Special move

Special attack redirects here. For the Special Attack stat, see Stats.

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Damage categories
	Physical
	Special
	Status

A special move is one in which the user does not necessarily have to make contact with its opponent in order to deal damage. In Generation I, special moves cause damage as a function of the Special stats of the two battling Pokémon. In later generations, special moves deal damage as a function of the Special Attack stat of the attacking Pokémon and the Special Defense stat of the defending Pokémon. It is notable that while most special moves do not contact their target(s), special and non-contacting moves are not the same: an example is Grass Knot, which, despite being special, requires that the user make contact with the target.

Before Generation IV, damaging moves of the following types are special moves:

• Water
• Grass
• Fire
• Ice
• Electric
• Psychic
• Dragon
• Dark

As of Generation V most damaging moves of the preceding types are special moves, except for Dark, which has only three.

See also

• Category:Special moves

Trivia

• All types that were considered Special before Gen IV (except for Dragon) are represented in Eevee's evolutionary family (i.e. Vaporeon for Water, Jolteon for Electric, Flareon for Fire, etc.)

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