False Swipe (move)

False Swipe みねうち Blunt Strike

Battles Type  Normal Category  Physical PP  40 (max. 64) Power  40 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 adjacent to the user

Availability Introduced  Generation II TM54 in Generation IV TM54 in Generation V

Contests Condition  Cool Appeal  1 ♥ Jam  3 ♥♥♥ Badly startles those that have made appeals.

Super Contests Condition  Cool Appeal  0   Raises the score if the Voltage is low.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Cool Appeal  0   Jamming  0

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

False Swipe (Japanese: みねうち Blunt Strike) is a damage-dealing Normal-type move introduced in Generation II. It has been TM54 since Generation IV.

Effect

False Swipe inflicts damage and if False Swipe deals more damage than the target's current HP, the target will always be left with 1 HP remaining. If the target has 1 HP remaining, False Swipe will hit and leave the target at 1 HP. This move is most often used to catch wild Pokémon.

If used against a substitute, False Swipe is able to break it, and will not leave the decoy with 1 HP.

Description

Games Description A move that adjusts Attack so that the foe has one HP left. Can't cause the foe to faint. Leaves the foe with at least 1HP. RSE An attack that leaves the foe with at least 1 HP. FRLG A restrained attack that always leaves the foe with at least 1 HP. An attack that leaves the target with at least 1 HP. A restrained attack that prevents the foe from fainting. The target is left with at least 1 HP. A restrained attack that prevents the target from fainting. The target is left with at least 1 HP.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
083		Farfetch'd	Normal	Flying	44			46			43		45	45			''''
104		Cubone	Ground		Ground	33			33			27				27			'
105		Marowak	Ground		Ground	39			39			27				27			'
123		Scyther	Bug	Flying	18			16			13				13			'
212		Scizor	Bug	Steel	18			16			13				13			'
253		Grovyle	Grass		Grass				53			53				53			'
254		Sceptile	Grass		Grass				59			59				59			'
290		Nincada	Bug	Ground				25			25				25			'
335		Zangoose	Normal		Normal				55			44				44	29	''''
475		Gallade	Psychic	Fighting							45				50			'
542		Leavanny	Bug	Grass											--			'
588		Karrablast	Bug		Bug											25			'
589		Escavalier	Bug	Steel											25			'
610		Axew	Dragon		Dragon											24			'
611		Fraxure	Dragon		Dragon											24			'
612		Haxorus	Dragon		Dragon											24			'
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
021		Spearow	Normal	Flying
046		Paras	Bug	Grass
127		Pinsir	Bug		Bug
214		Heracross	Bug	Fighting
273		Seedot	Grass		Grass
285		Shroomish	Grass		Grass
303		Mawile	Steel		Steel
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

#	Pokémon		Type		Machine
					I --		II --		III --		IV TM54		V TM54		VI TM08
015		Beedrill	Bug	Poison							✔				✔		✔
021		Spearow	Normal	Flying											✔		✔
022		Fearow	Normal	Flying											✔		✔
046		Paras	Bug	Grass							✔				✔		✔
047		Parasect	Bug	Grass							✔				✔		✔
083		Farfetch'd	Normal	Flying							✔				✔		✔
098		Krabby	Water		Water							✔				✔		✔
099		Kingler	Water		Water							✔				✔		✔
104		Cubone	Ground		Ground							✔				✔		✔
105		Marowak	Ground		Ground							✔				✔		✔
123		Scyther	Bug	Flying							✔				✔		✔
127		Pinsir	Bug		Bug							✔				✔		✔
151		Mew	Psychic		Psychic							✔				✔		✔
207		Gligar	Ground	Flying							✔				✔		✔
212		Scizor	Bug	Steel							✔				✔		✔
214		Heracross	Bug	Fighting											✔		✔
215		Sneasel	Dark	Ice							✔				✔		✔
253		Grovyle	Grass		Grass							✔				✔		✔
254		Sceptile	Grass		Grass							✔				✔		✔
273		Seedot	Grass		Grass											✔		✔
274		Nuzleaf	Grass	Dark											✔		✔
275		Shiftry	Grass	Dark											✔		✔
285		Shroomish	Grass		Grass											✔		✔
286		Breloom	Grass	Fighting											✔		✔
290		Nincada	Bug	Ground							✔				✔		✔
291		Ninjask	Bug	Flying							✔				✔		✔
292		Shedinja	Bug	Ghost							✔				✔		✔
303		Mawile	Steel		Steel											✔		✔
335		Zangoose	Normal		Normal							✔				✔		✔
341		Corphish	Water		Water							✔				✔		✔
342		Crawdaunt	Water	Dark							✔				✔		✔
347		Anorith	Rock	Bug							✔				✔		✔
348		Armaldo	Rock	Bug							✔				✔		✔
359		Absol	Dark		Dark							✔				✔		✔
402		Kricketune	Bug		Bug							✔				✔		✔
445		Garchomp	Dragon	Ground							✔				✔		✔
451		Skorupi	Poison	Bug							✔				✔		✔
452		Drapion	Poison	Dark							✔				✔		✔
461		Weavile	Dark	Ice							✔				✔		✔
472		Gliscor	Ground	Flying							✔				✔		✔
475		Gallade	Psychic	Fighting							✔				✔		✔
501		Oshawott	Water		Water											✔		✔
502		Dewott	Water		Water											✔		✔
503		Samurott	Water		Water											✔		✔
542		Leavanny	Bug	Grass											✔		✔
588		Karrablast	Bug		Bug											✔		✔
589		Escavalier	Bug	Steel											✔		✔
610		Axew	Dragon		Dragon											✔		✔
611		Fraxure	Dragon		Dragon											✔		✔
612		Haxorus	Dragon		Dragon											✔		✔
624		Pawniard	Dark	Steel											✔		✔
625		Bisharp	Dark	Steel											✔		✔
638		Cobalion	Steel	Fighting											✔		✔
639		Terrakion	Rock	Fighting											✔		✔
640		Virizion	Grass	Fighting											✔		✔
647		Keldeo	Water	Fighting											✔		✔
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 II

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0066 Machop Fighting New York City Pokémon Center 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 IV

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0285 Shroomish Grass My Pokémon Ranch 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 V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0001 Bulbasaur Grass Poison Sticker Promotional Eggs 0004 Charmander Fire Sticker Promotional Eggs 0007 Squirtle Water Sticker Promotional Eggs 0189 Jumpluff Grass Flying Korean Global Link 0334 Altaria Dragon Flying Japanese Global Link Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

Special move

Generation III

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0333 Swablu Normal Flying Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire Bold indicates a Pokémon which gets STAB from this move. Italic indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form gets STAB from this move.

In the anime

Scizor
A restrained attack that prevents the foe from fainting.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Scizor flies into the air then flies down toward the opponent. It raises its two pincers into the air, then brings them both down hard on the opponent.
Shingo's Blade	Wired for Battle!		Debut

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Scizor Cubone
A restrained attack that prevents the foe from fainting.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Scizor holds up its claws so they look like two heads. Then, when the opponent becomes frightened, it charges and slashes the opponent with them.
Blue's Scizor	Rock, Paper... Scizor		Debut
	Cubone slashes the opponent with the bone it holds.
Crys's Bonee	Querulous Qwilfish		None

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

Trivia

• Its Japanese name refers to striking someone with the blunt side of a sword.
• Due to the move's effect of always leaving the target with at least 1 HP, False Swipe is the only damaging move capable of doing zero damage on a successful strike; it does zero damage on a target with exactly 1 HP left.
• In the episode Wired for Battle!, Shingo tells his Scizor, Blade, to "finish it off with False Swipe". However, as False Swipe can never knock out a Pokémon, this command is incorrect. This sentence has since then turned famous around the Pokémon fandom.
• False Swipe is one of few moves with the same base PP and power.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 刀背擊打 Dāobèi Jídǎ French Faux-Chage German Trugschlag Greek Υποκριτικός Κτύπος Italian Falsofinale Korean 칼등치기 Kaldeungchigi Brazilian Portuguese Corte Falso Serbian Lažan Zamah Spanish Falsotortazo

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.