The treasures of ruin[a] (Japanese: 災いの宝Wazawai no Takara, "treasures of calamity"), also known as Calamity Pokémon[b] (Japanese: 災厄ポケモンSaiyaku Pokemon, "Disaster Pokémon"), are a quartet of Legendary Pokémon consisting of Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu. The four Pokémon are individually referred to by the same names as their signature abilities: The Tablets of Ruin, Sword of Ruin, Vessel of Ruin, and Beads of Ruin, respectively.[c] They originated in an unknown land, but currently reside in the Paldea region. Each Pokémon appears to draw prominent inspiration from Chinese culture and history, which may reference the centuries of contact between China and Portugal (one of two likely inspirations for the Paldea region, alongside Spain).
Shared design
The four treasures of ruin share a primary type, Dark; a category, "Ruinous Pokémon"; and a signature move, Ruination. Their signature Abilities are all variations of each other, sharing the effect of lowering a certain stat by 25% for all Pokémon on the field except themselves when they are in battle. Their names are all derived from Chinese.
History
The four treasures of ruin were once normal objects originated from a distant land in the east of Paldea. These four treasures were a set of wooden tablets, a sword, a vessel, and a set of beads. As time passed, each of the treasures were corrupted by negative human emotions: grudge, hatred, fear, and envy respectively, gaining life and cladding themselves in dead leaves, snow and ice, dirt and rocks, and fire to create their respective bodies, becoming the Legendary PokémonWo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu.
One day, in the ancient times of Paldea, a merchant came from the east in possession of these four treasures, traveled to the Paldea region, and presented them to the Paldean king. In excitement, the treasure-obsessed king quickly bought them all, keeping them in his castle with his other treasures. The king's greed, however, eventually caused the four treasures to awaken, transforming into their Pokémon forms. The four Legendary Pokémon went berserk and caused a disaster that completely destroyed the castle and almost the entire kingdom afterwards.
Eventually though, the four of them were defeated and sealed away in different shrines scattered across the Paldea region by Pokémon wielders called out by the Paldean king. Wo-Chien was sealed within the Grasswither Shrine, Chien-Pao within the Icerend Shrine, Ting-Lu within the Groundblight Shrine, and Chi-Yu within the Firescourge Shrine.
The four treasures of ruin are scattered across Paldea, sealed in special shrines. Wo-Chien's can be found in South Province (Area One), Chien-Pao's can be found in West Province (Area One), Ting-Lu's can be found in the Socarrat Trail, and Chi-Yu's can be found in North Province (Area Two). Their shrines are usually locked, but can be unlocked after pulling out eight different stakes scattered across their respective areas. Upon pulling out all stakes, their shrines will unlock and the respective Pokémon can be called out to battle by interacting with their shrines.
The Shiny version of the treasures of ruin were encounterable in four limited Poké Portal News events as 5 Star Tera Raids. During the Tera Raid Battle event, neither of the four can be captured and said events ends on September 30, 2025 respectively. Challenge the Shiny Tablets of Ruin event lasts from Friday, August 8, 2025 to Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Challenge the Shiny Sword of Ruin event lasts from August 22, 2025 to Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Challenge the Shiny Vessel of Ruin event lasts from September 5, 2025, to September 30, 2025. Challenge the Shiny Beads of Ruin event lasts from September 19, 2025 to September 30, 2025. Defeating any of this battles one million times will grant players the respective Shiny Pokémon to be obtained though Mystery Gift rewards at the following times.
While none of the treasures of ruin have appeared in Pokémon Adventures so far, Scarlet, who is a treasure hunter, is battling Paldea's Gym Leaders in search of information about them. In PASV10, it's revealed that Scarlet is seeking the treasures for one of her clients. Later on, it's revealed that her client is Uva Academy's history teacher Raifort, who wants to capture them and bring them under control so they can't spread ruin in case they're released into the world. She also reveals that to unseal the treasure, Scarlet will need another Pokémon with a special power, the Iron Serpent.
Song names marked with an asterisk are unofficial, as they have not received a soundtrack release.
Trivia
The treasures of ruin share similarities to the guardian deities:
They are a quartet of Legendary Pokémon situated in a particular region.
Both quartets share a base stat total of 570.
Each quartet has a shared type: the treasures of ruin share the Dark type, while the guardian deities share the Fairy type.
The respective quartets' signature moves, Ruination and Nature's Madness, are differently typed variations of each other, both being moves that deal damage equivalent to half the target's remaining HP.
Both quartets also share variations of given Abilities: the treasures of ruin all have variations of Abilities that lower a stat of all other Pokémon on the field when they are present, while the guardian deities all share Abilities that summon a different type of terrain upon entering battle.
Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu all have their names romanized in the Wade–Giles format in English, Spanish, and Italian. In French and German, their names are instead romanized in the Hanyu Pinyin format, with their respective names being Chongjian, Baojian, Dinglu, and Yuyu respectively in those languages.
↑These Pokémon are consistently referred to as the "treasures of ruin" by Raifort in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The term is also used in a description in Pokémon HOME. "Pokémon known as the treasures of ruin, sealed away with sacred stakes."
↑From the name of their battle theme in Nintendo Music, "Battle! (Calamity Pokémon)".
↑Referred to in game as well as in promotional material for events, e.g. "Challenge the Shiny Tablets of Ruin!"
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
