Damage category: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 05:26, 12 June 2024

It has been suggested that this article be moved to Move category.
Please discuss whether or not to move it on its talk page.

Damage categories

	Physical
	Special
	Status

The category (Japanese: 分類 classification) or kind^[1] of a move is an element of said move that determines the kind of damage it deals.

In games prior to Generation IV, the type of a damaging move determines whether the move is physical (damage calculation is performed using the user's Attack and the target's Defense) or special (the user's Special Attack and the target's Special Defense).

It was first assigned to individual moves in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness for Shadow moves, and then applied to all moves starting in Generation IV. Among fans, this change is often known as the Physical/Special split.

Physical/Special split

The Physical/Special split allows Pokémon to use moves from a wider variety of types. For example, prior to Generation IV, Sneasel, which has a much greater Attack than Special Attack, was not effective at using moves with STAB, due to Ice-type moves and Dark-type moves both being special.

Several new moves were introduced to give more balance to formerly all-special and all-physical types, such as the physical Psychic-type moves Zen Headbutt and Psycho Cut; and the special Fighting-type moves Focus Blast, Vacuum Wave, and Aura Sphere. Other moves, such as Hyper Beam (which was physical prior to Generation IV but is now special), gained physical counterparts with the same characteristics (in this case, Giga Impact).

Type-based categories

The move categories used from Generations I to III are listed below.

The unused Bird type only exists in the first two generations and was defined as a physical type.

Category	Types
Physical	Normal	Fighting	Flying	Poison	Ground	Rock	Bug	Ghost	Steel
Special	Fire	Water	Grass	Electric	Psychic	Ice	Dragon	Dark

Status moves

Main article: Status move

Status moves act differently from both the other move categories, as they don't do direct damage. They also typically ignore type immunities, but Glare (in Generations II and III) and Thunder Wave are notable exceptions.

Icons

Trivia

Bite and Water Shuriken are the only moves to have changed damage categories outside of Generation IV and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Bite was changed from physical to special in Generation II when it was changed to a Dark-type move, and Water Shuriken was changed from physical to special in Generation VII.
- Bite is also the only move to have changed damage categories twice: once in Generation II when it turned from a Normal-type and thus physical move to a Dark-type and thus special move, and again in Generation IV when it was changed back to a physical move in the physical/special split.

References

↑ In Pokédex 3D

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	分類 Fānleuih
Chinese	Mandarin	分類 / 分类 Fēnlèi
French		Catégorie
German		Kategorie
Italian		Categoria
Korean		분류 Bullyu
Spanish		Categoría

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.

[1] In Pokédex 3D

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Image:PhysicalIC.gif|frame|right]]
+{{Move|Move category}}
-[[Image:SpecialIC.gif|frame|right]]
+{{DamageCats}}
-[[Image:StatusIC.gif|frame|right]]
+The '''category''' (Japanese: '''{{tt|分類|ぶんるい}}''' ''classification'') or '''kind'''<ref>In [[Pokédex 3D]]</ref> of a [[move]] is an element of said move that determines the kind of [[damage]] it deals.
-'''Damage categories''' are a feature newly-introduced in [[Generation IV]] that categorize [[move]]s based on the kind of damage they deal. In previous generations, a move would base its power off of the user's [[Stat#Attack|Attack]] and the target's [[Stat#Defense|Defense]] or the user's [[Stat#Special Attack|Special Attack]] and the target's [[Stat#Special Defense|Special Defense]] depending on its type. For example, all {{type2|Fighting}} moves were considered Physical, while all {{type2|Fire}} moves were considered Special. However, in Generation IV, a move like {{m|Focus Blast}} is both Fighting-type and bases its damage off of the Special Attack and Special Defense of the user and target, respectively.
-The addition of this feature to the games has altered the playing field somewhat, as now Pokémon are allowed a much greater degree of freedom with the types of move that can be used. For example, under the former system, {{p|Sneasel}}, which has a much greater Attack than Special Attack, would often be forced to ignore all moves that would give it [[Same-type attack bonus|STAB]], due to {{type2|Ice}} and {{type2|Dark}} moves both being calculated from its Special Attack, the base of which is a low 35, compared to its Attack [[base stat]], 95.
+In games prior to Generation IV, the [[type]] of a damaging move determines whether the move is [[Physical move|physical]] ({{DL|Damage|damage calculation}} is performed using the user's {{stat|Attack}} and the target's {{stat|Defense}}) or [[Special move|special]] (the user's {{stat|Special Attack}} and the target's {{stat|Special Defense}}).
-Overall, when the feature was first announced, the change was very controversial among fans, as many players were unsure of which moves from the previous three generations would be affected. Eventually, this fear of losing hard-trained Pokémon due to the conversion died down, and as movesets were revealed, the change became an accepted part of the game.
+It was first assigned to individual moves in {{g|XD: Gale of Darkness}} for [[Shadow move]]s, and then applied to all moves starting in [[Generation IV]]. Among fans, this change is often known as the '''Physical/Special split'''.
-While the moves remain, for the most part, in the same category that they were in before, the majority of moves of a formerly "Special" type that were given status as Physical, as well as moves of a formerly "Physical" type that were given status as Special, are obvious changes, as is the case with {{m|Fire Punch}}, {{m|Ice Punch}}, and {{m|ThunderPunch}}. Several new moves, as well, were introduced to give more balance to formerly all-Special and all-Physical types, such as the {{type2|Psychic}}, which got {{m|Zen Headbutt}} and {{m|Psycho Cut}}, and the Fighting-type, which got Focus Blast, {{m|Vacuum Wave}}, and {{m|Aura Sphere}}.
+==Physical/Special split==
+The Physical/Special split allows {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} to use moves from a wider variety of types. For example, prior to Generation IV, {{p|Sneasel}}, which has a much greater Attack than Special Attack, was not effective at using moves with [[Same-type attack bonus|STAB]], due to {{type|Ice}} moves and {{type|Dark}} moves both being special.
-Moves that deal no direct damage were also given a category, however, as they never dealt damage in the first place, no moves formerly of other categories were moved to this category, and no moves moved from this category to another.
+Several new moves were introduced to give more balance to formerly all-special and all-physical types, such as the physical {{type|Psychic}} moves {{m|Zen Headbutt}} and {{m|Psycho Cut}}; and the special Fighting-type moves {{m|Focus Blast}}, {{m|Vacuum Wave}}, and {{m|Aura Sphere}}. Other moves, such as {{m|Hyper Beam}} (which was physical prior to Generation IV but is now special), gained physical counterparts with the same characteristics (in this case, {{m|Giga Impact}}).
-==See also==
+==Type-based categories==
-* [[Physical move]]
+The move categories used from [[Generation I|Generations I]] to {{gen|III}} are listed below.
-* [[Special move]]
-* [[Status move]]
+The unused {{t|Bird}} type only exists in the first two generations and was defined as a physical type.
+{| class="roundy" style="text-align: center; background: #ccc; border: 2px solid #888" cellpadding="3px"
+|- style="background: #C0C0FF;"
+! style="{{roundytl|5px}}" | Category
+! colspan="9" style="{{roundytr|5px}}" | Types
+|- style="background: #fff"
+| style="background: #{{Physical color}}" | '''[[Physical move|{{color|{{Physical textcolor}}|Physical}}]]'''
+| {{typecolor|Normal}}
+| {{typecolor|Fighting}}
+| {{typecolor|Flying}}
+| {{typecolor|Poison}}
+| {{typecolor|Ground}}
+| {{typecolor|Rock}}
+| {{typecolor|Bug}}
+| {{typecolor|Ghost}}
+| {{typecolor|Steel}}
+|-
+| style="background-color: #{{Special color}}; {{roundybl|5px}}" | '''[[Special move|{{color|{{Special textcolor}}|Special}}]]'''
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Fire}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Water}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Grass}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Electric}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Psychic}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Ice}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Dragon}}
+| style="background: #fff" | {{typecolor|Dark}}
+|}
+==Status moves==
+{{main|Status move}}
+Status moves act differently from both the other move categories, as they don't do direct damage. They also typically ignore type immunities, but Glare (in Generations [[Generation II|II]] and [[Generation III|III]]) and Thunder Wave are notable exceptions.
+==Icons==
+{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center; {{roundy|20px}} border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#{{Black color}}; font-size:80%"
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc; {{roundytl|20px}}" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Versions|Pokémon Diamond, Pearl}}, and {{color2|000|Pokémon Platinum Version|Platinum}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC IV.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC IV.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC IV.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions|Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC HGSS.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC HGSS.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC HGSS.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Generation V}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC BW.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC BW.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC BW.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Generation VI}} and {{color2|000|Generation VII|VII}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC LGPE.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC LGPE.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC LGPE.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Sword and Shield}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC SwSh.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC SwSh.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC SwSh.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC BDSP.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC BDSP.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC BDSP.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Legends: Arceus}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC LA.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC LA.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC LA.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Scarlet and Violet}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC SV.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC SV.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC SV.png]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon Masters EX}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC Masters.png|100px]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC Masters.png|100px]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC Masters.png|100px]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc" | {{color2|000|Pokémon HOME}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:PhysicalIC HOME.png|100px]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:SpecialIC HOME.png|100px]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:StatusIC HOME.png|100px]]
+|-
+| style="background-color: #fcfcfc; {{roundybl|20px}}" | {{color2|000|Pokémon HOME}}
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:Physical icon HOME.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:Special icon HOME.png]]
+|style="border:2px solid #{{Black color dark}}; background:#eee; width:100px; height:80px; {{roundy|20px}}" | [[File:Status icon HOME.png]]
+|}
+==Trivia==
+* {{m|Bite}} and {{m|Water Shuriken}} are the only moves to have changed damage categories outside of Generation IV and [[Pokémon Legends: Arceus]]. Bite was changed from physical to special in [[Generation II]] when it was changed to a Dark-type move, and Water Shuriken was changed from physical to special in [[Generation VII]].
+** {{m|Bite}} is also the only move to have changed damage categories twice: once in Generation II when it turned from a Normal-type and thus physical move to a Dark-type and thus special move, and again in Generation IV when it was changed back to a physical move in the physical/special split.
+==References==
+<references />
+==In other languages==
+{{langtable|color=ddf|bordercolor=ccf
+|zh_yue=分類 ''{{tt|Fānleuih|Classification}}''
+|zh_cmn=分類 / 分类 ''{{tt|Fēnlèi|Classification}}''
+|fr=Catégorie
+|de=Kategorie
+|it=Categoria
+|ko=분류 ''{{tt|Bullyu|Classification}}''
+|es=Categoría
+}}
+{{-}}
+{{Project Games notice|game mechanic}}
+[[Category:Damage categories|*]]
 [[Category:Game mechanics]]
 [[Category:Terminology]]
+[[de:Kategorie (Attackeneigenschaft)]]
+[[fr:Catégorie de capacité]]
+[[it:Categoria danno]]

Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Generation V
Generation VI and VII
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Pokémon Masters EX
Pokémon HOME
Pokémon HOME