Copycat (move): Difference between revisions

Copycat (Japanese: まねっこ Imitate) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation IV.

Effect

Generation IV

Copycat causes the user to use the last move that was used in the battle (even if the last move was by the user). If no move has been made, Copycat fails. If the copied move's target is not the user, an appropriate target is randomly chosen.

The last-used move is updated whenever any Pokémon attempts to use a move.

• If a move successfully executes (generally, if the text "<Pokémon> used <move>!" is shown), that move becomes the last-used move. This is regardless of the move's result—whether it hit or missed or its effect was successful or failed (such as a Light Screen that fails because the previous Light Screen has not expired).
  • Some moves that require multiple turns to execute do not count as valid moves in all of their turns. If Copycat executes after a turn when a move was not considered valid, Copycat will fail.
    • Charging moves: the initial turn does not count as a valid move.
    • Recharging moves: the recharge turn does not count as a valid move.
    • Bide: the final turn does not count as a valid move.
  • If any move calls another, the calling move is counted as the last move used instead of the called move.
    • However, this only applies to the turn when the calling move was selected to be used. If a called move requires multiple turns to execute in full (such as Bide, Dig, or Thrash), it may vaildly become the last-used move in subsequent turns.
• If a Pokémon tries to use a move but is prevented by a status condition or effect (such as sleep, paralysis, or flinching), the last-used move becomes invalid and Copycat will fail if it executes next.

Copycat will fail if any of the following moves are the last move:

Generation V

If any move successfully calls another, the called move now counts as the last move used instead of the calling move.

The last move used is now unaffected if a Pokémon tries to use a move but is prevented by a status condition or effect. In other words, the last-used move remains what it was before the Pokémon's turn.

Charging moves, recharging moves, and Bide no longer have invalid turns that will cause Copycat to fail. Instead, charging moves and Bide can be copied on any turn, while recharging moves are ignored on their recharge turn (the last move used remains whatever it was before the recharge message appeared).

Copycat will fail if any of the following moves are the last move:

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Check ban list; probably similar to Assist

Generation VI

Copycat will fail if any of the following moves are the last move:

This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Check ban list; probably similar to Assist, but some (such as Dig) is definitely different

Description

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
122		Mr. Mime	Psychic	Fairy	4				4			4
173		Cleffa	Fairy		Fairy	13				13			13
174		Igglybuff	Normal	Fairy	17				17			17 11
185		Sudowoodo	Rock		Rock	1				1			1
238		Smoochum	Ice	Psychic	38				41			41
300		Skitty	Normal		Normal	11		18	18			18 19
311		Plusle	Electric		Electric	24				24			24 22
312		Minun	Electric		Electric	24				24			24 22
327		Spinda	Normal		Normal	10				10			10 5
438		Bonsly	Rock		Rock	1				1			1
439		Mime Jr.	Psychic	Fairy	4				4			4
440		Happiny	Normal		Normal	5				5			5
447		Riolu	Fighting		Fighting	29				29	19	19
481		Mesprit	Psychic		Psychic	61				61			1, 61
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Type		Father
					II		III		IV		V		VI
298		Azurill	Normal	Fairy	no				no
427		Buneary	Normal		Normal	no
501		Oshawott	Water		Water	no
509		Purrloin	Dark		Dark	no				no
570		Zorua	Dark		Dark	no				no
669		Flabébé	Fairy		Fairy	no				no
684		Swirlix	Fairy		Fairy	no				no
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

In other games

Description

In the anime

Riolu; copying Leaf Blade Riolu; copying a Fire-type move Lucario; copying a Steel-type move Riolu; copying Air Cutter
The user copies the opponent's last move and uses it.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	After the opponent has used a move, Riolu becomes surrounded in a waving aura of light. It then recalls how the opponent used the move, one of its eyes twinkles, and it uses the same move as the opponent just used. The color of the aura depends on which type of move Riolu is copying.
Cameron's Riolu	Mission: Defeat Your Rival!		Debut
	When it sees its opponent about to use an attack, Lucario becomes surrounded in a waving aura of light. It then recalls how the opponent is using the move, and it uses the same move as the opponent is using. The color of the aura depends on which type of move Lucario is copying.
Cameron's Lucario	A Unova League Evolution!		None

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Mime Jr.
The user imitates the opponent's attacks.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Mime Jr. copies the move used by the opponent.
Ken's Mime Jr.	All About Arceus IX		Debut

In other generations

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 仿造 Fǎngzào French Photocopie German Imitator Greek Αντιγραφή Antigrafí Italian Copione Korean 흉내쟁이 Hyungnaejaeng'i Polish Imitacja Portuguese Copiar Spanish Copión

Variations of the move Mirror Move
Mirror Move • Copycat

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.