Absorb (move)

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Absorb すいとる Absorb

Battles Type  Grass Category  Special PP  25 (max. 40) Power  20 Accuracy  100% Priority  0 Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by Mirror Move Not affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Normal: May affect anyone adjacent to the user

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

Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jam  3 ♥♥♥ Startles the Pokémon that appealed before the user.

Super Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  1 ♥ Earn +3 if two Pokémon raise the Voltage in a row.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Smart 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

Absorb (Japanese: すいとる Absorb) is a damage-dealing Grass-type move introduced in Generation I. Absorb is the first in a line of three Grass-type HP-draining attacks, the other two being Mega Drain and Giga Drain.

Effect

Generation I-II

Absorb does damage, and up to 50% of the damage done to the target is restored to the user, rounded up. If Absorb breaks a substitute, no HP will be restored to the user. If HP is restored to the user when its current HP would be greater than its maximum HP, its current HP will be set equal to its maximum HP. Absorb has 20 PP.

In the Pokémon Stadium series, Absorb will always miss if the target has a substitute.

Generation III

Absorb functions the same as in Generation II, however, when used on a Pokémon with the Liquid Ooze Ability, the user will lose the amount of HP it would have gained instead.

Can be used as part of a Contest combination, with the user gaining extra appeal points if the move Growth was used in the prior turn.

Generation IV and V

Absorb's PP is increased to 25. If the user has a Big Root as its held item, it will recover 30% more HP than it normally would. Big Root does not increase damage dealt. All other effects are the same.

Generation VI

Absorb cannot be used if the user is under the effects of Heal Block.

Description

Games Description A Grass-type attack. It adds half the HP it drained from the target to the attacker's HP. Steals 1/2 of the damage inflicted. RSE An attack that absorbs half the damage inflicted. FRLG An attack that absorbs half the damage it inflicted to restore HP. PMDRB Inflicts damage on the target. It also restores the user's HP based on the damage it inflicted. Conq A nutrient-draining attack. The user’s HP is restored by half the damage taken by the target. PMDTDS Inflicts damage on the target, then restores the user's HP based on the damage inflicted.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
043		Oddish	Grass	Poison	--			--			--			--				--			--
044		Gloom	Grass	Poison	--			--			--			--				--			--
045		Vileplume	Grass	Poison				--			--										'
114		Tangela	Grass		Grass	29	27	10			10			8				8	10	10
140		Kabuto	Rock	Water	34			10			13			6				6			6
141		Kabutops	Rock	Water	--, 34			--, 10			--, 13			--, 6				--, 6			--, 6
182		Bellossom	Grass		Grass				--			--										'
191		Sunkern	Grass		Grass				--			--			--				--			--
192		Sunflora	Grass		Grass				--			--			--				--			--
252		Treecko	Grass		Grass							6			6				6			6
253		Grovyle	Grass		Grass							--, 6			--, 6				--, 6			--, 6
254		Sceptile	Grass		Grass							--, 6			--, 6				--, 6			--, 6
267		Beautifly	Bug	Flying							--, 10			--, 10				--, 10			--, 10
270		Lotad	Water	Grass							7			5				5			5
271		Lombre	Water	Grass							7			5				5			5
272		Ludicolo	Water	Grass							--										'
285		Shroomish	Grass		Grass							--			--				--			--
286		Breloom	Grass	Fighting							--			--				--			--
315		Roselia	Grass	Poison							--			--				--			--
331		Cacnea	Grass		Grass							5			5				5			5
332		Cacturne	Grass	Dark							--, 5			--, 5				--, 5			--, 5
387		Turtwig	Grass		Grass										9				9			9
388		Grotle	Grass		Grass										9				9			9
389		Torterra	Grass	Ground										--, 9				--, 9			--, 9
406		Budew	Grass	Poison										--				--			--
465		Tangrowth	Grass		Grass										8				8	10	10
546		Cottonee	Grass	Fairy														--			--
548		Petilil	Grass		Grass														--			--
556		Maractus	Grass		Grass														--			--
590		Foongus	Grass	Poison														--			--
591		Amoonguss	Grass	Poison														--			--
592		Frillish	Water	Ghost														5			5
593		Jellicent	Water	Ghost														--, 5			--, 5
704		Goomy	Dragon		Dragon																	5
705		Sliggoo	Dragon		Dragon																	5
706		Goodra	Dragon		Dragon																	5
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 0231 Phanpy Ground 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.

In other games

Pokémon Conquest

Absorb is the only move of Treecko and Cottonee. It heals the attacking Pokémon of 50% the damage inflicted. If the Pokémon has a 100% link with their Warrior, Absorb heals 66% of the damage inflicted.

^	★ Orange squares indicate hit area. Blue squares indicate area Pokémon the Pokémon will need to move to perform the move. Red squares indicate the knockback on hit Pokémon. Table assumes the Pokémon is in the square marked by ^.

In the anime

Tangrowth Bellsprout Shroomish
A nutrient-draining attack that absorbs the opponent's energy and adds it to the user.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Tangrowth holds out its arms and fires two red beams from them at the opponent. When the opponent is hit, its body glows red and it drains its energy. Sometimes, the red parts of its hands glow red before it fires the beams.
A wild Tangrowth	Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!		Debut
	Shroomish releases a red beam from the hole on its head at the opponent. When hit, the opponent's body glows red and it absorbs its energy.
A wild Shroomish	Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!		None
	Bellsprout releases two red beams from the leaves on the side of its body at the opponent. When it hits it, the opponent's body glows red and it absorbs its energy.
A wild Bellsprout	Promoting Healthy Tangrowth!		Bellsprout cannot legally learn Absorb

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Tangela
The user absorbs the opponent's energy and adds it to its own.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Tangela sticks the end of its vines into the opponent's body and absorbs its energy.
Erika's Angela	Striking Golduck		Debut

In the Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King manga

Budew
The user absorbs the opponent's energy.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Budew absorbs the opponent's energy.
A wild Budew	PBK1		Debut

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

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

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 Mandarin Chinese 吸收 Xīshōu Danish Opsuge Dutch Absorbeer French Vol-Vie German Absorber Greek Απορρόφηση Italian Assorbimento Korean 흡수 Heubsu Portuguese Brazil Absorção Portugal Absorver Romanian Absorbirea Serbian Apsorpcija Spanish Absorber Vietnamese Hấp Thụ

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.