Absorb (move)

If you were looking for the skill in Pokémon Shuffle, see Skill (Shuffle) → Absorb.
Absorb
すいとる Absorb
Absorb IX.png
Absorb IX 2.png
Type  Grass
Category  Special
PP  25 (max. 40)
Power  20
Accuracy  100%
Priority  {{{priority}}}
Target
Foe Foe Foe
Self Ally Ally
May affect anyone adjacent to the user
Availability
Introduced  Generation I
Condition  Smart
Appeal  2 ♥♥
Jam  3 ♥♥♥
Startles the Pokémon that appealed before the user.
Condition  Smart
Appeal  1
Earn +3 if two Pokémon raise the Voltage in a row.
Condition  Clever
Appeal  4 ♥♥♥♥
Jamming  0  
Quite an appealing move.

Absorb (Japanese: すいとる Absorb) is a damage-dealing Grass-type move introduced in Generation I.

It is the first in a line of three Grass-type HP-draining attacks, the other two being Mega Drain and Giga Drain.

Effect

Generations I and II

Absorb inflicts damage, and up to 50% of the damage dealt to the target is restored to the user as HP (but not less than 1 HP), restoring up to the Pokémon's maximum HP. Absorb has 20 PP.

In the localized versions of the Generation I games, if Absorb breaks a substitute, no HP will be restored to the user. In the Japanese version of Generation I games, and all versions of the Pokémon Stadium series and Generation II games, Absorb will always miss if the target has a substitute.

Generation III

Absorb will now properly heal the user when damaging a substitute, even if it was broken. When used on a Pokémon with the Liquid Ooze Ability, the user will lose the amount of HP it would have gained instead.

Absorb can be used as the second move of a Pokémon Contest combination, with the user gaining 2 bonus appeal points if Growth was used in the previous turn.

Absorb is no longer affected by King's Rock.

Generation IV

Absorb's PP is increased to 25. If the user is holding a Big Root, the HP restored is increased by 30% (making the restored HP 65% of the damage dealt). Big Root does not increase the damage dealt.

Generation V

Absorb is now affected by King's Rock.

Generation VI

Absorb cannot be used if the user is under the effects of Heal Block.

Generation VII

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Absorb's power was changed from 20 to 40, while its PP was reduced to 15.

Generation VIII onwards

Absorb's power was changed back to 20, and its PP back to 25.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Category  Special
PP  20
Agile Strong
Power  30  20  40
Accuracy  100%  100%  100%
Action speed modifier
Self  0  0  +5
Target  0  +3  0
Additional effect
Heal  50%  50%  75%
   ?  ?
   ?  ?
Restores the user's HP by a percentage of damage dealt

Description

Games Description
StadStad2 A Grass-type attack. It adds half the HP it drained from the target to the attacker's HP.
GSC Steals 1/2 of the damage inflicted.
RSEColo.XD An attack that absorbs half the damage inflicted.
FRLG An attack that absorbs half the damage it inflicted to restore HP.
DPPtHGSSPBR
BWB2W2
XYORAS
SMUSUMPE
SwShBDSP
A nutrient-draining attack. The user's HP is restored by half the damage taken by the target.
LA The user attacks by draining the target’s nutrients. Some of the damage dealt to the target is absorbed by the user to restore their own HP.
SV A nutrient-draining attack. The user's HP is restored by up to half the damage taken by the target.


Learnset

By leveling up

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Level
0041    
 
Flying Flying 1 1 1 1 1
0042    
 
Flying Flying 1 1 1 1 1
0043    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0044    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0045    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1
0046    
 
Bug Grass 11 9 11 1
0047    
 
Bug Grass 1, 11 9 1, 11 1
0102    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1
0103    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1
0103  
Exeggutor
Alolan Form
 
 
Grass Grass 1 1
0114     Grass Grass 29RGB
27Y
10 10 8 8BW
10B2W2
10 10 1 1 1 1
0140    
 
Water 1 Water 3 34 10 13 6 6 6 6 18 1 1
0141    
 
Water 1 Water 3 1, 34 1, 10 1, 13 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6 1, 18 1 1
0167    
 
Bug Bug 5 5 5
0168    
 
Bug Bug 1, 5 1, 5 1
0169    
 
Flying Flying 1 1 1
0182     Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1
0187    
 
Fairy Grass 1USUM 1 6
0188    
 
Fairy Grass 1USUM 1 1
0189    
 
Fairy Grass 1USUM 1 1
0191     Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7
0192     Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7
0252     Monster Dragon 6 6 6 6XY
5ORAS
5
0253     Monster Dragon 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6XY
1, 5ORAS
1, 5
0254     Monster Dragon 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6 1, 6XY
1, 5ORAS
1, 5
0267    
 
Bug Bug 1, 10 1, 10 1, 10 1, 10XY
12ORAS
12 12
0270    
 
Water 1 Grass 7 5 5 5XY
6ORAS
6 3 3 3
0271    
 
Water 1 Grass 7 5 5 5XY
6ORAS
6 1 1 1
0272    
 
Water 1 Grass 1 1 1 Rem.
0273     Field Grass 3 3 3
0274    
 
Field Grass 1 1 1
0275    
 
Field Grass 1 1 Rem.
0285     Fairy Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0286    
 
Fairy Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0290    
 
Bug Bug 5 21 21
0291    
 
Bug Bug 1, 5 23 23
0292    
 
Mineral Mineral 1, 5 23 23
0315    
 
Fairy Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
0331     Grass Human-Like 5 5 5 5XY
4ORAS
4 4 4
0332    
 
Grass Human-Like 1, 5 1, 5 1, 5 1, 5XY
1, 4ORAS
1, 4 1, 4 1
0355     Amorphous Amorphous 1
0356     Amorphous Amorphous 1
0387     Monster Grass 9 9 9 9 9
0388     Monster Grass 9 9 9 1, 9 1 1
0389    
 
Monster Grass 1, 9 1, 9 1, 9 1, 9 1 1
0401     Bug Bug 1
0402     Bug Bug 14 14 1 14
0406    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
0407    
 
Fairy Grass 1 1 6
0420     Fairy Grass 1
0421     Fairy Grass 1
0455     Grass Grass 1
0465     Grass Grass 8 8BW
10B2W2
10 10 1 1 1
0477     Amorphous Amorphous 1
0546    
 
Grass Fairy 1 1 1 1 1
0547    
 
Grass Fairy 1 1
0548     Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1 1
0549     Grass Grass 1 1
0549  
Lilligant
Hisuian Form
 
 
Grass Grass 1 1
0556     Grass Grass 1 1 1 1
0590    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1
0591    
 
Grass Grass 1 1 1 1 1
0592  
Frillish
All forms
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 5 5 5 1
0593  
Jellicent
All forms
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1, 5 1, 5 1, 5 1
0595    
 
Bug Bug 1 1 1
0596    
 
Bug Bug 1 1 1
0616     Bug Bug 1 1
0617     Bug Bug 1 1
0636    
 
Bug Bug 10
0637    
 
Bug Bug 1, 10
0704     Dragon Dragon 5 5 1 1
0705     Dragon Dragon 5 1, 5 1 1
0705  
Sliggoo
Hisuian Form
 
 
Dragon Dragon 1
0706     Dragon Dragon 5 1, 5 1 1
0706  
Goodra
Hisuian Form
 
 
Dragon Dragon 1
0714    
 
Flying Dragon 5 1 1
0715    
 
Flying Dragon 1, 5 1 1
0742    
 
Bug Fairy 1 1 1
0743    
 
Bug Fairy 1 1 1
0755    
 
Grass Grass 1 1
0756    
 
Grass Grass 1 1
0769    
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1 1 1
0770    
 
Amorphous Amorphous 1 1 1
0781    
 
Mineral Mineral 1 1
0797    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1 1
0928    
 
Grass Grass 5
0929    
 
Grass Grass 5
0930    
 
Grass Grass 5
0946    
 
Grass Grass 5
0947    
 
Grass Grass 5
0948    
 
Grass Grass 4
0949    
 
Grass Grass 4
0986    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
1001    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 1
1012  
Poltchageist
All forms
 
 
Mineral Amorphous 6
1013  
Sinistcha
All forms
 
 
Mineral Amorphous 6
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 Types Egg Groups Egg Move
0252     Monster Dragon
0636    
 
Bug Bug
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 event

Generation II

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
0231     Field Field New York City Pokémon Center
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.


In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Absorb deals damage and 50% of the damage dealt is restored to the user as HP. In Adventure Squad only, the move heals by 20% of dealt damage instead. In Gates to Infinity only, the user will heal based on how much HP the target lost, and excess damage is not accounted for. The move is affected by the Muzzle status condition in the Rescue Team, Explorers, and Adventure Squad series.

Game Base
Power
Max
Power
Base
PP
Max
PP
Base
Accuracy
Max
Accuracy
Range Target Cuts
corners
MDRB 1 - 18 - 88% - Front Enemy No
MDTDS 1 - 15 - 88% - Front Enemy No
BSL 1 - 15 - 88% - Front Enemy No
MDGtI 2 19 18 50 95% 98% Front Enemy No
SMD 2 99 18 40 95% 98% Front Enemy No
With some exceptions, Pokémon learnsets match those from the core series games:

Pokémon Conquest

 
>
 
Stars: ★
Power: 20
Accuracy: 100%
Effect: It heals the attacking Pokémon of 50% of the damage inflicted.
If the Pokémon has a 100% link with their Warrior, it heals 66% of the damage inflicted.
Users:      
Grid assumes the user is in the square marked by > facing to the right.
Orange squares indicate spaces that are hit.
Red squares indicate the knockback on hit Pokémon.
A blue square indicates the user's position after performing the move.

Pokémon Rumble Rush

  Absorb
★★
Attack power 32.41483
Charge time 0.62 seconds
Range type Arc (melee)
Number of hits 1
Number of projectiles 1
Critical hit rate 1.5%
Additional effect Drains HP

Pokémon Masters EX

•Description of addition effect(s) prior to Version 2.10.0: Restores the user's HP based on the amount of damage dealt to the target.

Description

Games Description
MDRB Inflicts damage on the target. It also restores the user's HP based on the damage it inflicted.
MDTDS Inflicts damage on the target, then restores the user's HP based on the damage inflicted.
BSL てきポケモンに ダメージをあたえる あたえたダメージに おうじて じぶんの HPが かいふくする
Conq. A nutrient-draining attack. The user's HP is restored by half the damage taken by the target.
MDGtI
SMD
MDRTDX
It damages an enemy. It also restores your HP. The greater the damage it causes, the more HP it restores.


In the anime

Main series

 
Tangrowth
 
Bellsprout
 
Shroomish
A nutrient-draining attack that absorbs the opponent's energy and adds it to the user.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Tangrowth holds out its arms and fires two red beams from them at the opponent. When the opponent is hit, its body glows red and it drains its energy. Sometimes, the red parts of its hands glow red before it fires the beams.
A wild Tangrowth Promoting Healthy Tangrowth! Debut
  Shroomish releases a red beam from the hole on its head at the opponent. When hit, the opponent's body glows red and it absorbs its energy.
A wild Shroomish Promoting Healthy Tangrowth! None
  Bellsprout releases two red beams from the leaves on the side of its body at the opponent. When it hits it, the opponent's body glows red and it absorbs its energy.
A wild Bellsprout Promoting Healthy Tangrowth! Bellsprout cannot legally learn Absorb


Pokémon: Path to the Peak



The user drains energy from the target.
Pokémon Method
User First Used In Notes
  Gloom sends a green orb from the target to itself, restoring some of its health.
Ava's Gloom Regionals Debut


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures


  • Diamond's Turtwig, Tru, was revealed to know Absorb on the official web site, but he was never shown using the move.

Pokémon Battrio: Aim to be Battrio Master!


Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!


In other generations

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 吸取 Kāpchéui *
吸收 Kāpsāu *
Mandarin 吸取 Xīqǔ *
吸收 Xīshōu *
  Czech Vstřebání
  Danish Opsuge
  Dutch Absorbeer
  French Vole-VieVIII+
Vol-VieIVII
  German Absorber
  Greek Απορρόφηση Aporrófisi
  Italian Assorbimento
  Korean 흡수 Heupsu
  Polish Absorpcja
Portuguese   Brazil Absorção (GO, TCG, manga)
Absorver (anime, The Official Pokémon Handbook)
  Portugal Absorção
  Romanian Absorbirea
  Serbian Apsorpcija
  Spanish Absorber
  Thai ดูดซับ
  Turkish Emiş
  Vietnamese Hấp Thụ


  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.