Counter (move)
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Counter カウンター Counter | ||||||||||||||
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Range
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Availability
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Counter (Japanese: カウンター Counter) is a damage-dealing Fighting-type move introduced in Generation I. It was TM18 in Generation I. It can be seen as the physical counterpart to Mirror Coat.
Effect
Generation I
If the last amount of damage done before the use of Counter is greater than 0 and was dealt by a Normal-type or Fighting-type attack (except Counter), Counter will do twice as much damage to the opponent. Otherwise, Counter misses.
Although Counter deals Fighting-type damage, it is not affected by type effectiveness (so can affect Ghost-type Pokémon).
Counter is a decreased priority move. If the opponent does not use a decreased priority move during the round that it is used, Counter will go last regardless of the user's or opponent's speed. If the opponent also uses a decreased priority move during the same round, the attack order of the users will be determined normally. If the user is put to sleep or is frozen during the round that Counter is (or attempts to be) used, Counter's decreased speed priority will not be reset. Subsequently, it will only be reset on the turn after the user wakes up or is defrosted, or if the user switches out.
Counter can cause a critical hit, but the actual amount of damage dealt by it will not be altered by a critical hit. Counter will only counter the last hit of a multi-hit move and the last attack of a partial trapping move. Counter will always miss if called by Metronome.
If both active Pokémon use Counter during the same round, both attacks will fail. An attack absorbed by a substitute can be countered for the amount of damage it would have done to the user had the user not had a substitute.
Handheld games
Switching, full paralysis, and using a multi-turn move will not reset the last amount of damage done, allowing Counter to counter itself as well as self-inflicted recoil damage. If an HP-restoring or battle item is used on the opponent during the same round that Counter is used, Counter will counter the item.
Specifically, Counter will fail in the following circumstances (displayed as a miss):
- If the opponent's last selected move's power is 0 (all damaging moves have non-zero power, including moves like Seismic Toss that deal fixed damage)
- If the opponent's last selected move's type is not Normal or Fighting, or if the move is Counter
- If the last move used in the battle did no damage to its target, unless it is one of a few select status moves that do no reset the data for the last damage-dealing move used.
- These moves are: Conversion, Haze, Whirlwind, Roar, Teleport, Mist, Focus Energy, Supersonic, Confuse Ray, Recover, Softboiled, Rest, Transform, Light Screen, Reflect, PoisonPowder, Toxic, Poison Gas, Stun Spore, Thunder Wave, Glare, Substitute, Mimic, Leech Seed, Splash
Stadium
In Stadium, switching, full paralysis, and using a multi-turn move reset the last amount of damage done, so Counter can't counter itself or self-inflicted recoil damage if the opponent does not make a move on its following turn.
Generation II
Counter counters all physical moves for twice the damage done to the user. Counter no longer counters a move that hits a substitute. Furthermore, Ghost-type Pokémon are now immune to Counter.
Generations III and IV
In Double Battles, Counter will hit the last opponent that dealt physical damage to the attacker. Counter cannot affect allied Pokémon.
Generation V
In Triple Battles, Counter can hit non-adjacent opponents provided a non-adjacent opponent was the last Pokémon to attack the user.
If the Pokémon using Counter is hit by a physical attack that deals 0 damage, Counter becomes a physical move with 1 base power.
Description
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Learnset
By leveling up
# | Pokémon | Type | Level | |||||||||||||
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I | II | III | IV | V | VI | |||||||||||
107 | Hitmonchan | Fighting | 53 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 61 | --, 61 | ||||||||
185 | Sudowoodo | Rock | 33 | 33 | ||||||||||||
202 | Wobbuffet | Psychic | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||
214 | Heracross | Bug | Fighting | 27 | 30 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 19 | |||||||
237 | Hitmontop | Fighting | 31 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 28 | |||||||||
286 | Breloom | Grass | Fighting | 28 | 25 | 25 | 25 22 | |||||||||
287 | Slakoth | Normal | 37 | 37 | 43 | 43 30 | ||||||||||
288 | Vigoroth | Normal | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 33 | ||||||||||
289 | Slaking | Normal | 37 | 37 | 43 | 43 33 | ||||||||||
307 | Meditite | Fighting | Psychic | 44 | ||||||||||||
308 | Medicham | Fighting | Psychic | 53 | ||||||||||||
360 | Wynaut | Psychic | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | ||||||||||
386 | Deoxys Defense Forme |
Psychic | 50 | 97 | 97 | 97 73 | ||||||||||
438 | Bonsly | Rock | 33 | |||||||||||||
447 | Riolu | Fighting | 6 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||
448 | Lucario | Fighting | Steel | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||||||||||
539 | Sawk | Fighting | 21 | 21 | ||||||||||||
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
By TM
# | Pokémon | Type | Machine | |||||||||||||
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I TM18 |
II -- |
III -- |
IV -- |
V -- |
VI -- | |||||||||||
004 | Charmander | Fire | ✔ | |||||||||||||
005 | Charmeleon | Fire | ✔ | |||||||||||||
006 | Charizard | Fire | Flying | ✔ | ||||||||||||
007 | Squirtle | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
008 | Wartortle | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
009 | Blastoise | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
031 | Nidoqueen | Poison | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
034 | Nidoking | Poison | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
035 | Clefairy | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
036 | Clefable | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
039 | Jigglypuff | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
040 | Wigglytuff | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
054 | Psyduck | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
055 | Golduck | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
056 | Mankey | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
057 | Primeape | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
061 | Poliwhirl | Water | ✔ | |||||||||||||
062 | Poliwrath | Water | Fighting | ✔ | ||||||||||||
063 | Abra | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
064 | Kadabra | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
065 | Alakazam | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
066 | Machop | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
067 | Machoke | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
068 | Machamp | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
074 | Geodude | Rock | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
075 | Graveler | Rock | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
076 | Golem | Rock | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
080 | Slowbro | Water | Psychic | ✔ | ||||||||||||
094 | Gengar | Ghost | Poison | ✔ | ||||||||||||
096 | Drowzee | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
097 | Hypno | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
104 | Cubone | Ground | ✔ | |||||||||||||
105 | Marowak | Ground | ✔ | |||||||||||||
106 | Hitmonlee | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
107 | Hitmonchan | Fighting | ✔ | |||||||||||||
108 | Lickitung | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
112 | Rhydon | Rock | Ground | ✔ | ||||||||||||
113 | Chansey | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
115 | Kangaskhan | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
122 | Mr. Mime | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
124 | Jynx | Ice | Psychic | ✔ | ||||||||||||
125 | Electabuzz | Electric | ✔ | |||||||||||||
126 | Magmar | Fire | ✔ | |||||||||||||
143 | Snorlax | Normal | ✔ | |||||||||||||
150 | Mewtwo | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
151 | Mew | Psychic | ✔ | |||||||||||||
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
Special moves
Generation II
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Generation IV
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Generation V
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In the anime
A retaliation move that counters any physical attack, inflicting double the damage taken. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
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User | First Used In | Notes | |
Mewtwo sticks out its hand when an attack comes near it. The attack bounces off and is sent back to the opponent. | |||
Mewtwo (original series) | Mewtwo Strikes Back | Debut | |
Wobbuffet raises its tail and becomes outlined in pink or orange. Any attack that hits it is sent flying back to the opponent. | |||
Jessie's Wobbuffet | The Tricks of the Trade | None | |
Lulu's Wobbuffet | Wobbu-Palooza! | None | |
Duplica's Mini-Dit in the form of Wobbuffet | Imitation Confrontation | Used via Transform | |
Wynaut's body becomes outlined in orange. Any attack that hits it is sent flying back to the opponent. | |||
A wild Wynaut | Why? Why Not! | None | |
A wild Wynaut | Who, What, When, Where, Wynaut? | None | |
Multiple wild Wynaut | Pikachu's Island Adventure | None | |
Houndoom's body becomes outlined in orange. Any attack that hits it is sent flying back to the opponent. | |||
Harrison's Houndoom | Playing with Fire! | None | |
Slakoth's body becomes outlined in orange. Any attacks that hits it is sent flying back to the opponent. | |||
Marcel's Slakoth | The Garden of Eatin' | None |
In the manga
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
The user strikes the opponent when the opponent tries to attack it. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
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User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
When Nidoqueen is hit by the opponent's attack, Nidoqueen punches the opponent with one of its fists, returning the damage it took. | |||
Giovanni's Nidoqueen | Golly, Golem! | Debut | |
When the opponent is about to attack it, Gengar uppercuts the opponent with one of its fists. | |||
Agatha's Gengar | Striking Golduck | None | |
When the opponent is about to attack it, Makuhita steps to the side and pushes the opponent away. | |||
Brawly's Makuhita | Mashing Makuhita | None | |
When Hariyama is hit by the opponent's attack, Hariyama punches the opponent, dealing double the damage from the last attack. | |||
Brawly's Hariyama | Heavy Hitting Hariyama | None | |
When Sudowoodo is hit by the opponent's attack, it strikes the opponent back with one of its hands. | |||
Emerald's Sudowoodo | Verily Vanquishing Vileplume II | None |
In the Pokémon Battle Frontier manga
The user deflects an attack back to the opponent who used it. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
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User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
Zangoose strikes the opponent if it was attacked. | |||
Enta's Zangoose | The Predestined Battle! | Debut |
In other generations
Trivia
- In the Spanish and Italian versions of the games, the move was incorrectly translated to Contador and Contatore respectively (meaning someone or something that counts). This translation was corrected to Contraataque and Contrattacco (meaning "counterattack") in the anime dub (only for the Spanish one) and in the sixth generation games.
- The Polish dub of the anime committed the same error.
- In Generations II and III, this move can reflect Hidden Power, regardless of its type, due to always counting it as a Normal-type move.
- Counter is the only decreased priority move introduced in Generation I.
In other languages
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Variations of the move Counter | ||||
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Generation I TMs | |
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01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 | |
Generation I HMs | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 |
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. |