Recoil

Recoil is damage a Pokémon can receive upon using a move. The most common source of recoil damage is from moves, however some items also cause recoil damage.

The moves Jump Kick and Hi Jump Kick have recoil known as crash damage. The recoil on these moves is only dealt if the move misses, rather than upon inflicting damage to an opposing Pokémon.

In Pokémon Stadium, if a recoil move knocks out the opponent, then the user will not take recoil damage.

The ability Reckless affects the power and recoil of these moves.

The ability Rock Head prevents recoil damage, except from Struggle and held items.

Items with recoil

These items harm the Pokémon holding it.

• Flame Orb (Burns the holder)
• Life Orb (10% damage when using a damaging move; ignored only by Magic Guard)
• Sticky Barb (10% damage at the end of each turn; ignored only by Magic Guard)
• Toxic Orb (Inflicts the holder with a toxic poison)

Moves with recoil damage

Name	Type	Category	Power	Accuracy	Notes
Volt Tackle			120	100%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Wood Hammer			120	100%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Struggle			50	100%	User always loses 1/4 HP as recoil damage; hits Ghosts.
Submission			80	80%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Take Down			90	85%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Brave Bird			120	100%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Double-Edge			120	100%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Flare Blitz			120	100%	User receives 1/3 of damage dealt as recoil damage; 10% chance of burning the target.
Head Smash			150	80%	User receives 1/2 of damage dealt as recoil damage.
Jump Kick			85	95%	If the move misses, the user receives 1/8 of damage that should have been dealt as recoil damage.
Hi Jump Kick			100	90%	If the move misses, the user receives 1/8 of damage that should have been dealt as recoil damage.

Trivia

• Flare Blitz is the only recoil move to have an additional effect.

In the anime

A number of times in the anime, recoil has been noted. The most notable is Pikachu's Volt Tackle. Brock has stated many times that Volt Tackle causes recoil and is very risky.

Another time in the anime is the fight between Greta and Ash. When Greta's Medicham used Hi Jump Kick on Ash's Snorlax, Snorlax dodged the attack and Greta's Medicham was injured because it missed.

Reggie's Staraptor knows Brave Bird, which was stated to do recoil damage, making it a very risky move.

Take Down is referred to as a risky move numerous times in the anime, along with Double-Edge.