Air Cutter (move)

The picture used in this article is unsatisfactory. Please feel free to replace it so it conforms to Bulbapedia conventions. Reason: Should be replaced with Generation VI images

---

Air Cutter エアカッター Air Cutter

Battles Type  Flying Category  Special PP  25 (max. 40) Power  60 Accuracy  95% Priority  0 Does not make contact Affected by Protect Not affected by Magic Coat Not affected by Snatch Affected by Mirror Move Affected by King's Rock

Range Opponent Opponent Opponent Self Ally Ally Many Others: Affects all adjacent opponents, but not allies

Availability Introduced  Generation III Move Tutor in Pokémon Platinum Move Tutor in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

Contests Condition  Cool Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jam  1 ♥ Startles Pokémon that made a same-type appeal.

Super Contests Condition  Cool Appeal  3 ♥♥♥ A basic performance using a move known by the Pokémon.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Cool Appeal  4 ♥♥♥♥ Jamming  0   Quite an appealing move.

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

Air Cutter (Japanese: エアカッター Air Cutter) is a damage-dealing Flying-type move introduced in Generation III.

Effect

Generations III to V

Air Cutter deals damage and has an increased critical hit ratio. It hits both opponents in a Double Battle and will only hit opposing adjacent Pokémon in Triple Battles.

Generation VI

Air Cutter's power changed from 55 to 60. In Horde Encounters, it will target all opponents. Air Cutter will also destroy Berry trees found in the background of battles.

Description

Games Description RSE Hacks with razorlike wind. High critical-hit ratio. FRLG The foe is hit with razor-like wind. It has a high critical-hit ratio. The user launches razorlike wind to slash the foe. It has a high critical-hit ratio. The user launches razor-like wind to slash the opposing team. Critical hits land more easily. The user launches razor-like wind to slash the opposing Pokémon. Critical hits land more easily.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
041		Zubat	Poison	Flying	31			25				25	26	26 19
042		Golbat	Poison	Flying	35			27				27	28	28 19
083		Farfetch'd	Normal	Flying				21				21			21
169		Crobat	Poison	Flying	35			27				27	28	28 19
227		Skarmory	Steel	Flying	29			24		23	23			23 12
267		Beautifly	Bug	Flying											20
278		Wingull	Water	Flying									33	33 22
284		Masquerain	Bug	Flying											22
519		Pidove	Normal	Flying								15			15
520		Tranquill	Normal	Flying								15			15
521		Unfezant	Normal	Flying								15			15
527		Woobat	Psychic	Flying								21			21
528		Swoobat	Psychic	Flying								21			21
561		Sigilyph	Psychic	Flying								21			21
641		Tornadus	Flying		Flying								25			25
714		Noibat	Flying	Dragon											23
715		Noivern	Flying	Dragon											23
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
004		Charmander*	Fire		Fire
016		Pidgey	Normal	Flying
441		Chatot	Normal	Flying
580		Ducklett	Water	Flying
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 Move Tutor

#	Pokémon		Type		Game
					DP	Pt	HGSS
006		Charizard	Fire	Flying								✔	✔
012		Butterfree	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
015		Beedrill	Bug	Poison								✔	✔
016		Pidgey	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
017		Pidgeotto	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
018		Pidgeot	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
021		Spearow	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
022		Fearow	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
041		Zubat	Poison	Flying								✔	✔
042		Golbat	Poison	Flying								✔	✔
049		Venomoth	Bug	Poison								✔	✔
083		Farfetch'd	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
084		Doduo	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
085		Dodrio	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
144		Articuno	Ice	Flying								✔	✔
145		Zapdos	Electric	Flying								✔	✔
146		Moltres	Fire	Flying								✔	✔
149		Dragonite	Dragon	Flying								✔	✔
151		Mew	Psychic		Psychic								✔	✔
163		Hoothoot	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
164		Noctowl	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
165		Ledyba	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
166		Ledian	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
169		Crobat	Poison	Flying								✔	✔
176		Togetic	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
177		Natu	Psychic	Flying								✔	✔
178		Xatu	Psychic	Flying								✔	✔
193		Yanma	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
198		Murkrow	Dark	Flying								✔	✔
226		Mantine	Water	Flying								✔	✔
227		Skarmory	Steel	Flying								✔	✔
249		Lugia	Psychic	Flying								✔	✔
250		Ho-Oh	Fire	Flying								✔	✔
267		Beautifly	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
269		Dustox	Bug	Poison								✔	✔
275		Shiftry	Grass	Dark								✔	✔
276		Taillow	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
277		Swellow	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
278		Wingull	Water	Flying								✔	✔
279		Pelipper	Water	Flying								✔	✔
284		Masquerain	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
291		Ninjask	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
313		Volbeat	Bug		Bug								✔	✔
314		Illumise	Bug		Bug								✔	✔
329		Vibrava	Ground	Dragon								✔	✔
330		Flygon	Ground	Dragon								✔	✔
333		Swablu	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
334		Altaria	Dragon	Flying								✔	✔
357		Tropius	Grass	Flying								✔	✔
373		Salamence	Dragon	Flying								✔	✔
396		Starly	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
397		Staravia	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
398		Staraptor	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
414		Mothim	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
415		Combee	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
416		Vespiquen	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
425		Drifloon	Ghost	Flying								✔	✔
426		Drifblim	Ghost	Flying								✔	✔
430		Honchkrow	Dark	Flying								✔	✔
456		Finneon	Water		Water								✔	✔
457		Lumineon	Water		Water								✔	✔
458		Mantyke	Water	Flying								✔	✔
468		Togekiss	Normal	Flying								✔	✔
469		Yanmega	Bug	Flying								✔	✔
487		Giratina Altered Forme	Ghost	Dragon								✔	✔
487		Giratina Origin Forme	Ghost	Dragon								✔	✔
492		Shaymin Sky Forme	Grass	Flying								✔	✔
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

Special move

Generation V

#   Pokémon Type Obtained with 0012 Butterfree Bug Flying Dream World - Windswept Sky 0015 Beedrill Bug Poison Dream World - Dream Park 0226 Mantine Water Flying Dream World - Sparkling Sea 0415 Combee Bug Flying Dream World - Dream Park 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

Unfezant Golbat Swoobat Tranquill
Strong slashes of wind are releases from the user's wings.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Golbat flaps its wings and a strong gust with light blue 'S' shaped energy in it fly and slash at the opponent, or Golbat waves one of its wing and a white cresent shaped energy flies out and hits the opponent, or Golbat releases light blue 'S' shaped energy disks from its mouth at the opponent.
Tabitha's Golbat	Fight for the Meteorite		Debut
A Team Magma Grunt's Golbat	Fight for the Meteorite		Debut
Agatha's Golbat	The Scheme Team		None
J's henchmen's Golbat	Ill-Will Hunting!		None
Galactic Grunts' multiple Golbat	Enter Galactic!		None
	Skarmory opens its mouth and releases a strong gust with light blue 'S' shaped energy in it at the opponent, or Skarmory's wings glow white and it flaps them, releasing light blue 'S' shaped energy disks at the opponent.
Green Army's Skarmory	Lucario and the Mystery of Mew		None
Taylor's Skarmory	Pursuing a Lofty Goal!		None
	Pidove waves its wings in an 'X' like motion and a light blue 'X' shaped energy is released from the tip of its wings at the opponent, or Pidove crosses its wings in front of its body and opens them up quickly, releasing multiple light blue 'X' shaped energy from its wings at the opponent.
Multiple wild Pidove	Enter Iris and Axew!		None
Ash's Pidove	Enter Iris and Axew!		None
	Tranquill waves its wings in an 'X' like motion and a light blue 'X' shaped energy is released from the tips of its wings at the opponent or Tranquill's wings glow light blue and it fire many light blue blades from them at the opponent, or Tranquill glows white and releases light blue crescent shaped blades from its wings at the opponent.
Trip's Tranquill	A Venipede Stampede!		None
Ash's Tranquill	Cottonee in Love!		None
	Swoobat flaps its wings and light blue crescent shaped blades or a stream of light blue 'X' shaped blades are released from the tips of its wings at the opponent.
Skyla's Swoobat	Cilan Takes Flight!		None
	Unfezant flaps its wings and releases a stream of light blue 'X' shaped blades from the tips of its wings at the opponent.
Ash's Unfezant	An Amazing Aerial Battle!		None
	Riolu swings its arms inwards and releases a stream of light blue 'X' shaped blades from its hands at the opponent.
Cameron's Riolu	Cameron's Secret Weapon!		Used via Copycat

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Swoobat Skarmory Golbat
The user waves its wing and fires one of its feathers at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Skarmory waves one of its wings and fires a crescent-shaped blade at the opponent.
Winona's Skarmory	Bravo, Vibrava		Debut
	Crobat waves one of its wings and releases a blade of air at the opponent.
Spenser's Crobat	VS Surskit I		None
	Golbat waves one of its wings and releases a crescent-shaped blade of air at the opponent.
Petrel's Golbat	Fortunately for Feraligatr		None
	Swoobat releases several tiny blades of air from its wing at the opponent.
Skyla's Swoobat	Up in the Air		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

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

• Air Cutter is the only damage-dealing Flying-type move that cannot hit non-adjacent foes in Triple Battles.
• Air Cutter is one of three moves that can be used to collect Berries from the Berry trees appearing behind foes in wild battles, the others being Twister and Blizzard.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 破空斬 Pòkōng Zhǎn Danish Luftskærer Dutch Lucht Snijder Finnish Ilmasirppi (Advanced Challenge) Ilmaleikkuri (Advanced Battle) French Tranch'Air German Windschnitt Greek Αεροκόπτης Indonesian Pisau Udara Italian Aerasoio Korean 에어컷터 Air Cutter Polish Powietrzny nóż Portuguese Brazil Cortador de Ar Portugal Cortador de Ar (Advanced Challenge) Corte Aéreo (Advanced Battle) Ar Cortante (DP Battle Dimension) Corta o Ar (DP Galactic Battles) Golpe de Ar (Best Wishes series) Romanian Tăietorul de Aer Serbian Razorni Vetar Spanish Latin America Aire Cortante (AG054, BW002-present) Cortador de Aire (AG132-DP045) Aire Afilado (DP118) Spain Aire Afilado

Variations of the move Razor Leaf
Razor Leaf Air Cutter

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.