Iron Barbs (Ability)

Iron Barbs	てつのトゲ
	Steel Thorns
Flavor text Generation III Currently unknown Generation IV Currently unknown Generation V Inflicts damage to the Pokémon on contact. Generation VI Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact. Generation VII Inflicts damage to the attacker on contact with iron barbs. Generation VIII Currently unknown Generation IX Currently unknown

Iron Barbs (Japanese: てつのトゲ Steel Thorns) is an Ability introduced in Generation V. Prior to Generation VII, it was the signature Ability of Ferroseed and Ferrothorn. All Pokémon that have this Ability are Steel types.

Effect

In battle

When a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a move that makes contact, the attacking Pokémon takes damage equal to 1/8 of its own maximum HP. If Iron Barbs causes both the Pokémon with this Ability and the attacking Pokémon to faint, then the attacking Pokémon will faint first.

If a Pokémon with this Ability is hit by a multi-strike move that makes contact (such as Fury Swipes), each hit will activate this Ability.

Outside of battle

Iron Barbs has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Iron Barbs

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0597		Ferroseed	Grass	Steel	Iron Barbs	None	None
0598		Ferrothorn	Grass	Steel	Iron Barbs	None	Anticipation
0777		Togedemaru	Electric	Steel	Iron Barbs	Lightning Rod	Sturdy
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

Trivia

• Iron Barbs has the same Japanese name as the item Iron Thorn from the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 鐵刺 Titchi Mandarin 鐵刺 / 铁刺 Tiěcì French Épine de Fer German Eisenstachel Italian Spineferrate Korean 철가시 Cheol Gasi Portuguese Espinhos de Ferro Russian Желзные Шипы Zhelzyye Shipy Spanish Punta Acero

Variations of the Ability Rough Skin
Rough Skin • Iron Barbs

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.