Arceus (Pokémon)

This article is about the species. For a specific instance of this species, see Arceus.

**Arceus** (Japanese: **アルセウス** *Arceus*) is a Normal-type Mythical Pokémon introduced in Generation IV.

While it is not known to evolve into or from any other Pokémon, Arceus will change type when it is holding a Plate, type-specific Z-Crystal, or its event item, the Azure Flute. When holding the Azure Flute, it enters Observer Form (Japanese: **アマツアルセウス** *Amatsu-Arceus*), which is considered a unique type whose type effectiveness is considered to be the combined type effectiveness of every type.

Like Darkrai and Shaymin before it, Arceus was not officially recognized by Nintendo until February 14, 2009, the year of its debut movie. It was officially revealed to international audiences on August 3, 2009.

Arceus is known as "The Original One", as it is said that it created Sinnoh and Ransei, and possibly the entire Pokémon universe, along with the lake guardians and creation trio.

It is the trio master of both the lake guardians and the creation trio.

Arceus is the game mascot of Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

## Biology

Arceus is a white equine Pokémon resembling a qilin or centaur with a gray, vertically-striated underside. The striated pattern has similar recurrences on the underside of its mane, tail, and face. Its four pointed feet are tipped with gold hooves. Its long mane juts away from its head, and its face is gray, with green eyes and red pupils, and a green circular pattern below its eyes. Arceus also has a streak of gold coloration on its head, and ears that point upward. Its neck is fairly long, with two pairs of extrusions to the sides, and a flap-like feature on the neck's underside that is colored white like much of the body. Arceus also has a golden cross-like wheel attached to its body by its round abdomen, which changes color along with its eyes and hooves based on its current type, which depends on the plate or  type-specific Z-Crystal that it wields. The wheel also has four jewels attached to it. The pattern of striated gray of Arceus's underbelly resumes past Arceus's waist. Its limbs have gray undersides and extrusions at the tops of the legs. Arceus's tail is fairly like its mane in terms of shape and coloration. According to legend, it shaped the Pokémon universe using its 1000 arms. This description is thought to refer to a "true form" (as in **Observer Arceus**) that it is in when observing the universe, whereas it is usually shown and appears in a "legible form" that the mortal world can understand, though this does limit its powers.

Arceus is thought to have created the Sinnoh region and probably the entire Pokémon world, as well as the lake guardians Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit; and the creation trio Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Because of this, Arceus is thought to be one of the most long-lived of all Pokémon species. It has the power to recreate the creation trio as well, presumably to guard the dimensions when a Trainer has caught one of them. In the anime, Arceus has been portrayed as having powers such as bringing back things that it once destroyed, making certain things vanish into thin air, and halting time.

Arceus is shown to care for and safeguard the planet in ancient times and protected it from cataclysms such as meteors, and it would show gratitude and compassion in return to those who treated it with equal kindness. Arceus does not suffer fools gladly, and it will attack in a violent rampage if betrayed or deceived. It also holds long grudges if betrayed by those it considered friends. In *Arceus and the Jewel of Life*, it is said to "feed" off the energy of the elemental plates. It is the only known Pokémon that can learn Judgment.

## Game data

### NPC appearance

* Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Arceus appears when Dark Matter begins trying to take the Tree of Life to the sun, leading the other Pokémon in attempting to stop its ascent. He is able to telepathically reach the player thanks to Mewtwo and transports them to the Tree of Life's roots to confront Dark Matter. When Dark Matter regenerates itself and sends out a massive shockwave, Arceus and the other legendary Pokémon gathered to stop the Tree of Life are immediately turned to stone. After Dark Matter is defeated, Arceus will remain at the top of Destiny Tower.

### Game locations

Arceus was originally intended to appear in Template:Game2 in the Hall of Origin when summoned using an event item called the Azure Flute. However, the Azure Flute was never distributed, although the text seen when receiving the 20th Anniversary Arceus states that Arceus could first be obtained in Diamond and Pearl in the Hall of Origin.

### Stats

#### Base stats

##### Azure Flute not equipped

* Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.

##### Azure Flute equipped

* Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.

### Pokéathlon stats

#### With a Plate equipped

**With Fist Plate**

**With Sky Plate**

**With Toxic Plate**

**With Earth Plate**

**With Stone Plate**

**With Insect Plate**

**With Spooky Plate**

**With Iron Plate**

**With Flame Plate**

**With Splash Plate**

**With Meadow Plate**

**With Zap Plate**

**With Mind Plate**

**With Icicle Plate**

**With Draco Plate**

**With Dread Plate**

### Type effectiveness

#### No Plate or Z-Crystal equipped

For the type effectiveness when Arceus is holding a Plate, see type chart. In Generation IV, if Arceus was hacked to be ???-type, this Pokémon is damaged normally by moves of all types.

## Trivia

 File:493-Unknown.png
* In the Generation IV games, there are sprites for ???-type Arceus, but this is not obtainable without cheating, as there is no ??? Plate.
	+ Due to how its Ability would automatically turn any Arceus without a Plate into the Normal-type in Generation IV, a ???-type Arceus hacked into the game will be treated as a Normal type.
* According to the anime dub's then-voice director Tom Wayland, the dub chose to pronounce Arceus with a hard *c* instead of a soft *c* due to concerns over the latter pronunciation's potential implications in British English-speaking territories.
	+ This pronounciation is also reflected in the name of the RKS System ability.
* Arceus has the highest base stat total of all Normal-type Pokémon.
	+ Arceus also has the highest base stat total of all Mythical Pokémon.
* Prior to Generation VIII, Arceus was the only Pokémon with a base stat total of 720 and the only Pokémon that is the last of its generation in National Pokédex order that does not have a base stat total of 600.
* Arceus is the only event-exclusive trio master.
	+ Arceus is also the only trio master of two different trios: the lake guardians and the creation trio.
* In Generation IV (its debut generation), it was impossible to legitimately give Arceus more than 100 EVs in any stat (without the use of glitches), since it was only ever distributed at level 100. Prior to Generation V, level 100 Pokémon could not gain EVs through battling because they could not gain experience.
* Arceus is the only pre-Generation V Pokémon to never officially receive a DPBP number. Kadabra, which was not released as a TCG card during the DPBP era, is assumed to be #070, as Abra and Alakazam are #069 and #071, respectively.
* Arceus received the most votes of all pre-Generation V Pokémon in the Pokémon Global Link promotion poll in both the Japanese poll and the international (non-Japanese and non-Korean) poll.
* Prior to Generation VII, Arceus was classified by Pokédex color sorting as gray.
* In Diamond and Pearl, Arceus can be encountered without the use of the Azure Flute by a combination of Tweaking and the Pal Park Retire glitch. In addition, Arceus can be encountered an unlimited amount of times with this method, unlike Darkrai and Shaymin.
	+ This has been remedied in

	Arceus (Pokémon)

	, however, as the player can no longer freely move in the "void".
* Arceus is the first Mythical Pokémon to be a game mascot.

### Origin

Arceus appears to be particularly based on a creator deity, present in many world cultures. Arceus's stance and general form are similar to Egyptian bull and calf idols, particularly Apis. Based on its appearance and attack movements in the 3D games, Arceus may be modeled after a horse or qilin. The arc on its back may be inspired by the Dharmachakra, or the Bhavacakra, used to represent a concept similar to the reincarnation in Hinduism.

The conception of the first god might be influenced by the Shinto gods Kuninotokotachi and Amenominakanushi, who summoned Izanami and Izanagi to create Japan with the spear. It may also be a reference to the qilin, a Chinese mythical creature. Its myth is nearly identical to the world egg, found in creation myths of many cultures and civilizations. Arceus may also represent or be inspired by the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, who, in Buddhism, is either pictured with eleven heads and one thousand arms (the latter of which is mentioned in Arceus's Pokédex entry) or in a white, four-armed manifestation (which could look similar to Normal-type Arceus).

#### Name origin

Arceus may be a combination of *arch-* (most extreme, highest), *archon* (a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord"), *arcanus* (Latin for *secret, mystery*), *archaic* (ancient), αρχή *arkhē* (Greek for *beginning*), or *archetypus* (Latin for *original*), and *deus* (Latin for *god*). It may also derive from *aureus* (golden, in reference to its hooves and wheel), *arc* (round or ring), *arcessere* (Latin for *to summon*), or *Archeus* (an aspect of the astral plane). It may also be a reference to Arcesius, the king of Ithaca mentioned in the Odyssey that was a son of Zeus.

*Observer Arceus* evokes Arceus's apparent watch over the world of Pokémon, as it is said to assume this form when in its realm. It is also the fan-given nickname to the beta form of Arceus found within pre-release builds of Diamond and Pearl, which Observer Arceus resembles. *Amatsu-Arceus* refers to *amatsukami*, the "gods of heaven" in Japanese mythology (カミ *kami* meaning "god" and thus replaced with Arceus). The amatsukami are said to descend from heaven to pacify and perfect the world, much as Arceus may do to correct deceitful behavior.

## Related articles

* Arceus (M12)
* Arceus (Adventures)
* Lake guardians
* Creation trio
* List of Pokémon with form differences
* Mythical Pokémon
* Myths and legends involving Legendary Pokémon

## External links

* Article on Wikipedia
* Grass-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Fire-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Water-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Flying-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Bug-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Poison-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Electric-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Psychic-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Rock-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Ground-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Dark-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Ghost-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Steel-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Fighting-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Ice-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Dragon-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex
* Fairy-type Arceus on Smogon Pokédex