Physical or Special?

This is the biggest rules change in the whole series, and it dates from Diamond and Pearl: each move now has its own category, physical or special, instead of depending on its type. Gyarados can finally use a powerful Water move with its formidable Attack. Here’s how it works.

In a Pokémon battle, a physical move compares the user’s Attack with the target’s Defense; a special move compares Special Attack with Special Defense. Until now, everything depended on the move’s type.

Before Diamond and Pearl, Normal, Fighting, Flying, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Poison and Steel moves were all physical; Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Psychic, Dragon and Dark moves, all special. A Dark-type Pokémon with a high Attack, like Tyranitar, could not take advantage of it with Crunch.

⚖️What changes

Since Diamond and Pearl, each move is classified according to its nature: a blow struck in close combat is physical, a beam or a wave is special. Each move’s summary screen now displays an icon: physical, special or status (for moves that deal no damage).

💪The big winners

• Gyarados: Waterfall and Crunch finally use its fearsome Attack.
• Gengar: Shadow Ball now benefits from its excellent Special Attack.
• Tyranitar and Weavile: Crunch and Dark moves become physical, like their strengths.
• Infernape and Lucario: they can mix physical and special moves, and surprise their opponent.
• Garchomp: Dragon Claw and Outrage, now physical, make use of its Attack.

For the ideal moves of every Pokémon in the adventure, read our Premium guide The Best Moves, and for the logic behind stats, IVs, EVs, Natures and Calculators.