Max Guard (move)

Max Guard ダイウォール Dai Wall

Battles Type  Normal Category  Status PP  — (max. —) Power  — Accuracy  —% Priority  +4 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

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Self: Affects the user

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

Contests Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0   Jam  0

Super Contests Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0

Contest Spectaculars Condition  [[{{{category}}} (condition)|{{{category}}}]] Appeal  0   Jamming  0

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation VIII Generation IX

Max Guard (Japanese: ダイウォール Dai Wall) is a non-damaging Normal-type Max Move introduced in Generation VIII.

Effect

Main article: Protection

Max Guard protects the user from moves for the rest of the turn. It offers greater protection than most other protection moves.

Max Guard fully protects the user from most Max Moves and cannot be penetrated or nullified by most moves that break protection. G-Max One Blow, G-Max Rapid Flow, and Feint deal full damage through Max Guard, but Feint does not lift Max Guard's protection like it would other protection effects. Max Guard also follows many of the moves that bypass other protection, but it successfully protects from Block, Flower Shield, Gear Up, Magnetic Flux, Phantom Force, Psych Up, Shadow Force, Teatime, Transform, and any contact move affected by Unseen Fist.

If the user goes last in the turn, Max Guard will fail. The chance that Max Guard will succeed drops each time the user successfully and consecutively uses Endure, any protection move that only affects the user, Quick Guard, or Wide Guard.

Generation VIII

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Max Guard cannot be selected in a battle.

Description

Games Description SwShLA SV This move enables the user to protect itself from all attacks. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession. BDSP This move can’t be used. It’s recommended that this move is forgotten. Once forgotten, this move can’t be remembered.

Learnset

Generation VIII

Any Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon can use Max Guard if it knows a status move.

In other games

Pokémon Masters EX

Name	Category	Base power	Max power	Target	Description	Playable sync pairs
Max move
Max Guard	Status	—	—	An ally	Applies the Damage Guard Next effect to an ally.	Elesa (Classic) & Emolga Raihan (Anniversary 2022) & Flygon Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu Gordie & Coalossal Melony & Lapras Anabel & Snorlax Oleana & Garbodor Leon (Alt.) & Dragapult Victor & Spectrier Paulo & Lycanroc Argenta & Skarmory Sygna Suit Roxie & Toxtricity Dahlia & Ludicolo Kabu & Centiskorch Avery & Slowking Greta & Breloom

In the anime

Main series

Dynamax Gyarados
The Dynamaxed user creates a barrier that blocks incoming attacks. This works even against Max Moves.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Dynamax Gyarados forms a light blue barrier of energy in front of itself, protecting it from attacks, including Max Moves.
Lance's Gyarados	Flash of the Titans!		Debut Base move is Dragon Dance

Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Gigantamax Duraludon
The Dynamaxed user creates a barrier that blocks incoming attacks. This works even against Max Moves.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Gigantamax Duraludon forms a light blue barrier of energy in front of itself, protecting it from attacks, including Max Moves.
Raihan's Duraludon	Sky		Debut

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Dynamax Oranguru
The Dynamaxed user creates a barrier that blocks incoming attacks. This works even against Max Moves.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Dynamax Oranguru raises its fan and forms a barrier in front of itself to protect it from attacks, including Max Moves.
Henry's Fanguru	Teary!! The Voice of the Master		Debut

In other generations

Spin-off series games

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, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Trivia

• Max Guard is the only Max Move:
  • In the core series games to be a status move. The GO-exclusive Max Spirit is also a status move.
  • With a priority that is not 0.
  • That can have a different type than its base move.
• Max Guard is the first Generation VIII move in index number order.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 極巨防壁 Gihkgeuih Fòhngbīk Mandarin 極巨防壁 / 极巨防壁 Jíjù Fángbì French Gardomax German Dyna-Wall Italian Dynabarriera Korean 다이월 Daiwol Polish Max Ochrona Portuguese Brazil Guarda Max Portugal Proteção Max Spanish Maxibarrera Thai ไดวอล

Max Moves
Max Strike • Max Knuckle • Max Airstream • Max Ooze • Max Quake Max Rockfall • Max Flutterby • Max Phantasm • Max Steelspike Max Flare • Max Geyser • Max Overgrowth • Max Lightning • Max Mindstorm Max Hailstorm • Max Wyrmwind • Max Darkness • Max Starfall • Max Guard Exclusive to Pokémon GO: Max Spirit
G-Max Moves
G-Max Vine Lash • G-Max Wildfire • G-Max Cannonade • G-Max Befuddle G-Max Volt Crash • G-Max Gold Rush • G-Max Chi Strike • G-Max Terror G-Max Foam Burst • G-Max Resonance • G-Max Cuddle • G-Max Replenish G-Max Malodor • G-Max Meltdown • G-Max Drum Solo • G-Max Fireball G-Max Hydrosnipe • G-Max Wind Rage • G-Max Gravitas • G-Max Stonesurge G-Max Volcalith • G-Max Tartness • G-Max Sweetness • G-Max Sandblast G-Max Stun Shock • G-Max Centiferno • G-Max Smite • G-Max Snooze • G-Max Finale G-Max Steelsurge • G-Max Depletion • G-Max One Blow • G-Max Rapid Flow

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.