Assist (move)

Assist ねこのて Cat's Paw

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Battles Type  Normal Category  Status PP  20 (max. 32) Power  — Accuracy  —% Priority  {{{priority}}} Does not make contact Not affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Not affected by Mirror Move Not affected by King's Rock

Target Foe Foe Foe Self Ally Ally Affects the user

Availability Introduced  Generation III Not a TM, HM, or Move Tutor move.

Contests Category  Cute Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  0   The appeal's quality depends on its timing.

Super Contests Category  Cute Appeal  2 ♥♥ Makes the order of contestants random in the next turn.

Assist on Legendary Pokémon MoveDex Assist on Eevee's Movedex

Assist (Japanese: ねこのて Cat's Paw) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation III, in which it was Skitty's signature move.

Effect

Generation III

Assist randomly selects one of the moves known by the user's party allies (including fainted Pokémon), and executes the move. A move called up by Assist counts as the last move used. A Pokémon will be able to use a move that is disabled in its own moveset if called via Assist.

Assist will not call itself or any of the following moves in this generation of games:

Move Type Counter  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} Covet  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Destiny Bond  Ghost  Status {{{3}}} Detect  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} Endure  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Focus Punch  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} Follow Me  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Helping Hand  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Metronome  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mimic  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mirror Coat  Psychic  Status {{{3}}} Mirror Move  Flying  Status {{{3}}} Protect  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sketch  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sleep Talk  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Snatch  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Struggle  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Thief  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Trick  Psychic  Status {{{3}}}

Generation IV

In a wild Double Battle, a wild Pokémon that uses Assist can use a move the other wild Pokémon knows.

Assist will not call itself or any of the following moves in this generation of games:

Move Type Cat. Chatter  Flying  Special {{{3}}} Copycat  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Counter  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} Covet  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Destiny Bond  Ghost  Status {{{3}}} Detect  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} Endure  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Feint  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Focus Punch  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} Follow Me  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Helping Hand  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Me First  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Metronome  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mimic  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mirror Coat  Psychic  Special {{{3}}} Mirror Move  Flying  Status {{{3}}} Protect  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sketch  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sleep Talk  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Snatch  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Struggle  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Switcheroo  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Thief  Dark  Physical {{{3}}} Trick  Psychic  Status {{{3}}}

Generation V

Assist can now use moves known by unhatched Eggs in the party.

Assist will not call itself or any of the following moves in this generation of games:

Move Type Cat. Chatter  Flying  Special {{{3}}} Circle Throw  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} Copycat  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Counter  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} Covet  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Destiny Bond  Ghost  Status {{{3}}} Detect  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} Dragon Tail  Dragon  Physical {{{3}}} Endure  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Feint  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Focus Punch  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} Follow Me  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Helping Hand  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Nature Power  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Me First  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Metronome  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mimic  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Mirror Coat  Psychic  Special {{{3}}} Mirror Move  Flying  Status {{{3}}} Protect  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sketch  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Sleep Talk  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Snatch  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Struggle  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} Switcheroo  Dark  Status {{{3}}} Thief  Dark  Physical {{{3}}} Transform  Normal  Status {{{3}}} Trick  Psychic  Status {{{3}}}

Description

Games Description RSE Attacks randomly with one of the partner’s moves. Colo.XD Attacks randomly with one of the partner’s moves. FRLG The user randomly picks and uses a move of an allied Pokémon. DPPtHGSSBWB2W2 The user hurriedly and randomly uses a move among those known by other Pokémon in the party.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V
300		Skitty	Normal		Normal	19			18		22	22
431		Glameow	Normal		Normal	no			29				29
432		Purugly	Normal		Normal	no			29				29
509		Purrloin	Dark		Dark	no			no				6
510		Liepard	Dark		Dark	no			no				6
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Type		Father
					I		II		III		IV		V
052		Meowth	Normal		Normal
096		Drowzee*	Psychic		Psychic
161		Sentret	Normal		Normal
215		Sneasel	Dark	Ice	no
327		Spinda	Normal		Normal
390		Chimchar	Fire		Fire	no
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

In the anime

Razor Leaf	Skitty	Ember	String Shot
The user hurriedly and randomly uses a move among those known by other Pokémon in the party.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
Skitty	A white orb appears on Skitty's front paw. Skitty then fires a random move known by the Trainer's team from the orb.
May's Skitty	Game Winning Assist		Debut

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

	Iron Defense
The user uses a move known by one of its Trainer's other Pokémon or a partner.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
Delcatty	Delcatty uses a move known by one of its Trainer's other Pokémon or its partner.
Ruby's Kiki	VS. Kyogre & Groudon XI		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)	FRLG	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battle Revolution (alternative animation)	Battrio	Mystery Dungeon	PMD: Red and Blue	PMD: Time, Darkness, Sky	Rumble	Rumble Blast

Trivia

• The Japanese name for this move, ねこのて Neko no Te (Cat's Paw), is likely a reference to the saying 猫の手も借りたい neko no te mo karitai, which translates to "I would even like to borrow a cat's hands", "I would even like a cat to assist me", or "I need all the help I can get", befitting the way the move works, and the many catlike Pokémon capable of learning it.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 協助 Xiézhù Dutch Bijstand Finnish Avustus French Assistance German Zuschuss Greek Στήριξη Hindi मदद Madad Indonesian Tangan Kucing Italian Assistente Korean 조수 Josu Polish Asysta Portuguese Brazil Assistência Ajudar Portugal Assistência Serbian Asistencija Spanish Latin America Asistencia Spain Ayuda

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.