Flail (move)

Flail じたばた Wriggling

Battles Type  Normal Category  Physical PP  15 (max. 24) Power  — Accuracy  100% Priority  {{{priority}}} Makes contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by Mirror Move Affected by King's Rock

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

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

Contests Condition  Cute Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  0   The appeal works better the later it is performed.

Super Contests Condition  Cute Appeal  2 ♥♥ Earns double the score on the final performance.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Cute Appeal  1 ♥ Jamming  0   Works better the later it is used in a turn.

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

Flail (Japanese: じたばた Wriggling) is a damage-dealing Normal-type move introduced in Generation II.

Effect

Reversal inflicts damage. Its power is higher when the user's HP is lower.

Power	HP%
	All other generations	Generation IV
20	HP ≥ 68.75%	HP ≥ 67.19%
40	35.42% ≤ HP < 68.75%	34.38% ≤ HP < 67.19%
80	20.83% ≤ HP < 35.42%	20.31% ≤ HP < 34.38%
100	10.42% ≤ HP < 20.83%	9.38% ≤ HP < 20.31%
150	4.17% ≤ HP < 10.42%	3.13% ≤ HP < 9.38%
200	HP < 4.17%	HP < 3.13%

Generation II

Flail cannot cause a critical hit, and its damage is not varied by a random factor during damage calculation.

Generation III onwards

Flail can now cause a critical hit, and its damage is now varied by a random factor during damage calculation.

Flail can be used as the second move of a Pokémon Contest combination, with the user gaining 1 bonus appeal point if Endure was used in the previous turn.

Flail is also part of a Contest Spectacular combination and will give an extra three appeal points if the move Endure was used in the prior turn.

Description

Games Description Stad2 An attack that increases in power if the user's HP is low. It could turn the tide in battle. GSC Stronger if the user's HP is low. RSEColo.XD Inflicts more damage when the user's HP is down. FRLG A desperate attack that becomes more powerful the less HP the user has. DPPtHGSSPBR BWB2W2 The user flails about aimlessly to attack. It becomes more powerful the less HP the user has. XYORAS SMUSUM SwShBDSPLA SV The user flails about aimlessly to attack. The less HP the user has, the greater the move's power.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Level
						I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX
098		Krabby		Water 3		Water 3		49FRLG	45	45	45	45	29
099		Kingler		Water 3		Water 3		65FRLG	63	63	63	63	31
118		Goldeen		Water 2		Water 2	24	24	21	21	21XY 13ORAS	13	30
119		Seaking		Water 2		Water 2	24	24	21	21	21XY 13ORAS	13	30
129		Magikarp		Water 2	Dragon	30	30	30	30	30	30	25	25
130		Gyarados		Water 2	Dragon							1	1
143		Snorlax		Monster		Monster							1
158		Totodile		Monster	Water 1			22PtHGSS	22	22	22	22BDSP
159		Croconaw		Monster	Water 1			24PtHGSS	24	24	24	24BDSP
160		Feraligatr		Monster	Water 1			24PtHGSS	24	24	24	24BDSP
170		Chinchou		Water 2		Water 2	13	13	9	9	9XY 31ORAS	31	36
171		Lanturn		Water 2		Water 2	13	13	9	9	9XY 33ORAS	33	42
185		Sudowoodo		Mineral		Mineral	10	9	1, 6	1, 6BW 1, 5B2W2	1, 5	1, 5	1	1
206		Dunsparce		Field		Field		44FRLG	53	63BW 49B2W2	49	48SM 51USUM	1	1
220		Swinub		Field		Field				40B2W2	40	40	10
221		Piloswine		Field		Field							1
222		Corsola		Water 1	Water 3				52B2W2	50	50	30
231		Phanpy		Field		Field	17	17	6	6	6	6	6BDSP	6
232		Donphan		Field		Field	17	17	1				1BDSP
263		Zigzagoon		Field		Field		33	33	37	37XY 29ORAS	29	30
264		Linoone		Field		Field							38
270		Lotad		Water 1	Grass							16
271		Lombre		Water 1	Grass							1
272		Ludicolo		Water 1	Grass							1
287		Slakoth		Field		Field		43	43	49	49XY 33ORAS	33	33BDSP	33
288		Vigoroth		Field		Field							1BDSP
289		Slaking		Field		Field		43	43	49	49XY 39ORAS	39	39BDSP	39
324		Torkoal		Field		Field		43	52	52	1, 52XY 42ORAS	42
327		Spinda		Field	Human-Like		49	50	50	50	50	50BDSP
335		Zangoose		Field		Field								Rem.
349		Feebas		Water 1	Dragon		30	30	30	30	30	25
350		Milotic		Water 1	Dragon							1
369		Relicanth		Water 1	Water 2						1	40
370		Luvdisc		Water 2		Water 2		40	46	31	31XY 27ORAS	26	26BDSP	26
413		Wormadam Plant Cloak		Bug		Bug			38	38	38	38	38BDSP
413		Wormadam Sandy Cloak		Bug		Bug			38	38	38	38	38BDSP
413		Wormadam Trash Cloak		Bug		Bug			38	38	38	38	38BDSP
438		Bonsly		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered			6	6BW 5B2W2	5	5	4	4
446		Munchlax		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered							44
456		Finneon		Water 2		Water 2							26BDSP
457		Lumineon		Water 2		Water 2							26BDSP
473		Mamoswine		Field		Field							1
480		Uxie		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered			61	61	1, 61	1, 61	70	70
535		Tympole		Water 1		Water 1				34	34	34	24SwSh
536		Palpitoad		Water 1		Water 1				37	37	37	24SwSh
537		Seismitoad		Water 1		Water 1				39	39	39	24SwSh
540		Sewaddle		Bug		Bug				43	43	43
550		Basculin		Water 2		Water 2				46	1, 46	34	8SwSh	8
550		Basculin White-Striped Form		Water 2		Water 2								8
557		Dwebble		Bug	Mineral				41	41	41	16SwSh
558		Crustle		Bug	Mineral				50	50	50	16SwSh
588		Karrablast		Bug		Bug				49	49	49	24SwSh
589		Escavalier		Bug		Bug							1SwSh
613		Cubchoo		Field		Field				36	36	36	24SwSh	24
614		Beartic		Field		Field				36	36	36	24SwSh	24
618		Stunfisk		Water 1	Amorphous				55	1, 55	1, 55	50SwSh
618		Stunfisk Galarian Form		Water 1	Amorphous							50SwSh
659		Bunnelby		Field		Field					29	29	15SwSh
660		Diggersby		Field		Field					31	32	15SwSh
661		Fletchling		Flying		Flying					16	16	15SwSh	15
662		Fletchinder		Flying		Flying					16	16	15SwSh	15
663		Talonflame		Flying		Flying					16	16	15SwSh	15
682		Spritzee		Fairy		Fairy					38	38	21SwSh
683		Aromatisse		Fairy		Fairy					38	38	21SwSh
692		Clauncher		Water 1	Water 3					16	16	10SwSh	10
693		Clawitzer		Water 1	Water 3					16	16	1SwSh	1
703		Carbink		Fairy	Mineral					35	35	15SwSh	15
704		Goomy		Dragon		Dragon					28	28	20SwSh	20
705		Sliggoo		Dragon		Dragon					28	28	20SwSh	20
705		Sliggoo Hisuian Form		Dragon		Dragon								20
706		Goodra		Dragon		Dragon					28	28	20SwSh	20
706		Goodra Hisuian Form		Dragon		Dragon								20
719		Diancie		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered					35	31	21SwSh	21
759		Stufful		Field		Field						19	28SwSh
760		Bewear		Field		Field						19	30SwSh
761		Bounsweet		Grass		Grass						29	24SwSh	24
762		Steenee		Grass		Grass							1SwSh	1
763		Tsareena		Grass		Grass							1SwSh	1
775		Komala		Field		Field						26		26
776		Turtonator		Monster	Dragon						17	16SwSh
848		Toxel		No Eggs Discovered		No Eggs Discovered							1SwSh	1
849		Toxtricity Amped Form		Human-Like		Human-Like							1SwSh	1
849		Toxtricity Low Key Form		Human-Like		Human-Like							1SwSh	1
902		Basculegion		Water 2		Water 2								8
928		Smoliv		Grass		Grass								16
929		Dolliv		Grass		Grass								16
930		Arboliva		Grass		Grass								16
938		Tadbulb		Water 1		Water 1								25
939		Bellibolt		Water 1		Water 1								25
950		Klawf		Water 3		Water 3								37
974		Cetoddle		Field		Field								25
975		Cetitan		Field		Field								25
977		Dondozo		Water 2		Water 2								10
982		Dudunsparce		Field		Field								1
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

By breeding

#	Pokémon		Types	Parent Egg Groups		Egg Move
						II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX
007		Squirtle		Monster	Water 1	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
027		Sandshrew		Field		Field	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
027		Sandshrew Alolan Form		Field		Field						✔	✔
037		Vulpix		Field		Field	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
037		Vulpix Alolan Form		Field		Field						✔	✔
043		Oddish		Grass		Grass	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
046		Paras		Bug	Grass	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
052		Meowth		Field		Field			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
052		Meowth Alolan Form		Field		Field						✔	✔SwSh	✔
052		Meowth Galarian Form		Field		Field							✔SwSh	✔
074		Geodude		Mineral		Mineral			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
074		Geodude Alolan Form		Mineral		Mineral						✔
083		Farfetch'd		Flying	Field	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
083		Farfetch'd Galarian Form		Flying	Field							✔SwSh
084		Doduo		Flying		Flying	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
095		Onix		Mineral		Mineral	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
098		Krabby		Water 3		Water 3	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
114		Tangela		Grass		Grass	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
116		Horsea		Water 1	Dragon	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
127		Pinsir		Bug		Bug	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
133		Eevee		Field		Field	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
140		Kabuto		Water 1	Water 3	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
152		Chikorita		Monster	Grass	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
170		Chinchou		Water 2		Water 2	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
172		Pichu		Field	Fairy			✔HGSS	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
204		Pineco		Bug		Bug	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP	✔
211		Qwilfish		Water 2		Water 2	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
211		Qwilfish Hisuian Form		Water 2		Water 2								✔
214		Heracross		Bug		Bug	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
223		Remoraid		Water 1	Water 2			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
270		Lotad		Water 1	Grass		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
290		Nincada		Bug		Bug							✔
324		Torkoal		Field		Field							✔	✔
328		Trapinch		Bug	Dragon			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
335		Zangoose		Field		Field		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
339		Barboach		Water 2		Water 2			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
393		Piplup		Water 1	Field			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
417		Pachirisu		Field	Fairy			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP	✔
427		Buneary		Field	Human-Like			✔HGSS	✔	✔	✔	✔
431		Glameow		Field		Field			✔HGSS	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP
456		Finneon		Water 2		Water 2			✔	✔	✔	✔	✔BDSP	✔
504		Patrat		Field		Field				✔	✔	✔
564		Tirtouga		Water 1	Water 3				✔	✔	✔
572		Minccino		Field		Field				✔	✔	✔	✔SwSh
632		Durant		Bug		Bug							✔SwSh
777		Togedemaru		Field	Fairy						✔	✔SwSh
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

Special move

Generation IV

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Obtained with
025		Pikachu		Field	Fairy	Pokéwalker - Yellow Forest
417		Pachirisu		Field	Fairy	Pokéwalker - Resort
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

Generation V

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Obtained with
084		Doduo		Flying		Flying	Dream World - Pleasant Forest
140		Kabuto		Water 1	Water 3	Dream World - Sparkling Sea
214		Heracross		Bug		Bug	Dream World - Dream Park
564		Tirtouga		Water 1	Water 3	Dream World - Sparkling Sea
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

By event

Generation II

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Obtained with
041		Zubat		Flying		Flying	New York Pokémon Center
086		Seel		Water 1	Field	New York 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.

Generation IV

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Obtained with
133		Eevee		Field		Field	2010 World Championships Eevee Video Game Championships 2010 Eevee
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

In other games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Flail is a move with 2 base power, 100% accuracy, and 17 PP. The user attacks enemy in the front, with the final damage being multiplied by 2 when at 75-51% HP, 4 when at 50-26% and 8 when at 25% or lower.

In Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, the damage is now multiplied by 1.5 at 50-26% HP and by 2 at 25% or lower.

Pokémon Rumble Rush

Flail

★★★
Attack power	43.1611
Charge time	0.74 seconds
Range type	Circular (self)
Number of hits	1
Number of projectiles	1
Critical hit rate	1.5%
Additional effect	None

Pokémon UNITE

In Pokémon UNITE, Flail is Snorlax's first move. It is obtained by reaching level 5 and upgrading Tackle into it instead of Heavy Slam. The user buffs themselves for 4 seconds causing their basic attacks to deal increased damage. Damage increase is strengthened for every 20% HP the user is missing. The user also gains a short burst of increased movement speed when Flail is activated. At level 11, the move's damage is increased and now causes the user’s basic attacks to also heal them while they are below 40% of their maximum HP.

Description

This article has information requiring translation. If you are able to translate Japanese and would like to help, please add the English translation to the section or sections in Japanese.

Games Description MDRB Inflicts damage on the target. The lower the user's HP, the greater the damage. MDTDS Inflicts damage on the target. The lower the user's HP, the greater the damage it inflicts. BSL てきポケモンに ダメージをあたえる じぶんのＨＰが のこりすくないほど あたえるダメージが おおきい MDGtI SMD MDRTDX It damages an enemy. The lower your HP is, the greater the damage it causes. Monopoly: Pokémon Exclusive Kanto Edition Flail avoids the rent charge!

In the anime

Magikarp	Bonsly	Sudowoodo
The user flails about aimlessly to attack.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
Magikarp	Magikarp hits the opponent repeatedly with its tailfin.
A wild Magikarp	The Ties That Bind		Debut
A wild Magikarp	Yo, Ho, Ho! Go, Popplio!		None
A wild Magikarp	Big Sky, Small Fry!		None
Bonsly	Bonsly flails around, jumping from one foot to the other quickly.
Brock's Bonsly	King and Queen for a Day!		None
Sudowoodo	Sudowoodo flails around its arms and legs, then throws the opponent, or Sudowoodo runs up to the opponent and flails around its arms and legs, hitting the opponent repeatedly.
Brock's Sudowoodo	Leave It To Brocko!		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

	Sudowoodo
The user flails its body around to attack.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
Sudowoodo	Sudowoodo flails its arms and legs around the opponent, hitting it.
Gold's Sudobo	Lugia and Ho-Oh on the Loose (Part 2)		Debut

• In Pinsir Me, I Must Be Dreaming, a Pinsir that Emerald was renting from the Battle Factory was revealed to know Flail by Emerald's Pokédex.

In other generations

Core series games

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

Side series games

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

Spin-off series games

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

• This move was Magikarp's attack (as じたばた / Wriggling in Japanese and as Flail in English) in the Base Set set of the TCG prior to being introduced in Generation II of the games.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 抓狂 Jáaukwòhng * 手足慌亂 Sáujūk Fōnglyuhn * Mandarin 抓狂 Zhuākuáng * 手足慌亂 / 手足慌乱 Shǒuzú Huāngluàn * Dutch Huppel Finnish Läpsyttely French GigotageVIII+ FléauII–VII German Dreschflegel Greek Μαστίγωμα Mastígoma Italian Flagello Korean 바둥바둥 Badungbadung Polish Bicz* Latający Ogon* Brazilian Portuguese Mangual (games, Flashfire–present, manga) Ataque de Cauda (Diamond & Pearl–Boundaries Crossed) Espancar Romanian Biciul Serbian Mlaćenje Spanish Azote Swedish Slagattack Vietnamese Vùng Vẫy

Variations of the move Flail
Flail • Reversal

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.