Contact

Contact is a term used to describe the condition when one Pokémon in a battle physically touches the opponent in order to deal damage. Up until Generation IV, moves that make contact could be either physical moves or special moves; however, ever since the distinction between physical and special were no longer based on types, most moves that make contact are physical. Every physical move makes contact except the ones listed below.

Effects of contact

• The use of contact-based moves can be affected directly by certain abilities of the foe, such as Cute Charm and Effect Spore, and indirectly by certain attackers' abilities, like Guts.
• It can be used to spread Pokérus.
• Before Generation IV, damage dealing for moves that make contact depended on the move's type.

List of physical moves that don't make contact

Move Type Attack Order  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Bulldoze  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Beat Up  Dark  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Barrage  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Bonemerang  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Bone Club  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Bone Rush  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Bullet Seed  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Earthquake  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Egg Bomb  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Explosion  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Feint  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Fissure  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Fling  Dark  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Freeze Shock  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Fusion Bolt  Electric  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Gear Grind  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Gunk Shot  Poison  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Ice Shard  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Icicle Crash  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Icicle Spear  Ice  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Magnet Bomb  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Magnitude  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Metal Burst  Steel  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Natural Gift  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Pay Day  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Poison Sting  Poison  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Pin Missile  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Present  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Psycho Cut  Psychic  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Razor Leaf  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Rock Blast  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Rock Slide  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Rock Throw  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Rock Tomb  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Rock Wrecker  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Sacred Fire  Fire  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Sand Tomb  Ground  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Secret Power  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Seed Bomb  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Sky Attack  Flying  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Spike Cannon  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Selfdestruct  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Smack Down  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Stone Edge  Rock  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Twineedle  Bug  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

List of special moves that make contact

Move Type Grass Knot  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Petal Dance  Grass  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Trump Card  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Wring Out  Normal  {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

List of abilities which have effects involving contact

• Aftermath
• Cute Charm
• Effect Spore
• Flame Body
• Iron Barbs
• Mummy
• Pickpocket
• Poison Point
• Poison Touch
• Rough Skin
• Static

List of items which have effects involving contact

• Sticky Barb
• Rocky Helmet

Trivia

• In all console games except Pokémon Battle Revolution, the moves making contact's battle animation doesn't show the attacking Pokémon hitting the defending one at all; however, in the handheld games, it differs from attack to attack.

See also

• Special moves
• Physical moves
• List of physical moves
• List of special moves

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