giratina-altered
LegendaryGeneration IV · #0487 — Renegade Pokémon
Giratina, known as the Renegade Pokémon, stands as one of the most enigmatic and powerful legendary creatures in the Pokémon world. As National Pokédex entry #487, this Ghost/Dragon-type was introduced in Generation IV and holds the distinction of being the game mascot for Pokémon Platinum Version, though notably in its Origin Forme on the official boxart. Giratina represents antimatter itself in the mythological trinity completed by Dialga and Palkia, all three being creations of Arceus. With a base stat total of 680, Giratina is a legendary powerhouse featuring impressive bulk with 150 HP, 120 Defense, and 120 Special Defense, making it exceptionally durable in battle. What truly sets Giratina apart is its dual-form nature, with the Altered Forme being its natural state in the normal world, while the Origin Forme emerges when Giratina is within its home dimension, the Distortion World, or when held by a Griseous Orb.
Base Stats
Height
4.5m
Weight
750.0kg
Category
Renegade Pokémon
Gender
Genderless
Color
black
Shape
tentacles
Abilities
Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
Protects against friendly Pokémon's damaging moves.
Giratina-altered Biology & Physical Characteristics
In its Altered Forme, Giratina presents a massive quadrupedal frame standing at 4.5 meters tall and weighing 750 kilograms, with a body plan that appears almost draconic with six appendages functioning as both limbs and wings. The Altered Forme is physiologically adapted to exist in the standard world, though it remains tethered to supernatural forces befitting its Ghost-type classification. Giratina's biology is fundamentally tied to antimatter and the inverse world, granting it an existence that seems to violate conventional physics and biology. The creature's dual-type nature as Ghost/Dragon gives it remarkable type coverage, with immunities to Normal and Fighting-type moves due to its Ghost typing, while its Dragon typing provides additional defensive and offensive capabilities. The Altered Forme specifically excels in defensive capabilities, with equal investment in Defense and Special Defense at base 120 each, allowing it to wall both physical and special attackers effectively. Its ability Pressure increases the PP cost of moves targeting it by one, making it an excellent stall option that can outlast opponents through resource depletion.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Giratina-altered Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Giratina is genderless, falling into the 'Undiscovered' egg group classification, which prevents it from participating in conventional Pokémon breeding. This genderless status aligns perfectly with Giratina's nature as a legendary Pokémon of mythological significance, one of the three divine beings created by Arceus alongside Dialga and Palkia. The inability to breed Giratina reflects its singular existence as a powerful, irreplaceable force of nature rather than a species capable of natural reproduction within the normal world. Despite its genderless classification, Giratina can be obtained through legitimate gameplay means in various titles, primarily through legendary encounters in specific locations tied to the Distortion World or disturbance phenomena. The base happiness value of zero further emphasizes Giratina's alien and hostile demeanor, suggesting that any captured specimen would naturally resist bonding with trainers, requiring significant effort and patience to establish a working relationship. With a slow growth rate and a hatch counter of 120 cycles (which would theoretically apply if breeding were possible), Giratina is positioned as an extraordinarily rare and difficult-to-obtain Pokémon, reinforcing its legendary status and the prestige associated with capturing such a creature.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
black white
tm01
black 2 white 2
tm01
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm01
omega ruby alpha sapphire
tm01
x y
tm02
emerald
tm02
crystal
tm02
firered leafgreen
tm02
ruby sapphire
tm02
gold silver
tm02
black white
tm02
heartgold soulsilver
tm02
platinum
tm02
colosseum
tm02
diamond pearl
tm02
black 2 white 2
tm02
sun moon
tm02
omega ruby alpha sapphire
tm02
x y
tm02
xd
+840 more TMs/HMs
Giratina-altered Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Giratina does not evolve into or from any other Pokémon, maintaining its status as a singular legendary entity since its introduction in Generation IV. However, Giratina possesses a unique transformation mechanic that is unrelated to traditional evolution, allowing it to shift between its Altered Forme and Origin Forme. In the main series games, this transformation is triggered by the Griseous Orb (or Griseous Core in Generation VIII onward), a held item imbued with the power of Giratina's home dimension. When Giratina holds this item, it transforms into its Origin Forme, a more aggressive configuration with increased Attack and Special Attack at base 120 each, while its Defense and Special Defense decrease to base 100. Additionally, Giratina automatically assumes its Origin Forme when inhabiting the Distortion World, its native dimension, though it reverts to Altered Forme upon leaving. This transformation is exclusive to Giratina and represents a fundamental aspect of its existence as a bridge between the normal world and the distorted inverse world, making it mechanically unique among legendary Pokémon and adding substantial depth to its battle strategy and lore.
Where to Find
sinjoh ruins
johto
soaring in the sky
hoenn
ultra space wilds
alola
ultra space
alola
Giratina-altered Behaviour and Natural Habitat
According to Pokédex entries across multiple games, Giratina is said to inhabit a world on the reverse side of ours where common knowledge becomes distorted and strange. In Pokémon Platinum, the lore deepens significantly, revealing that Giratina was banished for its violence and now silently observes the old world from the Distortion World, a parallel dimension that exists as the inverse of the normal world. The creature appears primarily in ancient cemeteries, locations steeped in spiritual energy and the boundary between life and death, which aligns perfectly with its Ghost-type nature. Giratina's genderless nature and base friendship of zero suggest an alien, almost hostile demeanor that reflects its otherworldly origin and violent past. Despite its banishment, Giratina maintains awareness of and connection to the mortal realm, occasionally manifesting in graveyards where the barrier between worlds grows thin. The Pokémon's extremely low capture rate of 3 reflects the immense difficulty trainers face in attempting to catch such a powerful and elusive legendary creature, emphasizing Giratina's rarity and the dangerous nature of its domain.
Pokedex Entries
A Pokémon that is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours. It appears in an ancient cemetery.
It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World.
This Pokémon is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours, where common knowledge is distorted and strange.
It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World.
It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World.
This Pokémon is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours, where common knowledge is distorted and strange.
It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World.
This Pokémon is said to live in a world on the reverse side of ours, where common knowledge is distorted and strange.
It was banished for its violence. It silently gazed upon the old world from the Distortion World.
There is one Hisuian verse that tells of a powerful light creating a deep shadow. I imagine that this deep shadow is Giratina.
Giratina-altered Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Giratina is derived from the Italian word 'girare' meaning 'to turn' or 'to rotate,' perfectly encapsulating the Pokémon's connection to the inverse, reversed world and its role as a being existing in opposition to conventional reality. The design itself draws heavy inspiration from various mythological and biological concepts, with its Altered Forme resembling a monstrous, elongated dragon with an almost skeletal or ghost-like quality befitting its dual Ghost/Dragon typing. The creature's multiple appendages and sinuous form suggest both dragon heritage and supernatural distortion, while its black coloration and ethereal appearance emphasize its otherworldly nature. Visually, Giratina evokes comparisons to dragons from European mythology twisted through a lens of cosmic horror and quantum physics, appropriate for a Pokémon representing antimatter. The contrast between its Altered Forme—relatively grounded and physically imposing—and its Origin Forme—more ethereal and aggressive with enhanced supernatural qualities—mirrors the duality of matter and antimatter, normal and distorted, creation and destruction. Every aspect of Giratina's design, from its color palette to its anatomical proportions, reinforces its role as a fundamental force of imbalance and inverse reality within the Pokémon mythos.
Learnable Moves
Giratina-altered can learn 95 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aerial ace | flying | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| air cutter | flying | Special | 60 | 95 | 25 |
| ancient power | rock | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| aqua tail | water | Physical | 90 | 90 | 10 |
| aura sphere | fighting | Special | 80 | — | 20 |
| body slam | normal | Physical | 85 | 100 | 15 |
| breaking swipe | dragon | Physical | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| brutal swing | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| bulldoze | ground | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| calm mind | psychic | Status | — | — | 20 |
| charge beam | electric | Special | 50 | 90 | 10 |
| confide | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| confuse ray | ghost | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| curse | ghost | Status | — | — | 10 |
| cut | normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| dark pulse | dark | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| defog | flying | Status | — | — | 15 |
| destiny bond | ghost | Status | — | — | 5 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| draco meteor | dragon | Special | 130 | 90 | 5 |
| dragon breath | dragon | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| dragon claw | dragon | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| dragon pulse | dragon | Special | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| dragon tail | dragon | Physical | 60 | 90 | 10 |
| dream eater | psychic | Special | 100 | 100 | 15 |
| dual wingbeat | flying | Physical | 40 | 90 | 10 |
| earth power | ground | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| earthquake | ground | Physical | 100 | 100 | 10 |
| echoed voice | normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| energy ball | grass | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| fly | flying | Physical | 90 | 95 | 15 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| fury cutter | bug | Physical | 40 | 95 | 20 |
| giga impact | normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| gravity | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| headbutt | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| heal block | psychic | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| hex | ghost | Special | 65 | 100 | 10 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| hone claws | dark | Status | — | — | 15 |
| hyper beam | normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hyper voice | normal | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| iron head | steel | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| iron tail | steel | Physical | 100 | 75 | 15 |
| mud slap | ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| natural gift | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 15 |
| ominous wind | ghost | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| outrage | dragon | Physical | 120 | 100 | 10 |
| pain split | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| payback | dark | Physical | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| phantom force | ghost | Physical | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| poltergeist | ghost | Physical | 110 | 90 | 5 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psych up | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| psychic | psychic | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| roar | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| rock climb | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| rock smash | fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| safeguard | normal | Status | — | — | 25 |
| scary face | normal | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| shadow ball | ghost | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| shadow claw | ghost | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| shadow force | ghost | Physical | 120 | 100 | 5 |
| shadow sneak | ghost | Physical | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| shock wave | electric | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| silver wind | bug | Special | 60 | 100 | 5 |
| skitter smack | bug | Physical | 70 | 90 | 10 |
| slash | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| spite | ghost | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| steel wing | steel | Physical | 70 | 90 | 25 |
| stone edge | rock | Physical | 100 | 80 | 5 |
| strength | normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sunny day | fire | Status | — | — | 5 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| swift | normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| telekinesis | psychic | Status | — | — | 15 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thunder | electric | Special | 110 | 70 | 10 |
| thunder wave | electric | Status | — | 90 | 20 |
| thunderbolt | electric | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| twister | dragon | Special | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| will o wisp | fire | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
Giratina-altered Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive Pokémon battles, Giratina (Altered Forme) functions as a bulky wall and defensive pivot with its impressive 150 HP combined with 120 Defense and 120 Special Defense, giving it excellent durability against both physical and special threats. The Altered Forme's ability Pressure is invaluable in competitive play, as it forces opponents to expend additional PP when attacking Giratina, making it exceptionally difficult to overcome through sustained offense and enabling longer stall strategies. With balanced offensive stats of 100 Attack and 100 Special Attack, Giratina can threaten opponents with a diverse movepool including Dragon-type coverage, Ghost-type STAB moves, and utility options, though it isn't primarily built as an offensive threat. The Altered Forme resists Water, Electric, Grass, and Poison-type moves while taking reduced damage from Psychic and Bug attacks, though it remains vulnerable to Dark-type moves and takes super-effective damage from Ice attacks. Compared to its Origin Forme which prioritizes physical attacking power with elevated Attack and Special Attack, the Altered Forme serves as the preferred defensive choice in competitive formats where bulky support and momentum disruption prove valuable. Its relatively moderate Speed stat of 90 means Giratina often needs Speed control support or investment to outpace common threats, but this weakness is offset by its exceptional survivability and ability to force opponents into unfavorable situations through Pressure-induced stalling.
Commonly Asked Questions About Giratina-altered
What type is Giratina-altered?
Giratina-altered is a ghost and dragon type Pokemon.
What does Giratina-altered evolve from?
Giratina-altered does not evolve.
What are Giratina-altered's weaknesses?
Giratina-altered is weak to ghost, ice, dragon, dark and fairy type moves.
Where can I find Giratina-altered?
Giratina-altered can be found in sinjoh ruins (johto), soaring in the sky (hoenn) and ultra space wilds (alola) and 1 other locations.
Giratina-altered Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Giratina has secured its place as an iconic legendary Pokémon within popular culture and the broader Pokémon franchise, earning special prominence as the featured mascot of Pokémon Platinum Version and starring in its own theatrical film. The Pokémon's unique role as an antimatter entity created by Arceus elevated it beyond typical legendary status, inspiring considerable fan fascination with its lore and the Distortion World concept. Its appearance in the anime and various manga adaptations has cemented Giratina as a major force in Pokémon media, with storylines exploring its banishment, violent nature, and supernatural abilities capturing audiences' imaginations. The dual-forme mechanic introduced with Giratina was groundbreaking at the time, influencing how future legendary Pokémon would be designed with transformative abilities and alternative forms. Within competitive Pokémon communities, Giratina Altered Forme has remained a relevant choice across numerous generations and formats, contributing to discussions about bulky defensive playstyles and stall strategies. The creature's haunting design and philosophical implications regarding matter, antimatter, and alternate realities resonated with mature fans and contributed to the franchise's depth and mystique. Giratina's cultural relevance extends to merchandise, trading cards, and crossover appearances such as its presence in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it represents the mystical and dangerous aspects of the Pokémon universe.
Where to Find Giratina-altered in Every Pokémon Game
Giratina (Altered Forme) can be encountered and captured in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, with Platinum featuring it most prominently as the title's legendary centerpiece. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, players encounter Giratina in the Distortion World during the climactic story sequence, though in Platinum this encounter is more elaborate and thematically integrated. The creature's extremely low capture rate of 3 means that standard Poké Balls have only a 0.4% success rate on a full-health Giratina, requiring players to use Ultra Balls, specialized catching items, or significantly weaken the Pokémon before attempting capture. In more recent generations, Giratina has appeared in Pokémon Legends: Arceus as a major encounter within the Distortion World sequences, allowing modern players to add this legendary to their collections. Beyond the core series games, Giratina is obtainable through various events and distribution methods, and it appears in Pokémon GO as a legendary raid encounter, making it accessible to mobile players. The genderless, no-eggs classification means Giratina cannot be obtained through breeding, relegating all specimens to wild encounters or event distributions. Competitive players often seek out optimally-natured and IV-trained Giratina specimens, though the base game encounters provide statistically random specimens, prompting many to utilize breeding alternatives for other Pokémon or soft-reset repeatedly to obtain ideal examples.