Explosion (move)

Explosion (Japanese: だいばくはつ Giant Explosion) is a damage-dealing move introduced in Generation I. It is currently the most powerful move in terms of its base power. It was TM47 in Generation I before losing its TM status in Generation II. It regained its TM status, albeit as TM64, in Generation IV onwards.

Generation I
Explosion inflicts damage, and causes the user to faint. Though its power is listed as 170, the target's will be halved during damage calculation (unless it is at a value of 1), effectively doubling the power to 340.

The user of Explosion will faint even if the attack misses or the opponent is immune to it (due to being Ghost type).

If Explosion breaks a target's, the user will not faint, though its image will be replaced by a blank image. Additionally, if the user of Explosion had a substitute at the time of such a situation, uses Substitute later, or switches out, its regular image will once again become visible.

If the user of Explosion attacks first and faints itself, the opponent will not attack or be subjected to recurrent damage during that round.

In Stadium, if Explosion breaks a target's substitute, the user will faint. The base power listed in Stadium is the one after halving Defense, i.e. 340.

Generation II
Explosion's power is increased to 250. The target's Defense is still halved, effectively doubling the power to 500.

The user of Explosion will now faint even if the target is behind a, or is against it.

If the user of Explosion attacks first and faints itself, the opponent will not attack this turn, but is subjected to end-of-turn damage such as from.

Unlike in the previous game, Stadium 2 lists Explosion's power before halving Defense.

The Focus Band won't prevent the user of Explosion from fainting.

Generation III
Explosion cannot be used when a Pokémon with the Ability is on the field. The user's sprite no longer disappears upon using the move.

If the user of Explosion attacks first and faints itself, all other Pokémon may still attack this turn.

Generation IV
If all targets of Explosion have already fainted this turn such that there is no target when Explosion is being executed, Explosion will fail and the user will not faint.

The Focus Sash won't prevent the user of Explosion from fainting.

is triggered by the opponent having this move in their moveset.

Generation V
Explosion no longer halves the target's Defense. The user faints before dealing damage, unlike in previous generations.

If all targets of Explosion have already fainted this turn such that there is no target when Explosion is being executed, the user of Explosion will now faint regardless.

won't prevent the user of Explosion from fainting.

is no longer triggered by this move.

Generation VI onward
Explosion returns to damaging the target before the user faints.

Explosion can also be used as part of a Contest Spectacular combination, with the user gaining an extra three appeal points if any of the moves, or  was used in the prior turn.

Description

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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series
Explosion does not cause the user to faint, but instead cuts its HP in half, and affects all Pokémon, items, and walls within 2 tiles of the user, reducing HP by half on teammates, by 80 on hostile Pokémon, and destroying all walls, items, and special tiles. Explosion cannot be used in or on any floor with a Pokémon with the Ability. Additionally, Pokémon take only 50% of usual damage.

In Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, Explosion is a Status move. It only activates if the Pokémon is attacked. It also destroys all items on the floor if activated.

Description

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In the Pokémon Adventures manga

 * In Gotcha Where I Wantcha, Glalie, a that  was renting from the  was revealed to know Explosion by 's Pokédex.

In the Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys manga

 * In Farewell To Pikachu?!, 🇬🇼 mentioned that his had used Explosion, but the move was executed off-panel.

Trivia

 * In Generation I, if or Explosion knocks out the last remaining Pokémon on both sides of the field simultaneously, the player will black out as normal, but the victory music still plays.
 * In Generations II and III, if a Pokémon attempts to use Selfdestruct or Explosion but hurts itself in instead, the confusion damage is boosted by the move's Defense-halving effect.
 * Self-Destruct and Explosion are the only two damaging moves whose battle animations play out in the main series even if they would miss or have no effect.
 * If Explosion is upgraded into the Z-Move, that Breakneck Blitz will have a lower base power than Explosion (200 versus Explosion's 250).
 * All Pokémon that can have the Ability can learn Explosion.

In other languages
Explosion Explosión Explosion Esplosione だいばくはつ 大爆炸（招式）