From Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia.
Contact or direct attack is a term used to describe the condition when one Pokémon in a battle physically touches the opponent in order to deal damage with a move.
Contact is distinct from whether a move is physical or special in nature, but most moves that make contact are physical moves, while most special moves do not make contact; status moves do not make contact in any case.
The use of contact-based moves can trigger various Abilities of the foe, such as Cute Charm and Effect Spore. It can also trigger certain items, and can be used to spread Pokérus.
Hitting a substitute does not make contact with the Pokémon behind it.
List of physical moves that do not make contact
These are physical moves that do not make contact. (This does not include moves such as Hyper Beam, which belonged to physical-based types before Generation IV reclassified them as special.)
Also, while confusion damage is physical, it does not make contact.
List of special moves that make contact
These are special moves that do make contact. (This does not include moves such as Fire Punch, which belonged to special-based types before Generation IV reclassified them as physical.)
Effects involving contact
Moves
Name
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Effect
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King's Shield
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Decreases attacker's Attack two stages if a contact move is attempted to be used on the Pokémon.
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Spiky Shield
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Damages attacker if a contact move is attempted to be used on the Pokémon.
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Abilities
Items
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Name
|
Effect
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Rocky Helmet
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Damages the attacking Pokémon for 1/6 of their max HP on contact.
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Sticky Barb
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Damages holder each turn for 1/8 of their max HP. May transfer to attacker when holder is hit by a contact move.
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Trivia
- In all of the console games except Pokémon Battle Revolution, battle animations for moves that make contact don't show the attacking Pokémon hitting the defending one at all; however, in the handheld games, it differs from attack to attack.
See also