Multistrike move

File:Fury Swipes.png

Fury Swipes, a multi-hit move

Multi-hit moves, also called swipe moves, are moves that strike an opponent more than one time in the same turn. Most multi-hit moves will hit the opponent 2-5 times in a turn, but some work differently. Multi-hit moves generally have low base power and imperfect accuracy to compensate for the fact that they hit multiple times. Bide and Counter only take the final hit of a multi-hit move into consideration.

Generation I

Multi-hit moves stop instantly upon breaking an enemy Substitute. If an opponent is knocked out by a multi-hit move, the game does not state how many times the attack hit. Only the first hit of a multi-hit move could be a critical hit, but in such an event, all subsequent hits would also do double damage.

Generation II

The game now states how many times a multi-hit move hit if it knocked out an enemy. If a Pokémon's Focus Band activates against a hit of a multi-hit move, all subsequent hits will not knock it out. The King's Rock will take each hit into consideration when determining whether or not the opponent will flinch. Each individual hit of a multi-hit move has its own chance of being a critical hit, and if the first hit is a critical hit, it no longer makes subsequent hits deal that much damage.

Generation III

Pokémon with abilities that rely on the opponent making physical contact can activate on each hit of a multi-hit move that makes contact. If such an ability causes the Pokémon to fall asleep or freeze, the attack will immediately end without being fully executed.

Generation IV

If a multi-hit move breaks a Substitute (and didn't use the last hit to break it), the move continues, striking the Pokémon that was behind the Substitute. A Focus Sash activated by a multi-hit move will protect the holder from the rest of the attack. Pokémon with the Skill Link ability are guaranteed that any 2-5 hit multi-hit move they use will hit the full five times. The Razor Fang will take each hit into consideration when determining whether or not the opponent will flinch.

Generation V

The Focus Sash and Focus Band no longer protect the holder against multiple hits of a multi-hit move (unless the Focus Band activates multiple times). The newly upgraded Sturdy only activates against one single hit of a multi-hit move (provided said hit would have knocked out the target and that said target was at full HP to begin with). The abilities Weak Armor, Sap Sipper, and Justified are activated by each hit of a multi-hit move. Motor Drive, Lightningrod, and Storm Drain would also activate on each hit, but there are no Water- or Electric-type multi-hit moves. The newly upgraded ability Stench will take each hit into consideration when determining whether or not the opponent will flinch.

List of multi-hit moves

2-5 hits per turn

Most multi-hit moves have a chance to hit an opponent two, three, four, or five times in one turn. These moves have better odds of hitting fewer times, but will always have the maximum of five hits when used by a Pokémon with Skill Link.

Number of hits Chance of happening 2 37.5% 3 37.5% 4 12.5% 5 12.5%

Name Type Power Accuracy PP Notes Arm Thrust Fighting 15 100% 20 Until Generation V, was the signature move of Makuhita and Hariyama. Barrage Normal 15 85% 20 Signature move of Exeggcute and Exeggutor. Bone Rush Ground 25 90% 10 Until Generation IV, was a signature move of Cubone and Marowak. Bullet Seed Grass 25 100% 30 Comet Punch Normal 18 85% 15 DoubleSlap Normal 15 85% 10 Fury Attack Normal 15 85% 20 Fury Swipes Normal 18 80% 15 Icicle Spear Ice 25 100% 30 Prior to Generation V, was the signature move of Shellder. Pin Missile Bug 14 85% 20 Rock Blast Rock 25 90% 10 Spike Cannon Normal 20 100% 15 Tail Slap Normal 25 85% 10 Signature move of Minccino and Cinccino.

2 hits per turn

Several multi-hit moves hit an opponent exactly twice in one turn. For the most part, these moves are found on fewer Pokémon, several of them being signature moves, and generally have higher power than other multi-hit moves, as they only hit twice.

Name Type Power Accuracy PP Notes Bonemerang Ground 50 90% 10 One of the signature moves of Cubone and Marowak Double Hit Normal 35 90% 10 Required for Aipom to evolve into Ambipom. Double Kick Fighting 30 100% 30 Dual Chop Dragon 40 90% 15 Gear Grind Steel 50 85% 15 One of the signature moves of Klink, Klang, and Klinklang. Twineedle Bug 25 100% 20 Prior to Generation V, the signature move of Beedrill.

3 hit per turn

Triple Kick works differently from other multi-hit moves. It will hit an opponent three times in one turn, but its base power (10 originally) will increase by 10 with each hit. However, unlike other multi-hit moves, each hit has its own accuracy check, and once one hit misses, the entire move is ended.

Name Type Power Accuracy PP Notes Triple Kick Fighting 10 90% 10 Signature move of Hitmontop.

Trivia

• DoubleSlap is the only multi-hit move with "double" in its name that can hit 2-5 times.
• Triple Kick is the only multi-hit move that powers up on each consecutive hit, and the only one where hits after the first one can miss.

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.