Harden (move)

Harden
かたくなる Stiffen
Harden IX.png
Harden IX 2.png
Type  Normal
Category  Status
PP  30 (max. 48)
Power  —
Accuracy  —%
Priority  {{{priority}}}
  • Does not make contact
  • Not affected by Protect
  • Not affected by Magic Coat
  • Affected by Snatch
  • Not affected by Mirror Move
  • Not affected by King's Rock
Target
Foe Foe Foe
Self Ally Ally
Affects the user
Availability
Introduced  Generation I
Condition  Tough
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Jam  0  
Can avoid being startled by others once.
Condition  Tough
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Prevents the Voltage from going up in the same turn.
Condition  Tough
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Jamming  0  
Prevents the user from being startled one time this turn.

Harden (Japanese: かたくなる Stiffen) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation I.

Effect

Harden increases the user's Defense stat by one stage.

If powered up by a Normalium Z into Z-Harden, the user's Defense rises by another stage.

Harden can be used as the first move of a Pokémon Contest combination, causing Double-Edge, Protect, Rollout, Tackle, and Take Down to score double the normal appeal if used in the next turn.

Description

Games Description
StadStad2 Raises the user's Defense. Useful when battling physically strong Pokémon.
GSC Raises the user's Defense.
RSEColo.XD Stiffens the body's muscles to raise Defense.
FRLG The user stiffens all the muscles in its body to raise its Defense stat.
DPPtHGSSPBR
BWB2W2
XYORAS
SMUSUMPE
SwShBDSPLA
The user stiffens all the muscles in its body to raise its Defense stat.
SV The user stiffens all the muscles in its body to boost its Defense stat.


Learnset

By leveling up

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Level
0011     Bug Bug 1RGB
1, 7Y
1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, Evo. 1, Evo. 1, Evo. 1, Evo.
0012    
 
Bug Bug 1 1
0014    
 
Bug Bug 1 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, Evo. 1, Evo. 1, Evo.
0015    
 
Bug Bug 1
0074    
 
Mineral Mineral 26 26 12
0075    
 
Mineral Mineral 29 27 12
0076    
 
Mineral Mineral 29 27 12
0088     Amorphous Amorphous 42 5 4 4 4 4 4 6 4 4
0088  
Grimer
Alolan Form
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 4 6 4
0089     Amorphous Amorphous 45 1, 33 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1, 6 1, 4 1
0089  
Muk
Alolan Form
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1, 4 1, 6 1
0095    
 
Mineral Mineral 43 23 21RSE
19FRLG
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0098     Water 3 Water 3 40 16 16 11 11 11 11 14 4 4
0099     Water 3 Water 3 49 16 16RSE
1, 16FRLG
11 11 11 11 1, 14 1 1
0120     Water 3 Water 3 22 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0121    
 
Water 3 Water 3 1 1 1 1
0127     Bug Bug 43 25 19 13 13BW
11B2W2
11 11 12 1 1
0140    
 
Water 1 Water 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1
0141    
 
Water 1 Water 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1, 6 1 1
0143     Monster Monster 41
0207    
 
Bug Bug 13 13 9 9BW
7B2W2
7 7 7 7
0208    
 
Mineral Mineral 23 21RSE
19FRLG
1 1 1 1 1 1
0211    
 
Water 2 Water 2 10 10RSE
9FRLG
9 9 9 9 4 4 4
0211  
Qwilfish
Hisuian Form
 
 
Water 2 Water 2 4
0218     Amorphous Amorphous 22 22 16 14 14XY
13ORAS
13 13 13
0219    
 
Amorphous Amorphous 22 22 16 14 14XY
13ORAS
13 13 13
0222    
 
Water 1 Water 3 7 6 4 4 4XY
1ORAS
1 1 1
0222  
Corsola
Galarian Form
  Water 1 Water 3 1
0266     Bug Bug 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, Evo. 1, Evo.
0267    
 
Bug Bug 1
0268     Bug Bug 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, Evo. 1, Evo.
0269    
 
Bug Bug 1
0273     Field Grass 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
0274    
 
Field Grass 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1
0275    
 
Field Grass 1 1 1 Rem.
0290    
 
Bug Bug 1 1 1 1 1 5 5
0291    
 
Bug Bug 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0292    
 
Mineral Mineral 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0299     Mineral Mineral 7 7 7BW
4B2W2
4 4 4 4
0304    
 
Monster Monster 4 4 4BW
1B2W2
1 1 1 1
0305    
 
Monster Monster 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4BW
1B2W2
1 1 1 1
0306    
 
Monster Monster 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4BW
1B2W2
1 1 1 1
0337    
 
Mineral Mineral 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0338    
 
Mineral Mineral 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0341     Water 1 Water 3 7 7 7 7XY
5ORAS
5 1 1 1
0342    
 
Water 1 Water 3 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1, 7XY
1, 5ORAS
1, 5 1 1 1
0343    
 
Mineral Mineral 3 3 4BW
1B2W2
1 1 1 1
0344    
 
Mineral Mineral 1, 3 1, 3 1, 4BW
1B2W2
1 1 1 1
0347    
 
Water 3 Water 3 7 1 1 1 1 1 1
0348    
 
Water 3 Water 3 1, 7 1 1 1 1 1 1
0369    
 
Water 1 Water 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0413  
Wormadam
Sandy Cloak
 
 
Bug Bug 29 29 29 29 29
0422  
Shellos
All forms
  Water 1 Amorphous 4 4 4 4 5 5 5
0423  
Gastrodon
All forms
 
 
Water 1 Amorphous 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1 1 1
0472    
 
Bug Bug 1, 9 1, 9BW
1, 7B2W2
1, 7 1, 7 1, 7 1
0476    
 
Mineral Mineral 1
0524     Mineral Mineral 4 4 4 4
0525     Mineral Mineral 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1
0526     Mineral Mineral 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1
0582     Mineral Mineral 4 4 4 1
0583     Mineral Mineral 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1
0584     Mineral Mineral 1, 4 1, 4 1, 4 1
0597    
 
Grass Mineral 1 1 1 1
0598    
 
Grass Mineral 1 1 1 1
0665     Bug Bug 1 1 1
0703    
 
Fairy Mineral 1 1 1 1
0712     Monster Mineral 1 1 1 1
0713     Monster Mineral 1 1 1 1
0713  
Avalugg
Hisuian Form
 
 
Monster Mineral 1
0719    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1 1 1
0769    
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1 1 1
0770    
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1 1 1
0771     Water 1 Water 1 1 1
0794    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1
0797    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 5
0805    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
0808     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1
0809     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1
0864     Water 1 Water 3 1
0901  
Ursaluna
Bloodmoon
 
 
Field Field 17
0904    
 
Water 2 Water 2 4
0932     Mineral Mineral 1
0933     Mineral Mineral 1
0934     Mineral Mineral 1
0950     Water 3 Water 3 6
0968     Field Field 1
0969    
 
Mineral Mineral 1
0970    
 
Mineral Mineral 1
0978  
Tatsugiri
All forms
 
 
Water 2 Water 2 6
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 Types Egg Groups Egg Move
0185     Mineral Mineral
0214    
 
Bug Bug
0438     Mineral Mineral
0610     Monster Dragon
0636    
 
Bug Bug
0736     Bug Bug
0767    
 
Bug Water 3
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.


In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Harden raises the user's Defense by one stage.

Game Base
Power
Max
Power
Base
PP
Max
PP
Base
Accuracy
Max
Accuracy
Range Target Cuts
corners
MDRB - - 22 - —% - User User -
MDTDS - - 16 - —% - User User -
BSL - - 16 - —% - User User -
MDGtI - - 20 99 —% - User User -
SMD - - 20 99 —% - User User -
With some exceptions, Pokémon learnsets match those from the core series games:

Pokémon Stadium

In the minigame "Rock Harden" from Pokémon Stadium, the player and non-player characters are either Metapod or Kakuna. They are required to use Harden at the right times to avoid being hurt by falling rocks.

Pokémon Rumble Rush

In Pokémon Rumble Rush, all status moves including Harden could only be used by opposing Pokémon and could not be obtained on any caught Pokémon. Harden could be seen as a move used by opposing Silcoon, Cascoon, and Seedot.

  Harden
Charge time 1.54 seconds
Range type Circular (self)
Target Self
Additional effect Raises the user's Defense

Description

Games Description
MDRB Boosts the user's Defense by one level.
MDTDS Boosts the user's Defense by 1 level.
BSL じぶんの ぼうぎょを 1だんかいあげる
MDGtI It boosts your Defense. (The stat change returns to normal when you go to the next floor or step on a  Wonder Tile.)
SMD It boosts your Defense. The stat returns to normal when you go to the next floor or step on a  Wonder Tile.

In the anime

 
Metapod
 
Meltan
 
Boldore
 
Aggron
The user stiffens all the muscles in its body.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Metapod glows a greenish-whitish color and becomes hard as steel.
Ash's Metapod Challenge of the Samurai Debut
Samurai's Metapod Challenge of the Samurai None
Bugsy's Metapod Gettin' the Bugs Out None
  Kingler glows pale blue and any attack that hits it bounces off.
Giovanni's Kingler The Battle of the Badge None
  Krabby tenses its body up like a statue and doesn't move.
Ash's Krabby Round One - Begin! None
  Larvitar tenses its body up like a statue and doesn't move.
Ash's Larvitar Hatch Me if You Can Larvitar cannot legally learn Harden
  Cascoon tenses up its body and its body shines, making attacks bounce off it.
Jessie's Cascoon Seeing is Believing! None
  Corphish's body flashes white and shines, making it able to take attacks.
Ash's Corphish Just One of the Geysers None
  Aggron tenses up and its body flashes white and shines, making it able to take attacks.
Johnny's Aggron Shocks and Bonds None
  Meltan's body briefly turns light blue, making it able to take attacks.
Ash's Meltan Aiming for the Top Floor! None
  Boldore's body briefly turns light blue, making it able to take attacks.
Goh's Boldore A Pinch of This, a Pinch of That! None


In the manga

The Electric Tale of Pikachu


How I Became a Pokémon Card


Pokémon Adventures


  • A wild Cascoon and Silcoon were revealed to know Harden on the official website, but they were never shown using the move.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters


Pokémon Newspaper Strip


In other generations

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 變硬 Binngaahng *
僵硬 Goengngaahng *
Mandarin 變硬 / 变硬 Biànyìng *
硬梆梆 Yìngbāngbāng *
  Czech Zpevnění
  Danish Hærde
  Dutch Verharding
  Finnish Kovetus
  French Armure
  German Härtner
  Greek Σκλήρυνση
  Hindi सख्त होजाओ Sakht Hojao
  Indonesian Mengeras
  Italian Rafforzatore
  Korean 단단해지기 Dandanhaejigi
  Polish Twardnienie
Portuguese   Brazil Endurecer (anime, Emerging Powers-present, manga, The Official Pokémon Handbook)
Endurecimento (Diamond & Pearl, The Official Pokémon Handbook)
  Portugal Endurecimento
  Serbian Očvršćivanje
  Spanish Fortaleza
  Swedish Stelna*
Cementattack*
Hårdna*
  Turkish Sertleşme
  Vietnamese Gồng Cứng


Variations of the move Defense Curl
  Defense CurlHardenMeditateSharpenWithdraw
Formerly a variation
  Howl


  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.