Sky Attack (move)

Sky Attack (Japanese: ゴッドバード God Bird) is a damage-dealing Template:Type2 move introduced in Generation I. It was Moltres's signature move prior to Generation III.

Effect

Generation I

Sky Attack deals damage and has a 9.8% chance of causing the target to flinch.

Sky Attack does nothing on the turn it is selected, other than say that the user is glowing. On the following turn, Sky Attack will deal damage, PP will be deducted from it, and it will count as the last move used. Once Sky Attack is selected, the user won't be able to switch out until it is disrupted or fully executed.

If Sky Attack is not fully executed, PP will not be deducted from it, and it will not count as the last move used. If the target uses Mirror Move during the turn that the user is glowing, Mirror Move will copy the move that the user executed immediately before using Sky Attack (or fail if it can't).

Sleep, freeze, partial trapping, and flinching will pause but not disrupt the duration of Sky Attack.

In Stadium, Mirror Move will copy Sky Attack on either of the turns it takes to execute.

Generation II-III

Sky Attack now has a 30% chance of causing the target to flinch. Otherwise, it is exactly the same as Generation I.

Generation IV

Sky Attack now displays "<name> became cloaked in a harsh light!" instead of "<name> is glowing!". Otherwise, it is exactly the same as Generation II and III.

Generation V

Sky Attack can hit non-adjacent opponents in triple battles.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
146		Moltres	Fire	Flying	60			73			85			78				78			''''
164		Noctowl	Normal	Flying										--				--			''''
249		Lugia	Psychic	Flying										99				99			''''
250		Ho-Oh	Fire	Flying										99				99			''''
334		Altaria	Dragon	Flying							59			70				77			''''
468		Togekiss	Normal	Flying										--				--			''''
519		Pidove	Normal	Flying														50			''''
520		Tranquill	Normal	Flying														59			''''
521		Unfezant	Normal	Flying														66			''''
561		Sigilyph	Psychic	Flying														51			''''
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 TM43

#	Pokémon		Type		Machine
					I TM43		II --		III --		IV --		V --		VI TM08
016		Pidgey	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
017		Pidgeotto	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
018		Pidgeot	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
021		Spearow	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
022		Fearow	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
084		Doduo	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
085		Dodrio	Normal	Flying	✔															✔
142		Aerodactyl	Rock	Flying	✔															✔
144		Articuno	Ice	Flying	✔															✔
145		Zapdos	Electric	Flying	✔															✔
146		Moltres	Fire	Flying	✔															✔
151		Mew	Psychic		Psychic	✔															✔
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
021		Spearow	Normal	Flying
163		Hoothoot	Normal	Flying
198		Murkrow	Dark	Flying
227		Skarmory	Steel	Flying
276		Taillow	Normal	Flying
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 move tutor

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

#   Pokémon Type 0016 Pidgey Normal Flying 0017 Pidgeotto Normal Flying 0018 Pidgeot Normal Flying 0021 Spearow Normal Flying 0022 Fearow Normal Flying 0084 Doduo Normal Flying 0085 Dodrio Normal Flying 0142 Aerodactyl Rock Flying 0144 Articuno Ice Flying 0145 Zapdos Electric Flying 0146 Moltres Fire Flying 0151 Mew Psychic 0163 Hoothoot Normal Flying 0164 Noctowl Normal Flying 0176 Togetic Normal Flying 0177 Natu Psychic Flying 0178 Xatu Psychic Flying 0198 Murkrow Dark Flying 0225 Delibird Ice Flying 0227 Skarmory Steel Flying 0250 Ho-Oh Fire Flying 0276 Taillow Normal Flying 0277 Swellow Normal Flying 0278 Wingull Water Flying 0279 Pelipper Water Flying 0333 Swablu Normal Flying 0334 Altaria Dragon Flying 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 HeartGold and SoulSilver

#   Pokémon Type 0018 Pidgeot Normal Flying 0022 Fearow Normal Flying 0085 Dodrio Normal Flying 0142 Aerodactyl Rock Flying 0144 Articuno Ice Flying 0145 Zapdos Electric Flying 0146 Moltres Fire Flying 0151 Mew Psychic 0164 Noctowl Normal Flying 0169 Crobat Poison Flying 0178 Xatu Psychic Flying 0225 Delibird Ice Flying 0227 Skarmory Steel Flying 0249 Lugia Psychic Flying 0250 Ho-Oh Fire Flying 0277 Swellow Normal Flying 0279 Pelipper Water Flying 0334 Altaria Dragon Flying 0398 Staraptor Normal Flying 0430 Honchkrow Dark Flying 0441 Chatot Normal Flying 0468 Togekiss Normal Flying 0472 Gliscor Ground Flying 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 the anime

File:Togekiss Sky Attack.png Togekiss Noctowl File:Honchkrow Sky Attack.png Honchkrow Skarmory
The user glows silver and attacks the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Skarmory's body glows white or orange and flies into the opponent at top speed.
Attila's Skarmory	The Legend of Thunder!		Debut
A wild Skarmory	All Torkoal, No Play		None
	Altaria's body becomes surrounded in red flames and it flies into the opponent.
Drake's Altaria	Vanity Affair		None
	Murkrow's body becomes surrounded by a white aura and it flies into the opponent
Paul's Murkrow	Top-Down Training!		None
	Honchkrow's body becomes surrounded by a white aura and it flies into the opponent.
Paul's Honchkrow	Lost Leader Strategy!		None
	Togekiss's body becomes surrounded by a white aura and it flies into the opponent. As it flies, a white trail of energy is left behind it.
Dawn's Togekiss	Dawn of a Royal Day!		None
	Noctowl's eyebrow tufts glow white and it flies into the air as it prepares for the attack. Then, its body becomes surrounded by a white aura and it flies into the opponent.
Ash's Noctowl	Working on a Right Move!		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

File:Zapmolcuno Sky Attack.png Zapmolcuno
The user flaps their wings and creates a powerful gust to blow away the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
Zapmolcuno	Zapmolcuno charges at the opponent and its body turns into a powerful tornado that blows the opponent away.
Zapmolcuno	The Winged Legends		Debut
	Altaria flies high into the air, then dives down and slams into the opponent with great force.
Winona's Altaria	VS. Altaria		None

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

Trivia

• Except Mew, all Pokémon who can learn Sky Attack are Template:Type2 Pokémon, and thus receive STAB for using it.
• Sky Attack has the highest base power of any Flying-type attack.
• Sky Attack and Brave Bird share similar in-game animations; the only major difference is that where the former has a blue aura, the latter's is red.
  • Despite crashing into the opponent like Brave Bird, this move does not make contact with the opponent.
• Sky Attack's in-game description erroneously states that it has a high critical hit rate.
• In Generation I, Sky Attack was the only Flying-type move to be taught by TM.
• It is also one of the 2 moves usable by standard form Missingno.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 高空攻擊 Gāokōng Gōngjí Dutch Luchtaanval French Piqué German Himmelsfeger Greek Ουράνια Επίθεση Hindi Aasmani Hamla Italian Aeroattacco Korean 불새 Bul Sae Polish Powietrzny Atak Brazilian Portuguese Ataque Aereo Serbian Vazdušni Napad Spanish Latin America Ataque Cielo Spain Ataque Aéreo

Variations of the move Sky Attack
Sky Attack • Freeze Shock Ice Burn

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.