Skill Swap (move)

This article is about the move in the core games. For the Skill Swapper enhancement in Pokémon Shuffle, see List of items (Shuffle) → Enhancements.
Skill Swap
スキルスワップ Skill Swap
Skill Swap IX.png
Skill Swap IX 2.png
Type  Psychic
Category  Status
PP  10 (max. 16)
Power  —
Accuracy  —%
Priority  {{{priority}}}
  • Does not make contact
  • Affected by Protect
  • Not affected by Magic Coat
  • Not affected by Snatch
  • Affected by Mirror Move
  • Not affected by King's Rock
Target
Foe Foe Foe
Self Ally Ally
May affect anyone adjacent to the user
Availability
Introduced  Generation III
Condition  Smart
Appeal  1
Jam  0  
Makes the appeal as good as those before it.
Condition  Smart
Appeal  0  
Steals the Voltage of the Pokémon that just went.
Condition  Clever
Appeal  1
Jamming  0  
Shows off the Pokémon's appeal about as well as the move used just before it.

Skill Swap (Japanese: スキルスワップ Skill Swap) is a non-damaging Psychic-type move introduced in Generation III.

It is:

Effect

  This move effect may be in need of research.
Reason: Check Imposter in Generation V, Zen Mode, and Battle Bond in Generation IX
You can discuss this on the talk page.

Skill Swap exchanges the Abilities of the user and the target. If a Pokémon affected by Skill Swap is switched out, it regains its original Ability.

Skill Swap fails if either Pokémon has the Ability Wonder Guard, Multitype, Illusion, Stance Change, Schooling, Comatose, Shields Down, Disguise, RKS System, Battle Bond, Power Construct, Ice Face, Gulp Missile, Neutralizing Gas, Zero to Hero, Commander, Protosynthesis, Quark Drive, Orichalcum Pulse, Hadron Engine, or Poison Puppeteer.

Skill Swap bypasses accuracy checks to always hit, unless the target is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move such as Dig or Fly.

Generation III

  This move effect may be in need of research.
Reason: Details on which Ability activates first if both Pokémon have an Ability that activates when gained
You can discuss this on the talk page.

Generation IV

Abilities such as Intimidate, that activate when they are gained, will not activate again after using Skill Swap if the Pokémon that receives the Ability has already had that Ability in some point during the battle since it was sent in.

If both Pokémon whose Abilities are being swapped have Abilities with an effect or message that activates when gained, the Abilities will activate in the same order they would upon entering the battle.

Generation V

When using Skill Swap on an opponent, it states the new Abilities of the Pokémon.

If the two Abilities being swapped both have an effect or message that activates when gained (such as Intimidate and Unnerve), the Pokémon using Skill Swap will always have its new Ability activate first.

Skill Swap fails if the target's Ability is the same as the user's.

Generation VI onwards

If both Pokémon have the same Ability, Skill Swap will succeed. If it is an Ability such as Intimidate that activates when it is gained, it will activate for both Pokémon after being gained this way.

If powered up by a Psychium Z into Z-Skill Swap, the user's Speed stat is raised by one stage.

Skill Swap fails when targeting a Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon.

Description

Games Description
RSEColo.XD The user swaps special abilities with the target.*
Switches abilities with the foe on the turn this is used.*
FRLG The user employs its psychic power to swap abilities with the foe.
DPPtHGSSPBR The user employs its psychic power to exchange abilities with the foe.
BWB2W2
XYORAS
SMUSUM
SwShBDSPLA
SV
The user employs its psychic power to exchange Abilities with the target.


Learnset

By leveling up

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Level
0311     Fairy Fairy 13
0386  
Deoxys
All forms
  No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 43
0561    
 
Flying Flying 60
0577     Amorphous Amorphous 40 40 40 40 40
0578     Amorphous Amorphous 43 43 43 46 46
0579     Amorphous Amorphous 45 45 45 48 48
0682     Fairy Fairy 44 44 39
0683     Fairy Fairy 44 44 39
0700     Field Field 25 25 40 40
0703    
 
Fairy Mineral 40 40 40 40
0719    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 40 35 56 56
0720  
Hoopa
All forms
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 25 25 25
0786    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered 26 70
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 TM/TR/Move Tutor

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Compatibility
Tutor
0012    
 
Bug Bug
0026  
Raichu
Alolan Form
 
 
Field Fairy
0035     Fairy Fairy
0036     Fairy Fairy
0039    
 
Fairy Fairy
0040    
 
Fairy Fairy
0048    
 
Bug Bug
0049    
 
Bug Bug
0054     Water 1 Field
0055     Water 1 Field
0063     Human-Like Human-Like
0064     Human-Like Human-Like
0065     Human-Like Human-Like
0079    
 
Monster Water 1
0079  
Slowpoke
Galarian Form
  Monster Water 1
0080    
 
Monster Water 1
0080  
Slowbro
Galarian Form
 
 
Monster Water 1
0092    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0093    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0094    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0096     Human-Like Human-Like
0097     Human-Like Human-Like
0102    
 
Grass Grass
0103    
 
Grass Grass
0103  
Exeggutor
Alolan Form
 
 
Grass Grass
0113     Fairy Fairy
0121    
 
Water 3 Water 3
0122    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0122  
Mr. Mime
Galarian Form
 
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0124    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0144  
Articuno
Galarian Form
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0150     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0151     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0163    
 
Flying Flying
0164    
 
Flying Flying
0177    
 
Flying Flying
0178    
 
Flying Flying
0196     Field Field
0197     Field Field
0199    
 
Monster Water 1
0199  
Slowking
Galarian Form
 
 
Monster Water 1
0200     Amorphous Amorphous
0203    
 
Field Field
0234     Field Field
0238    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0242     Fairy Fairy
0249    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0251    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0280    
 
Human-Like Amorphous
0281    
 
Human-Like Amorphous
0282    
 
Human-Like Amorphous
0302    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0307    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0308    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0311     Fairy Fairy
0325     Field Field
0326     Field Field
0327     Field Human-Like
0337    
 
Mineral Mineral
0338    
 
Mineral Mineral
0343    
 
Mineral Mineral
0344    
 
Mineral Mineral
0352     Field Field
0353     Amorphous Amorphous
0354     Amorphous Amorphous
0355     Amorphous Amorphous
0356     Amorphous Amorphous
0358     Amorphous Amorphous
0385    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0386  
Deoxys
All forms
  No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0413  
Wormadam
All forms
 
 
Bug Bug
0414    
 
Bug Bug
0425    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0426    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0429     Amorphous Amorphous
0433     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0436    
 
Mineral Mineral
0437    
 
Mineral Mineral
0439    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0442    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0475    
 
Human-Like Amorphous
0477     Amorphous Amorphous
0480     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0481     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0482     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0488     No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0490     Water 1 Fairy
0494    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0517     Field Field
0518     Field Field
0527    
 
Field Flying
0528    
 
Field Flying
0531     Fairy Fairy
0561    
 
Flying Flying
0562     Mineral Amorphous
0562  
Yamask
Galarian Form
 
 
Mineral Amorphous
0563     Mineral Amorphous
0574     Human-Like Human-Like
0575     Human-Like Human-Like
0576     Human-Like Human-Like
0577     Amorphous Amorphous
0578     Amorphous Amorphous
0579     Amorphous Amorphous
0594     Water 1 Water 2
0605     Human-Like Human-Like
0606     Human-Like Human-Like
0648    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0653     Field Field
0654     Field Field
0655    
 
Field Field
0670  
Floette
All forms
  Fairy Fairy
0671  
Florges
All forms
  Fairy Fairy
0677     Field Field
0678  
Meowstic
All forms
  Field Field
0682     Fairy Fairy
0683     Fairy Fairy
0686    
 
Water 1 Water 2
0687    
 
Water 1 Water 2
0700     Field Field
0703    
 
Fairy Mineral
0708    
 
Grass Amorphous
0709    
 
Grass Amorphous
0710  
Pumpkaboo
All forms
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0711  
Gourgeist
All forms
 
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0719    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0720  
Hoopa
All forms
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0742    
 
Bug Fairy
0743    
 
Bug Fairy
0765    
 
Field Field
0769    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0770    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0786    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0801  
Magearna
All forms
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0805    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0825    
 
Bug Bug
0826    
 
Bug Bug
0854  
Sinistea
All forms
  Mineral Amorphous
0855  
Polteageist
All forms
  Mineral Amorphous
0856     Fairy Fairy
0857     Fairy Fairy
0858    
 
Fairy Fairy
0866    
 
Human-Like Human-Like
0867    
 
Mineral Amorphous
0876  
Indeedee
All forms
 
 
Fairy Fairy
0898  
Calyrex
All forms
 
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
0899    
 
Field Field
0908    
 
Field Grass
0954    
 
Bug Bug
0955     Flying Flying
0956     Flying Flying
0957    
 
Fairy Fairy
0958    
 
Fairy Fairy
0959    
 
Fairy Fairy
0981    
 
Field Field
1006    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered
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
0048    
 
Bug Bug
0063     Human-Like Human-Like
0096     Human-Like Human-Like
0102    
 
Grass Grass
0177    
 
Flying Flying
0200     Amorphous Amorphous
0203    
 
Field Field
0280    
 
Amorphous Amorphous
0325     Field Field
0352     Field Field
0355     Amorphous Amorphous
0358     Amorphous Amorphous
0433     Amorphous Amorphous
0561    
 
Flying Flying
0605     Human-Like Human-Like
0742    
 
Bug Fairy
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.


Special move

Generation V

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
0048    
 
Bug Bug Dream World - Dream Park
0063     Human-Like Human-Like Dream World - Spooky Manor
0122     Human-Like Human-Like Dream World - Spooky Manor
0203    
 
Field Field Dream World - Pleasant Forest
0234     Field Field Dream World - Pleasant Forest
0238    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered Dream World - Spooky Manor
0325     Field Field Dream World - Spooky Manor
0352     Field Field Dream World - Dream Park
0425    
 
Amorphous Amorphous Dream World - Windswept Sky
0436    
 
Mineral Mineral Dream World - Spooky Manor
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.


Generation VII

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
0249    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered Ultra Space Wilds (Water World)UM
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 VII

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
0249    
 
No Eggs Discovered No Eggs Discovered Legendary Pokémon Celebration LugiaS
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

Skill Swap targets the Pokémon in front, and exchanges Abilities with them. The move will exchange both Abilities if a Pokémon has two, possibly leaving them with just one. It will fail if the target has Wonder Guard or Stance Change.

Game Base
Power
Max
Power
Base
PP
Max
PP
Base
Accuracy
Max
Accuracy
Range Target Cuts
corners
MDRB - - 17 - 100% - Front Enemy No
MDTDS - - 14 - 100% - Front Enemy Yes
BSL - - 14 - 100% - Front Enemy Yes
SMD - - 10 30 100% - Front All No
With some exceptions, Pokémon learnsets match those from the core series games:

Description

Games Description
MDRB Switches the user's Special Ability with that of the target.
MDTDS Switches the user's ability with that of the target.
BSL てきポケモンと じぶんの とくせいを こうかんしてしまう
MDGtI  UNUSED
SMD
MDRTDX
It trades your Ability with the Ability of a Pokémon in front of you. You regain your usual Ability when you go to the next floor or faint.


In the manga

Pokémon Adventures


Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!


Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!


In other generations

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

Trivia

  • In Generation III, the status screen erroneously states that the move has 100% accuracy, even though it ignores accuracy and evasion checks.
  • Although Iron Valiant can learn Skill Swap by TM, it will always fail as Quark Drive cannot be swapped.

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 特性互換 Dahksing Wuhwuhn *
交換絕招 Gāauwuhn Jyuhtjīu *
Mandarin 特性互換 / 特性互换 Tèxìng Hùhuàn *
交換絕招 / 交换绝招 Jiāohuàn Juézhāo *
  Dutch Vaardigheidsruil
  French Échange
  German FähigkeitstauschVIII+
WertewechselIIIVII
  Greek Ανταλλαγή Δεξιοτήτων Antallagí Dexiotíton
  Italian Baratto
  Korean 스킬스왑 SeukilseuwapIX+
스킬스웹 SeukilseuwepIVVIII
  Norwegian Ferdighetsbytte
  Brazilian Portuguese Troca de Habilidade
  Serbian Zamena veština
  Spanish Intercambio
  Vietnamese Hoán Đổi Đặc Tính


Variations of the move Skill Swap
  Skill SwapHeart SwapPower SwapGuard SwapSpeed Swap


Generation III TMs
01020304050607080910111213141516171819202122232425
26272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950
Generation III HMs
0102030405060708RSE
Generation IV TMs
0102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223
2425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
4748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869
7071727374757677787980818283848586878889909192
Generation IV HMs
01020304 • 05 (DPPtHGSS) • 060708
Generation VIII TMs
SwSh
0001020304050607080910111213141516171819
2021222324252627282930313233343536373839
4041424344454647484950515253545556575859
6061626364656667686970717273747576777879
8081828384858687888990919293949596979899
BDSP
0102030405060708091011121314151617181920
2122232425262728293031323334353637383940
4142434445464748495051525354555657585960
6162636465666768697071727374757677787980
81828384858687888990919293949596979899100
Generation VIII TRs (SwSh)
0001020304050607080910111213141516171819
2021222324252627282930313233343536373839
4041424344454647484950515253545556575859
6061626364656667686970717273747576777879
8081828384858687888990919293949596979899
Generation IX TMs
SV
001002003004005006007008009010011012013014015016017018019
020021022023024025026027028029030031032033034035036037038
039040041042043044045046047048049050051052053054055056057
058059060061062063064065066067068069070071072073074075076
077078079080081082083084085086087088089090091092093094095
096097098099100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114
115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133
134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152
153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171
Added in SV 2.0.1
172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186
187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201
Added in SV 3.0.0
202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216
217218219220221222223224225226227228229


  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.