Arceus (アルセウス, Aruseusu, Arseus in original Japanese language versions) is the 493rd of the Template:Pokenum fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar^[1] Pokémon media franchise – a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media, created by Satoshi Tajiri. Arceus is one of the legendary Pokémon that premiers in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The purpose of Arceus in the games, anime and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.^[2]

Its name may come from the Greek deity Zeus, king of the gods. The spelling of its name contains the Japanese word aru meaning "a certain". The phonetically spelled version of its name could be translated as "a certain Zeus" or alternatively it can be interpreted as a combination of Aru and Deus, the Latin word for god, "a certain God"; it may also be linked to "archangel". The English name may be a corruption of "archeus". The name could also be derived from the Latin Arcus, or "rainbow", due to the fact that its type is variable.

Arceus is based on the legend of Pangu. Arceus is an equine being with a divine appearance. Its main fur color is white with dark gray on its belly and underneath its flowing mane. Its face bears a resemblance to Dialga and Palkia, only with green eyes with yellow irises and slit pupils, like those of a snake. It has a green spot on its cheeks. On its head it has two upturned horns and a long flowing mane a bit like Darkrai's, only white with dark gray underneath. Arceus has a segmented body separated into its torso, abdomen, and hindquarters. Its torso is oddly shaped; it is long and has four protusions jutting out of the sides of a central mass of muscle in the middle of the torso. Its forelegs are connected to its torso and look like a Delcatty's legs. The legs become thicker halfway down and end in pointed golden hooves. Its abdomen is oval-shaped and plain, not having the gray underbelly that the torso had. On its abdomen is some sort of golden wheel which changes color depending on the type of Plate it is holding. The wheel is composed of a circle in the middle with two gold spikes that hold the wheel to Arceus' body on the sides. Four thin golden spikes jut out from the sides of the circle at diagonal angles, forming an X or cross. Two golden semi-circles connect the lower left spike to the upper left spike and the same goes for the upper and lower right spikes. There are four green dots at the places where the semicircles and spikes connect. The hindquarters are plain and bear no significant traits other than a tail that looks exactly like Arceus' mane and two hindlegs that look exactly like the forelegs.

Arceus is referenced throughout the game as the "Original One." The legend of Arceus is found in a book called "The Original Story" on the top floor of the Canalave Library. The following is the text found in the library concerning Arceus' birth and creation of the world:

"In the beginning, there was only a churning turmoil of chaos. At the heart of the chaos, where all things became one, appeared an Egg. Having tumbled from the vortex, the Egg gave rise to the Original One. From itself, two beings the Original One did make. Time started to spin. Space began to expand. From itself, three living things the Original One did make. The two beings wished, and from them, matter came to be. The three living things wished, and from them, spirit came to be. The world created, the Original One took to unyielding sleep..."

Another book on the same floor, called "Sinnoh Myth", tells a story about Arceus and when it will appear. The following is text from the book:

"Betray not your anger, lest ??? will come. Weep not with sorrow, or ??? will draw near. When joy and enjoyment come natural as the very air, that is happiness. Let such be blessed by the hand of Master ???. Those words were spoken often as customary."

Arceus made its first appearance in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS, along with many other Pokémon. It is one of two Normal-type legendary Pokémon, along with Regigigas, and has the highest combined stats of any existing Pokémon. Its high Attack and Special Attack allow it to unleash powerful attacks while also utilizing its high defenses in order to withstand powerful attacks from other Pokémon. It can learn almost any TM or HM move (thus putting it in a league with Mew) , excluding attacks involving arms, which it lacks (Though oddly enough, in Pokémon Diamond it is said to have created the universe with its 1,000 arms, although it may have been meant metaphorically.)^[3] .

Arceus possesses an ability unique to itself: Multitype, an ability introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl; the ability changes Arceus' type, as well as its appearance, according to the plate (out of 16) attached; for example, if the Flame Plate were attached to Arceus, it would become a Fire type, and parts of it would become red. The plates encompass all of the existing types of Pokémon, except for the Normal type, as Arceus' original type is Normal. Additionally, when the Sky Plate is held by Arceus, it will become a pure Flying type, making this one of the few instances of a pure Flying-type Pokémon (Kecleon's Color Change ability and the Porygon line's Conversion2 move also allow this). Furthermore, this ability marks the first time that every type is represented in a legendary Pokémon (or any Pokémon, for that matter, other than Mew, which may learn any move). Arceus' signature move, Judgement, works hand in hand with these plates, changing type depending upon the plate held. Arceus is also the only one who can learn this move, and it learns it only at level 100.^[4]

Oddly, although there is no plate allowing Arceus to take on such a transformation, there is a sprite in the game corresponding to the ???-type.

Arceus is obtained via an event, in which the player receives the key item "Azure Flute". The player then climbs Mt. Coronet to reach the Spear Pillar where Dialga or Palkia was encountered. Standing on the mysterious symbol before the pillars, an option will pop up to ask if the player would like to play the Azure Flute. After selecting yes, a flight of shining stairs will open up leading to a higher ground known as the Hall of Origin. The player then walks along the path and Arceus will be waiting at the end of it, at Level 80, making it the strongest wild Pokémon yet available for capture.

• Official Pokémon website
• Arceus as a species on Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric wiki)
• Template:Serebiidex
• PsyPoke Pokédex entry

Template:Legendary pokémon