Contact

Contact (Japanese: contact) or direct attack (Japanese: direct attack) is a property of moves in the Pokémon games that was introduced in Generation III. Making contact occurs when a Pokémon physically touches the target when using a move in . Moves that make contact are affected by and can trigger various items and , such as and the Sticky Barb.
Whether a move makes contact is independent of its damage category. Most physical moves do make contact and make up the majority of contact moves. Most special moves do not make contact (with only seven moves that do), and no status moves make contact. Prior to Generation VII, all moves that make contact only target a single Pokémon.
Hitting a does not make contact with the Pokémon behind it. While damage is physical, it does not make contact. If a Pokémon is immune to a move, the move will not make contact with the Pokémon.
Contact does not factor into anything in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
==Moves that make contact==
In Generation III only, and make contact, while , , and do not.
The move changes between being a physical move that makes contact and a special move that does not make contact, based on which it predicts to inflict more damage.
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===Shadow moves===
These Shadow moves also make contact.
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==Effects involving contact==
===Moves===
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Name	Effect
 	s an attacker if it attempts a contact move on the user.
 	s an attacker if it uses a contact move on the user before executing the move.
 	s an attacker if it attempts a contact move on the user.
 	Decreases an attacker's if it attempts a contact move on the user.
 	Decreases an attacker's two stages if it attempts a contact move on the user.
 	Decreases an attacker's one stage if it attempts a contact move on the user.
 	Damages an attacker for 1/8 of its max HP if it attempts a contact move on the user.
===Abilities===
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Name	Effect
 	An attacker that knocks out this Pokémon with a contact move takes damage equal to 1/4 of its own max HP.
 	Has a 30% chance of an attacker on contact.
 	Has a 30% chance of afflicting an attacker with , , or on contact.
 	Has a 30% chance of ing an attacker on contact.
 	Halves damage taken from contact moves, but doubles damage taken from moves.
 	Decreases an attacker's by one stage on contact.
 	Damages an attacker for 1/8 of its max HP on contact.
 	Contact moves from the user will not trigger effects caused by contact.
 	Replaces an attacker's Ability with Mummy on contact.
 	If the Pokémon uses moves that make direct contact, it can attack the target even if the target protects itself.
 	Sets the perish count to 3 for both the attacking and defending Pokémon, until they switch out.
 	Steals an attacker's held item on contact if the defending Pokémon has none.
 	Has a 30% chance of an attacker on contact.
 	Has a chance of a target on contact.
 	Damages an attacker for of its max HP on contact.
 	Has a 30% chance of an attacker on contact.
 	Decreases an attacker's by one stage on contact.
 	Boosts the power of contact moves used by this Pokémon by 30%.
 	Exchanges Abilities with an attacker that makes direct contact.
===Items===
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	Name 	Effect
	Rocky Helmet 	Damages an attacker for 1/6 of its max HP on contact.
	Sticky Barb 	Damages the holder each turn for 1/8 of their max HP. Transfers to an attacker on contact.
	Protective Pads	Protects the holder from effects caused by using moves that make contact with the target.
==Physical moves that do not make contact==
Most moves that make contact are physical, although there are physical moves that do not make contact.
, which was a physical move in Generation VI, also does not make contact in any generation.
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==Trivia==
* In and , battle animations for contact moves do not show the attacking Pokémon hitting the defending one at all. As in the , physical blows usually utilize quick camera cuts between the attacking and defending Pokémon to imply direct contact.
==In other languages==
Category:Game mechanics
de:Kontakt
es:Movimiento#Contacto
fr:Capacité directe
it:Contatto
ja:直接攻撃
zh:接触类招式