Pokémon Moves

Introduction

What Are Moves?

Moves are the primary aciton used by Pokémon in battle. Each Pokémon can carry up to 4 moves at a time, and each move has its own unique properties. Moves can be used to deal damage, inflict status conditions, or provide other benefits in battle.

Move Categories

Moves fall into three main categories:

• Physical Moves: These damage inflicting moves use the Pokémon’s Attack stat against the opponent’s Defense stat. They typically involve physical contact.
• Special Moves: These damage inflicting moves typically use the Pokémon’s Special Attack stat against the opponent’s Special Defense stat. They typically do not involve physical contact.
• Status Moves: These moves don’t deal direct damage but can change the weather, terrain, inflict status conditions, or alter battle stats of a Pokémon.

Move Properties

Each move has several important properties:

• Power: Helps determine how much damage a move can deal. The higher the power, the more damage it can inflict.
• Type: The elemental type of the move (e.g., Fire, Water, Grass, etc.).
• Accuracy: Helps determine how likely a move is to hit the target, typically expressed as a percentage.
• PP (Power Points): The number of times a move can be used before it needs to be restored. Each move has a maximum PP, and once it reaches 0, the move cannot be used until it is restored.
• Priority: Helps determine the order in which moves are executed in battle. Moves with higher priority will go first, regardless of the Pokémon’s Speed stat.
• Effect: The secondary effect of the move, such as causing a burn, freeze, paralysis, etc.
• Effect Chance: The probability of a secondary effect occurring

Below, we can explore how the Power and PP of moves are distributed across the different move types.

Move Bonuses

Each move has one of the 18 Pokémon types (like Fire, Water, Electric, etc.). The effectiveness of a move depends on how its type matches up against the defender’s type(s):

• Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB): When a Pokémon uses a move that matches one of its own types, the move gets a 50% power boost (deals 1.5x damage).

How Pokémon Learn Moves

Pokémon can learn moves through several methods:

• Leveling Up: Learns pre-determined moves at specific levels.
• TMs (Technical Machines): Reusable items thatcan teach Pokémon moves.
• Move Tutors: NPCs that teach specific moves…for a price.
• Breeding (Egg Moves): Specific moves inherited through breeding. These typically include moves that are not normally available to the Pokémon.
• Evolution: Learning special moves upon evolving, often unique to the evolved form, irrespective of the Pokémon’s previous moveset and level.

We can also investigate how Pokémon hidden abilities are distributed given their Attack strength.

Strategic Considerations

When selecting moves for your Pokémon, consider:

• Type coverage (to cover both strengths and weaknesses)
• Balance between offense, defense, and utility
• STAB bonuses from matching move types to Pokémon types
• Move synergy (moves that work well together)
• Counter-strategies for common threats

The right combination of moves can make even a statistically weaker Pokémon formidable in battle, while a poorly chosen moveset can limit the effectiveness of even the strongest Pokémon.