Signature move
A signature move (Japanese: 専用技 exclusive move) is a move that can only be learned by a single Pokémon or its evolutionary relatives usually in the same evolutionary line. Most are learned by leveling up but some can be learned through other means when no Pokémon can learn the move by leveling up.
Note that any of the moves included in this classification (except for Chatter) can be learned by Smeargle using Sketch, making Sketch and Chatter the only moves that are truly exclusive to one Pokémon legitimately. Hyperspace Fury could also be considered truly exclusive, as only Hoopa Unbound can execute it successfully. Also, some of these moves can be passed down via breeding to other Pokémon or are known by certain event Pokémon.
List of Pokémon and their signature moves
Shadow moves
| # | Pokémon | Move | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 144 | 
|
Articuno | Shadow Chill |
| 145 | 
|
Zapdos | Shadow Bolt |
| 146 | 
|
Moltres | Shadow Fire |
| 249 | 
|
Shadow Lugia |
Shadow Blast |
One-off signature moves
This is a list of signature moves that at only one point, another Pokémon had the ability to acquire:
- A Dratini that knows ExtremeSpeed is obtainable in Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver after answering a quiz in the Dragon's Den.
- An Egg will be given by the Day-Care Man in Pokémon Crystal that hatches into a random baby Pokémon that knows Dizzy Punch.
- A Skitty with Pay Day can be obtained from a special Egg after depositing 500 Pokémon in Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire from a Game Boy Advance game pak.
- After Lugia from Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness has been purified, it learns Psycho Boost and FeatherDance.
- After Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres from Pokémon XD have been purified, they all learn Extrasensory.
- A Darkrai with Roar of Time and Spacial Rend was available as a special giveaway to commemorate the 10th movie.
- An Arceus with Roar of Time, Spacial Rend, and Shadow Force was available as a special giveaway to commemorate the 12th movie.
- A Victini with Fusion Flare and Fusion Bolt was available as a special giveaway to commemorate the 14th movie.
- A Victini with Glaciate, Bolt Strike, and Blue Flare was available as a special giveaway to celebrate Christmas 2012.
Other signature move examples
TM/HM or Move Tutor that are exclusive by level-up
- In Generation I, Squirtle and its evolutionary relatives are the only Pokémon to learn Skull Bash by leveling up, but other Pokémon could learn it through TM40.
- In Generation I, Abra and its evolutionary relatives are the only Pokémon to learn Teleport by leveling up, but other Pokémon could learn it through TM30.
- Hitmonlee is the only Pokémon to learn Mega Kick by leveling up, but other Pokémon could learn it through TM and Move Tutor in Generation I and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, respectively.
- Goldeen and Seaking are the only Pokémon to learn Waterfall by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through HM from Generation II onward.
- In Generation II, Unown is the only Pokémon to learn Hidden Power by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM10. Hidden Power is also the only move Unown can learn.
- Prior to Generation III, Diglett and Dugtrio are the only Pokémon to learn Dig by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM28.
- In Generation III, Sunflora is the only Pokémon to learn Bullet Seed by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM09.
- Prior to Generation V, Vigoroth is the only Pokémon to learn Focus Punch by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM01.
- Prior to Generation VI, Porygon-Z is the only Pokémon to learn Trick Room by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM92.
- Prior to Generation V, Chimchar is the only Pokémon to learn Facade by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM42.
- In Generation V, Panpour and Simipour are the only Pokémon to learn Scald by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM55.
- In Generation V, Pansage is the only Pokémon to learn Grass Knot by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM86.
- In Generation V, Kadabra and Alakazam are the only Pokémon to learn Ally Switch by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM51.
- Volbeat is the only Pokémon to learn Flash by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through HM05/TM70.
- Sawk is the only Pokémon to learn Rock Smash by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM94/HM06 in Generation V and VI.
- In Generation V, Emolga is the only Pokémon to learn Volt Switch by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM72.
- Prior to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Murkrow and Honchkrow are the only Pokémon to learn Quash by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM60.
- Prior to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Yveltal is the only Pokémon to learn Snarl by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM95.
- Yveltal is the only Pokémon to learn Focus Blast by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM52.
- In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Snorunt and Glalie are the only Pokémon to learn Frost Breath by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM79.
- Lucario is the only Pokémon to learn Power-Up Punch by leveling up, but other Pokémon can learn it through TM98.
Moves commonly associated with certain Pokémon
- Although Megahorn was no longer Heracross's signature move starting in Generation III, it was still the only Bug-type Pokémon that could learn the move prior to Generation V, where Megahorn is now learnable by Scolipede, Karrablast and Escavalier.
- Lucario is usually associated with Aura Sphere and Force Palm, but ten Pokémon (including Lucario) can learn Aura Sphere in total plus two with Riolu from Almia and Raikou from an event, in addition to the Squirtle family through breeding. Ten Pokémon (including Lucario) can learn Force Palm. In Generation V and VI, Lucario and the Mienshao family are the only Fighting-type Pokémon to learn Aura Sphere by leveling up.
- Lucario no longer learns Force Palm in Generation VI (although Riolu can still learn it).
- Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise are often associated with Solar Beam, Flamethrower, and Hydro Pump, respectively, due to them frequently being depicted using those moves in various Pokémon media (such as the anime).
- In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Charizard's trophy states that Flamethrower is its signature move.
- Electrode are most commonly seen using Explosion, with it being shown to use it most in the anime.
- Although several Pokémon have been able to learn Sing since its introduction, the move is heavily associated with Jigglypuff due to the Jigglypuff in the anime.
- Jolteon and Vaporeon's signature moves are said to be Pin Missile and Acid Armor, respectively. Both abilities are alluded to in both Pokémon's various Pokédex entries. However, many Pokémon learn both moves by leveling up, and some through breeding. Likewise, Umbreon's Moonlight matches Espeon's Morning Sun, though others can learn it even in its introductory generation.
- Suicune, being known as the Aurora Pokémon, is associated with the move Aurora Beam.
- Although Clefairy can learn Meteor Mash by leveling up in any Generation III game, the only Pokémon that could have it legitimately before release of FireRed and LeafGreen were Metang and its evolved form, Metagross.
- Ditto has Transform as its only move and is most associated with it; however, Mew is also able to learn it.
- Until Generation III, Koffing and Weezing were the only Poison-type Pokémon capable of learning Smog, and are still the only Poison-type Pokémon to learn the move by level-up.
- The move Razor Shell is tied to Oshawott's evolutionary line, although it can also be learned by Shellder, Binacle, Barbaracle, Corphish and Crawdaunt.
- Although Blaze Kick was no longer Blaziken's signature move from Generation III, it remains the only Fire-type Pokémon to learn it by level up.
- The Venipede family are the only Pokémon besides Golem which can learn Steamroller.
- Castform was the only Pokémon capable of learning Weather Ball prior to Generation IV. However, due to Shadow moves only being present in Generation III, it remains the only Pokémon capable of taking advantage of Weather Ball's ???-type effect during Shadow Sky.
- Each of Rotom's forms has its own signature move that cannot be carried over to any of its other forms. However, none of these five moves are exclusive to it.
- In Generation V, Sacred Sword was exclusively learned by the Swords of Justice, being a signature move of a Legendary group rather than an evolutionary family.
- Similarly, Fusion Flare and Fusion Bolt are exclusively learned by Reshiram and White Kyurem, and Zekrom and Black Kyurem, respectively. Kyurem's forms are the result of absorbing Reshiram or Zekrom, and thus gain some of their traits and powers.
- No Pokémon can learn V-create outside of event distributions. Victini was the first to gain access to it and is often associated with the move. However, later, a Rayquaza with V-create was available as the winner of a popularity poll held in Japan in 2011, making it no longer Victini's signature move.
In the anime
In the anime, it is uncommon for specific moves to be explicitly stated to be exclusive to a certain Pokémon species. The concept was mentioned during a quiz challenge in Classroom Training!, in which Candice stated that Pay Day could only be learned by Meowth.
Trivia
- Hitmonlee has had the most signature moves, with four in Generation II; however, only two of them are still Hitmonlee's signature moves.
- Due to Smeargle's Sketch being able to copy signature moves, from Generation II onward the only moves that only one Pokémon can learn are Sketch itself, Shadow Chill, Shadow Bolt, Shadow Fire, Shadow Blast, and Chatter. This is because Shadow moves and Chatter cannot be Sketched.
In other languages
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See also
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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. |