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Contact

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Revision as of 17:33, 14 December 2013 by Cold (talk | contribs)
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Contact or direct attack is a term used to describe the condition when one Pokémon in a battle physically touches the opponent in order to deal damage.

Up until Generation IV, moves that made contact could be either physical or special with damage dealing for moves that made contact depending on the move's type. However, since the distinction between physical and special are no longer based on type, most moves that make contact are physical. All status moves do not make contact. The use of contact-based moves can be affected directly by certain Abilities of the foe, such as Cute Charm and Effect Spore, and indirectly by certain attackers' Abilities, like Guts. The use of contact moves can also trigger several items. Contact can also be used to spread Pokérus.

Hitting a substitute does not make contact with the Pokémon behind it.

List of physical moves that do not make contact

These are physical moves that do not make contact.

Move Type
Attack Order  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Barrage  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Beat Up  Dark  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Bonemerang  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Bone Club  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Bone Rush  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Bulldoze  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Bullet Seed  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Earthquake  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Egg Bomb  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Explosion  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Feint  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Fissure  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Fling  Dark  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Freeze Shock  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Fusion Bolt  Electric  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Gear Grind  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Gunk Shot  Poison  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Ice Shard  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Icicle Crash  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Icicle Spear  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Magnet Bomb  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Magnitude  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Metal Burst  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Natural Gift  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Pay Day  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Poison Sting  Poison  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Pin Missile  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Present  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Psycho Cut  Psychic  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Razor Leaf  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Rock Blast  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Rock Slide  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Rock Throw  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Rock Tomb  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Rock Wrecker  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Sacred Fire  Fire  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Sand Tomb  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Secret Power  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Seed Bomb  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Sky Attack  Flying  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Spike Cannon  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Self-Destruct  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Smack Down  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Stone Edge  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Twineedle  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

Also, while confusion damage is physical, it does not make contact.

List of special moves that make contact

These are special moves that do make contact.

Move Type
Draining Kiss  Fairy  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Final Gambit  Fighting  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Grass Knot  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Infestation  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Petal Dance  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Trump Card  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}
Wring Out  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

Effects involving contact

Moves

Name Effect
King's Shield Decreases attacker's Attack two stages if a contact move is attempted to be used on the Pokémon.
Spiky Shield Damages attacker if a contact move is attempted to be used on the Pokémon.

Abilities

Name Effect
Aftermath If a contact-based move faints a Pokémon with this Ability, the attacker loses 1/4 of their max HP.
Cute Charm Has a 30% chance of infatuating an attacker on contact.
Effect Spore Has a 30% chance of inducing either Poison, Paralysis, or Sleep in an attacker on contact.
Flame Body Has a 30% chance of burning an attacker on contact.
Gooey Lowers the attacker's Speed by one stage on contact.
Iron Barbs Damages an attacker for 1/8 of their max HP on contact.
Mummy Replaces the attacker's Ability with Mummy until returned.
Pickpocket Steals the attacker's held item on contact.
Poison Point Has a 30% chance of poisoning an attacker on contact.
Poison Touch Each contact-based hit from a Pokémon with this Ability has a 30% chance of poisoning the target.
Rough Skin Damages an attacker for 1/8 of their max HP on contact.
Static Has a 30% chance of paralyzing an attacker on contact.
Tough Claws Boosts the power of contact moves.

Items

Name Effect
Bag Rocky Helmet Sprite.png Rocky Helmet Damages the attacking Pokémon for 1/6 of their max HP on contact.
Bag Sticky Barb Sprite.png Sticky Barb Damages holder each turn for 1/8 of their max HP. May transfer to attacker when holder is hit by a contact move.

Trivia

  • In all of the console games except Pokémon Battle Revolution, battle animations for moves that make contact don't show the attacking Pokémon hitting the defending one at all; however, in the handheld games, it differs from attack to attack.

See also

Project Games logo.png This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.
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