Accuracy

It has been suggested that this article be moved to Move accuracy.
Please discuss whether or not to move it on its talk page.

If you were looking for the in-battle stat, see Stat → Accuracy.

Accuracy (Japanese: 命中 accuracy) is a property of moves that, in conjunction with the user's in-battle accuracy stat and the target's evasion stat, determines how likely a move is to hit.

Move accuracy exists in all core series Pokémon games, but was not displayed in-game until Generation III.

A move's accuracy can be any number from 1-100, reflecting the probability of the move being successful as a percentage (if neither accuracy nor evasion are modified in-battle). Currently, however, only multiples of 5 between 30 and 100 (inclusive) are used.

Many moves have an accuracy of "—", indicating that they are exempt from regular accuracy calculations. These are usually either moves that only target the user, or are moves that ignore accuracy checks (i.e. moves that cannot miss).

In the core series games

Accuracy check

When a Pokémon uses a move that can target other Pokémon (whether an opponent or an ally), except when using a move that cannot miss, the game performs an accuracy check to determine if the move hits each of its targets.

The game will still perform an accuracy check even if the moves has 100% accuracy. This is necessary because these moves can miss if the user's accuracy is lowered or the target's evasion is increased. In practice, this is exemplified in the trade-off between Yawn and Spore: Yawn only causes the target Pokémon to sleep at the end of the next turn, whereas Spore makes it sleep immediately. However, Spore may miss on the aforementioned situations, but Yawn cannot miss (unless the target Pokémon is in a semi-invulnerable turn).

Generation I and II

Whether a move hits is determined by the modified move accuracy with a random number.

The modified move accuracy Accuracy_modified is an integer that is at least 1 and at most 255. It is calculated as follows:

$Accuracy_{modified}=Accuracy_{move}\times Accuracy_{user}\times Evasion_{target}-BrightPowder$

Where...

Accuracy_move is the move's accuracy, a value from 0 to 255,
Accuracy_user is the accuracy stage multiplier of the user,
Evasion_target is the evasion stage multiplier of the target, and
BrightPowder is 20 if the user is holding BrightPowder (only applicable in Generation II), or 0 otherwise.

The random number R is a pseudorandomly generated integer between 0 and 255 (inclusive). In international Pokémon Stadium only, if R is 255, the number is re-generated one-time only; if this re-roll also generates 255, it is not re-rolled again.

In the Generation I handheld games and Pokémon Stadium, if R is strictly less than Accuracy_modified, the move hits, otherwise it misses. In the Generation I handheld games, this results in a bug where, unless the accuracy check is skipped entirely, every move has at least a 1 in 256 chance to miss—this is because if R is 255, it will always be greater than or equal to Accuracy_modified regardless of the value of Accuracy_modified. In international Pokémon Stadium, because R is re-rolled once if it would be equal to 255, every move instead has at least a 1 in 65,536 chance (256²) to miss.

In Generation II, if Accuracy_modified is equal to 255, the game never generates a random number at all and the move is guaranteed to hit. Otherwise, if R is strictly less than Accuracy_modified, the move hits, otherwise it misses.

Special misses

In all Generation I and II games, except the Western versions of Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, HP-draining moves always miss when used on a Pokémon that is behind a substitute.

Additionally, some moves used by AI opponents have an upfront 25% chance to fail before doing any other calculations (except in the Battle Tower, or when Lock-On or Mind Reader are in effect). Specifically, this affects status moves that induce sleep, poison, or paralysis, as well as any attempts to lower any of the player's Pokémon's stats other than accuracy (even when through the additional effect of a damaging move, in which case the reduction merely applies to that additional effect's chance, not that of the move itself).

Moves generally miss a Pokémon that is in the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly or Dig. In the Japanese version of the Generation I handheld games, due to a bug, even moves that cannot miss will miss when used against a Pokémon that is in the semi-invulnerable turn of a move, unless that target is behind a substitute.

Generations III and IV

Whether a move hits depends on the formula:

$Accuracy_{modified}=Accuracy_{move}\times AdjustedStages\times Modifier$

Where:

Accuracy_modified is the computed threshold value that will determine whether the move will hit.
Accuracy_move is the move's accuracy, a value from 1 to 100.
AdjustedStages is the equivalent accuracy stage multiplier of the user after the target's evasion stage is subtracted from the user's accuracy stage, both possibly modified by Ability or move effects such as Simple or Foresight (to no less than -6 and no more than +6 after the subtraction).
Modifier encompasses all multipliers from other accuracy or evasion modifiers from Ability effects, fog, move effects, and item effects. From Generation V onward, modifiers stack multiplicatively, in the order below. It starts at 1 (if no modifiers apply), and each applicable modifier is applied, subject to standard rounding with rounding up at 0.5 if necessary. Furthermore, from Generation V onward, if multiple Abilities or items take effect, they are chained in the order of the out-of-battle Speed stats of the Pokémon with them. The order for each Generation is:

Generation III:

Effect	Value	Detail
Compound Eyes	1.3	If the attacker's Ability is Compound Eyes
Sand Veil	0.8	If the target's Ability is Sand Veil, the weather is sandstorm, and no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock
Hustle	0.8	If the attacker's Ability is Hustle and it uses a physical move
Bright Powder	0.9	If the target is holding a Bright Powder
Lax Incense	0.95	If the target is holding a Lax Incense

Generation IV:

Effect	Value	Detail
Compound Eyes	1.3	If the attacker's Ability is Compound Eyes
Sand Veil	0.8	If the target's Ability is Sand Veil, the weather is sandstorm, no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock, and the attacker's Ability is not Mold Breaker
Snow Cloak	0.8	If the target's Ability is Snow Cloak, the weather is hail, no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock, and the attacker's Ability is not Mold Breaker
Fog	0.6	If the weather is fog and no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock
Hustle	0.8	If the attacker's Ability is Hustle and it uses a physical move
Tangled Feet	0.5	If the target's Ability is Tangled Feet, it is confused, and the attacker's Ability is not Mold Breaker
Bright Powder	0.9	If the target is holding a Bright Powder
Lax Incense	0.9	If the target is holding a Lax Incense
Wide Lens	1.1	If the attacker is holding a Wide Lens
Zoom Lens	1.2	If the attacker is holding a Zoom Lens and the target has acted this turn
Micle Berry	1.2	If a Micle Berry is in effect
Gravity	5/3	If Gravity is in effect

The game then selects a random number R from 1 to 100 and compares it to Accuracy_modified to determine whether the move hits. If R is less than or equal to Accuracy_modified, the move hits.

Generation V onward

The formula for calculating accuracy is now:

$Accuracy_{modified}=Accuracy_{move}\times Modifier\times AdjustedStages\times MicleBerry-Affection$

Where:

Accuracy_modified is the computed threshold value that will determine whether the move will hit.
Accuracy_move is the move's accuracy, a value from 1 to 100.
Modifier encompasses all multipliers from other accuracy or evasion modifiers from Ability effects, fog, move effects, and item effects. From Generation V onward, modifiers stack multiplicatively, in the order below. It starts at 4096 (if no modifiers apply), and each applicable modifier is applied, subject to standard rounding with rounding up at 0.5 if necessary. When the final value is obtained, it is multiplied by the base accuracy, and divided by 4096 and rounded half down. Furthermore, from Generation V onward, if multiple Abilities or items take effect, they are chained in the order of the out-of-battle Speed stats of the Pokémon with them.
AdjustedStages is the equivalent accuracy stage multiplier of the user after the target's evasion stage is subtracted from the user's accuracy stage, both possibly modified by Ability or move effects such as Simple or Foresight (to no less than -6 and no more than +6 after the subtraction).
MicleBerry is 4915/4096 (~1.2) if a Micle Berry is in effect, and 1 otherwise. The result is subject to standard rounding, rounding down at 0.5.
Affection is applied from Generation VI onward, and is 10 if the target is the player's Pokémon, the battle is not a Link Battle or taking place in a battle facility, and the player's Pokémon has either four or more hearts of Affection^{Gen VI-}^USUM/200 or higher friendship^PE/255 friendship^SwSh ^onward, and 0 otherwise.

The order of modifiers is:

Effect	Value	Detail
Gravity	6840/4096 (~1.67)	If Gravity is in effect
Tangled Feet	0.5	If the target's Ability is Tangled Feet, it is confused, and the Ability is not ignored by a move or Ability
Hustle	3277/4096 (~0.8)	If the attacker's Ability is Hustle and it uses a physical move
Sand Veil	3277/4096 (~0.8)	If the target's Ability is Sand Veil, the weather is sandstorm, no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock, and the Ability is not ignored by a move or Ability
Snow Cloak	3277/4096 (~0.8)	If the target's Ability is Snow Cloak, the weather is hail or snow, no Pokémon on the field have the Ability Cloud Nine or Air Lock, and the Ability is not ignored by a move or Ability
Victory Star	4506/4096 (~1.1)	If the attacker or its ally's Ability is Victory Star; if multiple apply, the multiplier is applied for each
Compound Eyes	5325/4096 (~1.3)	If the attacker's Ability is Compound Eyes
Bright Powder	3686/4096 (~0.9)	If the target is holding a Bright Powder
Lax Incense	3686/4096 (~0.9)	If the target is holding a Lax Incense
Wide Lens	4505/4096 (~1.1)	If the attacker is holding a Wide Lens
Zoom Lens	4915/4096 (~1.2)	If the attacker is holding a Zoom Lens and the target has acted this turn

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: How accuracy is represented in Gates to Infinity and information on Blazing, Stormy and Light

Accuracy indicated by a blue bar in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon

Prior to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, accuracy of the move was not displayed in-game (localized as Hit Ratio). In that game, as well as Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (WiiWare), it is displayed with a number of stars instead of a numerical value. More stars indicated a higher accuracy. For example, Scratch had a Hit Ratio of ★★★★★★★. Hit Ratio did not always correlate with accuracy from the main series. For instance, some moves such as Scratch and Crunch which share the same accuracy in the main series had different Hit Ratios (or vice versa). Internally, damaging moves have to pass against two values, resulting in accuracy values that might not be an integer.

Stars	Accuracy
1	29.99% or lower
2	30-49.99%
3	50-69.99%
4	70-79.99%
5	80-84.99%
6	85-89.99%
7	90-94.99%
8	95% or higher

The term "accuracy" started to be used from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity.

In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, accuracy is displayed as a blue bar in the move summary. Unlike previous games, the Speed stat is used as an accuracy modifier; the higher speed a Pokémon has relative to the target's, the more likely its moves will be to hit.

In the Mystery Dungeon series, there are several ways of increasing the accuracy of moves. Much like in the core series games, Abilities such as Compound Eyes boost the accuracy of moves. Additionally, beginning from Gates to Infinity, moves can be ranked up when they are used over time, which will also increase the move's accuracy. The increase is permanent and will carry over to other teammates with the same move. Items such as Accuracy Manuals^GtI or Accuracy Drinks^SMD can also permanently increase accuracy. Certain emeras can also increase accuracy when added to looplets.

In other languages

Language		Title
Chinese	Cantonese	命中 Mihngjung
Chinese	Mandarin	命中 Mìngzhòng
French		Précision
German		Genauigkeit
Italian		Precisione
Korean		명중 Myeongjung
Norwegian		Presisjon
Brazilian Portuguese		Precisão
Spanish		Precisión
Swedish		Träffsäkerhet
Vietnamese		Độ chính xác