Pokémon ORAS Air Balloons: How To Get Them + How They Work

Air Balloon effect in battle (Pokémon Alpha Sapphire)

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Air Balloons can only be obtained at the Battle Maison’s Exchange Service Corner in exchange for 48 BP.

The Air Balloon is a held item that makes the holder ungrounded, making them immune to Ground-type moves. The item works similarly to the ability Levitate.

However, if the holder is hit by any move, the Air Balloon pops and is destroyed. When that happens, you will be vulnerable to Ground-type moves again. The item works well with Pokémon who are 4x weak to Ground-types like Magnezone or Heatran.

Air Balloons from the BP Shop

Outside the Battle Maison Replica / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Outside the Battle Maison Replica

This method requires you to have access to the Battle Maison, located at the Battle Resort. It’s the island accessible after the player obtains the S.S. Ticket, which is obtained after completing the Delta Episode.

The Battle Maison is a battle facility like the Battle Tower in other generations. Winning battles here grant BP or Battle Points, which you can exchange for various items at the Exchange Service Corner, located in the entrance hall.

Exchanging BP for useful items / Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Exchanging BP for useful items

Two attendants sell different types of rare items for BP.

The left attendant sells Vitamins, EV training items, and evolution items. The right attendant sells held items used in battle, including Air Balloons.

Here’s a complete list of items offered as prizes by the attendant on the right:

Item Price Item Price
Flame Orb 16 BP Choice Band 48 BP
Toxic Orb 16 BP Choice Scarf 48 BP
Absorb Bulb 32 BP Choice Specs 48 BP
Cell Battery 32 BP Expert Belt 48 BP
Eject Button 32 BP Focus Band 48 BP
Luminous Moss 32 BP Focus Sash 48 BP
Power Herb 32 BP Iron Ball 48 BP
Red Card 32 BP Life Orb 48 BP
Ring Target 32 BP Muscle Band 48 BP
Snowball 32 BP Razor Claw 48 BP
Weakness Policy 32 BP Razor Fang 48 BP
White Herb 32 BP Safety Goggles 48 BP
Air Balloon 48 BP Scope Lens 48 BP
Assault Vest 48 BP Wide Lens 48 BP
Binding Band 48 BP Wise Glasses 48 BP
Bright Powder 48 BP Zone Lens 48 BP

Is the Air Balloon Worth Using?

While Air Balloon isn’t a bad item, it’s not that good either.

Since the game notifies your opponent when you have a Pokémon with Air Balloon, leading a team with an Air Balloon holder is not a good idea.

It can be helpful if you can successfully predict an opponent’s Ground-type move when you switch to your Air Balloon holder. However, this is still very risky since you can end up popping your Air Balloon immediately.

StormSwampert

274 articles

Though he spends most of his time playing a wide variety of games, Pokémon has always been his favorite. When he’s not playing games or writing guides, you can find him watching anime and collecting trading cards.

View Writer's Posts →