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 (Badly poisons the holder)
• Black Sludge (removes 1/8th of the holder's HP at the end of each turn, unless the holder is a Template:Type2)

Moves with recoil damage

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

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.

Ash's Staraptor and Reggie's Staraptor both know 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.