String Shot (move)

String Shot いとをはく Spit Thread

File:String Shot.png

Battles Type  Bug Category  Status PP  40 (max. 64) Power  — Accuracy  95% Priority  0 Does not make contact Affected by Protect Affected by Magic Coat and Magic Bounce Not affected by Snatch Not affected by King's Rock

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

Availability Introduced  Generation I Move Tutor in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

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

Super Contests Condition  Smart Appeal  2 ♥♥ Prevents the Voltage from going down in the same turn.

Contest Spectaculars Condition  Clever Appeal  2 ♥♥ Jamming  3 ♥♥♥ Startles the last Pokémon to act before the user.

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

String Shot (Japanese: いとをはく Spit Thread) is a non-damaging Bug-type move introduced in Generation I.

Effect

Generations I and II

String Shot decreases the target's Speed stat by one stage.

Generations III and IV

In Double Battles, String Shot targets all adjacent foes.

Generation V

In Triple Battles, String Shot targets all adjacent foes.

Generation VI

String Shot now decreases the target's Speed stat by two stages.

Description

Games Description Strings are sprayed out and wrapped around the target to reduces its Speed. A move that lowers the foe's Speed. RSE Binds the foe with string to reduce its Speed. FRLG The foe is bound with strings shot from the mouth to reduce its Speed. PMDRB Reduces the target's Movement Speed by one level, even at a distance. The foe is bound with silk blown from the user’s mouth. It reduces the target’s Speed stat. The targets are bound with silk blown from the user's mouth. This silk reduces the targets' Speed stat. The opposing Pokémon are bound with silk blown from the user's mouth that harshly lowers the Speed stat.

Learnset

By leveling up

#	Pokémon		Type		Level
					I		II		III		IV		V		VI
010		Caterpie	Bug		Bug	--			--			--			--				--			--
013		Weedle	Bug	Poison	--			--			--			--				--			--
167		Spinarak	Bug	Poison				--			--			--				--			--
168		Ariados	Bug	Poison				--			--			--				--			--
265		Wurmple	Bug		Bug							--			--				--			--
540		Sewaddle	Bug	Grass														--			--
541		Swadloon	Bug	Grass														--			--
542		Leavanny	Bug	Grass														--			--
595		Joltik	Bug	Electric														--			--
596		Galvantula	Bug	Electric														--			--
636		Larvesta	Bug	Fire														--			--
637		Volcarona	Bug	Fire														--			--
664		Scatterbug	Bug		Bug																	--
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
636		Larvesta	Bug	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.

By Move Tutor

#	Pokémon		Type		Game
					DP	Pt	HGSS
001		Bulbasaur	Grass	Poison									✔
002		Ivysaur	Grass	Poison									✔
003		Venusaur	Grass	Poison									✔
010		Caterpie	Bug		Bug									✔
011		Metapod	Bug		Bug									✔
012		Butterfree	Bug	Flying									✔
013		Weedle	Bug	Poison									✔
014		Kakuna	Bug	Poison									✔
015		Beedrill	Bug	Poison									✔
046		Paras	Bug	Grass									✔
047		Parasect	Bug	Grass									✔
048		Venonat	Bug	Poison									✔
049		Venomoth	Bug	Poison									✔
127		Pinsir	Bug		Bug									✔
151		Mew	Psychic		Psychic									✔
165		Ledyba	Bug	Flying									✔
166		Ledian	Bug	Flying									✔
167		Spinarak	Bug	Poison									✔
168		Ariados	Bug	Poison									✔
193		Yanma	Bug	Flying									✔
204		Pineco	Bug		Bug									✔
205		Forretress	Bug	Steel									✔
213		Shuckle	Bug	Rock									✔
223		Remoraid	Water		Water									✔
224		Octillery	Water		Water									✔
226		Mantine	Water	Flying									✔
265		Wurmple	Bug		Bug									✔
266		Silcoon	Bug		Bug									✔
267		Beautifly	Bug	Flying									✔
268		Cascoon	Bug		Bug									✔
269		Dustox	Bug	Poison									✔
283		Surskit	Bug	Water									✔
284		Masquerain	Bug	Flying									✔
290		Nincada	Bug	Ground									✔
291		Ninjask	Bug	Flying									✔
292		Shedinja	Bug	Ghost									✔
313		Volbeat	Bug		Bug									✔
314		Illumise	Bug		Bug									✔
345		Lileep	Rock	Grass									✔
346		Cradily	Rock	Grass									✔
347		Anorith	Rock	Bug									✔
348		Armaldo	Rock	Bug									✔
401		Kricketot	Bug		Bug									✔
402		Kricketune	Bug		Bug									✔
412		Burmy	Bug		Bug									✔
413		Wormadam Plant Cloak	Bug	Grass									✔
413		Wormadam Sandy Cloak	Bug	Ground									✔
413		Wormadam Trash Cloak	Bug	Steel									✔
414		Mothim	Bug	Flying									✔
415		Combee	Bug	Flying									✔
416		Vespiquen	Bug	Flying									✔
422		Shellos	Water		Water									✔
423		Gastrodon	Water	Ground									✔
469		Yanmega	Bug	Flying									✔
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.

In the anime

In the main series

Spewpa Ariados Caterpie, Weedle, Metapod and Kakuna Larvesta
The foe is bound with silk blown from the user's mouth.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Caterpie shoots white string from its mouth at the opponent, tying them up. Caterpie can also shoot it from its rear end to hang from trees.
Ash's Caterpie	Ash Catches a Pokémon!		Debut
Multiple Caterpie from the Azalea Gym	Gettin' the Bugs Out		None
Bucky's Caterpie	The Dunsparce Deception		None
Multiple wild Caterpie	Celebi: Voice of the Forest		None
Multiple wild Caterpie	For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!		None
Xander's Caterpie	Caterpie's Big Dilemma		None
A wild Caterpie	Butterfree and Me!		None
	Spinarak shoots a white string from its mouth or its abdomen and ties the opponent up.
Officer Jenny's Spinarak	Spinarak Attack		None
Bugsy's Spinarak	Gettin' the Bugs Out		None
A wild Spinarak	Pikachu and Pichu		None
Dr. Anna's Spinarak	Hassle in the Castle		None
Multiple wild Spinarak	Ariados, Amigos		None
Multiple wild Spinarak	Celebi: Voice of the Forest		None
Multiple wild Spinarak	For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!		None
Three wild Spinarak	Hocus Pokémon		None
A wild Spinarak	Abandon Ship!		None
	Metapod shoots white string from the middle of its body and ties up the opponent.
Multiple Metapod from the Azalea Gym	Gettin' the Bugs Out		None
	Weedle shoots white string from its mouth and ties up the opponent.
Multiple Weedle from the Azalea Gym	Gettin' the Bugs Out		None
Multiple wild Weedle	Celebi: Voice of the Forest		None
Multiple wild Weedle	For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!		None
	Kakuna shoots white string from the hole right below its head at the opponent, tying it up. It can also shoot string from the back of its head to hang from trees.
Multiple Kakuna from the Azalea Gym	Gettin' the Bugs Out		None
	Ariados shoots multiple white strings from its mouth or its abdomen at the opponent, tying it up.
Tōkichi's Ariados	Ariados, Amigos		None
Multiple wild Ariados	For Ho-Oh the Bells Toll!		None
Oakley's Ariados	Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias		None
Forrester Franklin's Ariados	All in a Day's Wurmple		None
Harley's Ariados	A Hurdle for Squirtle		None
Unknown Trainer's Ariados	From Cradle to Save		None
Multiple wild Ariados	Following a Maiden's Voyage!		None
J's Ariados	Mutiny in the Bounty!		None
An Ariados captured by Kellyn's Capture Styler	Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part 1		None
An Ariados Angie used briefly	One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team!		None
A wild Ariados	Historical Mystery Tour!		None
Multiple wild Ariados	SS024		None
A wild Ariados	A Slippery Encounter!		None
A wild Ariados	Defending the Homeland!		None
	Beautifly shoots a white string from its mouth at the opponent, tying it up.
Janet's Beautifly	All Things Bright and Beautifly!		None
May's Beautifly	Now That's Flower Power!		None
	Wurmple shoots white string from its mouth at the opponent. It can also shoot string from in between the two large horns behind it to hang from trees.
May's Wurmple	All in a Day's Wurmple		None
Jessie's Wurmple	Which Wurmple's Which?		None
	One of Silcoon's horns come out and it releases a thin white string from it and it can hang from it, or it shooots white string from the front of its face at the opponent, tying it up.
May's Silcoon	A Mudkip Mission		None
	Cascoon releases a thin white string from the front of its face at the opponent, tying it up.
Jessie's Cascoon	The Three Team Scheme!		None
	Skitty releases a white string from a white orb on its paw at the opponent, tying it up.
May's Skitty	All Torkoal, No Play		Used via Assist
	Sewaddle releases a stream of white sticky string from its mouth at the opponent. It can also shoot string from the back of its head to hang from trees.
Ash's Sewaddle	Sewaddle and Burgh in Pinwheel Forest!		None
	Leavanny releases a stream of sticky white string from its mouth at the opponent.
Burgh's Leavanny	Sewaddle and Burgh in Pinwheel Forest!		None
Ash's Leavanny	Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 1		None
Unknown Trainer's Leavanny	Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!		None
	Swadloon opens its mouth and fires three or one white sticky strings from its mouth at the opponent. When the strings reach the opponent, they wrap themselves around its body.
Ash's Swadloon	Battling For The Love of Bug-Types!		None
Unknown Trainer's Swadloon	Lost at the Stamp Rally!		None
Unknown Trainer's Swadloon	Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!		None
	Larvesta releases a white stream of sticky string from its mouth at the opponent. When the string hits the opponent, it wraps itself around its body.
Luke's Larvesta	The Club Battle Hearts of Fury: Emolga Versus Sawk!		None
	Galvantula releases a thick white stream of sticky string from its mouth at the opponent. When the string gets near the opponent, it wraps itself around its body.
Two wild Galvantula	Crisis at Chargestone Cave!		None
	Spewpa shoots a stream of white thread from its mouth at the opponent, preventing it from moving by tying it up.
A wild Spewpa	To Catch a Pokémon Smuggler!		None

• In The Treasure Is All Mine!, Sebastian told his Spinarak to use String Shot on James, but James had his Mime Jr. confuse Sebastian and Spinarak with Teeter Dance before the move could be used.

In Pokémon Origins

Metapod
The foe is bound with silk blown from the user.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
	Metapod shoots white, sticky string from the middle of its body and ties up the opponent, reducing its speed
Red's Metapod	File 1 - Red		Debut

In the manga

In the Ash and Pikachu manga

Beautifly
The user shoots a silky string.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Beautifly shoots a silky string from its mouth.
May's Beautifly	The Enchanting Pokémon Soul!		Debut

In the How I Became a Pokémon Card manga

Spinarak
The user shoots silky thread.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Spinarak shoots silky thread in the form of a spider web.
Team Rocket's Spinarak	PW31		Debut

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Caterpie Galvantula
The user shoots white thread at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Caterpie shoots a thick white thread from its mouth at the opponent.
Yellow's Kitty	Ekans the Ecstasy		Debut
	Galvantula shoots an electrically-charged thread from its mouth at the opponent.
Black's Tula	Up in the Air		None

In the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! manga

File:Team Galactic Wurmple String Shot DPA.png Wurmple
The user shoots white thread at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Wurmple releases sticky thread from its mouth, tying up the opponent.
Team Galactic's Wurmple	Hareta's Very First Pokémon Battle		Debut

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

File:Bugsy Metapod Kakuna String Shot Golden Boys.png Metapod and Kakuna
The user shoots silky string.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Kakuna shoots silky string.
Bugsy's Kakuna	Let's Aim For The Goal!		Debut
	Metapod shoots silky string.
Bugsy's Metapod	Let's Aim For The Goal!		Debut

In the Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All manga

Spinarak Caterpie Weedle
The user shoots silky string.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Caterpie shoots silky string.
Shu's Caterpie	Enter Shu & Pikachu!		Debut
	Weedle shoots silky string.
Shu's Weedle	Pokémon Hot Springs, Hot-Hot Battle		None
	Spinarak shoots silky string.
Shu's Spinarak	Rin, Ran, and Spinarak, the Big Feud!		None

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga

Spinarak
The user shoots out string to bind the foe.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Spinarak shoots out white string to tie up the foe.
Giovanni's Spinarak	Showdown at the Radio Tower!!		Debut

In the Pokémon RéBURST manga

Galvantula
The user shoots white thread at the opponent.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Chapter Used In		Notes
	Galvantula releases sticky thread from its mandibles.
Tougo's Galvantula	RB05		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, and Sky	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, and Sky	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, and Sky	MD: Blazing, Stormy, & Light Adventure Squad	MD: GTI	SMD	MD: RTDX	Rumble	Rumble Blast	Masters EX

Trivia

• String Shot is the only Bug-type status move that has an accuracy less than 100%.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 吐絲 Tǔsī Danish Trådskud Dutch Bindschot Finnish Rihmaisku* Narulaukaus (M05) French Sécrétion German Fadenschuss Greek Νηματική Έκκριση Hindi धागा छोरो Dhaga Choro Indonesian Tembakan Benang Italian Millebave Korean 실뿜기 Silppumgi Polish Strzał Siecią (DP070) Pajęcza Nić Portuguese Brazil Tiro de Seda Portugal Arremesso de Teia Romanian Salva de Lovituri Serbian Struna Spanish Latin America Disparo de Seda (EP003, BW018-present) Telaraña (EP144, AG014) Hilo de Seda (EP191) Lanza Hilos (M05) Resortera (AG013) Ataque de Hilo (AG021) Hilo (AG025-AG033) Lanza Hilo (AG058) Tiro de Hielo (AG142, DP071) Tiro de Hilo (AG144-DP020) Lanza Seda (DP153) Spain Disp. Demora

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.