Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Attack Explanations

Tags: pokemon-gold-silver-and-crystal, in-depth-guides, attack-explanations, battle-system

Contents

• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Last move used
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Last move chosen for use
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Descriptions of Common Effects
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Weather
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Two-Turn Attacks
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Multi-hit attacks
• Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Notes for Specific Moves

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Last move used

Each Pokémon in battle has a different "last move used" variable.

The "last move used" is not reset if an attack is prevented from being used or if it can’t be used because it has zero PP.

Encore uses a variant of the last move used, with the difference being that the variable is not reset for a Pokémon if it remains in battle but its the opposing Pokémon leaves the battle.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Last move chosen for use

The "last move chosen for use" changes when the player moves the cursor on the list of moves. The "last move chosen for use" is retained when a Pokémon leaves the battle (except at the end of the battle). Each Pokémon in battle has a different "last move chosen for use" variable.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Descriptions of Common Effects

Effects that are common to many attacks are described below. Of the effects listed here, a Pokémon will remain poisoned, burned, paralysis, frozen, and asleep even when the Pokémon leaves the battle, including when a battle ends. (However, a Pokémon will stop being poisoned, burned, paralyzed, frozen, and asleep, as well as have full HP and PP, when it’s taken to a Pokémon Center nurse or placed in a PC storage box.) An effect can’t cause poison, burn, paralysis, freezing, or sleep against a Pokémon if it already has one of these five conditions or if it has fainted.

Poison (PSN)

If a Pokémon is poisoned, it loses 1/8 of its maximum HP (but not less than 1 HP) at the end of its attack segment. Poison types can’t be poisoned. Steel types can’t become poisoned by Poison-type attacks. Outside of battle, a poisoned Pokémon loses 1 HP every four steps the player walks. (The effect of Toxic is similar to poison, see " Toxic ".)

Paralysis (PAR)

When a Pokémon becomes paralyzed, its Speed is recalculated so that it is reduced to 25% (see "Stat Modification"). If a Pokémon is paralyzed, there is a 25% chance that it will lose its chance to attack. Ground types can’t become paralyzed by Electric type attacks.

Burn (BRN)

When a Pokémon becomes burned, its Attack is recalculated so that it is halved (see "Stat Modification"). If a Pokémon is burned, it loses 1/8 of its maximum HP (but not less than 1 HP) at the end of its attack segment. Fire types can’t become burned by Fire-type attacks.

Sleep (SLP)

A sleeping Pokémon can’t normally do its attack during its attack segment. When a Pokémon becomes asleep, it receives a count of 2 to 7. In Stadium 2, the sleep count is 2 to 4 instead. At a sleep check, this count is reduced by 1. If the count reaches zero, the Pokémon wakes up and can attack on the same turn. Snore and Sleep Talk can be used by a sleeping Pokémon. The game stores the current duration of a Pokémon that’s asleep, in case the Pokémon leaves battle and enters the battle in another one.

Frozen (FRZ)

A frozen Pokémon can’t normally do its attack during its attack segment. The only moves that a frozen Pokémon can use are Flame Wheel and Sacred Fire, which will defrost it. If the Pokémon loses HP because of a Fire-type attack (considering Hidden Power as Normal), it thaws out. There is a 25/256 chance at the end of each turn that a Pokémon will thaw out. Ice types can’t become frozen by Ice-type attacks.

Confusion

When a Pokémon becomes confused, it receives a count of 2 to 5. At the beginning of the Pokémon’s attack segment, this count is reduced by 1, then if it is greater than 0, there is a 50% chance that the Pokémon will deal damage to itself rather than use an attack. The self-inflicted confusion attack is a physical attack, has a power of 40, has no type, can’t be a critical hit, and is not varied with a random integer. (Doesn’t ignore the effect of Reflect.) Confusion is removed from the Pokémon when it leaves the battle (except Baton Pass). If the Berserk Gene causes confusion in Pokémon Gold Version, Pokémon Silver Version, and Pokémon Crystal Version, its holder will receive a confusion count of 256.

Flinch

After a Pokémon uses a move that makes the opposing Pokémon flinch in the same turn, the opposing Pokémon (unless it’s asleep or frozen) can flinch when the beginning of its attack segment comes and thus skip its attack this turn.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Weather

The weather moves (Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm) can be used at any time, even during weather. A weather move, when used, resets the number of turns of the effect to 5 (including the current turn) and cancels any other weather effect. A weather move will succeed even if the weather condition associated with it is in effect.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Two-Turn Attacks

In a two-turn attack, the user prepares for the attack on the first attack segment, and hits the opposing Pokémon on the second attack segment. The user can’t take any action until the user finishes using the two-turn attack. PP is deducted on the first attack segment of the two-turn attack. Two-turn attacks work by checking the last move the user chose for use on the turn after the first attack segment of the attack; if that move is a two-turn attack, the second attack segment of the attack is done. If the user is prevented from using the two-turn attack on that turn, its effect ends. If the user tries to use a two-turn attack with Mirror Move or Metronome, it fails if the user is asleep or frozen.

A two-turn attack is not a multi-turn attack, and vice versa. A two-turn attack remains a two-turn attack even if the attack would not take two turns.

For all two-turn attacks, on the first attack segment of the attack, no accuracy check is done and no check is made to determine whether the attack will be ineffective against the opposing Pokémon or otherwise be avoided by the opposing Pokémon.

The phrase "if the opposing Pokémon is using Dig/Fly" means "during the effect of Dig/Fly for the opposing Pokémon." For Mimic, it can copy Dig or Fly after the opposing Pokémon had used it to deal damage. The returned attack from Future Sight will miss the user while it is using Dig or Fly.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Multi-hit attacks

The multi-hit attacks are labeled "Multi-hit attack" and "Attacks twice in a row" in the attack descriptions, as well as Triple Kick and Beat Up. For all multi-hit attacks, an accuracy check is performed only once, namely, before the attack hits the opposing Pokémon multiple times.

When the opposing Pokémon of a multi-hit attack faints, the attack stops.

Unless noted otherwise, each hit of a multi-hit attack is treated as a separate attack. For instance, the chance of a critical hit is checked separately for each hit.

Pokémon Gold Version, Silver Version, and Crystal Version - Notes for Specific Moves

Toxic

Toxic uses a value called T to calculate how much HP to remove from the opposing Pokémon. When Toxic is used, T is set to 0. At the end of the opposing Pokémon’s attack segment every turn, including the current one, T rises by 1 and the opposing Pokémon’s HP is reduced by int(maximum HP/16)*T, but not less than 1 HP, as long as the opposing Pokémon remains poisoned. (This HP loss happens instead of the HP loss for regular poisoning.) The current value of T is retained when the opposing Pokémon uses Baton Pass. It is not reset if the user uses another poison move such as Poisonpowder on the new Pokémon, and T will still increase if the new the opposing Pokémon becomes or is poisoned. When the battle ends or the opposing Pokémon leaves the battle (except Baton Pass) , T will stop increasing, the effect of Toxic will end, and all poisoning on the opposing Pokémon’s side will revert to normal poison. Curing the poison will, of course, also end the effect.

Toxic will fail if the opposing Pokémon is already poisoned, by any means.

Rest removes the PSN status and ends the effect of Toxic.

Haze has no effect on T when used by either player.

Transform

In Pokémon Gold Version , Pokémon Silver Version , and Pokémon Crystal Version , there are several bugs related to DVs and gender calculation. If Transform is used by the opposing Pokémon of the player, it calculates gender using the DVs of user before the transformation, but if used by the player, gender is not recalculated. When a Pokémon that is controlled by the opposing Trainer and is under the effect of Transform leaves the battle, the Pokémon that replaces it, if any, receives the DVs of the old Pokémon and a recalculated gender, both of which are reverted to their original values when the new Pokémon leaves the battle.

When Transform is used, the opposing Pokémon’s Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speedstats, as modified by stat stages, badges, paralysis, and burns, are copied and the user’s stats become equal to those values. (However, any further effects that change the user’s stat stages, paralysis, or burns will use the user’s original stat as a starting point, not the opposing Pokémon’s stats.)

If a wild Pokémon has the effect of Transform and it is caught, its species becomes Ditto, regardless of its original species. After it is caught, its stats and moves become those of a wild Ditto at the same level, except current HP.

Even if Transform is in effect for the user, its stats are recalculated according to its level and original DVs when it levels up.

In battles in which Exp. Points can be gained, the player’s Pokémon gain Exp. Points based on the original species of the opposing Pokémon under Transform.

Substitute

Substitute creates a copy of the user called a substitute; to make a substitute, the user loses 1/4 of its maximum HP. (The HP lost can be 0.) This attack fails if the HP reduced would faint the user or if the user already has a substitute. The substitute has life points equal to the HP lost this way. (The term "life points" is used here to differentiate it from HP, to avoid confusion when describing Substitute’s effect.)

If an effect (such as a move or item) is absent in this description, it is assumed to work as normal both with and without Substitute’s effect.

These are the main effects that happen while the user has a substitute:

• Attacks by the opposing Pokémon can’t cause poison, burn, paralysis, freezing, sleep, confusion, or flinching against the user. Additional effects of attacks by the opposing Pokémon can’t inflict such effects if the user had a substitute as the attack began (for Twineedle, the additional effect is prevented even if the substitute fades on the first hit of the attack).
• Attacks by the opposing Pokémon can’t lower the user’s stat stages. Additional effects of attacks by other Pokémon can’t do so if the user had a substitute as the attack began.
• If user would lose HP because of an attack by the opposing Pokémon, the user’s substitute loses that many life points instead.

When the substitute has no life points left, it fades and Substitute’s effect ends.

Any other effects that affect the user’s HP do not involve the substitute in any way. This applies to reductions of the user’s HP from poison, Leech Seed, Sandstorm, recoil, and so on; and to effects that make the user gain HP. Moreover, effects that need to know the user’s HP (Super Fang, Reversal, Flail, False Swipe, and so on.) won’t use the substitute’s life points in place of the user’s HP. (This is why "life points" is used instead of HP to describe the substitute’s vitality.)

The substitute will be removed, and Substitute’s effect will end, when the user leaves the battle (except Baton Pass) or if the user faints before the substitute fades. If the user uses Baton Pass, the substitute retains its current life points.

Other notes regarding Substitute are given below.

• While the user has a substitute, attacks and confusion damage can deal damage equal to or greater than the user’s HP even if an effect prevents it from fainting (such as Focus Band).
• Counter and Mirror Coat will miss when used by the user. The opposing Pokémon can use these attacks normally.
• Pain Split modifies the user’s and the opposing Pokémon’s HP and will work as normal for the user.
• Damage from confusion is given to the user.
• The returned attack from Future Sight is directed to the substitute, since it’s considered an "attack by its user".
• Bide can be used by the user, but it won’t be affected by damage intercepted by a substitute. It will work as normal after the substitute fades. Rage and its effect will work as normal.
• The opposing Pokémon is always given 1 HP of recoil when attacking a substitute with a recoil attack (because recoil is calculated from HP the attacker’s the opposing Pokémon loses because of that attack; in this case the user doesn’t lose any HP). Jump Kick and Hi Jump Kick, if they miss, cause the opposing Pokémon to lose HP as normal (because this HP loss is based on hypothetical damage).
• The user can use Selfdestruct or Explosion and faint, or faint because of Destiny Bond or Perish Song, even if it has a substitute.
• The game checks whether a substitute fades after every hit of a multi-hit attack. The multi-hit attack will continue even after the substitute fades.
• Absorb, Dream Eater, Giga Drain, Leech Life (the attack will miss), and Mega Drain, as well as Pain Split (won’t affect user) will fail for the opposing Pokémon. The user can use these attacks normally.
• The secondary effect of multi-turn attacks won’t occur when the opposing Pokémon uses a multi-turn attack against the user. The effect of multi-turn attacks against the user will end when the user creates a substitute.
• Detect, Endure, and Protect will fail for the user. The opposing Pokémon can use these attacks normally.
• Lock-on and Mind Reader (won’t affect user) will fail for the opposing Pokémon. The user can use these attacks normally.
• Nightmare will fail for the opposing Pokémon. If the opposing Pokémon is a Ghost type, Curse will fail for the opposing Pokémon. The user can use Nightmare and Curse normally, whether or not user is of Ghost type.
• Leech Seed (attack will be evaded) will fail for the opposing Pokémon. The user can use Leech Seed normally.
• The substitute will absorb damage from Pursuit if it attempts to switch normally.
• If the opposing Pokémon uses Swagger, the substitute won’t develop confusion but will receive the Attack increase. (These effects are covered elsewhere.) The user can use Swagger normally.
• If Thief hits the user’s substitute, it will damage the substitute but won’t steal the item from the user. The user can use Thief normally.
• Sketch will fail for the opposing Pokémon. The user can use Sketch normally.
• Mimic will work as normal for both user and the opposing Pokémon.
• Transform and Pay Day will work as normal.
• Substitute can’t prevent Whirlwind, Roar, Disable, Encore, Spite, Foresight, Attract, Haze, Destiny Bond, Spider Web, Mean Look, Spikes, or Perish Song.

Disable

Disable causes the last move used by the opposing Pokémon to be prevented from being used or chosen. When Disable is used, the opposing Pokémon receives a count of 2 to 8 (random). Every turn, including the current turn, during the effect, this count is reduced by 1 when the opposing Pokémon begins to use an attack (before confusion check), except when it flinches. When the count is reduced to zero or the opposing Pokémon leaves the battle, the opposing Pokémon’s Disable effect ends. Disable will fail if the selected move has zero PP. During the effect, Disable will fail for the user.

In the unusual case that the opposing Pokémon has more than one copy of the attack, the first copy will be prevented from being chosen, and the other copies will be prevented from being used.

If the Pokémon can’t choose a move for use and one of its moves is affected by Disable, the Pokémon won’t automatically choose Struggle for use instead unless all its moves have zero PP.

Present

• Attacker’s Attack: 10 multiplied by the type matchup of the attack’s type against the opposing Pokémon’s types.
• Opposing Pokémon’s Defense: A number that depends on the attacker’s current second type (for example, Charizard’s second type is normally Flying, but Charmander’s second type is normally Fire).
• Attacker’s level: A number that depends on the opposing Pokémon’s current second type.
• The numbers used in the modified Defense and level are as follows: Normal - 0; Fighting - 1; Flying - 2; Poison - 3; Ground - 4; Rock - 5; Bug - 7; Ghost - 8; Steel - 9; Fire - 20; Water - 21; Grass - 22; Electric - 23; Psychic - 24; Ice - 25; Dragon - 26; Dark - 27.
• If a calculation would divide by 0, it divides by 1 instead.

This bug has been corrected in Crystal and Stadium 2. ("Stadium 2" is called "Pokémon Stadium Gold and Silver" in Japan and "Pokémon Stadium 2" elsewhere.)

Belly Drum

Belly Drum uses the following procedure when raising the Attack stat stage:

1. Raise stat stage by 2 (but not to more than +6) and calculate the modified Attack (as explained in "Stat Modification").
2. While the stat stage is less than +6 and the modified Attack is less than 999:
   1. Raise stat stage by 2 (but not to more than +6) and calculate the modified Attack (as explained in "Stat Modification").

Belly Drum fails if the reduced HP would faint the user or the user’s Attack can’t be raised. Because of a bug, however, the attack always does step 1 of the above process even if it fails because the reduced HP would faint the user (in which case the user doesn’t lose any HP).

In Stadium 2, Belly Drum raises the Attack stat stage to +6 instead, and will fail if the reduced HP would faint the user or the user’s Attack can’t be raised. The bug just mentioned doesn’t occur in Stadium 2. ("Stadium 2" is called "Pokémon Stadium Gold and Silver" in Japan and "Pokémon Stadium 2" elsewhere.)