Assist (move)

Assist ねこのて Cat's Paw

File:Assist.png

Battles Type  Normal Category  Status PP  20 (max. 32) Power  — Accuracy  —% Priority  0 Does not make contact Not affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not 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  Cute Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  0   The appeal's quality depends on its timing.

Super Contests Condition  Cute Appeal  2 ♥♥ Makes the order of contestants random in the next turn.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Cute Appeal  0   Jamming  0

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

Assist (Japanese: ねこのて Cat's Paw) is a non-damaging Template:Type2 move introduced in Generation III, in which it was Skitty's signature move.

Effect

Generation III-IV

Assist calls up a move randomly known by one of the fellow Pokémon in its party and fully executes the attack. An attack called up by Assist counts as the last move used. In a wild double battle, a wild Pokémon that uses Assist can use a move the other wild Pokémon knows.

Generation V

Assist can now use moves known by unhatched eggs in the party.

Moves that cannot be used

Assist will not call itself or any of the following moves:

Move Type Cat. Chatter  Flying  Special {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Circle Throw  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Copycat  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Counter  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Covet  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Destiny Bond  Ghost  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Detect  Fighting  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Dragon Tail  Dragon  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Endure  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Feint  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Focus Punch  Fighting  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Follow Me  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Helping Hand  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Me First  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Metronome  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Mimic  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Mirror Coat  Psychic  Special {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Mirror Move  Flying  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Protect  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Sketch  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Sleep Talk  Normal  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Snatch  Dark  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Struggle  Normal  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Switcheroo  Dark  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Thief  Dark  Physical {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}} Trick  Psychic  Status {{{3}}} {{{4}}} {{{5}}} {{{6}}}

A Pokémon will be able to use a move that is disabled in its own moveset if called via Assist.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
300		Skitty	Normal		Normal	19			18		22	22			'
431		Glameow	Normal		Normal				29				29			'
432		Purugly	Normal		Normal				29				29			'
509		Purrloin	Dark		Dark								6			'
510		Liepard	Dark		Dark								6			'
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		Type		Father
					II		III		IV		V		VI
052		Meowth	Normal		Normal
096		Drowzee	Psychic		Psychic
161		Sentret	Normal		Normal
215		Sneasel	Dark	Ice
327		Spinda	Normal		Normal
390		Chimchar	Fire		Fire
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 the anime

Skitty Ember String Shot
The user hurriedly and randomly uses a move among those known by other Pokémon in the party.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	A white orb appears on Skitty's front paw. Skitty then fires a random move known by the Trainer's team from the orb.
May's Skitty	Game Winning Assist		Debut

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

File:Coco Assist Iron Defense.png Using Iron Defense
The user uses a move known by one of its Trainer's other Pokémon or a partner.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Delcatty uses a move known by one of its Trainer's other Pokémon or its partner.
Ruby's Coco	VS. Kyogre & Groudon XI		Debut

Trivia

• The original Japanese name for this attack is neko no te (ねこのて), which literally means "cat's paw". However, this is probably a play on words; the attack calls for the assistance of a random team member's attack to help defeat the opponent. In Japanese, there is a saying for when assistance is greatly needed; "neko no te mo karitai" (猫の手も借りたい), or "I would even like to borrow a cat's hands / I would even like a cat to assist me", or "I need all the help I can get". And since the only Pokémon who can use this move by leveling up are cat-like (with an animation of scattered cat pawprints), it displays a double meaning.

In other generations

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

In other languages

Language Title Dutch Bijstand French Assistance German Zuschuss Greek Στήριξη Hindi Madad Indonesian Tangan Kucing Italian Assistente Korean 조수 Josu Polish Asysta Portuguese Brazil Auxílio, Ajudar, Lance Portugal Assistência Serbian Asistencija Spanish Ayuda

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.