Clamp (move)

Clamp からではさむ Clamp with Shell

The foe is clamped and squeezed by the user's very thick and sturdy shell for two to five turns.

Battles Type  Water Category  Physical PP  10 (max. 16) Power  35 Accuracy  75% Priority  {{{priority}}} Makes contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by BrightPowder Affected by King's Rock

Target Foe Foe Self Ally May affect anyone but the user

Availability Introduced  Generation I Not a TM, HM, or move tutor move.

Contests Category  Tough Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ Jam  0 When the user makes the appeal, the crowd's excitement continues until the end of the round.

Super Contests Category  Tough Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ A basic performance using a move known by the Pokémon.

Clamp on Legendary Pokémon MoveDex Clamp on Eevee's Movedex

Clamp (Japanese: からではさむ Clamp with Shell) is a damage-dealing Water-type move introduced in Generation I.

Effect

Generation I

Clamp inflicts damage for 2-5 turns. There is a 37.5% chance that it will attack for 2 turns, a 37.5% chance that it will attack for 3 turns, a 12.5% chance that it will attack for 4 turns, and a 12.5% chance that it will attack for 5 turns. Though technically only the first attack can critical hit, every attack during the duration will do the same amount of damage. While Clamp is in effect, the target will be unable to attack, and if the user of Clamp attacks before the target when used, the target will be unable to attack during that round as well.

Damage inflicted by Clamp's continuing duration is done after recurrent damage. If the user switches out before Clamp's duration ends, the target will be unable to attack during that turn. If the target switches out before Clamp's duration ends, Clamp will automatically be used against the incoming Pokémon, deducting an additional PP from the move. If at such a time Clamp has 0 PP, Clamp will still be used against the incoming Pokémon, but the current PP of Clamp will roll over to 63, and full PP ups will be applied to it.

Even if Clamp misses, it will negate the recharge turn normally required for Hyper Beam. Additionally, if the user of Clamp attacks before the user of Hyper Beam during a recharge turn and the use of Clamp misses, the user of Hyper Beam will automatically use Hyper Beam during that turn. If at such a time Hyper Beam has 0 PP, Hyper Beam will still be used, and afterwards its current PP will roll over to 63, and full PP ups will be applied to it.

In-game, the target will get to select a move during each turn of Clamp's duration, and will attack your incoming Pokémon with the selected move if you decide to switch before the duration is over.

In Stadium, the player selects a move during each turn of Clamp's duration. If the target switches out before the duration ends, the incoming Pokémon will not automatically be attacked. Clamp will negate the recharge turn of Hyper Beam only if successful.

Generation II and on

The target is no longer unable to attack during Clamp's duration, and can act normally. Instead, Clamp simply deals damage at the end of each round for two to five turns upon use, in addition to the damage dealt when it is used.

In Generation IV, if the user of Clamp is holding a Grip Claw, the duration of Clamp will always be 5 turns.

Learnset

Generation I

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 090 Shellder Water 23 091 Cloyster Water Ice -- Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation II

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 090 Shellder Water 41 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation III

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 090 Shellder Water 41RSE 090 Shellder Water 43FRLG 366 Clamperl Water -- Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation IV

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 090 Shellder Water 25 366 Clamperl Water -- Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

In the anime

	Shellder	Cloyster
The user attaches itself to the opponent by using its shell.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Episode Used In		Notes
Cloyster	Cloyster closes its shell on its opponent.
Tyra's Cloyster	The Bridge Bike Gang		Debut
Shellder	Shellder closes its shell over the target.
Jessie's Shellder	The Evolution Solution!		None
Clamperl	Clamperl closes its shell over its opponent.
A wild Clamperl	Clamperl of Wisdom		None

Trivia

• Clamp is the Japanese name of ViceGrip.

In other languages

• Spanish: Tenaza
• French: Claquoir
• German: Schnapper
• Italian: Tenaglia

This move article is part of Project MoveDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each move.