Skull Bash (move)

Skull Bash ロケットずつき Rocket Headbutt

File:Skull Bash.png

Battles Type  Normal Category  Physical PP  15 (max. 24) Power  100 Accuracy  100% Priority  0 Makes contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Normal: May affect anyone but the user (long-range)

Availability Introduced  Generation I TM40 in Generation I

Contests Condition  Tough Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  4 ♥♥♥♥ ???

Super Contests Condition  Tough Appeal  1 ♥ Earn +3 if no other Pokémon has chosen the same Judge.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Tough Appeal  0   Jamming  0

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

Skull Bash (Japanese: ロケットずつき Rocket Headbutt) is a damage-dealing Template:Type2 move introduced in Generation I.

Effect

Generation I

Skull Bash does nothing on the turn it is selected, other than say that the user lowered its head. On the following turn, Skull Bash will do damage, PP will be deducted from it, and it will count as the last move used. Once Skull Bash is selected, the user won't be able to switch out until it is disrupted or fully executed.

If Skull Bash is not fully executed, PP will not be deducted from it, and it will not count as the last move used. If the opponent uses Mirror Move during the turn that the user lowers its head, Mirror Move will copy the move that the user executed immediately before using Skull Bash (or fail if it can't).

Sleep, freeze, partial trapping, and flinching will pause but not disrupt the duration of Skull Bash.

In Stadium, Mirror Move will copy Skull Bash on either of the turns it takes to execute.

Generation II and on

On the turn it is selected, Skull Bash will raise the user's Defense one level.

Learnset

Generation I

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 0007 Squirtle Water 35 0008 Wartortle Water 39 0009 Blastoise Water 42 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By TM40

#   Pokémon Type 0004 Charmander Fire 0005 Charmeleon Fire 0006 Charizard Fire Flying 0007 Squirtle Water 0008 Wartortle Water 0009 Blastoise Water 0015 Beedrill Bug Poison 0019 Rattata Normal 0020 Raticate Normal 0023 Ekans Poison 0024 Arbok Poison 0025 Pikachu Electric 0026 Raichu Electric 0027 Sandshrew Ground 0028 Sandslash Ground 0029 Nidoran♀ Poison 0030 Nidorina Poison 0031 Nidoqueen Poison Ground 0032 Nidoran♂ Poison 0033 Nidorino Poison 0034 Nidoking Poison Ground 0035 Clefairy Normal 0036 Clefable Normal 0037 Vulpix Fire 0038 Ninetales Fire 0039 Jigglypuff Normal 0040 Wigglytuff Normal 0046 Paras Bug Grass 0047 Parasect Bug Grass 0052 Meowth Normal 0053 Persian Normal 0054 Psyduck Water 0055 Golduck Water 0056 Mankey Fighting 0057 Primeape Fighting 0058 Growlithe Fire 0059 Arcanine Fire 0060 Poliwag Water 0061 Poliwhirl Water 0062 Poliwrath Water Fighting 0063 Abra Psychic 0064 Kadabra Psychic 0065 Alakazam Psychic 0066 Machop Fighting 0067 Machoke Fighting 0068 Machamp Fighting 0072 Tentacool Water Poison 0073 Tentacruel Water Poison 0077 Ponyta Fire 0078 Rapidash Fire 0079 Slowpoke Water Psychic 0080 Slowbro Water Psychic 0083 Farfetch'd Normal Flying 0084 Doduo Normal Flying 0085 Dodrio Normal Flying 0086 Seel Water 0087 Dewgong Water Ice 0094 Gengar Ghost Poison 0095 Onix Rock Ground 0096 Drowzee Psychic 0097 Hypno Psychic 0104 Cubone Ground 0105 Marowak Ground 0106 Hitmonlee Fighting 0107 Hitmonchan Fighting 0108 Lickitung Normal 0111 Rhyhorn Ground Rock 0112 Rhydon Ground Rock 0113 Chansey Normal 0114 Tangela Grass 0115 Kangaskhan Normal 0116 Horsea Water 0117 Seadra Water 0118 Goldeen Water 0119 Seaking Water 0120 Staryu Water 0121 Starmie Water Psychic 0122 Mr. Mime Psychic 0123 Scyther Bug Flying 0124 Jynx Ice Psychic 0125 Electabuzz Electric 0126 Magmar Fire 0128 Tauros Normal 0130 Gyarados Water Flying 0131 Lapras Water Ice 0133 Eevee Normal 0134 Vaporeon Water 0135 Jolteon Electric 0136 Flareon Fire 0137 Porygon Normal 0139 Omastar Rock Water 0140 Kabuto Rock Water 0141 Kabutops Rock Water 0143 Snorlax Normal 0147 Dratini Dragon 0148 Dragonair Dragon 0149 Dragonite Dragon Flying 0150 Mewtwo Psychic 0151 Mew Psychic Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Generation II

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 0007 Squirtle Water 40 0008 Wartortle Water 45 0009 Blastoise Water 55 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By breeding

Template:Breedlist |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0001 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur
| colspan="1" style="background:#3FA129; text-align: center;" | Grass || style="background:#9141CB" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Poison | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0104 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Cubone
| colspan="2" style="background:#915121; text-align: center;" | Ground | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur
Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise

|- | colspan="6" | Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move.
Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution gets STAB from this move.
*Indicates Pokémon that can only learn the move through chain breeding. |} |}

Generation III

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 0007 Squirtle Water 40 0008 Wartortle Water 45 0009 Blastoise Water 55 0319 Sharpedo Water Dark 48 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By breeding

Template:Breedlist |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0001 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur
| colspan="1" style="background:#3FA129; text-align: center;" | Grass || style="background:#9141CB" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Poison | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0104 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Cubone
| colspan="2" style="background:#915121; text-align: center;" | Ground | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur
Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0369 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Relicanth
| colspan="1" style="background:#2980EF; text-align: center;" | Water || style="background:#AFA981" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Rock | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise
Sharpedo

|- | colspan="6" | Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move.
Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution gets STAB from this move.
*Indicates Pokémon that can only learn the move through chain breeding. |} |}

Generation IV

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 0007 Squirtle Water 31 0008 Wartortle Water 36 0009 Blastoise Water 39 0319 Sharpedo Water Dark 50 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

By breeding

Template:Breedlist |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0001 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur
| colspan="1" style="background:#3FA129; text-align: center;" | Grass || style="background:#9141CB" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Poison | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0029 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Nidoran♀
| colspan="2" style="background:#9141CB; text-align: center;" | Poison | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0104 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Cubone
| colspan="2" style="background:#915121; text-align: center;" | Ground | style="background: #FFF" | Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur
Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0111 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Rhyhorn
| colspan="1" style="background:#915121; text-align: center;" | Ground || style="background:#AFA981" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Rock | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0324 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Torkoal
| colspan="2" style="background:#E62829; text-align: center;" | Fire | style="background: #FFF" | Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Rhyperior |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0369 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Relicanth
| colspan="1" style="background:#2980EF; text-align: center;" | Water || style="background:#AFA981" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Rock | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise
Sharpedo |- | style="background: #FFF; font-family:monospace,monospace" | 0459 | style="background: #FFF; text-align: center;" | | style="background: #FFF" | Snover
| colspan="1" style="background:#3FA129; text-align: center;" | Grass || style="background:#3DCEF3" align="center" colspan="1" rowspan="1" | Ice | style="background: #FFF" | Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise

|- | colspan="6" | Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move.
Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution gets STAB from this move.
*Indicates Pokémon that can only learn the move through chain breeding. |} |}

Generation V

By leveling up

#   Pokémon Type Level 0007 Squirtle Water 31 0008 Wartortle Water 36 0009 Blastoise Water 39 0319 Sharpedo Water Dark 50 Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Other appearances

• Pikachu uses Skull Bash as its side B attack in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Skull Bash can be charged up to inflict more damage and knockback.
• Pichu uses Skull Bash as its side B attack in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is similar to Pikachu's, but when Pichu uses it, it damages itself a little.

In the anime

File:Dragonite Skull Bash.png Dragonite File:Squirtle Skull Bash.png Squirtle File:Magmar Skull Bash.png Magmar File:Blastoise Skull Bash.png Blastoise
The user tucks in its head and rams the opponent with it.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Charmander runs at the opponent with its head down and strikes it with its head.
Ash's Charmander	Pokémon Scent-sation		Debut
	Squirtle runs and jumps at the opponent with its head down and strikes it with its head, or Squirtle jumps into the air, becomes surrounded by a silver aura, and slams its head into the opponent.
Ash's Squirtle	The Kangaskhan Kid		None
Pokémon League entrance exam instructor's Squirtle	The Ultimate Test		None
	Magmar hurtles itself at the opponent and hits it with its head.
Blaine's Magmar	Volcanic Panic		None
	Scyther flies at the opponent and its body becomes surrounded by a golden orb with golden streaks around it. It then slams its head into the opponent.
Tracey's Scyther	A Way Off Day Off		None
	Dragonite flies up and strikes the opponent with its head at high speed.
Drake's Dragonite	Enter the Dragonite		Japanese version only
	Eevee runs at the opponent and its body starts to glow white. It then strikes the opponent with its head.
Gary's Eevee	The Rivalry Revival		None
	Raticate charges at the opponent and its body becomes surrounded by golden streaks. It then slams its head into the opponent.
Cassidy's Raticate	The Fortune Hunters		None
	Totodile slams its head into the opponent.
Ash's Totodile	Dueling Heroes		None
	Blastoise slams its head into the opponent. Sometimes, its body becomes surrounded by a silver aura when using the attack.
A Blastoise Jessie borrowed from the Battle Park	One Trick Phony!		None
Gary's Blastoise	Can't Beat the Heat!		None
Sid's Blastoise	Destiny Deoxys		None
	Sharpedo swims towards the opponent quickly. Then, its body becomes surrounded in a white aura, and it slams its head into the opponent.
Multiple wild Sharpedo	Sharpedo Attack!		None

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

File:Onix Skull Bash Adventures.png Onix
The user tucks in its head to raise its Defense in the first turn, then rams the foe on the next turn.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Onix floats into the air and curls its body around. It then fires itself at the opponent with huge speed and power.
Brock's Onix	Onix is On!		Debut

Trivia

• All Pokémon to learn this move by leveling up are of the Template:Type2.
• In Generation I, this move was the signature move of the Squirtle evolutionary line.

In other languages

• Dutch: Schedelbeuk
• French: Coud'krâne
• German: Schädelwumme
• Greek: Κρανιοκόπημα
• Hindi: Sakht Khopri
• Italian: Capocciata
• Korean: 로케트박치기 Rocket Bakchigi
• Polish: Łomot Czaszką
• Portuguese: Quebra Crânio
• Spanish: Cabezazo