Tail Glow (move)

Tail Glow ほたるび Firefly Light

Battles Type  Bug Category  Status PP  20 (max. 32) Power  — Accuracy  —% Priority  0 Does not make contact Not affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Affected by Snatch Not affected by Mirror Move Not affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Self: Affects the user

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

Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  0   Ups the user's condition. Helps prevent nervousness.

Super Contests Condition  Beauty Appeal  0   Earn double the score in the next turn.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Beautiful Appeal  1 ♥ Jamming  0   Gets the Pokémon pumped up. Helps prevent nervousness, too.

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

Tail Glow (Japanese: ほたるび Firefly Light) is a non-damaging Bug-type move introduced in Generation III. Prior to Generation IV, it was the signature move of Volbeat.

Effect

Generations III and IV

Tail Glow increases the user's Special Attack by two stages.

Generations V to VII

Tail Glow now increases the user's Special Attack by three stages.

If powered up by a Buginium Z into Z-Tail Glow, all of the user's lowered stats are reset.

Generation VIII

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Tail Glow cannot be selected in a battle. In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it can be selected and functions as it did in previous generations.

Description

Games Description RSEColoXD Flashes a light that sharply raises Sp. Atk. FRLG The user flashes a light that sharply raises its Sp. Atk stat. DPPtHGSSPBR The user stares at flashing lights to focus its mind, sharply raising its Sp. Atk stat. BWB2W2 XYORAS SMUSUM SwSh* The user stares at flashing lights to focus its mind, drastically raising its Sp. Atk stat. SwSh* This move can't be used. It's recommended that this move is forgotten. Once forgotten, this move can't be remembered.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Types	Egg Groups		Level
						I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX
0313		Volbeat		Bug	Human-Like	21	21	21	21XY 22ORAS	22	22BDSP
0490		Manaphy		Water 1	Fairy		1	1	1	1	1BDSP
0796		Xurkitree		style="text-align:center; background:#Template:Undiscovered egg color;" width="140px" colspan="2" | Undiscovered	style="text-align:center; display:none; background:#Template:Undiscovered egg color;" | Undiscovered					1
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

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team and Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness and Explorers of Sky, Tail Glow is a move with 22PP. The user raises its Special Attack by two stages. This move is affected by Snatch and Taunt.

Description

Games Description MDRB Boosts the user's Special Attack by two levels. MDTDS Boosts the user's Special Attack by 2 levels. BSL じぶんの とくこうを ２だんかいあげる MDGtI UNUSED SMD It sharply boosts your Sp. Atk.* It sharply boosts your Sp. Atk. The stat returns to normal when you go to the next floor or step on a Wonder Tile.*

In the anime

Romeo's Volbeat Volbeat
The user stares at flashing lights to focus its mind.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Volbeat's tail glows yellow.
Romeo's Beat	Love at First Flight		Debut
Romeo's Volbeat	Love at First Flight		Debut
A Coordinator's Volbeat	Lessons in Lilycove		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Volbeat
The user's tail starts to glow brightly.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Volbeat's tail glows brightly.
Multiple wild Volbeat	Brushing Past Breloom		Debut
Amber's Volbeat	Very Vexing Volbeat		None

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

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

• In Generation III, the status screen erroneously states that the move has 100% accuracy, even though it targets the user (thus it ignores accuracy and evasion checks).
• Manaphy is able to learn Tail Glow, which contradicts both the Japanese and English names for the move (Manaphy is not a firefly nor does it have a tail). This may be due to the antennae on its head, and a reference to the bioluminescence of many deep sea fish.
  • Xurkitree is also not a firefly, and although it has a "tail", it does not light up.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 螢火 Yìhngfó Mandarin 螢火 / 萤火 Yínghuǒ French Lumi-Queue* Lumiqueue* German Schweifglanz Greek Φωσφορισμός Italian Codadiluce Korean 반딧불 Banditbul Portuguese Brazil Cauda Ardente Portugal Brilho Serbian Svetleći Rep Spanish Ráfaga Turkish Kuyruk Parıltısı Vietnamese Ánh Đom Đóm

Variations of the move Tail Glow
Tail Glow • Cotton Guard

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.