You know that feeling when the music shifts, the screen flashes, and a disaster-bringer suddenly decides to save your life? If you played the original GBA or DS versions of the first MD games, you remember exactly where you were when you met the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team Absol. It wasn't just another recruitment. It was a tonal shift.
Most players are struggling through Frosty Grotto, trying not to get decimated by Articuno, and then this white-furred omen of doom just... joins? No boss fight required. No low-percentage recruitment RNG. Just a level 28 powerhouse stepping out of the blizzard because it senses a literal world-ending catastrophe. It’s a vibe. Honestly, it’s one of the few moments in the early series where the game stops being a "cute monster crawler" and starts feeling like a high-stakes RPG.
But here is the thing: a lot of people bench Absol immediately. They see the "Dark" typing and think it’s too niche, or they’re already too attached to their Mudkip-Torchic duo. That is a massive mistake.
The Frosty Grotto Turning Point
The way you get your hands on a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team Absol is actually pretty unique. In a game where you spend hundreds of hours praying for a 2% recruitment rate on a Golem or something equally tedious, Absol is a "story recruit."
After you defeat Articuno—which is a nightmare if you started as a Grass-type, by the way—Absol intervenes. It clears up the misunderstanding. It realizes you aren't the cause of the natural disasters. And then, it just tags along.
It starts at Level 28. At that point in the game, your main character and partner are likely hovering around Level 22 to 25 unless you've been grinding the Makuhita Dojo like a maniac. This makes Absol an immediate "carry" unit for the mid-game. It has a high Attack stat right out of the box, and its movepool isn't half bad for the era.
Why the Pressure Ability is a Double-Edged Sword
We need to talk about Pressure. In the main series games, Pressure is amazing. It drains the opponent's PP faster. In Blue Rescue Team, it works similarly, but it feels different because of how AI teammates behave.
If you leave Absol on "Go after foes," it will hunt down enemies and make them burn through their moves. This is great for survivability against scary things like Skarmory or later, the Regis. But you have to watch out. Absol’s own survivability isn't infinite. While it has that cool, edgy Dark-type resistance, it's physically a bit of a glass cannon. If you let it wander into a room full of Fighting-types in Magma Underground, it’s going to have a bad time.
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Moveset Madness: Making Absol Actually Good
A lot of players complain that Dark types got the short end of the stick in Generation III mechanics. Remember, back then, Dark moves were always Special. Absol’s Special Attack? Not great. Its Physical Attack? Huge.
This means that Bite and Faint Attack—which are Absol’s bread and butter—don't actually hit as hard as you’d think because they calculate off that lower Special stat. It’s annoying. You’ve got this legendary-looking disaster dog and it’s doing mediocre damage with its STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves.
How do you fix it? You have to get creative with TMs.
- Shadow Ball: Even though it's Ghost-type, in Gen 3 PMD, this is a ranged move. Giving Absol range is like giving a sniper a better scope. It changes everything.
- Iron Tail: High risk, high reward. The accuracy is shaky, but it hits like a truck.
- Quick Attack: This is actually the secret MVP. It lets Absol attack from one tile away, meaning it can hit an enemy while standing behind your lead Pokemon.
Basically, if you’re still using the default moveset by the time you reach Sky Tower, you’re playing on hard mode. Go find some TMs.
The Recruitment Myth
Some people think you can find another Absol later if you happen to dismiss the story one. Don't do that. Just don't. While you can technically find Absol as a wild spawn in certain post-game dungeons like Western Cave (floors 40-49), the recruitment rate is abysmal.
We are talking about a base recruitment rate of around -19%. That means unless your leader is Level 90+ and holding a Friend Bow, you are effectively never going to see a "wild" Absol join your team. The one you get at Frosty Grotto is a gift from the gaming gods. Treat it with respect.
Is Absol Actually "Good" for the Post-Game?
Honestly? It depends on your patience.
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The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team Absol has a weird leveling curve. It starts strong, but around level 40, it begins to plateau compared to "pseudo-legendaries" like Tyranitar or Dragonite. However, its IQ group is Group C. This is a solid group. It gets "Course Checker," which prevents it from wasting moves if an enemy is out of range, and "Concentrator," which boosts accuracy at the cost of some evasion.
If you are planning to tackle the 99-floor slog of Purity Forest, Absol isn't your guy. It’s too reliant on items and specific setups. But for the story-heavy post-game—like chasing down Entei, Raikou, and Suicune—Absol is a fantastic secondary attacker.
The real value of Absol isn't just stats, though. It's the lore. This Pokemon felt like a third protagonist. In a game about being an outcast, Absol is the ultimate outcast. It’s a Pokemon that everyone fears because it "brings" disasters, when it’s actually just trying to warn people. Sound familiar? It’s a mirror to your own character's journey of being accused of the world's destruction.
Stats at a Glance (Level 28 Start)
When you first get it, the stats look something like this (though they vary slightly based on your specific save's growth RNG):
- HP: ~70-80
- Attack: Very High
- Defense: Middling
- Sp. Attack: Low-Medium
- Sp. Defense: Decent
You’ll notice the Physical Attack is the standout. You want to lean into that. Hard.
The Best Way to Use Absol in Sky Tower
Sky Tower is the "final" hurdle of the main story. It’s 25 floors of pain, followed by another 9 floors of even more pain. Most of the enemies are Flying or Dragon types.
Absol is surprisingly useful here because it can take a hit from a Shuppet or a Banette without flinching, thanks to that Dark typing. If you’ve managed to find a TM for Thunderbolt (yes, Absol can learn it), you can actually turn it into a weird anti-air battery. It's not the "optimal" way to play, but it works, and it’s fun.
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The biggest threat to Absol in the late game is actually Aerodactyl. Pressure vs. Pressure is a nightmare. You’ll find your PP disappearing in about four rooms if you aren't carrying a stack of Max Elixirs.
What Most People Get Wrong About Absol
The biggest misconception is that Absol is a "Legendary" or "Special" Pokemon in the same vein as Mewtwo or Articuno. It’s not. It’s a regular Pokemon with a very special story trigger.
Because of this, players often expect it to have massive HP pools or "broken" abilities. It doesn't. It’s a tool. If you use it like a blunt instrument, it will break. If you use it as a tactical support attacker that stays behind your "tank" (like a high-defense Blastoise or Torterra if you’re playing the remake), it excels.
Another thing: people forget to link moves. Linking a move like Leer with a Physical move like Quick Attack or Bite is a classic PMD strategy. It lowers the enemy's defense and hits them in the same turn. Since Absol has such high natural Attack, this combo can one-shot almost any non-boss enemy in the Magma Underground or Sky Tower.
How to Maximize Your Absol’s Potential
If you've decided to keep Absol on your main roster, you need to do a few things immediately after the credits roll:
- Gummis are Life: Feed it as many Gray Gummis as you can find. You want those IQ skills unlocked. Specifically, you want "Nontraver" so it doesn't accidentally walk into lava or water and get stuck.
- The Friend Bow: If you ever decide you want a second Absol for some reason, go to Mt. Faraway and get the Friend Bow. But honestly, just stick with the story one.
- Stat Boosters: Use your Protein on Absol. Since its movepool is mostly physical (if you're playing it right), boosting that Attack stat even further makes it a monster.
Absol is the "cool kid" of the Blue Rescue Team roster. It’s edgy, it’s got a great design, and it saves your skin when the rest of the world thinks you're a human-turned-Pokemon freak who’s destroying the planet.
Practical Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re booting up your DS or firing up an emulator for a nostalgia trip, here is how you handle the Absol situation:
- Prepare for Frosty Grotto: Bring plenty of Apples and a couple of Reviver Seeds. Articuno is a beast. Once you win, the Absol cutscene triggers automatically.
- Don't Dismiss It: When the game asks if you want Absol to join, say yes. If you say no, you've just lost one of the best free units in the game.
- Check the Movepool: Immediately swap out any useless moves. If it has something like Leer or Taunt, consider if you're actually going to use the "link" mechanic. If not, replace them with TMs.
- Positioning: Set Absol's tactic to "Follow Me." This keeps it close. You don't want it wandering off into a Monster House alone. It’s good, but it’s not that good.
Absol isn't just a Pokemon in this game; it’s a symbol. It represents the moment the story gets serious. Whether you use it as your main "third" or just keep it in the Friend Area (Great Glacier) as a souvenir of your journey, there’s no denying it’s one of the most iconic parts of the Mystery Dungeon experience.
Next time you’re heading into the Magma Underground to face Groudon, give the disaster-bringer a chance. You might be surprised at how often it saves your life. Just keep it away from the Machamps. Seriously. One Cross Chop and it’s game over for our white-furred friend. High attack is great, but it doesn't mean much if you’re fainted on the floor. Take it slow, play smart, and let Absol do what it does best: sensing trouble before it hits.