So a piece of (relatively useless) data that I've always wanted to look at, but could never find, was a breakdown of Pokemon move types by their effect. Since I've had nothing but time during this part of the year, especially this year, I decided to compile it myself, and thought that it'd be a good thing to share just in case someone else on here was interested as well. To complete this little project, I had to make some judgement calls, so this breakdown isn't as objective as it seems, as there are a plethora of moves (for example, Rest) that could be categorized in more than one way. My thought process was as follows:
I included all moves except for Z moves, Max Moves, G-Max Moves, and LGPE moves. I included the snapped moves since some of them have returned in the DLC, and I may like to update this at some point in the next few generations.
To avoid having 50 different categories, I tried to create 9 different categories that were as broad as possible. Because of this, certain move categorizations may seem like a stretch. My reasoning:
Based on these categories, here are the results. Please remember that these results aren't static.
Some insights from the data:
-Earth and Dragon types have a high percentage of None moves, which makes sense given how the power and character of Pokemon that share this type was designed.
-Flying, uniquely, has a very high percentage of Other moves, mostly flinching and high crit moves.
-Almost every other Fire and Poison move has a chance to inflict a status effect, followed by a third of Electric moves.
-Grass and Fairy moves, based on their breakdown, show that the types were designed mostly as support.
Okay that's it. If you find anything of note from this data, feel free to comment down below. If anyone is interested, I can post the data sheets for each type to show how every move was categorized.
I included all moves except for Z moves, Max Moves, G-Max Moves, and LGPE moves. I included the snapped moves since some of them have returned in the DLC, and I may like to update this at some point in the next few generations.
To avoid having 50 different categories, I tried to create 9 different categories that were as broad as possible. Because of this, certain move categorizations may seem like a stretch. My reasoning:
- Inflicts Field Effects: Moves that have an effect on the field. This category would include things like hazards, terrains, the various rooms, weather, hazard removal. Screens are included in hazards.
- Alters Stats: Moves that raise, lower, or eliminate stats either as a primary or secondary effect.
- Unorthodox Damage Calculation: Moves that can have different amounts of power or typing based on your or the opponent’s status/stats/typing/move order/damage taken. This category also covers moves like Psyshock and variable multi-hit moves.
- Alters HP: Moves that have effects on your, or your opponent’s, HP that aren’t related to status or variable damage. This category includes 1HKO moves, suicide moves, recoil moves, healing moves, moves that leave you with 1HP.
- Inflicts Status: Moves that either inflict, prevent, or heal status. Status, for this purpose, is defined very broadly. Status would include things like being paralyzed, being infatuated, being disabled, redirection, being trapped, and raising/protecting from critical hits.
- Interacts w/ Item: Moves that have a different effect/power based on held items.
- Priority: Moves that have an increased priority.
- Other: Moves that don’t fit well into any of the other categories. This category includes moves that flinch, moves that protect from damage, moves that alter/ignore typings, moves that alter/ignore abilities, pivot moves, 2 turn moves, high crit moves, and moves that don't check accuracy.
- None: The move deals a set amount of damage every turn, with no drawbacks or secondary effects, or a move that has no effect at all, like Splash.
Based on these categories, here are the results. Please remember that these results aren't static.
Some insights from the data:
-Earth and Dragon types have a high percentage of None moves, which makes sense given how the power and character of Pokemon that share this type was designed.
-Flying, uniquely, has a very high percentage of Other moves, mostly flinching and high crit moves.
-Almost every other Fire and Poison move has a chance to inflict a status effect, followed by a third of Electric moves.
-Grass and Fairy moves, based on their breakdown, show that the types were designed mostly as support.
Okay that's it. If you find anything of note from this data, feel free to comment down below. If anyone is interested, I can post the data sheets for each type to show how every move was categorized.
