To be the best trainer in Pokémon, players need to know the best moves to teach their trusty companions. There are 915 moves for trainers to consider. Deciding which are best for their Pokémon is a challenge, especially considering they can only take four from that massive selection! Luckily, every Pokémon has a limit on what they can learn, based on their move pool and their respective types, which significantly decreases the number of moves they can use from 915 to around one hundred or so.

The real challenge that Pokémon presents is determining what selection of moves is best, but deciding that demands players to ask which are the most powerful. This list features only the best in the game, whether because they deal a lot of damage, have a unique effect, play to a notably effective build, etc. However, some impressive moves are not on this list because of their exclusivity to specific Pokémon, which would be counteractive to trainers looking for something most of their companions can feasibly use.

Updated May 25, 2023, by Christopher Anaya: Despite being around for about 27 years, Pokémon shows no sign of slowing down, having released several new games in the past couple of years and showing a desire to create more. These additions to the long list of titles have done much for the franchise, but among the most notable were the many new moves added to the roster. Some of these moves featured in the latest Pokémon games stand above the rest, earning a place among the most powerful a Pokémon can learn.

While most moves can be powerful under the right circumstances, many of those featured on this list are undeniably strong — moves so impactful that it would be foolish not even to consider them for your Pokémon. Such moves hold such a high standing for one reason or another, but regardless, they can change a battle in one's favor or set in motion the circumstances to overcome even the most overwhelming odds. Although they may not have a place in every Pokémon's move setup, players should really consider these powerful moves.

20 Acrobatics

Acrobatics Pokemon Move
  • Type: Flying
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 55/110
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 15 (max 24)

Acrobatics is a Physical Flying-type move with 55 base Power and 100% Accuracy. This move does not appear to be that powerful at first glance, but two things about it make it overwhelmingly potent. One, it is a Flying-type move, and Flying is only resisted by Electric, Rock, and Steel, making it a very safe pick when attacking with it. Two, Acrobatics may only have 55 Power if the user has an item, but if they do not, its base Power is instead 110.

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These downsides are a laughably easy drawback to get around for a move with such high power and consistency. Even if the user wants this move and an item, they can hold an easily consumable item like a Berry or the White Herb, giving them both the effects of the item and the Power boost from Acrobatics. This move is so strong and easily clickable that any Physical Flying-type — or even non-Flying Pokémon — can see much use from it. This move can be learned by level-up or TM/TR.

19 Boomburst

Pokemon Boomburst move
  • Type: Normal
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 140
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 10 (max 16)

Boomburst is a Special Normal-type move that deals devastating damage to everyone around it, threatening all with its 140 Power and 100% Accuracy. Since it is Normal-type, it will not affect Ghost-types, which players can work around through some features or items. The only other Pokémon immune to the move are those with the ability Soundproof since it directly counters sound-based moves, making Boomburst ineffective.

Out of the moves on this list, this one has the fewest that can learn it. No TM/TR of it exists yet. Those that can learn it by leveling up are only Exploud, Vibrava, and Noivern. If trainers understand the intricacies of Pokémon breeding, however, they can hatch Chatot, Pikipek, and Taillow to learn the move. The reason so few can learn Boomburst may partly be because this move has only existed since Pokémon X and Y.

18 Earthquake

Pokemon Earthquake move
  • Type: Ground
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 100
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 10 (max 16)

Earthquake is a popular move that deals Physical Ground-type damage to any Pokémon but those of the Flying-type or with the ability Levitate. It has also existed since the first generation, remaining a staple among many because of its 100 Power and 100% Accuracy. Like Explosion, part of what makes Earthquake so good is that it affects every Pokémon on the field. Unlike Explosion, the user also does not take any damage. This move is excellent if the enemy Pokémon uses Dig, as it will still impact them.

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Pokémon that can naturally learn this move by leveling up include Mudsdale, Golurk, Krookodile, Mamoswine, and Flygon. As a TM, many more Pokémon can learn Earthquake, such as Charizard, Blissey, Wailord, Salamence, Gallade, and more.

17 Eruption

Pokemon Move Eruption
  • Type: Fire
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 150
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

Eruption is a Special Fire-type move with 150 base Power and 100% Accuracy. Eruption uses a rather interesting formula for determining damage, its damage is entirely dependent on the user's HP, meaning the more health the user has, the more damage Eruption does. The damage output potential of this move is absurd, as 150 base Power moves with such a simple drawback are incredibly rare. Even in Doubles, where moves that hit multiple Pokémon get a 25% Power reduction, Eruption still hurts like crazy. When used at the correct time, it can shred through enemy teams like it's nothing.

However, to the relief of some and the concern of others, Game Freak is fully aware of how strong this move is and, as such, has given it to very few Pokémon. The only Pokémon that can learn this move are Typhlosion, Entei, Camerupt, Torkoal, and Groudon, all through level-ups. Of these five, only Typhlosion, Camerupt, and Torkoal can use it notably well, but it still proves a solid option for others.

16 Explosion

Pokemon Explosion move
  • Type: Normal
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 250
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

If trainers want a powerful move that deals Physical Normal-type damage, Explosion is it. This move has been around since the first generation and remains relevant through its insane 250 power and 100% Accuracy. Pokémon that can naturally learn this move by leveling up include Golem, Forretress, Drifblim, Turtonator, Ferrothorn, and Claydol. Using a TM, a wide variety of other Pokemon such as Gengar, Steelix, Metagross, and Camerupt can learn it.

While the move does kill the user in the process, it deals a ton of damage to those around it. Do not try it on any Ghost-types, though, as it will not affect them!

15 Focus Blast

Pokemon Focus Blast
  • Type: Fighting
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 120
  • Accuracy: 70%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

Pokémon have little in the way of Special Fighting-type attacks, which is why Focus Blast is such a valued move, that and its 120 Power and 70% Accuracy. It is a hard-hitting move that any high Special Attack Pokémon can benefit from, especially if they need coverage against formidable Steel-types. But devastating damage is not all Focus Blast has to offer, for it has a 10% chance of lowering the target's Special Defense stat by one stage. Although not as likely to happen, it proves a game changer when it does. The only downside of Focus Blast is its poorer Accuracy, which leaves a considerable margin for failure.

Focus Blast can be learned through level-up or TMs/TRs by a wide variety of Pokémon. Those that would benefit most from Focus Blast include Charizard, Lucario, Reuniclus, and Sceptile, but any should consider this powerful move.

14 Focus Punch

Raichu Focus Punch Move
  • Type: Fighting
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 150
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 20 (max 32)

Introduced in the third generation of games, Focus Punch is known to be one of the strongest Physical Fighting-type moves, standing at 150 Power and 100% Accuracy. What makes using the move a bit tricky is that a Pokémon has to give up a turn to build up focus, but when it finally hits, it hits hard. So, while it demands some luck and careful planning to use, Focus Punch proves a devastatingly powerful move worth taking for most.

The most glaring detriment of using Focus Punch is that, as the name suggests, it requires a Pokémon's concentration, which can be interrupted. If a player's Pokémon is hurt while building up focus, it loses concentration and cannot use Focus Punch. Fortunately, trainers have figured out various ways to avoid that, using moves that debilitate opponents, putting them to Sleep or Paralyzing them, and only trying this move against slower Pokémon.

13 Foul Play

Pokemon Foul Play
  • Type: Dark
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 95
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 15 (max 24)

Foul Play, introduced in Pokémon Black and White, has become known as one of the best Physical Dark-type moves in the series for its 95% Power, 100% Accuracy, and unique effect. This move uses the target's Attack stat when calculating damage rather than the users. While such an effect does not seem significant, it is vital to note that Foul Play proves a saving grace when pitted against an opponent that hits harder while still proving an effective move even when not, granting a safe yet powerful option for players.

The Pokémon that can naturally learn this move include Dark-types such as Zoroark, Houndoom, Honchkrow, and others. There are a few exceptions that are not Dark-type, yet learn Foul Play by leveling up, like Klefki and Oranguru. Through a TM or Move Tutor, many more Pokémon from other types can learn Foul Play, which is helpful for those needing a good Dark-type move to counter specific opponents.

12 Head Smash

Head Smash Pokemon Move
  • Type: Rock
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 150
  • Accuracy: 80%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

Head Smash is a Physical Rock-type move with 150 base Power and 80% Accuracy. Besides its lesser Accuracy, Head Smash suffers from a significant downside, which is massive recoil. The user will lose health equal to one-half of the damage done to the opponent, which can be enough for opposing Pokémon to finish them off.

The absolute best Head Smash users are Sudowoodo, Relicanth, Aggron, and Tyrantrum because they have access to the ludicrous combination that is STAB Head Smash with the frightening Rock Head Ability. Rock Head has a very simple yet powerful effect: it negates recoil damage from all of the user's moves, meaning that the only drawback these Pokémon see from using this move is its imperfect Accuracy. They all get Head Smash by level up — minus Aggron, who gets it from breeding — so the move is not even difficult to obtain, leaving little reason for these Pokémon not to take it.

11 Hidden Power

Pokemon HIdden Power-1
  • Type: Normal
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 50
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 15 (max 24)

On the surface, the Special Normal-type move Hidden Power seems lackluster, with its 50 Power and 100% Accuracy, but it holds potential in its unique effect. This move changes type based on the user's IVs, granting it access to types — besides Normal and Fairy — it would otherwise not have access to, like an Ice-type move for a Fire-type Pokémon. That alone makes Hidden Power — a deceptively strong move — powerful, as it grants much more coverage to those with limited or uninspired move pools. Pokémon with this move will always surprise opponents and gain an unexpected advantage against them.

Every Pokémon, excluding a rare few, can learn Hidden power by leveling up or using a TM/TR, making it an option most players should consider. Any Pokémon can benefit from this move, but it is best used to counter any type a trainer's team does not account for. For instance, a team without anything to oppose Psychic-types should have one member learn Hidden Power with the Dark-type.

10 Hydro Cannon

Blastoise using Hydro Cannon in Pokemon
  • Type: Water
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 150
  • Accuracy: 90%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

The Pokémon community widely regards Hydro Cannon as the most potent Special Water-type move, which tracks with its insane 150 Power and 90% Accuracy. It debuted in generation three, and usually only a fully evolved Water-type starter Pokémon can learn it, with weird exceptions like Smeargle. While it deals a ton of damage, it comes with the debilitating setback of having to skip the next turn. Even so, many players find Hydro Cannon is well worth a missed turn because of its damage output alone.

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What sets this move apart from many others is that it cannot be learned naturally, via evolution or level-up. For trainers to teach a Pokémon this move, they need a Move Tutor. He will often only teach a Pokémon this move if it has maximum friendship with its trainer, so be nice to your companions.

9 Moonblast

Penelope Sylveon Moonblast
  • Type: Fairy
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 95
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 15 (max 24)

Moonblast featured with the debut of Fairy-types in Pokémon X and Y, giving the latest type since Dark and Steel-types in generation two a powerful Special Fairy-type move with 95 Power and 100% Accuracy to round their selection. Players were mind-blown by how strong this new move was, especially in the hands of capable Fairy-types like the newly introduced Sylveon. Not only does Moonblast deal a lot of damage, but it has a 30% chance of lowering an opponent's Special Attack stat by one stage, which makes it a formidable move against Special Attack heavy types like Dark or Psychic.

While naturally learned by numerous Fairy-types, Moonblast is available to various Pokémon of many types. Most will find this move a staple of many Pokémon's move list for a compelling reason, as it is all good with no bad. The only reason why a trainer would not teach their Pokémon Moonblast is if they do not have a high Special Attack stat.

8 Outrage

Pokemon Move Outrage
  • Type: Dragon
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 120
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 10 (max 16)

Outrage is a Physical Dragon-type move with 120 base Power and 100% Accuracy. Outrage has incredible damage output and sees a massive benefit from being a Dragon-type move, as with Ghost-types, having only two types — Steel and Fairy — that can resist it. This move does come with two significant drawbacks, however. One, when using Outrage, the user cannot select any other moves for the next 2/3 turns, but switching is still allowed. Two, after Outrage ends, the user becomes Confused, making it a gamble to use.

These negative aspects are not too bad, though. In certain instances, being locked into Outrage can be a positive. If the user was going to click Outrage next turn anyway, this saves them the time of having to select it again. Even the Confusion status effect can be negated by giving a Pokémon a Lum Berry or Persim Berry to hold, which will cure its Confusion as soon as it activates, giving the user a one-time pass from this drawback. Alternatively, Outrage could be selected at an appropriate time that allows a Pokémon to be switched out, as switching removes Confusion. The best Outrage users are Salamence, Garchomp, and Haxorus. The move can be learned through level-up, TMs/TRs, breeding, and tutoring.

7 Poltergeist

Pokemon Poltergeist Move
  • Type: Ghost
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 110
  • Accuracy: 90%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

Poltergeist is a Physical Ghost-type move with 110 base Power and 90% Accuracy. This move is unique in that it is the only move that requires an opponent to have an item for it to work, as the user attacks the target with the item. There are a lot of things that make this move so strong. For one, it is a Ghost-type move, which is already a big plus, as the only two types that can resist Ghost-types are Dark and Normal. Ghost hits most types neutrally at worst. 110 base Power is solid for its extremely easy-to-work-around drawback, especially in competitive play, where every Pokémon fought will have a held item, which will be to their detriment if they are not.

A good selection of Pokémon can learn Poltergeist, but the ones that see the most benefit from it are outstanding Ghost-types like Marowak, Dusknoir, Golurk, Trevenant, Dhelmise, and Runerigus.

6 Scald

move used in the anime by the water pokemon squirtle.
  • Type: Water
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 80
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 15 (max 24)

What many trainers love about Scald is that it is a worthwhile Special Water-type move, bragging 80 Power and 100% Accuracy, yet boasts a 30% chance to inflict a burn on its target, ensuring constant damage each turn a target suffers this status condition. This seemingly contradictory effect makes Scald a go-to pick for many players; however, it is vital to note that if the target is frozen, Scald will thaw them, ruining an otherwise perfect opportunity to unleash a risky attack freely or switch out a Pokémon.

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Scald was introduced in Pokémon Black and White and is available to practically every Water-type Pokémon with few exceptions. Even better, it is a Water-type move that some Fire-type Pokémon can learn, which may prove beneficial against frequently used Ground or Rock-types.

5 Sky Attack

Paul Honchkrow Sky Attack
  • Type: Flying
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 140
  • Accuracy: 50%
  • PP: 5 (max 8)

Around ever since generation one, Sky Attack is a powerful Physical Flying-type move with 140 Power and 90% Accuracy that takes time to build, demanding two turns before unleashing a devastating strike. Besides dealing a significant amount of damage, it has a 30% chance for the opponent to flinch when hit, denying them a turn. Inflicting considerable damage without rebuttal from opposing Pokémon is too good to pass up, especially for Pokémon meant to be fast and hard-hitting sweepers.

Pokémon that naturally learn these moves include Togekiss, Fearow, Noctowl, and other Flying-types with few exceptions. The only downside of Sky Attack is that it is not guaranteed to hit at a 90% Accuracy, which worsens against enemies who excel at reducing others' Accuracy.

4 Stealth Rock

Pokemon Stealth Rock
  • Type: Rock
  • Category: Status
  • Power: N/A
  • Accuracy: N/A
  • PP: 20 (max 32)

Stealth Rock is a Status Rock-type move that sets an oppressive entry hazard for an opponent's team, dissuading them from doing something immensely helpful: switching out Pokémon. This move sets sharp stones upon the battlefield, which inflict damage every time a Pokémon is swapped out, hurting the one replacing the other. Its effectiveness varies, but at its baseline, it inflicts 12.5% of the targets HP as damage, which is more than enough to make opponents second-guess their decision to switch Pokémon. Stealth Rock's ability to punish opponents for a basic move in battles is incredibly powerful.

A great deal of Pokémon can learn Stealth Rock through leveling up, TMs/TRs, breeding, and Move Tutors. While this move is hardly ever a poor choice, it is best for tanky Pokémon like Coalossal, Gigalith, Shuckle, and Palossand, who can whittle away opposing Pokémon's health while sustaining themselves, allowing them to redeploy Stealth Rock throughout a battle.

3 Substitute

Pokemon Substitute
  • Type: Normal
  • Category: Status
  • Power: N/A
  • Accuracy: N/A
  • PP: 10 (max 16)

Substitute is a Status Normal-type move with a straightforward yet incredible function; it generates a dummy to take the hits. By expending 25% of its HP, a Pokémon can create a substitute with HP equal to that 25% which endures any attack that would go to the user. While that seems so-so, any damage inflicted by an attack goes solely to the copy and does not carry over to the user, meaning a Pokémon can avoid a life-threatening blow and live another turn. This effect allows for intriguing combos and plays that can win even the most unfavorable matches, with the only con being that Substitute requires HP to use, a downside that any Pokémon with recuperative capabilities can easily overcome.

Nearly every Pokémon can learn Substitute by leveling up, using TMs/TRs, breeding, or going to a Move Tutor. There is much versatility in what Pokémon benefit from this move, as it can aid offensive, defensive, and utility playstyles significantly, making it a prime choice for most.

2 Thunder

Pikachu Attacking
  • Type: Electric
  • Category: Special
  • Power: 110
  • Accuracy: 70%
  • PP: 10 (max 16)

Thunder is a Special Electric-type move widely regarded as the Flying-type killer, boasting 110 Power and 70% Accuracy. It has also been around since the first games and remains a popular choice among Electric-types. Not only does it deal a ton of damage, but it has a chance of paralyzing the opponent. The PP is only ten, but it can easily be increased with a PP up. A significant weakness this move has is that it can easily miss. So if accuracy goes down, bringing it below 90%, then Thunder can be very difficult to use.

Pokémon that can learn this move by leveling up include Pikachu, Ampharos, Jolteon, and more. As a TM/TR, it can be taught to Lapras, Dragonite, Aggron, and others.

1 U-Turn

Pokemon U-Turn
  • Type: Bug
  • Category: Physical
  • Power: 70
  • Accuracy: 100%
  • PP: 20 (max 32)

U-Turn is a Physical Bug-type move that offers some versatility on top of its 70 Power and 100% Accuracy. This move lets its user dish a strong attack on an opponent before immediately switching out to another Pokémon in a trainer's party. This effect lets players swap Pokémon in the middle of a fight, allowing them to save their partner from certain doom or switch to a Pokémon more capable of tanking or even negating an attack, all while dealing damage. The effectiveness of U-Turn and the interesting tactics it lends itself to are game-changing.

There are few Pokémon that cannot learn U-Turn by leveling up or using a TM/TR, making it a worthwhile option for most. While every Pokémon can use an emergency escape, those that benefit most from this move are hard-hitting glass cannons that need an out from an unfavorable match-up.

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