Item

An item (Japanese:  tool) is an object in the Pokémon games which the player can pick up, keep in their Bag, and use in some manner. They have various uses, including healing, powering up, helping one to, or to access a new area.

Obtaining items
Items are obtained in several different ways. They can be given to the undefined by characters within the game, be bought at a Poké Mart for money, or found by the player throughout the Pokémon world. The latter form of items are contained within item balls, spherical containers resembling a Poké Ball. To obtain the item, players move next to it and press A while facing it. In Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, many items are found in treasure chests modeled after Poké Balls; in addition, items are often found in bulk from these chests, rather than only singular. Another method introduced in Generation II is picking Berries off a Berry tree. Join Avenue was introduced in, allowing players to buy certain items in bulk, as well as Berries and some rare items. Pokémon encountered in the wild will sometimes be holding items, which can be obtained by catching them using a Poké Ball or by using either, , , or. Also, in certain areas in Generation VI, various scenery will appear in the background during some battles. Using specific moves, depending on the kind of scenery, will break the scenery and cause an item to be found at the end of the battle, with the message " found a in the aftermath."

Most items can be obtained at any time, but there are a small number of permanently missable items in some games that become unobtainable after the player has progressed beyond a certain point.

Hidden items
Items can also be hidden from view rather than found in an item ball. These items typically aren't visible to the player without the use of an item-finding tool. Many times, a seemingly empty path can lead to a hidden item. In, some hidden items are revealed by a momentary flash when a player enters a room. In, some hidden items can be found in visibly different tufts of grass. These are most common in Berry Forest, where Berries reoccur in these spots after a certain amount of time.

Recurring items
Some items may reappear in a location after a certain amount of time has passed. Recurring items were introduced in Generation II and have been a feature of all subsequent generations.

Fake items
In some indoor areas such as the Kanto Power Plant, item balls may in fact turn out to be or, in which case interacting with them will instead initiate a battle with said Pokémon. In Generation V, within forested areas or on, item balls may be or. In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, fake item balls are presented upside-down.

Item types
Throughout the Pokémon world, the Bag is used to carry items. Since Generation II, items have been separated into categories to help with overall organization. These categories have varied between games.

Items
The Items pocket contains all items that are not put in another pocket. Some items in the Items pocket are below.
 * Escape Ropes are used to return to the entrance of a cave or dungeon.
 * Escape items, such as Poké Doll and Fluffy Tail, provide easy escape from a wild Pokémon.
 * Evolutionary stones are used to evolve certain species of Pokémon.
 * Valuable and exchangeable items have no purpose other than to help the player obtain other goods or be sold. Examples include Coins, Apricorns, and Shards.
 * Flutes can be blown in to produce an effect. They can be used multiple times without being consumed.
 * Fossils may be revived into Pokémon.
 * Honey attracts wild Pokémon to grassy patches and can be slathered on special trees in the Sinnoh region to attract rare Pokémon.
 * Mulch can be used in Berry growth.
 * prevent wild Pokémon from appearing. There are several different types, each with a different strength.
 * Available only in Pokémon Colosseum and, Scents increase a Pokémon's friendship.

Held items are items given to a Pokémon to hold onto by its Trainer. Many of these items can be used by the Pokémon holding them.
 * In-battle effect items are items that have an effect when held by a Pokémon in battle.
 * Evolution-inducing held items are used to evolve certain species of Pokémon when held and certain conditions are met.
 * Incense help a Pokémon reproduce.
 * Lucky Eggs increase the amount of experience a Pokémon receives in battle.
 * Out-of-battle effect items have an effect outside of battle when held by a Pokémon.
 * Stat-enhancing items increase stats while held by particular species of Pokémon in battle.
 * Type-enhancing items increase the power of a Pokémon's moves while held in battle.

Poké Balls
The Poké Balls pocket contains the different types of Poké Balls, used for. Poké Balls only had their own pocket from Generation II to Generation IV.

Mail
The Mail pocket contains mail, an item given to a Pokémon to communicate with others. Mail only had their own pocket in the Generation IV games.

Battle Items
The Battle Items pocket contain battle items, items that increase a Pokémon's stats temporarily in battle. Battle items only had their own pocket in the Generation IV games.

Medicine
The Medicine pocket contains various items that can heal various afflictions of a Pokémon. While originally part of the general Items pocket, it has had its own pocket since Generation IV. Some items in the Medicine pocket are below.
 * such as Potions and drinks restore a Pokémon's.
 * Status condition healing items cure a Pokémon of various status conditions.
 * Revives and Max Revives revive a fainted Pokémon. The one-of-a-kind Sacred Ash can revive all fainted Pokémon in the party with full health.
 * Ethers, Max Ethers, Elixirs, and Max Elixirs restore a Pokémon's.
 * Vitamins and wings can increase a Pokémon's stats.
 * Herbal medicine cure various afflictions.
 * Ability Capsules change the Ability of a Pokémon.

TMs & HMs
The TMs & HMs pocket contains TMs and HMs, items which when used, teach compatible Pokémon a move, providing a wider movepool for Pokémon to learn from. Some moves will have additional uses outside of battle. HMs cannot be discarded; in Gen V and onward, TMs have this trait as well, as they are reusable. TMs and HMs have had their own pocket since Generation II, except in, where they are instead stored in the TM Case.

Berries
The Berries pocket contains, items introduced in Generation II that can be found and cultivated. In many games, they can be used in the production of treats such as Pokéblocks and Poffins and many can be used on a Pokémon or given to a Pokémon. Berries have had their own pocket since, except in , where they are instead stored in the Berry Pouch.

Key Items
The Key Items pocket contains Key Items, items that generally can only be obtained once in gameplay and cannot be traded between games. Often these are items which the player must deliver to a non-player character, but other times they are intended to be kept and either aid the progression of the storyline or traveling. Key Items rarely have anything to do with the player's Pokémon and are mostly specific to the game. They can never be discarded, however, certain items will disappear from the player's Bag during storyline events. Key Items have had their own pocket since Generation II.

Item storage
Items that are obtained are stored in different places. Initially, when an item is obtained, it is placed in the undefined's Bag, and from Generation II onwards, into a specific pocket of that Bag. When a section of the Bag becomes full, players will not be able to pick up any other items of that type. To make space, players must store their items within their PC, accessed at a Pokémon Center as 's PC. In Generation IV, this problem is eliminated by having no limit on items in the Bag, and the player's PC is used for other purposes. The player also has the ability to toss items away: this will delete them from the Bag. Key Items, HMs, and, starting in Generation V, TMs cannot be tossed.

Held items
Since Generation II, certain items have been able to be held by Pokémon to heal or to enhance their power. Healing items can be used in battle without taking up a turn, but must be natural for them to work. Artificial items such as Potions and Full Heals cannot be used by Pokémon during battle. Held items also have other uses, such as an aid to evolve during trading or battle. Mail was also introduced as a hold item, in which players could send customizable messages with their Pokémon upon trading.

In the TCG
In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, items from the games were originally TCG Trainer cards. However, starting with the TCG HeartGold & SoulSilver Collections at the start of the LEGEND era in Japanese, and TCG Black & White in international releases, they are classified in their own category, Item cards.