Icicle Spear (move)

Icicle Spear つららばり Icicle Needle

Battles Type  Ice Category  Physical PP  30 (max. 48) Power  25 Accuracy  100% Priority  {{{priority}}} Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by King's Rock

Target Foe Foe Foe Self Ally Ally May affect anyone adjacent to the user

Availability Introduced  Generation III Not a TM, TR, HM, or Move Tutor move.

Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jam  1 ♥ Startles Pokémon that made a same-type appeal.

Super Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  2 ♥♥ Allows performance of the same move twice in a row.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Beautiful Appeal  1 ♥ Jamming  0   Effectiveness varies depending on when it is used.

On Smogon's Movedex: Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX

Icicle Spear (Japanese: つららばり Icicle Needle) is a damage-dealing Ice-type multi-strike move introduced in Generation III. Prior to Generation V, it was the signature move of Shellder.

Effect

Generation III

Icicle Spear inflicts damage, hitting the target 2-5 times per use. There is a 37.5% chance that it will hit 2 times, a 37.5% chance that it will hit 3 times, a 12.5% chance that it will hit 4 times, and a 12.5% chance that it will hit 5 times. Ignoring the possibility of missing, it will hit 3 times on average, giving it an average power of 30. Each strike made has an equal chance to be a critical hit.

Icicle Spear may continue attacking after breaking a substitute. Bide and Mirror Coat will only acknowledge the last strike of this move.

Generation IV

Pokémon with the Ability Skill Link will always hit five times when using Icicle Spear unless it misses. Due to being now classified as a physical move, Icicle Spear is affected by Counter instead of Mirror Coat.

Generation V

Icicle Spear's base power increased from 10 to 25. There is now a 33.3% chance that it will hit 2 times, a 33.3% chance it will hit 3 times, a 16.7% chance it will hit 4 times, and a 16.7% chance it will hit 5 times. Ignoring the possibility of missing, it will hit 3.168 times on average, giving it an average power of 79.2.

If a Focus Sash, Focus Band, or Sturdy activates before the last strike is dealt, the following strike will cause the defending Pokémon to faint. A Focus Band can still activate repeatedly to prevent fainting, but each chance is independent of the previous one.

If the target has Weak Armor, each strike will activate it.

Description

Games Description RSE Attacks the foe by firing 2 to 5 icicles in a row. FRLG Sharp icicles are fired at the foe. It strikes two to five times. ColoXD Attacks target by firing 2 to 5 icicles in a row. DPPtHGSS The user launches sharp icicles at the foe. It strikes two to five times in a row. BWB2W2 The user launches sharp icicles at the target. It strikes two to five times in a row. XYORAS The user launches sharp icicles at the target two to five times in a row.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
090		Shellder	Water		Water		8	13				13			13
582		Vanillite	Ice		Ice								1			1
583		Vanillish	Ice		Ice								1			1
584		Vanilluxe	Ice		Ice								1			1
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		Type		Father
					II		III		IV		V		VI
086		Seel*	Water		Water
090		Shellder*	Water		Water
220		Swinub*	Ice	Ground
222		Corsola*	Water	Rock
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.

Special move

Generation V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0086 Seel Water Dream World - Sparkling Sea 0220 Swinub Ice Ground Dream World - Icy Cave Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By event

Generation V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0091 Cloyster Water Ice Winter Regional Championships 2013 Cloyster Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation VI

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0473 Mamoswine Ice Ground Arash Ommati's Mamoswine Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

In other games

Description

Games Description MDRB Inflicts damage on the target. It hits two to five times in succession.

In the anime

Shellder Vanillite
The user fires ice shaped like icicles at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Shellder fires sharp, thin spear-shaped ice shards from its mouth at the opponent.
A Coordinator's Shellder	Old Rivals, New Tricks!		Debut
	Vanillite opens its mouth and the inside of it starts to glow light blue. It then releases multiple sharp, thin spear-shaped ice shards from its mouth at the opponent. As it does, a stream of cold air with white sparkles inside it is released as well.
Trip's Vanillite	Ash and Trip's Third Battle!		None
	Vanillish points the lower half of its body at the opponent and it starts to glow light blue. Vanillish then spins around and fires multiple icicles from the bottom of its body at the opponent.
Cryogonal Man's Vanillish	The Mighty Accelguard to the Rescue!		None
Brycen's Vanillish	Caution: Icy Battle Conditions!		None

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Shellder
The user releases four icicles from its body at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Shellder releases four icicles from the black parts on its face above its mouth at the opponent. The icicles travel so fast that they leave behind a white trail where they shot.
Lorelei's Shellder	Father's Name is Giovanni		Debut

In other generations

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Generation I	RBY	Generation I (Japanese)	Generation I (international)	Generation II	Generation II (Japanese)	Generation II (international)	Crystal	Generation III	Generation III (Japanese)	Generation III (international)	RS	FRLG	FRLGE	Generation IV	Generation IV (Japanese)	Generation IV (international)	PtHGSS	HGSS	Generation V	BW	B2W2	Generation V (Japanese)	Generation V (international)	Generation VI	XY	ORAS	Generation VII	SMUSUM	LGPE	Generation VIII	SwSh	BDSP	Legends: Arceus	Generation IX	Stadium (JP)	Stadium	Stadium 2	Colosseum	XD	Battle Revolution	Battrio	MD: Red and Blue	MD:Time, Darkness, andSky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 冰針 Bīngzhēn Dutch IJsspeer French Stalagtite German Eisspeer Greek Παγολόγχη Indonesian Jarum Es Italian Gelolancia Korean 고드름침 Godoreum Chim Polish Strzała Lodu Brazilian Portuguese Lança de Gelo Serbian Ledenice Spanish Latin America Carámbano (BW031) Lanza de Hielo (BW067-present) Spain Carámbano

Variations of the move Bullet Seed
Bullet Seed • Icicle Spear

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.