After 27 years of the franchise's run and over 1,000 unique Pokémon species available in the main games, the collective movepool available for these creatures has been fleshed out with many powerful attacks to use in competitive formats. Each mainline installment to the video game series introduces new moves to shake up both story playthroughs and the metagame.
However, several attacks have persevered through the generations to cement their competitive viability. Earthquake has been one of the most popular and flexible attacks since Generation I, while newer moves like U-Turn added more nuance to local and online play-versus-player Pokémon matches.
10 Hidden Power
First introduced in the acclaimed Generation II games Pokémon Gold and Silver, Hidden Power has also maintained its place in modern competitive matches. In its base form, this technique is a Normal-Type with a modest Base Power and great Accuracy.
However, Hidden Power's 50 BP and 100 Accuracy becomes far more appealing since the attack itself can become any Type -- depending on the user's IV spread (Individual Values). This is, admittedly, where constant Pokémon breeding can make grinding for competitive-ready creatures taxing, but its sheer versatility is worth the effort. Hidden Power can provide valuable coverage damage to compensate for its user's weaknesses.
9 Rapid Spin
Something that's evolved the strategic elements of competitive Pokémon battling is the use of "hazard moves." These moves can gradually chip away at the player's team with not much they can do, but Rapid Spin is a crucial check against this.
On the surface, Rapid Spin only has a modest damage output with 50 BP—although it used to be a mere 20 from Gens I-VII. But what makes this Normal-Type attack invaluable is that it has the secondary effect of clearing stage hazards. That means the user can quickly dispatch the most detrimental hazard moves like Spikes, Stealth Rocks, and even health-sapping moves like Leech Seed.
8 U-Turn
By the time Pokémon Diamond and Pearl arrived on the Nintendo DS, competitive battling became noticeably more complex. That's partly thanks to attacks like U-Turn, which made pivoting in and out of battles a worthwhile tactic.
The Bug-Type attack has a solid 70 Base Power along with a 100 Accuracy, alongside the secondary effect of letting the user switch out with a teammate in the same turn. U-Turn is practically a must on the movesets for many of the most beloved Bug-Type Pokémon, as it can grind the opponent's offensive momentum down to a halt. And like many of the best attacks, U-Turn can be learned by a variety of Pokémon spanning many Types.
7 Scald
Attacks that do more than simply deal raw damage to the opponent have become more important to competitive Pokémon gameplay. There will always be a place for both, but moves like Scald have helped elevate offensive tactics to new heights.
A Water-Type attack, Scald has an impressive BP of 80 and 100 Accuracy, but it also has a 30 percent chance to inflict the Burn status on foes. When combining that solid raw power with such a useful affliction like Burn—which also halves opponents' Physical attack output—it's easy to see how useful this is in battle. What's more, if the user is Frozen, Scald can thaw them out.
6 Shadow Ball
Shadow is, perhaps, one of the most flexible Ghost-Type attacks in the Pokémon games and has become more so with each generation. The move debuted in Gold and Silver to give Ghost-Type species some much-needed offensive depth, but it's useful for many Pokémon.
Shadow Ball is a Special Attack-focused move with an 80 BP and 100 Accuracy, and it also has a 20 percent chance of lowering the target's Sp. Defense by one stage. This can open up the opponent's guard further, and this attack can be taught to a broad pool of Pokémon of different Types via TM. Despite being Ghost-Type, Shadow Ball is sufficiently threatening to nearly everything that isn't Dark- or Normal-Type.
5 Outrage
Whether they're mono- or dual-types, Dragon-Type Pokémon have consistently been among the strongest creatures in the mainline games. On top of the stats many of these species boast, that reputation is partly thanks to having access to attacks like Outrage. A devastating Dragon-Type attack if used carefully, Outrage has a staggering 120 BP and 100 Accuracy.
The introduction of the Fairy-Type brought a noticeable check against attacks like this and Dragons in general, but Outrage is still viable considering its power and how many non-Dragons can learn it. Important to note, however, is that this attack locks the user into Outrage for 2–3 turns and Confuses them immediately after.
4 Fake Out
Making the most out of each turn is paramount in a competitive setting, and that's precisely why depriving the opponent of as many turns as possible is valuable. Attacks like Fake Out have proven incredibly useful for this reason since its debut in Generation III. The Normal-Type attack has a 40 BP and 100 Accuracy.
That's nothing special on its own, but it guarantees to Flinch the target upon connecting. Flinching forces the opponent to sacrifice a turn, allowing players to double up on the offensive or even set up some utility moves. Just as useful is Fake Out's high Priority, meaning that it will go first almost every time.
3 Knock Off
Another element of competitive Pokémon battling that's grown since Generation II is the use of Held Items. Players will be hard-pressed to find opposition teams that don't use them, and Knock Off is a great counter against these tactics.
A Dark-Type attack introduced in the Generation III games—Ruby and Sapphire for the Game Boy Advance—Knock Off has a respectable 65 BP with 100 Accuracy, but its secondary effect is more important. Once it connects, this move knocks away the opponent's Held Item, assuming they're holding one. Better still, if the target is holding an item, that 65 BP gets boosted by 50 percent.
2 Close Combat
Fighting-Type Pokémon are fittingly known for being powerful Physical-focused attackers, and Close Combat is one of the Type's best offensive moves. Introduced in Generation IV, the attack is best known for being among the choice moves for the fan-favorite Fighting-Type Pokémon Infernape.
With a fantastic 120 BP and 100 Accuracy, Close Combat can potentially tear through the opposition with ease. The catch, however, is that it debuffs the user's Physical Defense and Special Defense by one stage each. Players will need to weigh the pros and cons before using it, but it's a fair tradeoff considering the attack will likely eliminate threats before the lowered defenses become a problem.
1 Earthquake
A certified classic since the beloved Generation I Pokémon games on the original Game Boy, Earthquake has proven endlessly reliable. This Ground-Type attack is an excellent asset to have on a team member to deal heavy damage to most opponents. Earthquake is a straightforward, no-nonsense technique that packs immense firepower thanks to its 100 Base Power and 100 Accuracy rating.
The fact that it's so simple to use has helped make it a staple on many competitive teams, but also with how versatile and accessible it is. Swathes of Pokémon of many different Types can learn it, from its native Ground-Type for boosted STAB damage (Same Type Attack Bonus) to even Water-Types.