Skill Link (Ability)

Skill Link	スキルリンク
	Skill Link
Flavor text Generation IV Increases the frequency of multi-strike moves. Generation V Increases the frequency of multi-strike moves. Generation VI Increases the number of times multi-strike moves hit. Generation VII Maximizes the number of times multi-strike moves hit. Generation VIII Maximizes the number of times multistrike moves hit. Generation IX Maximizes the number of times multistrike moves hit.

Skill Link (Japanese: スキルリンク Skill Link) is an Ability introduced in Generation IV. Prior to Generation V and in Generation IX, it is the signature Ability of Shellder and Cloyster.

Effect

In battle

Generation IV

Skill Link enables multi-strike moves that hit 2-5 times per use to always strike five times.

Generation V onward

Even if the Ability is lost in the middle of the move (such as via Mummy), the user will still hit the maximum number of times on the turn in progress.

Skill Link affects the moves Triple Kick and Triple Axel, which can hit up to three times; and Population Bomb, which can hit up to ten times. When any of these moves are used by Pokémon with this Ability, there will be one accuracy check for all strikes instead of individual checks for each strike.

Affected moves

The table below lists the moves affected by Skill Link, as well as the Pokémon that can have Skill Link and learn those moves.

Move Type Cat. Pow. Acc. Max strikes Learned by Arm Thrust  Fighting  Physical 15 100% 5 Bullet Seed  Grass  Physical 25 100% 5 Double Slap  Normal  Physical 15 85% 5 Fury Attack  Normal  Physical 15 85% 5 Fury Swipes  Normal  Physical 18 80% 5 Icicle Spear  Ice  Physical 25 100% 5 Pin Missile  Bug  Physical 25 95% 5 Rock Blast  Rock  Physical 25 90% 5 Spike Cannon  Normal  Physical 20 100% 5 Tail Slap  Normal  Physical 25 85% 5 Triple Axel  Ice  Physical 20 90% 3

Although the following moves are affected by the Ability, they currently cannot be learned by any Pokémon with Skill Link. They may, however, be called via Metronome, Mirror Move, Copycat, or Mimic, or be used by a Pokémon that gained Skill Link by an Ability like Trace or Receiver or a move such as Skill Swap or Role Play.

Move Type Cat. Pow. Acc. Max strikes Barrage  Normal  Physical 15 85% 5 {{{6}}} Bone Rush  Ground  Physical 25 90% 5 {{{6}}} Comet Punch  Normal  Physical 18 85% 5 {{{6}}} Population Bomb  Normal  Physical 20 90% 10 {{{6}}} Scale Shot  Dragon  Physical 25 90% 5 {{{6}}} Triple Kick*  Fighting  Physical 10 90% 3 {{{6}}} Water Shuriken*  Water  Special 15 100% 5 {{{6}}}

Outside of battle

Skill Link has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Skill Link

#	Pokémon	Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
	Shellder	Water		Water	Shell Armor	Skill Link	Overcoat
	Cloyster	Water	Ice	Shell Armor	Skill Link	Overcoat
	Aipom	Normal		Normal	Run Away	Pickup	Skill Link
	Heracross Mega Heracross	Bug	Fighting	Skill Link	None	None
	Ambipom	Normal		Normal	Technician	Pickup	Skill Link
	Minccino	Normal		Normal	Cute Charm	Technician	Skill Link
	Cinccino	Normal		Normal	Cute Charm	Technician	Skill Link
	Pikipek	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Pickup
	Trumbeak	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Pickup
	Toucannon	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Sheer Force
Please note that this is only 100% accurate to Generation IX games. For Generation III games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation IV or later and Hidden Abilities. For Generation IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities. For Generation V games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VI or later. For Generation VI games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VII or later. For Generation VII games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation VIII or later. For Generation VIII games, ignore Abilities introduced in Generation IX or later.

In other games

Description

Games Description MDTDS Enables the Pokémon to always attempt the top number of hits with multistrike moves. BSL れんぞくで こうげきする わざを さいごまで だせるようになる MDGtI Unavailable SMD When the Pokémon uses a multistrike move such as Pin Missile or Fury Attack, the move always strikes the maximum times! MDRTDX When the Pokémon uses a multistrike move, such as Pin Missile or Fury Attack, the move always strikes the maximum number of times.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 連續攻擊 Lìhnjuhk Gūnggīk Mandarin 連續攻擊 / 连续攻击 Liánxù Gōngjí / Liánxù Gōngjī French Multi-Coups German Wertelink Italian Abillegame Korean 스킬링크 Skill Link Russian Навык Связки Navyk Svyazki Spanish Encadenado

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.