Moonlight (move)

Moonlight つきのひかり Moonlight

Battles Type  Fairy Category  Status PP  5 (max. 8) Power  — Accuracy  —% Priority  0 Does not make contact Not affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Affected by Snatch Not affected by King's Rock

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

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

Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  0   The appeal's quality varies depending on its timing.

Super Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  0   Increased Voltage is added to the performance score.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Beauty Appeal  0   Jamming  0

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX

Moonlight (Japanese: つきのひかり Moonlight) is a non-damaging Fairy-type move introduced in Generation II. Prior to Generation VI, it was a Normal-type move.

Effect

Generation II

Moonlight restores the user's current HP based on the weather conditions and time of day. In morning and day, clear conditions restore ¼, sunny conditions restore ½ and other conditions restore ¹/₈ HP. At night, the move restores twice as much of HP. In link battle, move restores HP as if it was night.

Generations III to V

Moonlight restores the user's current HP based on the weather conditions in the battle. Normal conditions restore ½ total HP, sunny conditions restore ⅔ total HP, and other weather conditions restore ¼ total HP.

Generation VI

Moonlight is now a Fairy-type move.

Description

Games Description Allows HP to be restored by the moonlight. In battle, half the user's max HP is restored. Restores HP (varies by time). RSE Restores HP. The amount restored with the weather. Restores HP. The amount varies with the weather. FRLG Restores the user’s HP. The amount of HP regained varies with the weather. The user restores its own HP. The amount of HP regained varies with the weather.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
035		Clefairy	Fairy		Fairy	43			37			37				40	43	43
043		Oddish	Grass	Poison	32			32			33				33			33
044		Gloom	Grass	Poison	35			35			41				41			41
197		Umbreon	Dark		Dark	52			52			71				71	33	33
269		Dustox	Bug	Poison				20			20				20			20
313		Volbeat	Bug		Bug				13			13				13			13
314		Illumise	Bug		Bug				13			13				13			13
488		Cresselia	Psychic		Psychic							57				57			'
517		Munna	Psychic		Psychic											17			17
715		Noivern	Flying	Dragon														--
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Type		Father
					II		III		IV		V		VI
102		Exeggcute	Grass	Psychic
302		Sableye	Dark	Ghost
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method. An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

Special move

Generation IV

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0035 ClefairyLv.8 Normal Pokéwalker - Night Sky's Edge Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By event

Generation II

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0029 Nidoran♀ Poison New York Pokémon Center 0215 Sneasel Dark Ice New York Pokémon Center 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 V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0337 Lunatone Rock Psychic Dream World - Icy Cave 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 manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Umbreon
The user heals itself by using the energy from the moonlight.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	The ring on Umbreon's forehead glows and it uses the energy from the moonlight to heal itself.
Karen's Umbreon	The Last Battle 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)	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

• Unlike Morning Sun, Espeon's signature move in Generation II, Moonlight was not learnable only by Umbreon. However, because of Espeon's association with that move, Moonlight can still be considered Umbreon's equivalent move as they occupy similar positions in each Pokémon's moveset.
• Despite the name's association with the night, Moonlight actually restores more HP in sunny conditions (which can be considered an opposite with nighttime).
  • It is likely this is because when under the effects of Sunny Day, the sky is depicted as completely clear of clouds and the rays of the sun are highly intensified, so it is likely the same effects can be considered active during the nighttime, with the night sky being cloudless and the moon's rays highly intensified.
• Moonlight is one of the four moves from Generation II to have its type changed in a later Generation; along with Charm, Curse and Sweet Kiss.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 月光 Yuèguāng Dutch Maanlicht French Rayon Lune German Mondschein Greek Φεγγαρόφως Italian Lucelunare Korean 달의불빛 Dal-yi Bulbit Brazilian Portuguese Luz do Luar Serbian Mesečeva Svetlost Spanish Luz Lunar

Variations of the move Moonlight
Moonlight • Morning Sun • Shore Up • Synthesis

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.