The 50 Most Powerful Pokémon Moves: This List Is Super-Effective!

If you want to be the very best like no one ever was, you know that having a good Pokémon is only part of the equation. When entering a Pokémon battle, there are certain things you'll need to keep in mind: for example, type effectiveness and your Pokémon's level vs. the level of your opponent's Pokémon. (A Water-type Pokémon is what we'd call super-effective against a Fire-type, for example, and level 50 is stronger than level 10.) These and other strategies are essential for winning battles throughout the Pokémon games, and it's a good idea to stack your team with powerful Pokémon moves. Some of those gym leaders can be really tough to beat, after all! Even if you're not interested in getting into competitive battles, you'll still need to be aware of good Pokémon moves to help you navigate the game itself. We put together a list of some of the most powerful moves in the Pokémon games below, with a few tips along the way to really help you or your kids step up their game!

For anyone interested in getting into competitive Pokémon battles, serious competitors will do everything they can to max out their team's IVs and EVs (or Individual Values and Effort Values). It's also good to have the most optimal Nature, and gain Hidden Abilities to unlock your Pokémon's full potential. We won't get into the nitty-gritty of that here, but newer games make these stats more accessible to the average user. (They used to be hidden!) What we will talk about is what makes a Pokémon move powerful! Does it do the highest amount of damage possible? Is it a physical or special-type move that takes advantage of your creature's characteristics? Maybe the move has a chance of inflicting an additional status effect. There's even a bonus when using move types that match your Pokémon's elements, resulting in additional STAB! (Also known as a Same-Type Attack Bonus, which increases a Pokémon's power on a move by 50%.)

As always, there will always be some flexibility about how "powerful" a move is depending on the Pokémon itself or your play style, but we have compiled a list of 50 of the most powerful moves available in Pokémon. There are literally hundreds of moves available, so it can get pretty hard to choose only 4 per Pokémon. Please note that we are skipping moves exclusive to Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon and Ultra Beasts, as they're not always permitted in competitive tournaments. (Or accessible in-game without cheating!) We're also going to be skipping OHKO (One-Hit Knock-Out) moves, and moves with a charge or recharge turn—they may be strong, but the colossal miss chance and turn wait can be crippling setbacks. Keep reading to see which Pokémon moves you might like to try in your next Pokémon playthrough!

1. Klangorous Soulblaze (Kommo-o Special Z-Move)

• Power: 185
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Dragon

We were introduced to special attacks called Z-Moves in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, or Generation VII of the Pokémon games. While the Z-Moves are confined to this particular series of games, they're also some of the most powerful. This upgraded version of Kommo-o's signature move, Clanging Scales, absolutely wrecks on the battlefield. On a successful hit, it raises almost all of your Pokémon's stats by one stage. (That would be Attack, Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense and Speed, only leaving out your HP and Special.) There are a few ways this move can be countered, so you'll want to be aware of opponents with the Ability Soundproof and any moves they may use to become invulnerable for a turn.

2. Splintered Stormshards (Lycanroc Special Z-Move)

• Power: 190
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Rock

Another one of Generation VII's Z-Moves belongs to Lycanroc, who gains an upgraded version of the Stone Edge attack. The base move is not exclusive to Lycanroc, and was actually introduced back in Generation IV. That being said, it's even more debilitating as it gains the ability to destroy terrain on the battlefield. The different types of terrain in Pokémon can enhance certain moves or prevent status effects, so being able to destroy terrain (and perhaps your opponent's type advantage) while also doing damage is devastating.

3. Stoked Sparksurfer (Alolan Raichu Special Z-Move)

• Power: 175
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Electric

We're not going to include all of the Z-Moves as some are clearly better than others, but Alolan Raichu packs a serious punch with Stoked Sparksurfer. Thunderbolt, a move that has been around since Generation I, gets to be the very best when utilized by Alolan Raichu in Generation VII. The raw power of the attack itself is certainly enough to cripple most opponents, but then you have a 100% chance to paralyze your target—truly terrifying. Just in case you didn't know, not only does paralysis sometimes prevent an opponent from moving on their turn, but it also reduces their overall speed!

4. Resonance (Lapras G-Max Move)

• Power: Varies, depending on the base move
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Varies, depending on the base move
• Element: Ice

The G-Max moves were introduced in Generation VIII games, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. However, they can only be performed by a Pokémon with a Gigantamax form. While there is some flexibility with the actual damage outcome on this one, Resonance also sets up a barrier that reduces damage...while you're dishing out damage. Talk about OP! Just make sure to look out if you're facing a Shedinja, as moves that aren't super-effective can't hit it at all, rendering Resonance useless. (An experienced Shedinja user is a thorn in everyone's side.)

5. Finale (Alcremie G-Max Move)

Gigantamax Alcremie performing Finale on Barbacle [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: Varies, depending on the base move
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Varies, depending on the base move
• Element: Fairy

Like Gigantamax Lapras's Resonance, the damage and damage type depends on the base move used. It also has a two-fold effect—not only does it cause damage, but Finale also heals your entire team regardless of them being active on the battlefield or not! (Granted, it won't help your fainted Pokémon.) While the heal is only 1/6 of your Pokémon's maximum Hit Points, it's still a nice little perk and could be the difference between winning or losing.

6. Stealth Rock

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: N/A
• Move Type: Status
• Element: Rock

You might be wondering how a move without a power stat can be in the top 10, but this is honestly one of the best (and most annoying) competitive moves in the Pokémon video games. Welcome to the world of entry hazards! While they don't initially cause any damage in a battle, the real magic happens when your opponent either switches Pokémon or faints and has to introduce another Pokémon on the battlefield. (Although you have to be careful, because Stealth Rock hurts all players, including you!) As Stealth Rock is a Rock-type move, it affects Pokémon depending on their type weaknesses and resistances. It goes all the way up to 50% (or half their total health) for Pokémon with 4x weakness to Rock-types. Ouch!

7. Explosion

• Power: 250
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Normal

Explosion hails all the way back to Generation I, although it received a power boost later. The raw power of this attack is nothing to sneeze at, because it's the only Pokémon move with a base power of 250. That outranks all Z-Moves and G-Max moves! However, as a Normal-type move, it's not super effective against any other Pokémon element. (Also, Lickylicky and Legendary Silvally are the only Normal-type users capable of pulling this move off and gaining STAB benefits.) Unfortunately, your Pokémon will also faint after using this move, so use it wisely! Ghost-types aren't affected by Normal-type moves, so using Explosion against them will be a waste—your Pokémon will still explode and faint regardless of it hitting your opponent or not.

8. Eruption/Water Spout/Dragon Energy

• Power: 150
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fire/Water/Dragon

Introduced in Generation III, Eruption and Water Spout are essentially the same move customized for either a Water-type or Fire-type Pokémon. (Dragon Energy was added to the mix in Generation VIII.) While their power of 150 looks appealing, you'll have to remember that that's only when your Pokémon is at its maximum HP. As your Pokémon loses Hit Points, the power of this move also decreases! However, it's not a bad move to use in double or triple battles, as it will only hurt your opponents instead of AOEing the entire battlefield, allies and opponents alike. (Friendly fire can be brutal, so watch out.)

9. Head Smash

Relicanth executing Head Smash [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 150
• Accuracy: 80%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Rock

Not all Pokémon moves have 100% accuracy, and that's okay. (After all, there are ways to boost that through held items such as the Wide Lens or Zoom Lens!) This move also inflicts recoil damage on the user, making it seem a little less lucrative. Recoil damage will hurt your Pokémon for half of the damage done to your opponent, which can result in a lot of pain for you. However, if your Pokémon has the Rock Head Ability, you can completely avoid recoil damage! If you can find a way to make this move worth your while, you'll certainly turn some heads on the battlefield.

10. Shell Trap

• Power: 150
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fire

The signature move of Turtonator, this is the only Pokémon capable of using Shell Trap so far. (Which is honestly somewhat of a relief!) Shell Trap is a decreased priority move, which means that it is triggered after the opponent makes their move first. While this may seem a bit risky because a knockout will make this move fail, Turtonator is exceptionally bulky, and there are few moves and Pokémon capable of taking it out in a single hit. That's especially true if your Turtonator's IVs and EVs are maxed. The only other caveat is that your Turtonator needs to be hit by a physical-type move, so be aware of Pokémon that excel at special-type moves. (Or if you expect them to use a status move!) Shell Trap has the ability to be very powerful, but the drawbacks may or may not affect your decision to keep it in your Pokémon's moveset.

11. Substitute

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: N/A
• Move Type: Status
• Element: Normal

How could a move without power be so...powerful? Unlike Stealth Rock, Substitute doesn't even do latent damage. However, you will see this Pokémon move used in competitive battles a lot. Substitute has been around all the way from Generation I, but the effects vary a little from game to game. By sacrificing some of your Hit Points, your Pokémon sends out a decoy that will take an amount of damage for you, allowing you to set up moves, inflict status effects or do damage to an opponent's Pokémon. Substitute is an absolute game-changer if you learn how to use it well!

12. Boomburst

• Power: 140
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Normal

Boomburst, simply put, is a power move that doesn't inflict any additional effects, but it does have some perks (other than the sheer damage output) that may make it worth your time. For example, the Liquid Voice Ability can turn Boomburst from a Normal-type move into a Water-type move, giving it additional STAB. (Gotta love that Same-Type Attack Bonus!) Also, Boomburst is a sound-based move that can overcome an opponent hiding behind a Substitute—from Generation VI to the present games. However, you will have to be aware of opponents capable of using Throat Chop, or those with the Soundproof Ability, as they prevent sound-based moves like Boomburst.

13. Steel Beam

Lucario gathering energy for Steel Beam [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 140
• Accuracy: 95%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Steel

Steel Beam has the highest base damage of any Steel-type move, tied only with Jirachi's Doom Desire. (Which we're not including because of Jirachi's Mythical Pokémon status!) The drawback is that, after using Steel Beam, your Pokémon loses half its health. With great power comes great responsibility.

14. U-Turn/Volt Switch

• Power: 70
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical/Special
• Element: Bug/Electric

There are quite a few Pokémon moves that share power, accuracy and other traits, and these two moves are essentially perfect copies of each other. Having 70 power is still very decent, especially when used by a Pokémon of the same type as the move. (A STAB bonus would essentially give these moves a total power of 105!) However, the real magic happens after you attack, because it allows you to switch and choose another Pokemon from your team. Normally, swapping to another Pokémon in the middle of battle doesn't allow you to do any damage, so take advantage of this move when you can!

15. Steel Roller

• Power: 130
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Steel

Steel Roller has a high base damage at 130, although its use is a little bit more niche. Not only does it do damage, but it also removes terrain from the field. We mentioned earlier that you may or may not want to have your own or an opponent's terrain active, but the drawback with Steel Roller is that it will fail if there is no terrain on the field. As long as you keep this in mind while you play, you may find it useful for your team.

16. High Jump Kick

• Power: 130
• Accuracy: 90%
• Move Type: Fighting
• Element: Physical

Pokémon moves have realistic strengths and drawbacks every once in a while, and High Kick is one of them! Picture this: you take a running start and attempt to perform a flying kick on someone, but they step to the side and you end up crash-landing instead. With High Jump Kick's 10% miss chance, this is exactly what will happen to your Pokémon, resulting in what is called "crash damage". You can avoid this with accuracy-boosting items, or take a gamble! You only get to hold one item at a time, so sometimes you have to choose if you want increased speed, damage or accuracy.

17. Overheat/Draco Meteor/Leaf Storm/Fleur Cannon

Claydol reeling from Hydreigon's Draco Meteor [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 130
• Accuracy: 90%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fire/Dragon/Grass/Fairy

The power of these moves was changed from 140 to 130 in Generation VI (except for Fleur Cannon, which was introduced in Gen VII), but they still deal some massive damage! Depending on the type, these copycat moves can be used by different Pokémon, but this kind of power comes at a cost. Once used, they reduce your Special Attack by two stages. If you intend to use it once and then continue with physical attacks, you'll be fine, but if you continue to use special attacks after, just know that you will be doing so with a reduction in place.

18. Solar Blade/Solar Beam

• Power: 125/120
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical/Special
• Element: Grass

We said that we wouldn't be mentioning Pokémon moves with a charge turn, but we're making an exception in this case. (Because you can skip the charge if you know how!) Due to the Harsh Sunlight weather condition, these grass-type moves don't need to be charged before they can be used. Certain moves, held items and Pokémon abilities can trigger harsh sunlight to get you started. While there is a 5-power difference between Solar Blade and Solar Beam, they're very similar and are useful for your grass Pokémon, depending on if they deal more special attack or physical attack.

19. Petal Dance/Outrage/Thrash

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special/Physical
• Element: Grass/Dragon/Normal

Petal Dance and Thrash were introduced in Generation I, and Outrage hails from Gen II, but they initially had lower power stats in earlier Pokémon games. It wasn't until IV for Outrage and V for Petal Dance and Thrash that they were boosted to 120. These moves inflict their respective damage for a number of turns, locking you into using it until the turn limit ends. It can deal a lot of damage, but if you make it to the end without getting interrupted or fainting, it will leave your Pokémon confused. You are also unable to switch Pokémon while these turns are being executed, so proceed with caution!

20. Zap Cannon

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 50%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Electric

Normally, moves that sacrifice power for accuracy are often overshadowed by weaker moves with a better chance to hit, but Zap Cannon's 100% opportunity to paralyze on a hit makes it worth keeping. (And it's better than Thunder, in our opinion.) You'll definitely want to take advantage of accuracy-boosting items if you add this move to your Pokémon on your quest to become a Pokémon master!

21. Megahorn/Power Whip

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 85%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Bug/Grass

Some Pokémon moves are just about raw power and nothing else. Megahorn and Power Whip are great at dishing out damage, and their only real drawback is that you have a 15% miss chance. (Which you can mostly overcome with items, so it's not that bad!) While they don't have any special effects added, they're reliable and not a bad choice if your Pokémon cannot learn better moves. The attack Precipice Blades is also a variation on Megahorn and Power Whip, but it's only accessible for the Legendary Pokémon Groudon.

22. Superpower/Close Combat

Nidoqueen performing Superpower [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Fighting

These two Fighting-type moves are powerful and dependable, considering their 120 power and 100% accuracy. However, using these moves will either reduce your Defense and Special Defense (or your Attack and Defense stats) by one stage. While not as debilitating as earlier moves we've mentioned that reduce stats by 2 stages, using these attacks over and over again in the same battle will hurt your Pokémon's effectiveness over time. However, they may be worth your time on Pokémon that hit hard and faint fast.

23. Flare Blitz

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Fire

If you want a Fire-type move that has it all, don't overlook Flare Blitz! While it gives you recoil damage equal to 1/3 of the damage you dished out, that's only fair! Flare Blitz also has a 10% chance to burn your opponent (which deals damage every turn and halves all their physical-type moves)—and it will thaw your Pokémon if you were frozen. Honestly, that's...pretty fire. (Ba dum tsss!) There are also a few Pokémon with access to Flare Blitz capable of using the Flame Body Ability, which has a 30% chance to burn when you use contact moves. Seeing as Flare Blitz qualifies as a contact move, well, you do the math.

24. Focus Blast

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 70%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fighting

Oh, how we love Pokémon moves with extra abilities! Focus Blast is already amazing with a base of 120 power, but there's also a 10% chance to lower your opponent's Special Defense. While it's not a lot, it's a bonus that feels so good when it happens. However, you may want to be aware of Pokémon with the Bulletproof Ability, because your move will fail against them. And we don't like wasting moves!

25. Brave Bird/Wood Hammer/Head Charge

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Flying/Grass/Normal

These three moves are copycats of each other with different elemental types, but they all do the same thing: massive damage with some recoil involved. Depending on which Pokémon you have on your team, these moves may be one of their strongest options. Taking damage while dealing damage may or may not be appealing to you, but honestly, you can do whatever you feel best fits your Pokémon and play style. On the plus side, many Pokémon able to use these attacks also have access to moves such as Roost and Giga Drain, which can heal you and keep you in the battle!

26. Gunk Shot

Toxitricity releasing a Gunk Shot [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 80%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Poison

Gunk Shot was initially introduced in Generation IV with a 70% accuracy rating, but it was boosted to 80% in Generation VI. This powerful Poison-type move is great not only because of its base power, but it also has a 30% chance to poison your opponent. While poison only does a small amount of damage at the end of each of your opponent's turns, the fact that it whittles away at their health is a nice little perk. Should you also happen to have Hex or Venoshock in your Pokémon's moveset or on another member of your team, a poisoned Pokémon will take double damage from these two moves!

27. Pyro Ball

• Power: 120
• Accuracy: 90%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Fire

One of the newer Pokémon moves, so far Pyro Ball is exclusive to Cinderace. Just like Flare Blitz (which Cinderace also has access to via TM), Pyro Ball has a 10% chance to inflict a burn on your opponent, and it can thaw you if you're frozen. While you do sacrifice 10% of your accuracy, there is no recoil damage to worry about, making Pyro Ball a better choice.

28. Scald

Gastrodon executing Scald [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 80
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Water
• Element: Special

As you can probably tell by now, moves that inflict an additional status condition are incredibly useful! Meet Scald—a Water-type move with a 30% chance to burn opponents. (Because you're apparently firing piping hot water at them? We guess it makes sense.) This move also has the ability to thaw you, but it can additionally thaw your foe, so keep this in mind! Many Water-type Pokémon have ice moves capable of freezing their opponent, and you don't want to do them a favor by breaking them out. Variations on this move (like Waterfall, Extrasensory, Dark Pulse, Poison Jab and Iron Head) are also pretty good, and they deal 10%-30% status effects. However, they don't share Scald's utility when it comes to thawing.

29. Hydro Pump

• Power: 110
• Accuracy: 80%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Water

Another move that has made it all the way into the present games from Generation I, Hydro Pump used to be the most powerful move for Water-type Pokémon. (It also used to be at 120 power, but they knocked it down to 110 in Gen VI.) Hydro Pump doesn't have any additional effects, but it's still devastating for Fire-type, Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon. Take advantage of its full power with a Water-type for that sweet, sweet STAB. But some non-water Pokémon may also find it useful to beat opponents they wouldn't normally have a type advantage against. (Coverage is a good thing!)

30. Blizzard/Thunder/Hurricane

Whimsicott lifting Nidoqueen off the ground using Hurricane [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 110
• Accuracy: 70%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Ice/Electric/Flying

Blizzard, Thunder and Hurricane are all variations on the same base move. Focus Blast and Gunk Shot used to be grouped with these three moves, but they didn't drop by 10 power like these moves did in Generation VI. (Also, if you're playing any Generation I games, Blizzard used to have a 90% accuracy! Take advantage of that when you can!) All three of these attacks have a small chance to freeze, paralyze or confuse depending on the element, making them worth the decreased accuracy.

31. Fire Blast

• Power: 110
• Accuracy: 85%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fire

An incredibly satisfying Fire-type attack, Fire Blast was actually nerfed on two separate occasions. In Generation I, the move had a total power of 120 and 30% chance to burn your opponent. In Generation II, they reduced the burn chance to 10%, and Gen VI saw the overall power drop from 120 to 110. It's still a good Fire-type move if you don't have access to other attacks, but this one doesn't cause contact, so you won't benefit from the Flame Body Ability.

32. Aura Wheel

• Power: 110
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Electric/Dark

A move exclusive to Morpeko (yet another Pikachu variation), Aura Wheel is unique because it has the ability to be either an Electric-type or a Dark-type move. Upon inflicting damage, it also raises Morpeko's Speed stat. Anything that increases Speed in battle is great because it gives you the chance to faint your opponent's Pokémon before they have a chance to touch you!

33. Poltergeist

• Power: 110
• Accuracy: 90%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Ghost

How is it possible for Ghost-types to perform physical moves? (We're honestly not sure, but we're not about to question it. After all, there are plenty of other oddities, like Dusknoir being able to perform a Mega Kick without legs.) The unique thing about this attack is that it only works if your opponent is holding an item. Most competitive Pokémon will be carrying items, but this move may be less useful in battles against wild Pokémon or other in-game character battles. If the opposing Pokémon isn't holding an item, the move fails.

34. Earthquake

Tyranitar hitting Avalugg with Earthquake [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 100
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Ground

While Earthquake didn't originally have any secondary effects in Gen I, they allowed it to hurt opponents that would otherwise be safe in Dig's semi-invulnerable turn hiding underground in Generation II. (It only makes sense when you're physically shaking the ground!) Opponents hiding underground will take double damage. That being said, it does not affect flying or levitating Pokémon. Keeping these things in mind, Earthquake is a very powerful and useful attack that's nice to have.

35. Roost/Recover/Slack Off/Soft-Boiled/Milk Drink/Heal Order

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: N/A
• Move Type: Status
• Element: Flying/Normal/Normal/Normal/Normal/Bug

There are many ways to use status moves in a Pokémon battle to gain the upper hand. We already touched on a few, but all of these particular moves have one thing in common: you get to heal 50% of your maximum HP! Anything that can keep your Pokémon in the battle is a huge plus, so why not take advantage of it when you can? This is especially helpful on bulky Pokémon with high HP and Defense, but may not make as much sense on fast, heavy hitters that will likely faint in a hit or two. (We're looking at you, Blissey!)

36. Dream Eater

• Power: 100
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Psychic

The unique thing about Dream Eater is that a Pokémon has to be asleep for the attack to work. (We guess you can't eat their dreams if they're not dreaming? It makes sense.) While it does require an extra turn for you to force the opponent's Pokémon to fall asleep, the results of a successful attack are truly terrifying. Not only do you inflict damage on the now-sleeping Pokémon, but it allows you to heal up to 50% of the damage done to them. Add a Big Root held item, and that increases your heal even more! Just make sure to look out for Tentacool and Gulpin family members as they may have the Liquid Ooze Ability, which will hurt you instead of healing.

37. Crabhammer

Carracosta taking damage from Corphish's Crabhammer [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 100
• Accuracy: 90%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Water

There are a number of Pokémon moves with an increased critical hit ratio, and Crabhammer nearly has the highest base power and accuracy out of all of them. The move's accuracy and power received a small boost since its Generation I days, although it's only available for a small handful of crab-related Pokémon. Both Cross Chop and Stone Edge have 100 Power and an increased critical hit ratio similar to this move, but they have less accuracy at 80%.

38. Trick Room

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: N/A
• Move Type: Status
• Element: Psychic

Are you ready to turn the tide of your Pokémon battle? While it doesn't do any damage, Trick Room reverses the turn order so that slow Pokémon attack first, leaving the faster ones attacking last. If you have a team of bulky, slower Pokémon, you may find Trick Room useful for you! The effect lasts for 5 turns, so use it wisely. Should you forget and try to use Trick Room before the effect ends, they cancel each other out and you lose it.

39. Iron Tail/Dragon Rush

• Power: 100
• Accuracy: 75%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Steel/Dragon

Iron Tail and Dragon Rush share similar power and accuracy stats, although they each have slightly different effects. Iron Tail has a 30% chance of lowering your opponent's Defense by one stage, while Dragon Rush has a 20% chance to cause flinching. While the 75% accuracy isn't ideal, some workarounds may make using this as part of your moveset worthwhile.

40. Hidden Power

• Power: 60
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Normal

The sheer versatility of Hidden Power is staggering, which is why we're including it in our list of the best Pokémon moves. While it initially appears as a Normal-type move, Hidden Power actually changes type depending on the Pokémon that has it in their moveset! It's generally utilized as a coverage move, enabling you to keep battling against an opponent with an elemental typing that would otherwise be difficult for your Pokémon to overcome. Unfortunately, it was cut from Pokémon Sword and Shield, but we'll have to see if it gets its chance to shine in newer games.

41. Moonblast/Sludge Wave

Nidoqueen executing Sludge Wave on a Noibat [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 95
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fairy/Poison

Fairy-type Pokémon were newly introduced in Generation VI as a counter to dragon Pokémon, which had few counters other than other dragons. Moonblast is currently the Fairy-type move with the highest power that's not a one-time use explosion—or nearly inaccessible due to legendary status or being tied to an unreleased Pokémon. While doing a decent amount of damage, Moonblast also has a 30% chance to decrease your opponent's Special Attack. This move is a must for most fairy types! Similarly, Sludge Wave has the same power and accuracy as Moonblast, but it has only a 10% chance to inflict poison. (That animation is pretty sweet, though!)

42. Phantom Force

• Power: 90
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Ghost

Introduced in Generation VI, Phantom Force is one of a handful of moves that give you a semi-invulnerable turn before it is fully executed. It shares the top power for a move of this type with Fly, which would be nearly identical except for a 5% drop in accuracy. Phantom Force and Fly are only outdone by Legendary Pokémon Giratina's Shadow Force. Simply waiting a turn can feel a bit like stalling, but it can help you crush the competition when used strategically.

43. Thunderbolt/Flamethrower/Ice Beam

Goodra releasing a bolt of electricity with Thunderbolt [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 90
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Electric/Fire/Ice

Do you want a good, reliable Pokémon move that does decent damage with a little frosting on top? These copycat moves—Thunderbolt, Flamethrower and Ice Beam—have perfect accuracy and a 10% chance to paralyze, burn or freeze. While there are other moves better at inflicting an ailment on your opponent's Pokémon, these are mostly damage moves, so the added effect chance is a nice bonus.

44. Night Daze

• Power: 85
• Accuracy: 95%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Dark

Originally, Night Daze was introduced in Generation V and only accessible to Zorua and Zoroark, but the Legendary Lunala from Generation VII is capable of using Night Daze as well. This Dark-type move hits decently hard, but it also has a 40% chance to lower your opponent's accuracy by one stage. You can use this move to prevent them from hitting you as frequently or forcing them to switch if their accuracy drops too low.

45. Psychic/Bug Buzz/Energy Ball/Earth Power

• Power: 90
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Psychic/Bug/Grass/Ground

90 base power is shared by a large number of moves, many of which are useful to add should your Pokémon have access to them. These 4 moves all share their power and accuracy stats, as well as a 10% special effect. They all have a chance to reduce an enemy Pokémon's Special Attack or Special Defense, and while it's small, it's a nice little chance to have. You mostly depend on the raw power of these moves rather than the special effect.

46. Rapid Spin

• Power: 50
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical
• Element: Normal

While Rapid Spin doesn't have the power of many of the moves on this list, it makes up for it with its utility. Do you remember when we mentioned entry hazards like Stealth Rock? It allows you to remove those nasty hazards as well as any binding moves. Its power was raised in Generation VIII from 20 to 50, making it just that much better. In that same Generation, using this move also increases your speed by one stage. Bonus!

47. Giga Drain/Horn Leach/Drain Punch

Lopunny taking a hit from Toxicroak's Drain Punch [Source: Game Freak/Nintendo/The Pokémon Company]

• Power: 75
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Special/Physical/Physical
• Element: Grass/Grass/Fighting

Similar to Dream Eater, which we mentioned earlier, these moves are all about dishing out damage and heals in one fell swoop. They don't, however, require a status effect to get you started. You get to keep half of the damage done to your opponent, so use it wisely—if it's supereffective and takes your opponent out in one fell swoop, you can recover up to half of your health!

48. Fire Lash/Lunge/Apple Acid/Grav Apple/Drum Beating

• Power: 80
• Accuracy: 100%
• Move Type: Physical/Physical/Special/Physical/Physical
• Element: Fire/Bug/Grass/Grass/Grass

Do you want to do damage while also lowering one of your opponent's stats with a guaranteed hit? Then these cool Pokémon moves are for you! Introduced in Generations VII and VIII, there's only a small pool of Pokémon capable of using these moves, but you'll certainly want them in your Pokémon's move list. They will drop your opponent's Attack, Defense, Special Defense or Speed by one stage with every successful hit, and that 100% accuracy is your best friend.

49. Mist

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: N/A
• Move Type: Status
• Element: Ice

Do you remember when we mentioned that a few of those extremely powerful Pokémon moves had the drawback of lowering your stats after use? Dance around these and other stat-lowering moves and Abilities with the move Mist! While it doesn't do any damage, it lasts for 5 turns, enabling you to set it up and swap other Pokémon onto the field to use moves like Overheat and Draco Meteor. You'll also avoid stat-lowering abilities from opposing Pokémon such as Intimidate, making it even more useful!

50. Will-O-Whisp

• Power: N/A
• Accuracy: 85%
• Move Type: Special
• Element: Fire

Not to be outdone by other status effects on this list, Will-O-Wisp is a crippling move when used well. Pre-Generation VI, it had an accuracy of 75%, but Will-O-Wisp grants a guaranteed burn on a successful hit. Remember that burns cause damage every round, but the best part is that they halve the opponent's physical attack, crippling heavy hitters dependent on physical attacks. Be aware that some Pokémon excel at special attacks, which are not halved by the burn effect. Still, use it wisely and you'll go far!

We hope you're ready to try out some Pokémon moves! There are always pros and cons for each move, so certain builds will dictate what you want to use. If you want to learn more about Pokémon types to make use of your STAB, that's great too. These attacks are all good in their own way, but there are still plenty of others worth your time! (With more than 800 Pokémon available, it's no wonder that there are also hundreds of accessible moves.) If you're a Pokémon fan or perhaps you're shopping for one, check out all of our Pokémon gifts.