What it does
Ancient Power is a Rock-type special move with a roughly 10% chance to raise the user's Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed all by one stage simultaneously. The trigger rate is low, but when it fires, it's an extraordinary reward — five stat boosts in one turn, no setup required.
The primary value is Rock-type coverage: it hits Flying, Fire, Ice, and Bug types super-effectively. For special attackers who run their damage through Special Attack, this is the cleanest Rock-coverage option available.
Who runs it
Charizard (12%) carries Ancient Power in certain sets for Rock coverage. Its Flying/Fire dual typing makes it vulnerable to Rock moves, but Ancient Power flips that to threaten opponent Flying types back. Because Charizard has solid Special Attack, even the base power translates to meaningful damage. A 10% all-stats trigger on a Pokemon with high attack and special attack is huge — one trigger can push Charizard from threatening to overwhelming.
Aurorus (33%) is an Ice/Rock type, so Ancient Power is straight-up STAB offense for it. Aurorus's Special Attack is enough to make the base power matter, not just coverage. Among the five stats that boost on a trigger, Speed is the most valuable on a slow Pokemon like Aurorus — in non-Trick Room setups, a Speed +1 can flip who's moving first against several targets it would otherwise trail. In doubles, Aurorus often operates in Trick Room or support configurations; an Ancient Power trigger is an instant upgrade from support role to direct threat.
How to use it
Coverage first, trigger second: The move earns its slot through Rock-type coverage. The 10% all-stats raise is a bonus, not the reason to run it. Don't fish for the trigger by using it into poor matchups — pick the right target for the coverage hit, and accept that the trigger might or might not happen.
If it triggers: In doubles, +1 to all stats in one turn changes the math on almost everything. Targets you couldn't one-shot before come into range. Hits that would have knocked you out fall short. If you get a trigger in the mid-game, immediately look for your highest-impact follow-up — the window where you're boosted on all dimensions doesn't last forever.
Target selection: Use it on targets you actually beat super-effectively. Against Water, Grass, Steel, or Fighting types, Rock coverage does reduced damage and you're just wasting the trigger chance on a weak hit.
Tips & strategy
Don't build around the 10% trigger: If you need reliable setup, run a dedicated setup move. Ancient Power is coverage that occasionally supercharges you — that's its role, not a primary setup tool.
Rock's defensive weaknesses: Water, Grass, Steel, and Fighting resist Rock or take reduced damage. Avoid using Ancient Power into those matchups; save it for the targets it actually pressures.
Speed boost is the key stat for Aurorus: Among the five stats that trigger on Aurorus, Speed is the one that restructures the game the most. A Pokemon that was consistently moving second suddenly moves first against several opponents. If Aurorus isn't running Trick Room, that Speed +1 from an Ancient Power trigger is worth significantly more than the Defense or Special Defense raises in terms of practical impact.