There is so much information flooding the online world about Pokémon Go that it has become difficult to know where to begin. Quite understandably, trainers are looking for the best, the most convenient advice about where to go and what to do. This is no less true of Pokémon battles, places where players can train their Pokémon and battle against rival Pokémon gyms. Here, we attempt a concerted effort to answer these questions. Below, you’ll find a guide that details how to perform moves in Pokémon Go, how to perform special moves, and how to dodge your opponent’s attacks. Not only this, but we also look at how to acquire new Pokémon moves and we understand the implications on moves when you decide to evolve your existing Pokémon. We’ll also look at whether it’s even possible to change the moves of your Pokémon. But we also need to add some context, some extra detail that will aid your understanding. This is why we’ve included a section on how to interpret Pokémon moves, and why it’s important to consider the Pokémon type before any move is taken. Toward the end of this guide, we look at particular strategies for using Pokémon moves and things you should consider when faced with opposition Pokémon in gyms and battles. These tips should further solidify your understanding of moves in Pokémon Go.
Pokemon Go Quick Attacks
Or search for your moves alphabetically below:
| Moves | Type | Damage | Energy Increase | Duration in Seconds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Acid | Poison | 10 | 7 | 1.05 | | Bite | Dark | 6 | 7 | 0.5 | | Bubble | Water | 15 | 15 | 2.3 | | Bug Bite | Bug | 6 | 7 | 0.45 | | Bullet Punch | Steel | 10 | 7 | 1.2 | | Confusion | Psychic | 12 | 7 | 1.51 | | Cut | Normal | 12 | 7 | 1.13 | | Dragon Breath | Dragon | 6 | 7 | 0.5 | | Ember | Fire | 10 | 7 | 1.05 | | Feint Attack | Dark | 12 | 7 | 1.04 | | Fire Fang | Fire | 7 | 4 | 0.84 | | Frost Breath | Ice | 12 | 7 | 0.81 | | Fury Cutter | Bug | 3 | 12 | 0.4 | | Ice Shard | Ice | 10 | 7 | 1.4 | | Karate Chop | Fighting | 6 | 7 | 0.8 | | Lick | Ghost | 10 | 7 | 0.5 | | Low Kick | Fighting | 5 | 7 | 0.6 | | Metal Claw | Steel | 12 | 7 | 0.63 | | Mud Shot | Ground | 12 | 7 | 0.55 | | Mud Slap | Ground | 6 | 9 | 1.35 | | Peck | Flying | 10 | 10 | 1.15 | | Poison Jab | Poison | 15 | 7 | 1.05 | | Poison Sting | Poison | 6 | 4 | 0.575 | | Pound | Normal | 8 | 7 | 0.54 | | Psycho Cut | Psychic | 15 | 7 | 0.57 | | Quick Attack | Normal | 10 | 7 | 1.33 | | Razor Leaf | Grass | 15 | 7 | 1.45 | | Rock Smash | Fighting | 5 | 7 | 1.41 | | Rock Throw | Rock | 12 | 7 | 1.36 | | Scratch | Normal | 10 | 7 | 0.5 | | Shadow Claw | Ghost | 16 | 7 | 0.95 | | Spark | Electric | 7 | 4 | 0.7 | | Splash | Water | 0 | 7 | 1.23 | | Steel Wing | Steel | 15 | 4 | 1.33 | | Sucker Punch | Dark | 7 | 4 | 0.7 | | Tackle | Normal | 12 | 7 | 1.1 | | Thunder Shock | Electric | 5 | 7 | 0.6 | | Vine Whip | Grass | 10 | 7 | 0.65 | | Water Gun | Water | 10 | 7 | 0.5 | | Wing Attack | Flying | 12 | 7 | 0.75 | | Zen Headbutt | Psychic | 15 | 4 | 1.05 |
Pokemon Go Special Attacks
Or search for your moves alphabetically below:
| Moves | Type | Damage | Energy Increase | Duration in Seconds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cutter | Flying | 25 | 0.25 | 3.3 |
| Ancient Power | Rock | 30 | 0.05 | 3.6 |
| Aqua Jet | Water | 15 | 0.05 | 2.35 |
| Aqua Tail | Water | 50 | 0.05 | 2.35 |
| Blizzard | Ice | 60 | 0.05 | 3.9 |
| Body Slam | Normal | 50 | 0.05 | 1.56 |
| Bone Club | Ground | 20 | 0.05 | 1.6 |
| Brick Break | Fighting | 30 | 0.25 | 1.6 |
| Brine | Water | 15 | 0.05 | 2.4 |
| Bubble Beam | Water | 25 | 0.05 | 2.9 |
| Bug Buzz | Bug | 50 | 0.05 | 4.25 |
| Bulldoze | Ground | 30 | 0.05 | 3.4 |
| Cross Chop | Fighting | 55 | 0.25 | 2 |
| Cross Poison | Poison | 20 | 0.25 | 1.5 |
| Dark Pulse | Dark | 45 | 0.05 | 3.5 |
| Dazzling Gleam | Fairy | 45 | 0.05 | 4.2 |
| Dig | Ground | 45 | 0.05 | 5.8 |
| Disarming Voice | Fairy | 20 | 0.05 | 3.9 |
| Discharge | Electric | 40 | 0.05 | 2.5 |
| Dragon Claw | Dragon | 40 | 0.25 | 1.5 |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon | 50 | 0.05 | 3.6 |
| Draining Kiss | Fairy | 15 | 0.05 | 2.8 |
| Drill Peck | Flying | 30 | 0.05 | 2.7 |
| Drill Run | Ground | 40 | 0.25 | 3.4 |
| Earthquake | Ground | 60 | 0.05 | 4.2 |
| Fire Blast | Fire | 60 | 0.05 | 4.1 |
| Fire Punch | Fire | 35 | 0.05 | 2.8 |
| Flame Burst | Fire | 25 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
| Flame Charge | Fire | 20 | 0.05 | 3.1 |
| Flame Wheel | Fire | 35 | 0.05 | 4.6 |
| Flamethrower | Fire | 50 | 0.05 | 2.9 |
| Flash Cannon | Steel | 55 | 0.05 | 3.9 |
| Gunk Shot | Poison | 60 | 0.05 | 3 |
| Heat Wave | Fire | 60 | 0.05 | 3.8 |
| Horn Attack | Normal | 20 | 0.05 | 2.2 |
| Hurricane | Flying | 60 | 0.05 | 3.2 |
| Hydro Pump | Water | 60 | 0.05 | 3.8 |
| Hyper Beam | Normal | 70 | 0.05 | 5 |
| Hyper Fang | Normal | 35 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
| Ice Beam | Ice | 50 | 0.05 | 3.65 |
| Ice Punch | Ice | 45 | 0.05 | 3.5 |
| Icy Wind | Ice | 15 | 0.05 | 3.8 |
| Iron Head | Steel | 40 | 0.05 | 2 |
| Leaf Blade | Grass | 45 | 0.25 | 2.8 |
| Low Sweep | Fighting | 25 | 0.05 | 2.25 |
| Magnet Bomb | Steel | 25 | 0.05 | 2.8 |
| Megahorn | Bug | 55 | 0.05 | 3.2 |
| Moonblast | Fairy | 60 | 0.05 | 4.1 |
| Mud Bomb | Ground | 25 | 0.05 | 2.6 |
| Night Slash | Dark | 25 | 0.25 | 2.7 |
| Ominous Wind | Ghost | 25 | 0.05 | 3.1 |
| Petal Blizzard | Grass | 50 | 0.05 | 3.2 |
| Play Rough | Fairy | 50 | 0.05 | 2.9 |
| Poison Fang | Poison | 15 | 0.05 | 2.4 |
| Power Gem | Rock | 40 | 0.05 | 2.9 |
| Power Whip | Grass | 60 | 0.12 | 2.8 |
| Psybeam | Psychic | 35 | 0.05 | 3.8 |
| Psychic | Psychic | 50 | 0.05 | 2.8 |
| Psyshock | Psychic | 40 | 0.05 | 2.7 |
| Rock Slide | Rock | 40 | 0.05 | 3.2 |
| Rock Tomb | Rock | 25 | 0.25 | 3.4 |
| Scald | Water | 35 | 0.05 | 4 |
| Seed Bomb | Grass | 30 | 0.05 | 2.4 |
| Shadow Ball | Ghost | 40 | 0.05 | 3.08 |
| Signal Beam | Bug | 35 | 0.05 | 3.1 |
| Sludge | Poison | 25 | 0.05 | 2.6 |
| Sludge Bomb | Poison | 50 | 0.05 | 2.6 |
| Sludge Wave | Poison | 60 | 0.05 | 3.4 |
| Solar Beam | Grass | 65 | 0.05 | 4.9 |
| Stomp | Normal | 25 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
| Stone Edge | Rock | 55 | 0.5 | 3.1 |
| Struggle | Normal | 15 | 0 | 1.695 |
| Submission | Fighting | 30 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
| Swift | Normal | 25 | 0.05 | 3 |
| Thunder | Electric | 65 | 0.05 | 4.3 |
| Thunder Punch | Electric | 40 | 0.05 | 2.4 |
| Thunderbolt | Electric | 50 | 0.05 | 2.7 |
| Twister | Dragon | 15 | 0.05 | 2.7 |
| Vice Grip | Normal | 15 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
| Water Pulse | Water | 30 | 0.05 | 3.3 |
| Wrap | Normal | 15 | 0.05 | 4 |
| X-Scissor | Bug | 30 | 0.05 | 2.1 |
It's all About Types
It’s not enough to know that Pokémon have only two moves: standard and special. There is so much more that underpin how and why these moves exist. It is to this question, among others, that we explore in this section. Older versions of Pokémon games used to have four Pokémon moves. This has been reduced to two in Pokémon Go: a standard move, which unleashes a moderate amount of power, and a special move, which unleashes a considerable amount of power. How you use these moves will be explored later. Here, we’d like readers to understand the significance of these two moves, because not every Pokémon is made equal. They have weaknesses and strengths, advantages and disadvantages, among other factors. First and foremost, players need to understand that there are eighteen types of Pokémon. These types include, but are by no means limited to, grass, fire, and water. Fire Pokémon are effective against grass Pokémon, whereas water Pokémon are ineffective against grass. That’s not to say that all water Pokémon moves are ineffective against grass Pokémon, but that ‘water-based’ moves by that Pokémon are ineffective. Any particular type of Pokémon may have a ‘neutral’ move, which is effective against many different types of Pokémon. The significant point is this: that successful Pokémon trainers know when the moves of their Pokémon are effective, or ineffective, against the opposing Pokémon. They understand the strategy of Pokémon types that allows them to choose the best Pokémon for that battle. Knowing these details allows the trainer to make more strategic decisions about the moves they make. But you might be wondering if it’s possible to change the designated moves of a given Pokémon. The answer to this question is, quite simply, no as it is not possible. That is to say, it’s not possible to change an existing Pokémon’s moves, but it is possible to enhance the power of those moves. Trainers who increase their player’s level, via the acquisition of experience, are more likely to encounter stronger and rarer Pokémon. Training Pokémon is, though, the standard way to enhance your current Pokémon. Trainers should keep their combat points (CP) and hit points (HP) in mind with the former being the power of their Pokémon whereas the latter is the damage that that Pokémon can withstand. Your job, if you wish to make your Pokémon stronger, is to enhance combat points. This can be achieved by powering up the Pokémon, something you can do by collecting the requisite amount of Stardust and Candy for that specific Pokémon line. 
Pokemon Go Battle Basics
However, you cannot use any type of Candy for any breed of Pokémon. In order to ‘power up’ a Pidgey, for example, you need Pidgey Candy et cetera. So, in summary, powering up Pokémon enhanced their combat points – you just need Stardust and that Pokémon’s Candy.
There is another way, though, to increase the power of a Pokémon’s moves – and that involves evolving your Pokémon. In contrast to the ‘power up’, you only need Candy for this process. However, you need to be careful about this decision.
When you evolve a Pokémon, you also change that Pokémon’s move set. The move switch is randomised, meaning you have no control over the moves you’ll receive. So even though you’ll receive more powerful moves (higher CP), those moves might be strategically worse.
In other words, it might be best to evolve that Pokémon once you catch another type of that Pokémon – particularly if that Pokémon happens to be rare. It’s also worth noting that CP limits are capped, meaning it’s impossible to constantly upgrade a Pokémon’s CP capacity.
When it comes to performing a move, during battle, trainers should note four things.
- To perform a standard move, all the player need do is tap the screen once.
- To perform a special move, the player needs to wait for the blue energy bar to fill and then press the screen for a longer time.
- Players might want to dodge an incoming move. If so, players should swipe the screen left-to-right or, alternately, quickly tap the screen left-to-right.
- You might also want to change your Pokémon, in order to select a Pokémon with more advantageous moves. If so, press the arrow at the bottom-right of the screen.
Trainers should be strategic during battle. When you fight more experienced players, they will take you down in a flash if you don’t understand a) Pokémon types and b) how to deploy certain moves during battle.
For example, try to learn to dodge. When you begin Pokémon Go for the first time, it’s easy to just tap on the screen and hope your CP beats your opponent. In more complex battles, you’ll need to dodge your opponents moves – an essential move for any player.
Also, try not to overdo the special move. It might be tempting to use the special move as soon as it becomes available, but be aware that once that move is used, it keeps your Pokémon vulnerable to an onslaught of attacks thereafter.
It might be more useful, for instance, to use the special move once your opponents HP level has been depleted. This means you can finish off your opponent in one go without having to suffer the backlash of attacks that would otherwise happen mid-battle.
Again, know your Pokémon types. Know which type of move is effective against which type of Pokémon. Together, along with the tips mentioned above, you should have a much better idea in how to improve your moves and how to win battles at a moment’s notice.