Game Mechanics Guide
Last verified: September 11, 2026
Xenoverse adds several systems that don't exist in mainline Pokémon games. Here's what each one actually does.
X Species / X Pokémon
X Pokémon are corrupted/mutated versions of existing species that originate from the Xenoverse, an alternate dimension that also imprisons the legendary Dragalisk. Interdimensional faults opening across Eldiw (concurrent with Team Dimension's rise) cause X Pokémon to spill into the overworld. They are catalogued separately from the regional Pokédex in a dedicated 'Xenodex,' which lists 44 X species as of the sources checked.
How you interact with it
Players encounter and can catch X Pokémon in and around 'glitched areas' that appear in the world, with encounter availability described as random and on what one source called a roughly 24-hour respawn cycle; some X Pokémon have a low (around 1%) chance of holding a Xenolith item. Several major story bosses (e.g., Gengar X, Ditto X, Rapidash X, Ponyta X) are fought as set-piece battles tied to specific story locations.
Xenolith
The Xenolith is an evolutionary-stone-type item specific to Xenoverse: Per Aspera Ad Astra, used to evolve certain Pokémon when they are exposed to/hold it.
How you interact with it
Xenoliths can reportedly be found near glitched areas (where X Pokémon spawn) on a random basis, and some X Pokémon have a low chance of holding one when caught.
Xeno Ring / Xeno Form / Astral Form (Starter Transformations)
The three starter Pokémon (Shyleon, Trishout, Shulong) each have multiple special forms beyond their normal Terrestrial Form: a 'Xenoverse Form' (Xeno Form) and an 'Astral Form,' for up to four total forms across their life cycle. The Xeno Ring is a key item that unlocks the starter's Xeno Form transformation.
How you interact with it
The Xeno Ring is obtained at a specific story milestone (sources describe it as tied to defeating the opposite-gender rival/counterpart character) and lets the player toggle their starter into its Xeno Form. The Astral Form is unlocked later, during the game's climax, to battle the fused entity Vakuum.
PokéWES
The PokéWES ('Wide Exploration System') is the game's multifunctional player tool, replacing the standard Pokédex and also standing in for traditional Hidden Machine (HM) field moves with a more streamlined interaction system. It houses three internal sections: the regional Eldiw Pokédex, the Xenodex (X species), and the Vintagedex (vintage/retro Pokémon).
How you interact with it
The player receives the PokéWES from Aster after earning the first badge; it is later upgraded by Aster to also enable Mega Evolution once the player has access to Mega Stones.
Vintagedex / Vintage Pokémon
Vintage (also called 'Retro') Pokémon are special variant encounters representing Pokémon obtained 'in the past,' cataloged in a dedicated Vintagedex section of the PokéWES. Some Vintage Pokémon are described as rarer to find than Shiny Pokémon.
How you interact with it
The Vintagedex itself is only given to the player by Aster at the Pokémon Lab after they have completed both the standard Eldiw Pokédex and the Xenodex; completing the Vintagedex in turn earns the player a Diploma.
Mega Evolution
Mega Evolution is present in Xenoverse: Per Aspera Ad Astra using the standard held-Mega-Stone activation model from mainline Pokémon games (e.g., Blazikenite for Blaziken, Lucarionite for Lucario, Luxrayite for Luxray). It is unlocked as a player mechanic once Aster upgrades the PokéWES.
How you interact with it
Most Mega Stones are purchasable from the Apollo Tournament's BP shop (commonly priced at 50 BP each); at least one (Weavilite) can also be obtained free from Versil in Nova Ranch after a specific post-game Battle Pass milestone. Mega Evolution is also a central theme of the post-game 'Bestial Furies' Battle Pass, which centers on defeating six boss-level Mega Evolved Pokémon.
Furious Battles (post-game DLC / 'Fury' forms)
Furious Battles is the umbrella name for the game's post-game DLC content, delivered as a series of sequential 'Battle Passes' with their own stories (e.g., Pass 1 unlocking Shinobi Island; Pass 2 'Bestial Furies'; Pass 3 'Dark Passion'; a later pass 'The Song of Memory'). Narratively, 'Fury' refers to a corrupting energy tied to Vakuum - the primordial entity formed when Dragalisk and Luxflon fuse - which can possess characters or Pokémon and grant them greatly amplified power (superboss 'Fury' forms).
How you interact with it
Access requires finishing the main story and progressing post-game milestones (e.g., defeating Taraxo on Route 13 and obtaining a Shinobi Ticket from the merchant Eusen). Fury boss battles impose special restrictions, such as capping the player's team at 3 Pokémon and disallowing healing items during the fight. Completing passes earns rewards including Mega Stones and other late-game items via the Apollo Tournament BP shop.
Apollo Tournament (Battle Facility)
The Apollo Tournament is a dedicated battle facility located in Vega City, built on the former site of the Sunshine Circus following a post-game story event (Pass 2). It offers Easy and Normal tournament difficulties (varying opponent count) plus VIP Tournaments against strong trainers from other regions.
How you interact with it
Winning tournaments earns Battle Points (BP), a facility-specific currency spendable inside the Apollo Tournament on battle items and Mega Stones (commonly 50 BP each).
See also: the Pokédex for X-Form entries, the World directory for the Apollo Tournament and other mechanic-linked locations, and the Walkthrough for when each system unlocks.