Rough Skin (Ability)

Rough Skin さめはだ
Rough Skin
Flavor text
Generation III
Hurts to touch.
Generation IV
Inflicts damage to the foe on contact.
Generation V
Inflicts damage to the foe on contact.
Generation VI
Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact.
Generation VII
This Pokémon inflicts damage with its rough skin to the attacker on contact.
Generation VIII
This Pokémon inflicts damage with its rough skin to the attacker on contact.
Generation IX
The Pokémon's rough skin damages attackers that make direct contact with it.

Rough Skin (Japanese: さめはだ Rough Skin) is an Ability introduced in Generation III. Prior to Generation V, it was the signature Ability of Carvanha and Sharpedo. In Generation IX, it is the signature Ability of Gible's evolutionary line.

Effect

In battle

Generation III

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the attacking Pokémon takes damage equal to 1/16 of its own maximum HP.

If a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a multi-strike move that makes contact (such as Fury Swipes), each hit will activate this Ability.

Generation IV onward

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the attacking Pokémon now takes damage equal to 1/8 of its own maximum HP.

If Rough Skin causes both the Pokémon with this Ability and the attacking Pokémon to faint, then the attacking Pokémon will faint first.

Outside of battle

Rough Skin has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Rough Skin

# Pokémon Types First Ability Second Ability Hidden Ability
0318   Carvanha
Water Dark Rough Skin None Speed Boost
0319   Sharpedo
Water Dark Rough Skin None Speed Boost
0443   Gible
Dragon Ground Sand Veil None Rough Skin
0444   Gabite
Dragon Ground Sand Veil None Rough Skin
0445   Garchomp
Dragon Ground Sand Veil None Rough Skin
0621   Druddigon
Dragon Dragon Rough Skin Sheer Force Mold Breaker
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
  • For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, and the Mystery Dungeon (WiiWare) games, when a Pokémon with this Ability is attacked by an adjacent Pokémon, the attacking Pokémon might take damage equal to half of the damage done.

Since Gates to Infinity, Rough Skin causes the attacking Pokémon to take damage equal to 1/10 of their maximum HP.

If a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a multi-strike move that makes contact (such as Fury Swipes), each hit will activate this Ability.

Pokémon UNITE

In Pokémon UNITE, Rough Skin is Garchomp's Ability. When the user is hit by a melee attack, a portion of the damage received is dealt back to the attacker. This Ability can only activate no faster than every 2 seconds, and takes defense reduction into account.

Description

Games Description
MDRB Inflicts damage on attackers.
MDTDS Inflicts damage on an attacker who lands a direct-contact attack.
BSL こうげきしてきた ポケモンに ダメージを あたえる
MDGtI Damages the attacker a little when the Pokémon is hit by a direct attack.*
When the Pokémon is hit with a direct attack like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little!*
SMD When the Pokémon is hit with a contact move like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little!
MDRTDX When the Pokémon is hit with a contact move, like Tackle or Scratch, the attacker is damaged a little.


In the anime

 
Sharpedo


The Pokémon scrapes its skin against the opponent. The skin is rough enough to cause abrasion.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Sharpedo scrapes its skin against the opponent, causing it to get hurt. Sharpedo can choose whether to make its skin rough or not.
A wild Sharpedo Sharpedo Attack! Debut


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures


Trivia

  • Sharpedo's Japanese name is "サメハダー" Samehader, which is pulled directly from the same derivation as Rough Skin's Japanese name, "さめはだ" Samehada, meaning 'shark skin'.

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 粗糙皮膚 Chōuchou Pèihfū *
蛇皮 Sèhpèih *
Mandarin 粗糙皮膚 / 粗糙皮肤 Cūcào Pífū *
蛇皮 Shépí *
  Dutch Ruwe huid
  Finnish Karkea iho
  French Peau Dure
  German Rauhaut
  Italian Cartavetro
  Korean 까칠한 피부 Kkachilhan Pibu
  Polish Szorstka Skóra
  Portuguese Pele Áspera
Spanish   Latin America Piel Dura
  Spain Piel Tosca
  Vietnamese Da Xù Xì


Variations of the Ability Rough Skin
Rough SkinIron Barbs


  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.