There are three types of moves in Pokemon games with two of them that deal damage. Status moves are special moves that don’t deal damage but can turn the tide in battle. Physical and Special moves do damage but how do you tell the difference between them?
Physical Moves
Physical movescan be identified by the orange symbol that the move is categorized by. This mechanic was first introduced inGeneration IVand is important to keep in mind when choosing moves.
The physical attacks use a Pokemon’sAttackstat when calculating damage. The same applies defensively as physical attacks on a Pokemon are mitigated using that Pokemon’sDefenseandHPstat. Examples of physical moves include Flare Blitz, Giga Impact, and Waterfall.
Special Moves
Special movescan be identified by the blue symbol it is categorized by. Example moves include Flamethrower, Hyper Beam, and Surf.
These special attacks deal damage based on the Pokemon’sSpecial Attackstat. The damage is then mitigated by the opposing Pokemon’sSpecial DefenseandHPstat.
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Status Moves
Status movesare non damaging moves that can be identified by the grey icon it is categorized by. These can be stat increasing moves likeSwords Dance, stat decreasing moves likeLeer, or status inflicting moves likeThunder Wave.
Status moves do not use stats when calculating but there are some things to note.
There are many mechanics in the Pokemon series that aren’t obvious or even explained properly in the games. Understanding the difference between moves allows players to better prioritize which moves their Pokemon learn.
For more guides on Pokemon, check outHow to hatch eggs quickly in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearlon Pro Game Guides.
