Max Move

(Redirected from Max Moves)

A Max Move (Japanese: ダイマックスわざ Daimax Move) is a special type of move introduced in Generation VIII. While Dynamaxed, all of a Dynamax Pokémon's moves are replaced by their corresponding Max Moves. For Gigantamax Pokémon, attacking moves of a certain type become G-Max Moves instead. Max Moves are often more powerful than regular moves and all have secondary effects.

Effects

Similar to Z-Moves, the type, damage category and base power of Max Moves that a Dynamax Pokémon knows depend on the moves it knew before Dynamaxing. The exception to this are status moves, which instead all become the Normal-type Max Guard. If the base move's type is changed either by a move's effect or an Ability (e.g. Pixilate, Electrify, or Weather Ball), then the Max Move will also be converted to that of the new type with the same power; however, the move selection screen will still display the Max Move of the original type. For instance, if a Fighting-type Silvally knows Multi-Attack, the Max Move will still display as Max Strike, but when executed it becomes Max Knuckle.

Damaging Max Moves deal 25% of their total damage against targets that use protection moves (such as Protect and Spiky Shield), and secondary effects are still applied. Only the Max Move Max Guard fully protects against Max Moves. Secondary effects of Max Moves may also affect targets and their allies behind a Substitute. Max Moves also never miss, unless the target is semi-invulnerable.

For Gigantamax Pokémon, damaging moves of a certain type become its exclusive G-Max Move instead of the normal corresponding Max Move; the type of moves affected depends on the Gigantamax Pokémon's species. Eternamax Eternatus can also use Max Moves, but this form cannot be obtained by the player.

List of Max Moves

Max Move Type Additional effect Image
Max Strike Normal Decreases the Speed of the target and its allies by one stage  
Max Knuckle Fighting Increases the Attack of the user and its allies by one stage  
Max Airstream Flying Increases the Speed of the user and its allies by one stage  
Max Ooze Poison Increases the Special Attack of the user and its allies by one stage  
Max Quake Ground Increases the Special Defense of the user and its allies by one stage  
Max Rockfall Rock Creates a sandstorm for five turns.  
Max Flutterby Bug Decreases the Special Attack of the target and its allies by one stage  
Max Phantasm Ghost Decreases the Defense of the target and its allies by one stage  
Max Steelspike Steel Increases the Defense of the user and its allies by one stage  
Max Flare Fire Creates harsh sunlight for five turns.  
Max Geyser Water Creates rain for five turns.  
Max Overgrowth Grass Creates Grassy Terrain for five turns.  
Max Lightning Electric Creates Electric Terrain for five turns.  
Max Mindstorm Psychic Creates Psychic Terrain for five turns.  
Max Hailstorm Ice Creates hail for five turns.  
Max Wyrmwind Dragon Decreases the Attack of the target and its allies by one stage  
Max Darkness Dark Decreases the Special Defense of the target and its allies by one stage  
Max Starfall Fairy Creates Misty Terrain for five turns.  
Max Guard Normal Protects from all moves, including Max Moves  

Power

The following table shows the power of a Max Move based on its respective base move. The same power values are also used for most G-Max Moves.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Certain sync pairs are capable of Dynamaxing their partner Pokémon, including some Trainers that do not have Dynamax Bands in the core series. All attacking max moves[note 1] start at 400 base power and can be increased up to a maximum power of 480.

A sync pair can only use a max move once per battle, but it can be used at any time. If all three sync pairs on the player's team are capable of using max moves, the player can use up to three max moves in that battle—one for each sync pair. Similar to sync moves, using a max move does not advance the user's sync move countdown, but it never misses and ignores the target's Enduring effect, if applicable.

List of max moves

Max Move Type Additional effect Image Playable sync pairs
Max Strike Normal Lowers the Speed of all opposing sync pairs by 2 stat ranks.   Palmer & Regigigas
Max Knuckle Fighting Raises the Attack of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Red & Snorlax
Allister & Gengar
Gloria (Dojo Uniform) & Urshifu
Gloria (Alt. 2) & Cinderace
Riley & Lucario
Max Airstream Flying Raises the Speed of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Leon & Charizard
Gloria (Alt. 2) & Cinderace
Max Ooze Poison Raises the Sp. Atk of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Allister & Gengar
Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking
Sygna Suit Roxie & Toxtricity
Max Quake Ground Raises the Sp. Def of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking
Victor & Rillaboom
Leon & Charizard
Rose & Copperajah
Victor & Spectrier
Max Rockfall Rock Causes a sandstorm.   Rose & Copperajah
Paulo & Lycanroc
Max Phantasm Ghost Lowers the Defense of all opposing sync pairs by 2 stat ranks.   Victor & Spectrier
Wallace (New Year's 2024) & Blacephalon
Max Steelspike Steel Raises the Defense of all allied sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking
Gloria (Dojo Uniform) & Urshifu
Argenta & Skarmory
Riley & Lucario
Max Flare Fire Makes the weather sunny.   Raihan (Anniversary 2022) & Flygon
Bede & Hatterene
Gordie & Coalossal
Wallace (New Year's 2024) & Blacephalon
Max Geyser Water Makes the weather rainy. Dahlia & Ludicolo
Max Overgrowth Grass Turns the field of play’s terrain into Grassy Terrain.   Red & Venusaur
Dahlia & Ludicolo
Max Lightning Electric Turns the field of play's terrain into Electric Terrain.   Elesa (Classic) & Emolga
Max Mindstorm Psychic Turns the field of play's terrain into Psychic Terrain.   Bede & Hatterene
Max Wyrmwind Dragon Lowers the Attack of all opposing sync pairs by two stat ranks.   Raihan (Anniversary 2022) & Flygon
Leon (Alt.) & Dragapult
Max Guard Normal Applies the Damage Guard Next effect to an ally.   Elesa (Classic) & Emolga
Raihan (Anniversary 2022) & Flygon
Sygna Suit Red (Thunderbolt) & Pikachu
Gordie & Coalossal
Melony & Lapras
Anabel & Snorlax
Oleana & Garbodor
Leon (Alt.) & Dragapult
Victor & Spectrier
Paulo & Lycanroc
Argenta & Skarmory
Sygna Suit Roxie & Toxtricity
Dahlia & Ludicolo

In the anime

Main series

Max Moves were first featured in the anime in the World Coronation Series finals match between Lance and Leon in Flash of the Titans!.

List of Max Moves used in the anime

Pokémon Max Move Image Debut
  Lance's Gyarados Max Geyser   Flash of the Titans!
  Leon's Charizard Max Lightning  
 
Flash of the Titans!
  Lance's Gyarados Max Strike  
 
Flash of the Titans!
  Leon's Charizard Max Airstream   Flash of the Titans!
  Lance's Gyarados Max Guard   Flash of the Titans!
  Ash's Pikachu Max Steelspike   The Climb to Be the Very Best!
  Drednaw Max Rockfall   The Climb to Be the Very Best!
  Ash's Pikachu Max Strike   The Climb to Be the Very Best!
  Raihan's Duraludon Max Rockfall   Toughing It Out!
  Leon's Charizard Max Knuckle   Toughing It Out!
  Raihan's Duraludon Max Steelspike   Toughing It Out!
  Doug's Centy Max Flutterby   Sword and Shield, Slumbering Weald!
  Goh's Raboot Max Flare   Sword and Shield: The Darkest Day!
  Subordinate's Garbodor Max Steelspike   Sword and Shield: "From Here to Eternatus!"
  Goh's Raboot Max Knuckle   Sword and Shield: "From Here to Eternatus!"
  Bea's Machamp Max Steelspike   A Battle of Mega Versus Max!
  Bea's Machamp Max Strike   A Battle of Mega Versus Max!
  Marnie's Grimmsnarl Max Quake   Battling Turned Up to Eleven!
  Ash's Gengar Max Ooze   Battling Turned Up to Eleven!
  Marnie's Grimmsnarl Max Starfall   Battling Turned Up to Eleven!
  Ash's Gengar Max Hailstorm   Battling Turned Up to Eleven!
  Ash's Gengar Max Starfall   Aim For The Eight!
  Leon's Rillaboom Max Airstream   Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!
  Leon's Rillaboom Max Quake   Curtain Up! Fight the Fights!
  Lance's Dragonite Max Hailstorm   Pride of a Champion!
  Lance's Dragonite Max Strike   Pride of a Champion!
  Lance's Dragonite Max Wyrmwind   Pride of a Champion!
  Cynthia's Togekiss Max Airstream   Whittle While You Work!
  Leon's Charizard Max Rockfall   Paring Pokémon While Parrying!
  Leon's Charizard Max Wyrmwind   Paring Pokémon While Parrying!

Pokémon: Twilight Wings

List of Max Moves used in Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Pokémon Max Move Image Debut
  Raihan's Duraludon Max Guard   Sky

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

List of Max Moves used

Pokémon Max Move Image Debut
  Milo's Eldegoss Max Overgrowth   Watch Out!! Strong Rivals
  Henry's Lancelot Max Knuckle   Blinding!! The End of the Battle
  Milo's Eldegoss Max Strike   Blinding!! The End of the Battle
  Nessa's Drednaw Max Strike   Splish Splash!! Gigantamax Battle
  Allister's Gengar Max Ooze   Teary!! The Voice of the Master
  Henry's Fanguru Max Guard   Teary!! The Voice of the Master
  Henry's Fanguru Max Darkness   Teary!! The Voice of the Master
  Henry's Lancelot Max Steelspike   Stealth!! Infiltrate the Energy Plant

Pokémon Journeys: The Series

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 極巨招式 Gihkgeuih Jīusīk
Mandarin 極巨招式 / 极巨招式 Jíjù Zhāoshì
  Finnish Max-liike
  French Capacité Dynamax
  German Dynamax-Attacke
  Italian Mossa Dynamax
  Korean 다이맥스기술 Daimax Gisul
  Polish Max Ruch
Portuguese   Brazil Movimento Max
  Portugal Técnica Max
  Russian Максимальные атака Maksimal'nyye ataka
  Spanish Movimiento Dinamax

Notes

  1. The term "max move" is formatted in sentence case in Pokémon Masters EX, though it is still occasionally formatted as "Max Move" in official newsletters.

See also


Max Moves
Max StrikeMax KnuckleMax AirstreamMax OozeMax Quake
Max RockfallMax FlutterbyMax PhantasmMax Steelspike
Max FlareMax GeyserMax OvergrowthMax LightningMax Mindstorm
Max HailstormMax WyrmwindMax DarknessMax StarfallMax Guard
G-Max Moves
G-Max Vine LashG-Max WildfireG-Max CannonadeG-Max Befuddle
G-Max Volt CrashG-Max Gold RushG-Max Chi StrikeG-Max Terror
G-Max Foam BurstG-Max ResonanceG-Max CuddleG-Max Replenish
G-Max MalodorG-Max MeltdownG-Max Drum SoloG-Max Fireball
G-Max HydrosnipeG-Max Wind RageG-Max GravitasG-Max Stonesurge
G-Max VolcalithG-Max TartnessG-Max SweetnessG-Max Sandblast
G-Max Stun ShockG-Max CentifernoG-Max SmiteG-Max SnoozeG-Max Finale
G-Max SteelsurgeG-Max DepletionG-Max One BlowG-Max Rapid Flow


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