Contact

Contact (Japanese: 接触 contact) or direct attack (Japanese: 直接攻撃 direct attack) is a property of moves in the Pokémon games that was introduced in Generation III. Making contact occurs when a Pokémon physically touches the target when using a move in battle. Moves that make contact are affected by and can trigger various items and Abilities, such as Tough Claws and the Sticky Barb.

Whether a move makes contact is independent of its damage category. Most physical moves do make contact and make up the majority of contact moves. Most special moves do not make contact (with only seven moves that do), and no status moves make contact. Prior to Generation VII, all moves that make contact only target a single Pokémon.

Hitting a substitute does not make contact with the Pokémon behind it. While confusion damage is physical, it does not make contact. If a Pokémon is immune to a move, the move will not make contact with the Pokémon.

Contact does not factor into anything in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Moves that make contact

In Generation III only, AncientPower and Overheat make contact, while Covet, Faint Attack, and Fake Out do not.

The move Shell Side Arm changes between being a physical move that makes contact and a special move that does not make contact, based on which it predicts to inflict more damage.

Move Type Category Pound  Normal  Physical Karate Chop  Fighting  Physical Double Slap  Normal  Physical Comet Punch  Normal  Physical Mega Punch  Normal  Physical Fire Punch  Fire  Physical Ice Punch  Ice  Physical Thunder Punch  Electric  Physical Scratch  Normal  Physical Vise Grip  Normal  Physical Guillotine  Normal  Physical Cut  Normal  Physical Wing Attack  Flying  Physical Fly  Flying  Physical Bind  Normal  Physical Slam  Normal  Physical Vine Whip  Grass  Physical Stomp  Normal  Physical Double Kick  Fighting  Physical Mega Kick  Normal  Physical Jump Kick  Fighting  Physical Rolling Kick  Fighting  Physical Headbutt  Normal  Physical Horn Attack  Normal  Physical Fury Attack  Normal  Physical Horn Drill  Normal  Physical Tackle  Normal  Physical Body Slam  Normal  Physical Wrap  Normal  Physical Take Down  Normal  Physical Thrash  Normal  Physical Double-Edge  Normal  Physical Bite  Dark  Physical Peck  Flying  Physical Drill Peck  Flying  Physical Submission  Fighting  Physical Low Kick  Fighting  Physical Counter  Fighting  Physical Seismic Toss  Fighting  Physical Strength  Normal  Physical Petal Dance  Grass  Special Dig  Ground  Physical Quick Attack  Normal  Physical Rage  Normal  Physical Bide  Normal  Physical Lick  Ghost  Physical Waterfall  Water  Physical Clamp  Water  Physical Skull Bash  Normal  Physical Constrict  Normal  Physical High Jump Kick  Fighting  Physical Leech Life  Bug  Physical Dizzy Punch  Normal  Physical Crabhammer  Water  Physical Fury Swipes  Normal  Physical Hyper Fang  Normal  Physical Super Fang  Normal  Physical Slash  Normal  Physical Struggle  Normal  Physical Triple Kick  Fighting  Physical Thief  Dark  Physical Flame Wheel  Fire  Physical Flail  Normal  Physical Reversal  Fighting  Physical Mach Punch  Fighting  Physical Feint Attack  Dark  Physical Outrage  Dragon  Physical Rollout  Rock  Physical False Swipe  Normal  Physical Spark  Electric  Physical Fury Cutter  Bug  Physical Steel Wing  Steel  Physical Return  Normal  Physical Frustration  Normal  Physical Dynamic Punch  Fighting  Physical Megahorn  Bug  Physical Pursuit  Dark  Physical Rapid Spin  Normal  Physical Iron Tail  Steel  Physical Metal Claw  Steel  Physical Vital Throw  Fighting  Physical Cross Chop  Fighting  Physical Crunch  Dark  Physical Extreme Speed  Normal  Physical Rock Smash  Fighting  Physical Fake Out  Normal  Physical Facade  Normal  Physical Focus Punch  Fighting  Physical Smelling Salts  Normal  Physical Superpower  Fighting  Physical Revenge  Fighting  Physical Brick Break  Fighting  Physical Knock Off  Dark  Physical Endeavor  Normal  Physical Dive  Water  Physical Arm Thrust  Fighting  Physical Blaze Kick  Fire  Physical Ice Ball  Ice  Physical Needle Arm  Grass  Physical Poison Fang  Poison  Physical Crush Claw  Normal  Physical Meteor Mash  Steel  Physical Astonish  Ghost  Physical Shadow Punch  Ghost  Physical Sky Uppercut  Fighting  Physical Aerial Ace  Flying  Physical Dragon Claw  Dragon  Physical Bounce  Flying  Physical Poison Tail  Poison  Physical Covet  Normal  Physical Volt Tackle  Electric  Physical Leaf Blade  Grass  Physical Wake-Up Slap  Fighting  Physical Hammer Arm  Fighting  Physical Gyro Ball  Steel  Physical Pluck  Flying  Physical U-turn  Bug  Physical Close Combat  Fighting  Physical Payback  Dark  Physical Assurance  Dark  Physical Trump Card  Normal  Special Wring Out  Normal  Special Punishment  Dark  Physical Last Resort  Normal  Physical Sucker Punch  Dark  Physical Flare Blitz  Fire  Physical Force Palm  Fighting  Physical Poison Jab  Poison  Physical Night Slash  Dark  Physical Aqua Tail  Water  Physical X-Scissor  Bug  Physical Dragon Rush  Dragon  Physical Drain Punch  Fighting  Physical Brave Bird  Flying  Physical Giga Impact  Normal  Physical Bullet Punch  Steel  Physical Avalanche  Ice  Physical Shadow Claw  Ghost  Physical Thunder Fang  Electric  Physical Ice Fang  Ice  Physical Fire Fang  Fire  Physical Shadow Sneak  Ghost  Physical Zen Headbutt  Psychic  Physical Rock Climb  Normal  Physical Power Whip  Grass  Physical Cross Poison  Poison  Physical Iron Head  Steel  Physical Grass Knot  Grass  Special Bug Bite  Bug  Physical Wood Hammer  Grass  Physical Aqua Jet  Water  Physical Head Smash  Rock  Physical Double Hit  Normal  Physical Crush Grip  Normal  Physical Shadow Force  Ghost  Physical Storm Throw  Fighting  Physical Heavy Slam  Steel  Physical Flame Charge  Fire  Physical Low Sweep  Fighting  Physical Foul Play  Dark  Physical Chip Away  Normal  Physical Sky Drop  Flying  Physical Circle Throw  Fighting  Physical Acrobatics  Flying  Physical Retaliate  Normal  Physical Dragon Tail  Dragon  Physical Wild Charge  Electric  Physical Drill Run  Ground  Physical Dual Chop  Dragon  Physical Heart Stamp  Psychic  Physical Horn Leech  Grass  Physical Sacred Sword  Fighting  Physical Razor Shell  Water  Physical Heat Crash  Fire  Physical Steamroller  Bug  Physical Tail Slap  Normal  Physical Head Charge  Normal  Physical Gear Grind  Steel  Physical Bolt Strike  Electric  Physical V-create  Fire  Physical Flying Press  Fighting  Physical Fell Stinger  Bug  Physical Phantom Force  Ghost  Physical Draining Kiss  Fairy  Special Play Rough  Fairy  Physical Nuzzle  Electric  Physical Hold Back  Normal  Physical Infestation  Bug  Special Power-Up Punch  Fighting  Physical Dragon Ascent  Flying  Physical Catastropika  Electric  Physical First Impression  Bug  Physical Darkest Lariat  Dark  Physical Ice Hammer  Ice  Physical High Horsepower  Ground  Physical Solar Blade  Grass  Physical Throat Chop  Dark  Physical Anchor Shot  Steel  Physical Lunge  Bug  Physical Fire Lash  Fire  Physical Power Trip  Dark  Physical Smart Strike  Steel  Physical Trop Kick  Grass  Physical Dragon Hammer  Dragon  Physical Brutal Swing  Dark  Physical Malicious Moonsault  Dark  Physical Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike  Ghost  Physical Pulverizing Pancake  Normal  Physical Psychic Fangs  Psychic  Physical Stomping Tantrum  Ground  Physical Accelerock  Rock  Physical Liquidation  Water  Physical Spectral Thief  Ghost  Physical Sunsteel Strike  Steel  Physical Zing Zap  Electric  Physical Multi-Attack  Normal  Physical Plasma Fists  Electric  Physical Searing Sunraze Smash  Steel  Physical Let's Snuggle Forever  Fairy  Physical Zippy Zap  Electric  Physical Floaty Fall  Flying  Physical Sizzly Slide  Fire  Physical Veevee Volley  Normal  Physical Double Iron Bash  Steel  Physical Jaw Lock  Dark  Physical Bolt Beak  Electric  Physical Fishious Rend  Water  Physical Body Press  Fighting  Physical Snap Trap  Grass  Physical Behemoth Blade  Steel  Physical Behemoth Bash  Steel  Physical Breaking Swipe  Dragon  Physical Branch Poke  Grass  Physical Spirit Break  Fairy  Physical False Surrender  Dark  Physical Steel Roller  Steel  Physical Grassy Glide  Grass  Physical Skitter Smack  Bug  Physical Lash Out  Dark  Physical Flip Turn  Water  Physical Triple Axel  Ice  Physical Dual Wingbeat  Flying  Physical Wicked Blow  Dark  Physical Surging Strikes  Water  Physical Thunderous Kick  Fighting  Physical Dire Claw  Poison  Physical Psyshield Bash  Psychic  Physical Stone Axe  Rock  Physical Wave Crash  Water  Physical Headlong Rush  Ground  Physical Ceaseless Edge  Dark  Physical Axe Kick  Fighting  Physical Jet Punch  Water  Physical Spin Out  Steel  Physical Population Bomb  Normal  Physical Ice Spinner  Ice  Physical Glaive Rush  Dragon  Physical Triple Dive  Water  Physical Mortal Spin  Poison  Physical Kowtow Cleave  Dark  Physical Aqua Step  Water  Physical Raging Bull  Normal  Physical Psyblade  Psychic  Physical Collision Course  Fighting  Physical Electro Drift  Electric  Special Pounce  Bug  Physical Trailblaze  Grass  Physical Hyper Drill  Normal  Physical Rage Fist  Ghost  Physical Bitter Blade  Fire  Physical Double Shock  Electric  Physical Comeuppance  Dark  Physical Mighty Cleave  Rock  Physical Hard Press  Steel  Physical Temper Flare  Fire  Physical Supercell Slam  Electric  Physical Upper Hand  Fighting  Physical

Shadow moves

These Shadow moves also make contact.

Move Type Category Shadow Blitz  Shadow  Physical Shadow Break  Shadow  Physical Shadow End  Shadow  Physical Shadow Rush  Shadow  Physical

Effects involving contact

Moves

Name Effect Baneful Bunker Poisons an attacker if it attempts a contact move on the user. Beak Blast Burns an attacker if it uses a contact move on the user before executing the move. Burning Bulwark Burns an attacker if it attempts a contact move on the user. King's Shield Decreases an attacker's Attack one stage if it attempts a contact move on the user. Obstruct Decreases an attacker's Defense two stages if it attempts a contact move on the user. Silk Trap Decreases an attacker's Speed one stage if it attempts a contact move on the user. Spiky Shield Damages an attacker for 1/8 of its max HP if it attempts a contact move on the user.

Abilities

Name Effect Aftermath An attacker that knocks out this Pokémon with a contact move takes damage equal to 1/4 of its own max HP. Cute Charm Has a 30% chance of infatuating an attacker on contact. Effect Spore Has a 30% chance of afflicting an attacker with poison, paralysis, or sleep on contact. Flame Body Has a 30% chance of burning an attacker on contact. Fluffy Halves damage taken from contact moves, but doubles damage taken from Fire-type moves. Gooey Decreases an attacker's Speed by one stage on contact. Iron Barbs Damages an attacker for 1/8 of its max HP on contact. Long Reach Contact moves from the user will not trigger effects caused by contact. Mummy Replaces an attacker's Ability with Mummy on contact. Unseen Fist If the Pokémon uses moves that make direct contact, it can attack the target even if the target protects itself, dealing 25% of the original damage. Perish Body Sets the perish count to 3 for both the attacking and defending Pokémon, until they switch out. Pickpocket Steals an attacker's held item on contact if the defending Pokémon has none. Piercing Drill If the Pokémon uses moves that make direct contact, it can attack the target even if the target protects itself, dealing 25% of the original damage. Poison Point Has a 30% chance of poisoning an attacker on contact. Poison Touch Has a 30% chance of poisoning a target on contact. Rough Skin Damages an attacker for 1/8 of its max HP on contact. Static Has a 30% chance of paralyzing an attacker on contact. Tangling Hair Decreases an attacker's Speed by one stage on contact. Tough Claws Boosts the power of contact moves used by this Pokémon by 30%. Wandering Spirit Exchanges Abilities with an attacker that makes direct contact.

Items

Name Effect Rocky Helmet Damages an attacker for 1/6 of its max HP on contact. Sticky Barb Damages the holder each turn for 1/8 of their max HP. Transfers to an attacker on contact. Protective Pads Protects the holder from effects caused by using moves that make contact with the target.

Physical moves that do not make contact

Most moves that make contact are physical, although there are physical moves that do not make contact.

Water Shuriken, which was a physical move in Generation VI, also does not make contact in any generation.

Move Type Category Aqua Cutter  Water  Physical Attack Order  Bug  Physical Aura Wheel  Electric  Physical Barb Barrage  Poison  Physical Barrage  Normal  Physical Beak Blast  Flying  Physical Beat Up  Dark  Physical Blazing Torque  Fire  Physical Bone Club  Ground  Physical Bone Rush  Ground  Physical Bonemerang  Ground  Physical Bulldoze  Ground  Physical Bullet Seed  Grass  Physical Combat Torque  Fighting  Physical Diamond Storm  Rock  Physical Dragon Darts  Dragon  Physical Drum Beating  Grass  Physical Earthquake  Ground  Physical Egg Bomb  Normal  Physical Explosion  Normal  Physical Feint  Normal  Physical Fissure  Ground  Physical Fling  Dark  Physical Flower Trick  Grass  Physical Freeze Shock  Ice  Physical Fusion Bolt  Electric  Physical Gigaton Hammer  Steel  Physical Glacial Lance  Ice  Physical Grav Apple  Grass  Physical Gunk Shot  Poison  Physical Hyperspace Fury  Dark  Physical Ice Shard  Ice  Physical Icicle Crash  Ice  Physical Icicle Spear  Ice  Physical Ivy Cudgel  Grass  Physical Land's Wrath  Ground  Physical Last Respects  Ghost  Physical Leafage  Grass  Physical Magical Torque  Fairy  Physical Magnet Bomb  Steel  Physical Magnitude  Ground  Physical Metal Burst  Steel  Physical Meteor Assault  Fighting  Physical Mountain Gale  Ice  Physical Natural Gift  Normal  Physical Noxious Torque  Poison  Physical Order Up  Dragon  Physical Pay Day  Normal  Physical Petal Blizzard  Grass  Physical Pin Missile  Bug  Physical Poison Sting  Poison  Physical Poltergeist  Ghost  Physical Precipice Blades  Ground  Physical Present  Normal  Physical Psycho Cut  Psychic  Physical Pyro Ball  Fire  Physical Raging Fury  Fire  Physical Razor Leaf  Grass  Physical Rock Blast  Rock  Physical Rock Slide  Rock  Physical Rock Throw  Rock  Physical Rock Tomb  Rock  Physical Rock Wrecker  Rock  Physical Sacred Fire  Fire  Physical Salt Cure  Rock  Physical Sand Tomb  Ground  Physical Scale Shot  Dragon  Physical Secret Power  Normal  Physical Seed Bomb  Grass  Physical Self-Destruct  Normal  Physical Shadow Bone  Ghost  Physical Sky Attack  Flying  Physical Smack Down  Rock  Physical Sinister Arrow Raid  Ghost  Physical Spike Cannon  Normal  Physical Spirit Shackle  Ghost  Physical Splintered Stormshards  Rock  Physical Stone Edge  Rock  Physical Thousand Arrows  Ground  Physical Thousand Waves  Ground  Physical Triple Arrows  Fighting  Physical Twineedle  Bug  Physical Wicked Torque  Dark  Physical

Trivia

• In Pokémon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness, battle animations for contact moves do not show the attacking Pokémon hitting the defending one at all. As in the Stadium series, physical blows usually utilize quick camera cuts between the attacking and defending Pokémon to imply direct contact.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	接觸 Jipjūk
	Mandarin	接觸 / 接触 Jiēchù
Czech		Kontakt
French		Contact
German		Berührung
Hungarian		Érintkezés
Italian		Contatto
Korean		접촉 Contact
Portuguese	Brazil	Contato
	Portugal	Contacto
Spanish		Contacto

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