Attacks

**Attacks** are moves that Pokémon can use against opponent Pokémon in combat. Each Pokémon can learn one fast attack and two charged attacks at time.

## Kinds of attacks

### Fast attacks

 **Main article:** *List of fast attacks*
**Fast Attacks** are the basic moves used when a Trainer taps on the screen during the battle in Gym, Raid, Trainer Battle, GO Battle League or against Team GO Rocket. Repeated uses of Fast Attacks recharge the Charged Attack meter.

A Fast TM can be used to change a Pokémon's Fast Attack.

### Charged attacks

 **Main article:** *List of charged attacks*
**Charged Attacks** must be charged, which can be done by using Fast Attacks.

Initially, Charged Attacks had their energy meter which used to be displayed under the Pokémon's HP bar in the upper left hand corner during Gym battles. Each segment of the bar would represent a single use of the Charged Attack. Later on, the energy meter was moved below the Charged Attack button at the bottom of the screen. Now, these energy meters are displayed only in Pokémon Summary page, in Pokémon moveset section.

Currently, the Charged Attacks energy is measured by filling a Charged Attack button at the bottom of the screen. Once, the button is filled, Trainer can use it by tapping on it. Charged Attack can be filled a couple of times, which is indicated by stronger color of the button with each filling.

In Trainer Battles, GO Battle League matches and battles against Team GO Rocket members, when Trainer uses the one of Battle Minigames is initiated. The bonus power of the Charged Attack depends on the player's performance in these minigames.

Pokémon with more than one charged attack can learn an extra attack by paying different amount of Stardust and candies.

 **Main article:** *List of second Charged Attack cost*
A Charged TM can be used to change a Pokémon's specific Charged Attack.

## Attacks aspects

There are several aspects for both Fast and Charged attacks that help to define if specific move is optimal in combat.

* **Damage** (also called **Power**)
* **Damage per second** (**DPS** for short)
	+ Its formula is *value of **Damage*** divided by *value of **Cooldown***
* **Energy** (generated per use)
* **Energy per second** (**EPS** for short)
	+ Its formula is *value of **Energy*** divided by *value of **Cooldown***
* **Cooldown**
* **Energy meter** bar pieces - is one of the aspects of charged attacks, it defines how many pieces bar containing energy of such attack is split into. The number of bar pieces for attacks currently present in game is between 0 to 3 pieces for charged attack.

### STAB

**STAB** (an acronym for **Same-Type Attack Bonus**) is a bonus that is applied to the power of an Attack, if the Type of the Attack matches the Type of the Pokémon. If the attack grants a STAB, a 20% Attack bonus will be applied.

For example, Twister is a Dragon-type Attack that both Pidgey and Dratini can have. The base power for the Attack is 45. While Pidgey's damage will remain at 45, Dratini's damage will be boosted to 54 as it is Dragon type. STAB damage is not displayed in-game.

In the Pokémon main game series, the applied bonus of STAB is 50%.

Prior to the Gym overhaul and introduction of Raid Battles, STAB granted a 25% bonus.

## Dodging

In Gym battles and Raid Battles, in addition to attacking, Pokémon can dodge incoming attacks with Trainer swiping either left or right on the screen. A Pokémon is preparing to attack when the edges of the screen flash yellow. A message stating "Dodged!" will appear if the dodge is a success.

In Trainer Battles, GO Battle League matches and battles against Team GO Rocket, Pokémon cannot freely dodge attack from the opponent. However, Charged Attacks can be completely avoided using shields, which Trainer can use twice during single battle.

## Stat-changing attacks

 **Main article:** *Stat-changing attacks*
In Trainer Battles, GO Battle League matches and battles against Team GO Rocket, certain attacks can affect the Attack and Defense stats of the Pokémon involved in the battle.

## Legacy moves

 **Main article:** *List of legacy moves*
**Legacy moves** are attacks that were previously available for specific Pokémon to learn, but currently they're not. Most of the changes to the moves of Pokémon learnsets occurred either on August 20th, 2016 or February 16th, 2017.

## Unused attacks

There are currently some attacks in the game data that can't be learned or used by any Pokémon.

### List of unused attacks

* Giga Drain
* Heart Stamp
* Mega Drain
* Rest
* Crush Claw
* Fissure
* Horn Drill
* Leech Life
* Roar of Time
* Spacial Rend

* Twineedle
* Smog
* Double Slap
* Slash
* Absorb
* Headbutt
* Slam
* Scald (Blastoise)
* Hydro Pump (Blastoise)
* Water Gun (Blastoise)
* Wrap (Green)
* Wrap (Pink)
* Dark Void
* Fiery Dance
* Relic Song
* Hyperspace Fury
* Hyperspace Hole
* Nature's Madness
* High Jump Kick

## Gallery

### Charged attacks meter

From the release of the game to the present day, there were a few changes to the graphic design of the charged meters. Currently none of these assets are used, as they were replaced with flat bars of single-color corresponding to the type of a charged attack.

Two first versions of charged attacks meter had up to 9 bars, despite the fact that meters from 4 to 9 pieces were not used.

#### First version

1-piece charge meter2-pieces charge meter3-pieces charge meter4-pieces charge meter5-pieces charge meter6-pieces charge meter7-pieces charge meter8-pieces charge meter9-pieces charge meter

#### Second version

1-piece charge meter2-pieces charge meter3-pieces charge meter4-pieces charge meter5-pieces charge meter6-pieces charge meter7-pieces charge meter8-pieces charge meter9-pieces charge meter

#### Third version

0-piece charge meter1-piece charge meter2-pieces charge meter3-pieces charge meter

## References

1. ↑ Battling at Gyms - Moves and Attacks. *Niantic Support*. Retrieved on 2017-06-19.
2. ↑ Type Effectiveness Changes!. */r/TheSilphRoad*. Retrieved on 2017-06-20.
3. ↑ Unused Findings. *PokeMiners*. Retrieved on 2022-10-12.