittering Cave.
** / against Bryony and Celosia in the Poké Ball Factory.
** / while traversing Team Flare Secret HQ, until they reach /'s chamber.
* In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version, the player teams up with:
** against Tabitha and Matt in a Mirage Cave.
** against Tabitha and a in a Mirage Cave.
** against Matt and a in a Mirage Cave.
* In , the player teams up with:
** / against Tabitha and a /Shelly and a in Meteor Falls.
** against Courtney and a /Matt and a on Southern Island.
** against Courtney and a /Matt and a at the Mossdeep Space Center during the Delta Episode.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Hau against two s in Diglett's Tunnel.
** Hau and Gladion while traversing Aether Paradise, until they reach the exterior area.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Hau against two s in Diglett's Tunnel.
** Hau and Gladion while traversing Aether Paradise, until they reach the exterior area.
** Lillie against Faba and an Aether Foundation Employee in front of Team Rocket's Castle.
** Guzma against two s in Team Rocket's Castle during Episode RR.
* In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, the player teams up with:
** against Archer and a during Team Rocket's takeover of Silph Co.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Hop against two s in Motostoke, and later, Galar Mine No. 2.
** Hop against several members of while going up Rose Tower.
** Hop against Sordward and Shielbert in Wedgehurst.
** A variety of Gym Leaders and other special Trainers in the Galarian Star Tournament.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Cheryl while traversing Eterna Forest for the first time, until they reach the Eterna City exit.
** Riley while traversing Iron Island for the first time, until they reach the back of the island.
** Buck while traversing Stark Mountain for the first time, until they reach the back of the cave.
** Mira while traversing Wayward Cave for the first time, until they reach the cave entrance.
** Marley while traversing the additional area of for the first time, until they reach the exit.
** / against two male s in Jubilife City.
** / against two male s in Veilstone City.
** against Mars and Jupiter at Spear Pillar.
* In , the player teams up with:
** Arven against each Titan Pokémon after they consume their respective Herba Mystica.
** Nemona against a wild , then later against an escaping / in Area Zero.
** Penny against a hostile /, and then against an escaping / in Area Zero.
** Arven against an aggressive /, and later against an escaping / in Area Zero.
** Carmine against the Titanic , , and at the Paradise Barrens, Wistful Fields, and Oni Mountain, respectively.
** Carmine and later Kieran against in the Area Zero Underdepths.
** Kieran against , and later Arven and Penny in Mossui Town during Mochi Mayhem.
** Kieran against Yukito and Hideko at Kitakami Hall during Mochi Mayhem.
===Battle facilities===
Since , Multi Battles have been possible in battle facilities.
* In Emerald, in the during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either an NPC (including the apprentice) or a friend via Game Link Cable or Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter
* In , in the during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with one of the stat Trainers (Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Marley, and Buck). In Sinnoh, these partner Trainers will only appear after the player finishes exploring with them in their areas.
* In , in the Battle Subway on the Multi Train the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with /.
* In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, in the Battle Subway on the Multi Train the player can team up with either another player via DS Wireless Communication or with /.
* In , in the Battle Maison during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via 3DS Wireless Communication, an NPC avatar of another player on the player's Friend List, or with Tierno, Trevor, or Shauna.
* In , in the Battle Maison during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via 3DS Wireless Communication, /, Wally, , or Maxie/Archie.
* In , , in the Battle Tree during the Multi Battle mode the player can team up with either another player via 3DS Wireless Communication or a previously encountered and defeated at the facility. Additionally, in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, they can also pair with Lillie after completing Episode RR.
===Pokémon Legends: Arceus===
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Multi Battles work much differently than they do in other games. The player will always be restricted to using one Pokémon at a time, while facing off against several foes simultaneously. In the wild, this can happen if the player initiates a battle while being targeted by multiple wild Pokémon. In certain Trainer battles, the opponent will send out all of their Pokémon at once.
In addition, there are no moves that can target multiple foes. Unlike in previous games, moves like and can only hit one target per turn.
Since the Version 1.1.0 update, there are several challenges that may involve testing the player's skill in Multi Battles, which are available after completing Request 102: Daybreak.
* In the Path of Solitude, Ingo will send out three Pokémon if the player uses , , , or .
* In the Path of Tenacity, a challenge against the Diamond Clan or Pearl Clan involve completing three consecutive Multi Battles.
* In the Eternal Battle Reverie, the player may face off against two or three foes at once in a Multi Battle.
==In animation==
===Pokémon the Series===
Multi Battles are referred to as "Tag Battles" in .
 has been involved in many "illegal" Tag Battles conducted by throughout and , long before the concept was introduced to the .
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In The Bicker the Better, Ash has his first official Tag Battle when he teamed up with to battle against Oscar and Andi. At first, Ash had gotten into an argument with May but ended up making up with her and becoming in sync with her during battle.
In Destiny Deoxys, Ash visited the LaRousse City Battle Tower where he battled alongside Tory against Sid and Rafe. Due to Tory's fear of Pokémon and lack of battling experience, he and Ash ended up losing the match. 
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In The Champ Twins!, Ash and had their first Tag Battle together, facing off against Ryan and Bryan. They initially had trouble working in sync, but after both of them acknowledged their flaws, their teamwork improved and they managed to defeat the twin brothers in a rematch.
From Tag! We're It...! to Smells Like Team Spirit!, Hearthome City had its own special tournament known as the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition. Tag teams are chosen randomly, with each Trainer receiving a card with a number on it and partnering with the Trainer whose number is paired with their number. The tournament was entered by Ash, Dawn, and Brock, who were respectively paired with Paul, Conway, and Holly. Ash and Paul managed to win the tournament despite working very poorly together.
In Once There Were Greenfields, while visiting Emeragrove Town, Ash and Dawn paired up to battle James and Gardenia. Using their and against James's Cacnea and Gardenia's , they won the match.
In A Full Course Tag Battle!, Ash and went up against the owners of the Seven Stars Restaurant, Roman and Kylie. Their cooperation proved successful and they managed to win the battle. In the same episode, and Dawn teamed up and were also victorious in their Tag Battle. 
In Hot Springing a Leak!, Dawn and her childhood friend Leona went up against Ash and Brock. Their battle ended in a draw.
In Arceus and the Jewel of Life, Ash and Dawn defeated Kiko and Kato using their and against a and .
In Bagged Then Tagged!, Ash and Dawn had a Tag Battle against and Khoury inside the . They managed to defeat the Johto s despite the unexpected evolution of Khoury's Totodile.
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In Lost at the Stamp Rally!, and fought in a Tag Battle against Ingo and Emmet, which Ash and Cilan lost despite fighting excellently.
In Evolution Exchange Excitement!, Ash and Cilan battled and won against and Professor Juniper. 
In A Surface to Air Tag Battle Team!, Ash and Cilan fought together in a Tag Battle against two brothers named Soren and Rocko and managed to win. 
In New Places... Familiar Faces!, Ash and Nanette battled against and Cilan, though the battle was interrupted by Team Rocket in their attempt to capture .
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In Tag Team Battle Inspiration!, and partnered up against and , but the battle was called off.
In Party Dancecapades!, Monsieur Pierre prepared a surprise Tag Battle for the s attending his dance party. Entrants were given a card upon registration, and four of these cards had a special mark so the people who received them would take part in a Tag Battle. The special cards ended up with Ash, Serena, Miette, and James, and they faced off near the end of the party, with the team of Ash and Serena emerging victorious.
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In When Regions Collide!, and had a Multi Battle against , while and had a Multi Battle against . However, both of these battles were called off.
In The Young Flame Strikes Back!, had a Multi Battle against Viren and his henchmen, but he ended up losing the battle.
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In Chasing to the Finish!, Goh and had a Multi Battle against Sterling and Lyla at the Split-Decision Ruins, competing for the right to and . Goh and Gary's teamwork eventually prevailed, allowing them to challenge the legendary giants.
===Pokémon Horizons: The Series===
Unlike , Multi Battles share their name with the game mechanic.
In Found You, Fuecoco!, Orla and Murdock participated in a Multi Battle using and , respectively, against Zirc and Onia, who used and . Despite doing their best, they were defeated by their opponents.
In Kabu's Battle Training!, Liko and Roy participated in a Multi Battle using and , respectively, against Kabu and , who used and , at the Motostoke Stadium. Roy ended up being defeated by Kabu, while Liko forfeited despite doing well, much to everyone's surprise.
In Mission: Find Oinkologne's Partner!, Liko and Roy participated in a Multi Battle using Sprigatito and Fuecoco, respectively, against Yuno and Renta, who used their respective , in Pigton Town, though, the results remain unknown.
In A Challenge from the Explorers, Liko and Roy participated in a Multi Battle using Sprigatito and Fuecoco, respectively, against Coral and Sidian, who used and . The battle was interrupted when the two Explorers admins received a call urging them to go back to fulfilling their top-priority mission. Roy and Dot faced Coral and Sidian in a similar Multi Battle in Liko and Amethio, with the battle being interrupted by Grusha who had come to help the kids find Liko.
From Showdown! The Paldea Elite Four to Liko vs. Rika! Towards the Battle's End, Naranja Academy organized the Elite Four Tag Battle, an event where Tera Training students joined their assigned Gym Leaders from the first phase of training to have friendly battles against members of Paldea's Elite Four.
===Pokémon Evolutions===
In The Rival, and had a Multi Battle against Mars and Jupiter at the Spear Pillar. Using their and against Mars's Purugly and Jupiter's , they won the match.
==In the manga==
===Pokémon Adventures===
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The first official Multi Battle was featured in The Beginning of the End with Kyogre & Groudon X, where and took on Archie and Maxie in Seafloor Cavern. Although they were able to defeat the , they were unable to retrieve the Red and Blue Orbs from them before they could merge with their holders.
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In Surprised by Sneasel and A Well-Journeyed Jumpluff, and faced Sird and Orm of Team Rocket in a Multi Battle in Viridian City. Orm's surrounded the two Pokédex holders with a cloud of spores that could cause any kind of status condition, making it impossible for them to send out a Pokémon without it getting a status condition the instant it came out. Yellow, however, used her ability to control the Poké Ball at the end of her fishing line to move her , Omny, outside of the spore cloud and then unleash it to use , instantly both Jumpluff and the spores. As the two Team Rocket members then kidnapped Silver and escaped with him, the battle was left unresolved.
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In Bombastic Bibarel & Heroic Hippopotas, and battled and defeated Leonardo and Rebecca at the Seven Stars Restaurant.
In Vexing Vespiquen & Unmanageable Mothim, Diamond and Riley battled two s on Iron Island. While Riley and his were temporarily incapacitated by the Roughnecks blinding them and disabling their Aura sense with their 's , Diamond was able to handle the two opponents by himself and stop Mothim from using Air Slash, allowing Riley to reenter the battle and deal the finishing blow.
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In Blastoise Transforms, and teamed up in a Multi Battle against Archie and Maxie, with all four Trainers utilizing Mega Evolution. Although Red and Green eventually won the battle, Archie and Maxie still succeeded in making and undergo Primal Reversion in the meantime.
In the aforementioned chapter, Ruby and Emerald also briefly engaged Blaise and in a Multi Battle, but they were soon caught in Blaise's 's illusions, allowing the villains to slip away.
===Pokémon Journeys===
 and Goh participated in a Tag Battle against Rose and Oleana in Sword and Shield... The Legends Awaken! (Part 2). The two managed to defeat the villains after their and evolved into and , respectively.
==Trivia==
* When battling alongside in , his Pokémon are shown to gain experience after the defeat of an opponent Pokémon. This does not happen to a partner's Pokémon in the Multi Battles of later generations.
** If the player brings a team of three Pokémon that all use or , then all experience will be granted to Steven's Metang. If this is performed on all opposing Pokémon in this battle, then Steven's Metang can earn enough experience to level up once. If a cheating device is used to level up Metang enough so it will evolve after the battle, it will trigger the evolution screen where the player can watch it evolve into a . Doing so will register Metagross as "caught" by the player if it hasn't been up to this point."I Tested UNCONFIRMED Pokemon Facts 2" - BlueBoyPhin - YouTube.
** Having the player's party be defeated in the Multi Battle with Steven will cause the player to white out regardless of whether Steven still has Pokémon left. This was also changed in Generation IV, where a white-out will not occur until both the player's and the partner's Pokémon are all knocked out.
** The player and Steven are both limited to three Pokémon each, unlike later generations where the player and all allies can combine their teams to use more than six Pokémon in total. The player can also use items on Steven's Pokémon. This is not possible in later generations.
* The Multi Battle against Mars and Jupiter in all the Sinnoh-based games and the battle against Flint and Volkner in have the potential to be twelve-on-six fights, due to 's full party.
==In other languages==
Multi Battle	
Tag Battle
==References==
==Related articles==
* 
Category:Game mechanics
Category:Terminology
Category:Battle variations
de:Multikampf
it:Lotta Multipla
ja:マルチバトル
zh:多人对战