Just about anyone can take a look at Temtem and make the obvious connection to Pokemon inspiration here. That said, it is not a complete copy. There are some new creative liberties taken in the making of this game. One of them comes in the form of Grappling Techniques, which you’ll find immediately from the start of the game. Here is an explanation of how Holds work in Temtem.
Related: How to reset your character and start a new game in Temtem
What are holding techniques in Temtem?
Holding Techniques are attacks your Temtem has that must be charged up before they can be used. You can tell how close you are to being able to use it by the counter on the left side of the card. The redaction will be grayed out if it is not available and will not allow you to use it until it is ready. By the time it’s ready, all counters and text will light up. Not all moves have Holds, but some can last up to three turns.
Once you have a grappling technique ready, you can use it once and the counter will reset, forcing you to wait that number of turns again before you can use it again. It’s a continually updated system and will be something you keep in mind in every battle you get involved in. Switch a Temtem into battle and the Cheer Up technique will use a standby turn.
The reason Holds is in the game is so you don’t spam your favorite technique every battle. As for Pokémon, you can often get a powerful move that can quickly take out your enemies. In Temtem, you have to be a bit more methodical with your approach to battle. This will also make you pay much more attention to the attacks your Temtem knows so you don’t go several rounds without being able to use your main attacks.
