Aphysical move (Japanese:物理技(ぶつりわざ)physical move), sometimes referred to as aphysical attack (Japanese:物理攻撃(ぶつりこうげき)physical attack, also打撃攻撃(だげきこうげき)striking attack until Generation III), is one of the threecategories ofmoves and one of the two that inflictdamage.

Physical moves deal damage depending on both theAttack stat of the attackingPokémon and theDefense stat of the defending Pokémon.

There are also a small number ofspecial moves introduced inGeneration V that are said to deal physical damage; although these moves are classified as special moves, they too deal damage based on the defending Pokémon's Defense stat (as opposed to its Special Defense).

While most physical moves makecontact, some do not. For example,Earthquake does not make contact despite being a physical move.

Terminology

This category of moves is named "physical attack" inIce Face'sAbility description. This term was seen more often prior toGeneration IX, being present in descriptions of some moves (such asReflect andCounter) and Abilities (such asWeak Armor andToxic Boost) that interact with physical moves, as well as at the Exchange Service Corner from theBattle Frontier inPokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Counter's description also has referred to it as "physical blow" inGeneration II and "physical hit" inGeneration III.

Generations I-III

BeforeGeneration IV, whether a move was physical or special was determined bytype. All damaging moves of the following types are physical moves:

NormalFightingFlyingPoisonGroundRockBugGhostSteel

Hidden Power andWeather Ball are the only moves that can be either category, due to being able to changetype.

Shadow moves

The followingShadow moves are physical moves:

Additionally,typelessWeather Ball is a physical move (only possible within ashadowy aura).

Generation IV onward

FromGeneration IV onward, every individualmove is designated as either physical or special, independent of itstype. Most damaging moves of the types that were physical before Generation IV are physical moves, and mostDark moves are also largely physical. However, there are exceptions, such asFocus Blast andHyper Beam.

Z-Moves,Max Moves,G-Max Moves, andTera Blast can become physical depending on use.

Abilities affecting physical moves

Moves affecting physical moves

Special moves with physical characteristics

Psyshock,Psystrike, andSecret Sword act asspecial moves in all ways except that the target'sDefense is used in the damage calculation.Photon Geyser,Shell Side Arm,Tera Blast, andTera Starstorm can become physical moves depending on the situation.

List of moves