Pokémon GO Players Have Spotted Cramorant’s Two Battle-Only Forms

Using Surf or Dive above or below half HP triggers Gulping or Gorging Form, each of which applies a different debuff when Cramorant is hit by a Charged Attack.

Bojan Kicevski3 weeks ago

65 2 minutes read

Pokémon GO Players Have Spotted Cramorant's Two Battle-Only Forms

Pokémon GO is giving Cramorant more to do than simply enter a battle and attack. A player-shared Reddit post shows two separate battle-only forms: Gorging Form and Gulping Form. The mechanic has been documented in-game ahead of Water Festival 2026, which begins on August 18 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Pokémon GO Cramorant battle screen showing Gorging Form and Gulping Form

The form depends on Cramorant’s HP when it uses Surf or Dive, and the in-game description says it must learn one of those moves to unlock both options. Cramorant begins each Trainer Battle in Normal Form. Using Surf or Dive above 50% HP changes it to Gulping Form, while using either move below 50% HP produces Gorging Form. An opponent’s shield does not prevent the transformation, so the form change still happens if the activating move is blocked.

Both forms also have the same reaction: when Cramorant is hit by a Charged Attack, it spits out its prey at the opponent. Gulping Form sends out an Arrokuda and lowers the opponent’s Defense by 1 stage, while Gorging Form launches a Pikachu and lowers the opponent’s Attack by 2 stages. The retaliation also deals damage, and Cramorant’s base stats remain the same in Normal, Gulping, and Gorging Form.

Aha, there are a few more battle rules hiding under that beak. If Cramorant shields the incoming Charged Attack, it stays in its current form, but the retaliation and its damage do not activate. Even a Charged Attack that knocks Cramorant out can still trigger the form effect. Switching Cramorant out of battle resets it to Normal Form, meaning Surf or Dive must be used again after it returns.

That gives Cramorant a small tactical hook, since trainers need to consider both its remaining HP and when to use its Water-type move. Above half HP, Surf or Dive prepares the Defense drop from Gulping Form. Below half HP, the same moves prepare the stronger Attack reduction from Gorging Form, although the lower health also leaves Cramorant closer to being knocked out.

Cramorant’s battle availability

For now, Cramorant’s special mechanic is limited to Trainer Battles. It is not eligible for Competitors Cup and cannot be used in raids or Gym Battles, so its form-changing gimmick is aimed at the game’s PvP battles rather than every battle mode.

Cramorant joins Pokémon GO’s form-changing battlers

Cramorant is not the only Pokémon GO addition with a battle-specific transformation. Mimikyu also has a battle form, and Morpeko can change forms during combat as well. Cramorant stands out by offering two possible outcomes tied to its health, with each one affecting the opponent in a different way.

Which Cramorant form would you rather use in Trainer Battles? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow along on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality mobile game that uses GPS to let players locate, capture, train, and battle Pokémon in real-world locations. Players explore their physical surroundings to find PokéStops for items, battle at Gyms for team control, participate in Raid Battles cooperatively, and compete in the Go Battle League's player-versus-player format. The game is free-to-play with in-app purchases and features Pokémon from across multiple generations of the franchise.