View source for Power

{{samename|performance stat|Performance#Power|Performance}}
'''Power''' is a property of [[move]]s that helps determine how much [[damage]] they deal. It is seen primarily in the {{pkmn|games}}, but it is touched upon in the [[Pokémon anime]].

==Overview==
Moves with more power inflict more damage. Statistically, the more damage a move inflicts, the more likely it will either have a lower [[accuracy]], a negative effect for the user like [[recoil]] damage, or a lower [[Power points|PP]] (though some strong outliers exist, such as {{m|Extrasensory}}; these are often [[signature moves]]). How much power a move has can be seen in the Pokémon stats screen{{tt|*|except in Generation I}}, in the move section, along with accuracy.

==Damage modification==
{{main|Damage modification}}

Power can be altered by some degree by [[damage modification]] that depends on the current status of the battle.

===Type effectiveness===
{{main|Type chart}}

The [[type]] of the defending Pokémon affects the power of the move. If a move is super effective, the base power is doubled. If it is not very effective, damage is halved. These can stack to ¼ or 4×. If a move doesn't affect an opponent's type, all that move's power is 0.
For example, if a {{p|Noctowl}} used {{m|Shadow Ball}} on a {{p|Gallade}}, it would be super effective, because Gallade is {{t|Fighting}} (normal protection) and {{t|Psychic}} (weak protection) and would have a power of 160. However if Noctowl were to use the move {{m|Silver Wind}} on a Gallade, the Psychic type's weakness to {{t|Bug}} moves and fighting's resistance to them would cancel out, and the attack would deal out 60 power.

===Same-type attack bonus===
{{main|Same-type attack bonus}}

Same-type attack bonus also affects a move's power. If a {{type|Water}} Pokémon used a Water-type move, it would gain STAB, which increases power by 50%. For instance, if a {{p|Gyarados}} used {{m|Waterfall}}, instead of 80 power, it would be 120.

===Abilities===
{{main|Ability}}

Some [[Ability|Abilities]] can increase a user's power as well. {{a|Pure Power}} is one example that boosts Attack, thus indirectly boosting power. Abilities can also boost a specific [[type]]'s power.

===Items===
Several hold items can also boost power. [[Stat-enhancing item]]s can increase {{Stat|Attack}} or {{Stat|Special Attack}}, while [[type-enhancing item]]s increase moves of a certain type's power.

===Critical hits===
{{main|Damage modification#Critical hit|Critical hit}}

Critical hits have a 6.25% chance of occurring under normal circumstances, and increase a move's power by {{tt|1.5×|2× before Gen VI}} for one hit, and {{tt|2.25×|3× before Gen VI}} if the attacking Pokémon has the Ability Sniper. This can also stack with effectiveness and other modifiers.

==Moves with varying or no power==
For moves that deal no damage, deal damage with varying power, deal fixed damage, or deal varying damage, the power is indicated by "&mdash;".

===No damage===
Almost all [[status move]]s, such as {{m|Growl}} and {{m|Confuse Ray}}, deal no damage. Instead, they have a different effect like inflicting a [[status ailment]].

===Fixed damage===
Moves that deal a fixed amount of damage do not display power, and are not modified by the above. {{m|SonicBoom}}, for example, has a power of "&mdash;" because it always does 20 damage if it hits.

===Variable damage===
When a move varies in damage, it will also have "&mdash;". {{m|Psywave}} is a prime example, as it deals a randomly-selected amount of damage (based on the user's [[level]]), therefore its power rating cannot be predicted. {{m|Pain Split}} is another move that inflicts variable damage, as both the user's and the target's {{stat|Hit points}} affect it. In addition, [[one-hit knockout move]]s make the opponent faint if they hit.

===Variable power===
Variable power moves, such as {{m|Reversal}} or {{m|Rollout}}, are affected by STAB and type effectiveness modifiers, just like regular moves with fixed power, but also have another factor like using a different move beforehand.

==Range==
The power of damaging moves currently ranges (inclusively) between 10 and 250, with many different amounts in between. The highest powered move in the games, as of [[Generation V]], is {{m|Explosion}}, with a permanent base power of 250. The lowest powered moves include {{m|Constrict}}, {{m|Fury Cutter}}{{tt|*|Only on the first consecutive hit and only Generation II-IV}} and {{m|Triple Kick}}{{tt|*|Only on the first consecutive hit}} with base powers of 10. However, in [[Generation I]], there is a glitch move with a base power 255.

However, the aforementioned varying moves can have higher powers than this. For example, {{m|Spit Up}} has a base power of 300 when {{m|Stockpile}} has been used three times beforehand.

As of Generation IV, the average move power across the set of all moves with a set power (for example, excluding {{m|Magnitude}}) is 72.15. The most frequent move power is 80.
===In the [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon|Mystery Dungeon]] series===
{{incomplete|section|needs=screenshot of move information screen, and highest/lowest move ratings}}
Rather than assigning a numerical value for power, moves in the Mystery Dungeon series are assigned a number of stars to indicate their power, and more stars indicates more power for that particular move. For example, {{m|Scratch}} has a rating of [[File:PMD_Star_IV.png]][[File:PMD_Star_IV.png]][[File:PMD_Star_IV.png]][[File:PMD_Star IV.png]].

==Trivia==
* In [[Generation I]], there was no way to see a move's power on-screen. This was rectified in [[Generation II]], though.
* In both Generations I and II, however, there was no way to see a move's power while in battle through the battle summary. This was fixed in [[Generation III]].
* As of Generation V, the move with the highest consistent power after all damage modifications is {{m|V-create}}. If a {{type|Fire}} Pokémon has the [[Ability]] {{a|Adaptability}} (which is impossible without {{tt|Ability|With assistance from Trace, Entrainment, Role Play, or Skill Swap}} or {{tt|type changing|with assistance from Reflect Type or Color Change}}), is holding a {{DL|Gem|Fire Gem}}, and uses V-create against a Pokémon with the {{a|Dry Skin}} Ability that has a double weakness to Fire (such as {{p|Paras}}) while it is {{weather|sunny}}, the move will reach an effective power of 4050.

==See also==
* [[Accuracy]]
* [[Move]]

{{Project Games notice|game mechanic}}

[[Category:Moves|*]]
[[Category:Game mechanics]]

[[it:Potenza]]

[[de:Stärke (Attackeneigenschaft)]]
[[pl:Power]]
[[zh:威力]]