Confusion (move)

This article is about the Pokémon move. For the status ailment, see Status ailment.

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Confusion ねんりき Mindpower

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Battles Type  Psychic Category  Special PP  25 (max. 40) Power  50 Accuracy  100% Priority  {{{priority}}} Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Not affected by King's Rock

Target Foe Foe Foe Self Ally Ally May affect anyone adjacent to the user

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

Contests Category  Smart Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jam  3 ♥♥♥ Startles the Pokémon that appealed before the user.

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

Confusion on Legendary Pokémon MoveDex Confusion on Eevee's Movedex

Confusion (Japanese: ねんりき Mindpower) is a damage-dealing Psychic-type move introduced in Generation I.

Effect

Confusion does damage and has a 10% chance of confusing the target.

Description

Games Description StadStad2 A Psychic-type attack. Has a one-in-ten chance of leaving the target confused. GSC An attack that may cause confusion. RSEColo.XD A psychic attack that may cause confusion. FRLG A weak telekinetic attack that may also leave the foe confused. DPPtHGSS The foe is hit by a weak telekinetic force. It may also leave the foe confused. BWB2W2Conq The target is hit by a weak telekinetic force. It may also leave the target confused.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V
012		Butterfree	Bug	Flying	12	10	--, 10			--, 10			--, 10				--, 10
048		Venonat	Bug	Poison		19	17			17			11				11
049		Venomoth	Bug	Poison		--	17			17			11				11
054		Psyduck	Water		Water	36			16			16			18				18	15
055		Golduck	Water		Water	39			--, 16			16			18				18	15
064		Kadabra	Psychic		Psychic	--, 16	16	--, 16			--, 16			--, 16				--, 16
065		Alakazam	Psychic		Psychic	--, 16	16	--, 16			--, 16			--, 16				--, 16
079		Slowpoke	Water	Psychic	--			20			20	17	15				15
080		Slowbro	Water	Psychic	--			20			20	17	15				15
096		Drowzee	Psychic		Psychic	17			18			18	11	9				9
097		Hypno	Psychic		Psychic	--, 17			--, 18			--, 18	--, 11	--, 9				--, 9
102		Exeggcute	Grass	Psychic	no			19			19			27				27
103		Exeggutor	Grass	Psychic	no			--			--			--				--
122		Mr. Mime	Psychic		Psychic	15			6			5			--				--
150		Mewtwo	Psychic		Psychic	--			--			--			--				--
163		Hoothoot	Normal	Flying	no			34			34			21				21
164		Noctowl	Normal	Flying	no			41			41			22				22
196		Espeon	Psychic		Psychic	no			16			16			15				15	9
199		Slowking	Water	Psychic	no			20			20	17	15				15
203		Girafarig	Normal	Psychic	no			--, 7			13			--				--
238		Smoochum	Ice	Psychic	no			21			21			15				15
251		Celebi	Psychic	Grass	no			--			--			--				--
269		Dustox	Bug	Poison	no			no			--, 10			--, 10				--, 10
280		Ralts	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			6			6				6
281		Kirlia	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			--, 6			--, 6				--, 6
282		Gardevoir	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			--, 6			--, 6				--, 6
307		Meditite	Fighting	Psychic	no			no			9			8				8
308		Medicham	Fighting	Psychic	no			no			--, 9			--, 8				--, 8
337		Lunatone	Rock	Psychic	no			no			7			--				--
338		Solrock	Rock	Psychic	no			no			7			--				--
343		Baltoy	Ground	Psychic	no			no			--			--				--
344		Claydol	Ground	Psychic	no			no			--			--				--
358		Chimecho	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			14			14				14
368		Gorebyss	Water		Water	no			no			8			6				6
375		Metang	Steel	Psychic	no			no			20			20				20	--, 20
376		Metagross	Steel	Psychic	no			no			--, 20			--, 20				--, 20
385		Jirachi	Steel	Psychic	no			no			--			--				--
413		Wormadam	Bug	Grass	no			no			no			23				23
414		Mothim	Bug	Flying	no			no			no			23				23
433		Chingling	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			14				14
436		Bronzor	Steel	Psychic	no			no			no			--				--
437		Bronzong	Steel	Psychic	no			no			no			--				--
439		Mime Jr.	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			--				--
475		Gallade	Psychic	Fighting	no			no			no			--, 6				--, 6
480		Uxie	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			21		--	--
481		Mesprit	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			21		--	--
482		Azelf	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			21		--	--
488		Cresselia	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			--				--
494		Victini	Psychic	Fire	no			no			no			no				--
527		Woobat	Psychic	Flying	no			no			no			no				--
528		Swoobat	Psychic	Flying	no			no			no			no				--
574		Gothita	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			no				3
575		Gothorita	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			no				--, 3
576		Gothitelle	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			no				--, 3
605		Elgyem	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			no				--
606		Beheeyem	Psychic		Psychic	no			no			no			no				--
648		Meloetta	Normal	Psychic	no			no			no			no				11
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
007		Squirtle	Water		Water				no			no				no
032		Nidoran♂	Poison		Water
114		Tangela	Grass		Grass
187		Hoppip	Grass	Flying
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

In other games

Pokémon Conquest

Confusion is the only move of Ralts, Chingling, and Gothita.

In the anime

Metagross	Gothitelle	Butterfree	Noctowl
The foe is hit by a weak telekinetic force.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
Kadabra	Kadabra's eyes flash red, and it uses psychic powers to control the opponent.
Sabrina's Kadabra	Abra and the Psychic Showdown		Debut
Psyduck	Psyduck's eyes glow blue or purple and the opponent becomes outlined in the same color. It then uses psychic powers to move it.
Misty's Psyduck	The Ninja Poké-Showdown		None
Marina's Psyduck	Bye Bye Psyduck		None
Emily's Psyduck	Sitting Psyduck		None
Three wild Psyduck	The Psyduck Stops Here!		None
Golduck	Golduck's eyes glow light blue and it can control the opponent with its mind. The opponent also glows light blue.
A wild Golduck	Bye Bye Psyduck		None
Katie's Golduck	A Judgment Brawl		None
Girafarig	Girafarig's eyes glow light blue, and the opponent becomes outlined in blue. Girafarig can then control the target with its mind.
Cherry's Girafarig	The Psychic Sidekicks!		None
Noctowl	Noctowl's eyebrow tufts glow blue and they release a blue light toward the opponent or the opponent becomes surrounded in a blue outline and Noctowl can control the opponent with its mind.
Ash's Noctowl	From Ghost to Ghost		None
Celebi	Celebi closes its eyes and an invisible wave of psychic energy knocks the opponent back.
Celebi (M04)	Celebi: Voice of the Forest		None
Alakazam	Alakazam's eyes glow red and shoot black waves of psychic energy towards the opponent.
Eusine's Alakazam	For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!		None
Slowbro	Slowbro's eyes glow blue and it points at the opponent. The opponent becomes surrounded in a light blue outline and Slowbro can control it with its mind.
Madeleine's Slowbro	Enlighten Up!		None
Slowking	Slowking's eyes glow blue and Slowking can control the opponent with its mind, or Slowking releases blue waves of energy at the opponent.
Alice Telesu's Arthur	A Crowning Achievement		None
Venomoth	Venomoth's eyes glow blue and it uses psychic powers to control the opponent.
Chaz's Venomoth	All Things Bright and Beautifly!		None
Medicham	Medicham holds out its hands and they becomes surrounded in light blue. The opponent becomes surrounded in light blue and Medicham can then control the opponent, or Medicham's eyes glow purple and the opponent becomes surrounded in purple. Medicham can then control the opponent.
Grace's Medicham	Come What May!		None
Candice's Medicham	Sliding into Seventh!		None
Solrock	Solrock's eyes glow light blue, then the opponent becomes outlined in light blue. Solrock can then control the opponent.
A wild Solrock	Take the Lombre Home		None
Tate's Solrock	It's Still Rocket Roll to Me!		None
Brandon's Solrock	Pace - The Final Frontier!		None
Baltoy	Baltoy's eyes glow blue, then the opponent glows blue and it can move them with its mind. When all of its eyes glow blue and it can toss the opponent.
Calista's Baltoy	Me, Myself and Time		None
Four Baltoys	It's Still Rocket Roll to Me!		None
Metagross	Metagross's eyes glow red and its body becomes outlined in a light blue outline. The opponent becomes outlined in blue and Metagross can control it, or the 'X' on Metagross's face glows blue and the opponent becomes outlined in blue. Metagross can then control the opponent.
Rebecca's Metagross	Destiny Deoxys		None
Tyson's Metagross	Like a Meowth to a Flame		None
Gorebyss	Gorebyss's eyes glow light blue. The opponent becomes outlined in blue and Gorebyss can control it.
Nancy's Gorebyss	The Evolutionary War		None
Metang	Metang's eyes glow light blue, and the opponent becomes outlined in light blue. Metang can then control the opponent.
Morrison's Metang	Saved by the Beldum		None
Gengar	Gengar lifts its arms and its body becomes outlined in light blue. Gengar can then control the opponent.
Gengar of Team Meanies	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate		Gengar cannot legally learn Confusion
Butterfree	Butterfree's eyes glow light blue and the opponent becomes outlined in light blue. Butterfree can then control the opponent.
Drew's Butterfree	The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing!		None
Meditite	Meditite's eyes glow purple and the opponent becomes surrounded in purple. Meditite can then control the opponent.
Maylene's Meditite	Crossing the Battle Line!		None
Chingling	Chingling's eyes glow purple and the opponent becomes outlined in purple. Chingling can then control the opponent.
Francesca's Chingling	The Bells Are Singing!		None
Marilyn's Chingling	Battling A Cute Drama!		None
Dustox	Dustox's eyes glow purple and the opponent glows purple as well. Dustox can then control the opponent with its mind.
Austin's Dustox	Crossing Paths		None
Wormadam	Wormadam's whole body becomes outlined in purple and its eyes glow purple as well. The opponent becomes outlined in purple and Wormadam can control it.
Ursula's Wormadam	Another One Gabites the Dust!		None
Gothitelle	Gothitelle's eyes glow red and its body becomes surrounded in a red outline. The opponent's body glows red and becomes outlined in a red outline. Gothitelle can then move the opponent with its mind. While controlling the opponent, Gothitelle can make its eyes and outline glow brighter, and the glow around the opponent also glows brighter, damaging it.
Damon's Gothitelle	Black—Victini and Reshiram		None
Gothita	Gothita's eyes glow pale red and its body becomes outlined in pale red as well. The opponent's body becomes outlined in pale red and its body starts to glow the same color. Gothita can then control the opponent with its mind.
Unknown Trainer's Gothita	White—Victini and Zekrom Black—Victini and Reshiram		None

Pokédex entries

Episode Pokémon Source Entry EP182 Confusion Ash's Pokédex Confusion. This powerful Psychic attack confuses an opponent and weakens it as well. This concludes the entries from the original series.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

	Golduck	Mewtwo
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
Golduck	Golduck raises its hand and transmits an image of the surroundings to the Trainer's Pokédex, or Golduck fires a beam of psychic energy from the palm of one of its hand at the opponent.
Blue's Golduck	Peace of Mime		Debut
Slowpoke	Slowpoke raises both of its front arms in the air and it can control the opponent.
Al's Slowpoke	Ekans the Ecstasy		None
Mr. Mime	Mr. Mime raises its index finger in the air and fires a beam of energy from the middle of its finger at the opponent.
Sabrina's Mr. Mime	Silly Scyther		None
Ralts	Ralts raises both of its arms in the air and it can control the opponent with its mind, or Ralts raises both of its arms and an electric-like beam of psychic energy comes out of its hands and hits the opponent.
Ruby's Rara	Creeping Past Cacnea		None
Mewtwo	Mewtwo raises one of its hands and releases a beam of psychic energy from the front of its hand at the opponent.
Mewtwo (Adventures)	Tower with Will		None

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

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 English name of this move is semantically dissimilar to its Japanese name, ねんりき Nenriki, which can be translated to mean mindpower. This has been known to cause some confusion when depicted in the English dub of the anime.
• In the anime, Confusion seems to have exactly the same effect as the move Psychic.
• A majority of the times Confusion has been featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, it can cause the Defending Pokémon to be Paralyzed rather than Confused.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 念力 Niànlì Dutch Verwarring Finnish Sekaannus (Original Series) Hämmennys (Advanced Generation) French Choc Mental German Konfusion Greek Σύγχυση Hindi चक्रादों Chakraado Italian Confusione Korean 염동력 Yeomdongryeok Norwegian Forvirring Polish Konfuzja Portuguese Brazil Confusão Portugal Confusão (Pokémon Chronicles) Romanian Confuzie Serbian Zbunjivanje Spanish Confusión

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.