Character Skills

Overview

In Pokémon GO, your character is the Trainer, but the real "skills" are the abilities and moves of your Pokémon. This guide covers both Trainer skills (catching, battling, items) and Pokémon skills (Fast Moves, Charged Moves, legacy moves, and special mechanics). Unlike traditional RPGs, there are no multiple playable characters—only the Trainer evolves by leveling up and acquiring better Pokémon. All skills are tied to your Pokémon roster and your own actions.

---

1. Trainer Skills (Player Abilities)

The Trainer has no traditional skill tree, but you can master several actions that directly impact gameplay.

1.1 Throwing Poké Balls

• Basic Throw: Swipe up to toss a Poké Ball. No bonus.


• Curveball: Spin the ball before throwing. Adds 1.7x catch multiplier (if it lands in the circle).


• Nice Throw: Circle size ~70-100% (ring color green/yellow). 1.0x multiplier.


• Great Throw: Circle size ~30-70% (orange ring). 1.5x multiplier.


• Excellent Throw: Circle size ~5-30% (red ring). 2.0x multiplier.


• Mastering the timing of the shrinking circle is key. Use Nanab Berries to stop movement, then aim for Excellent throws on stationary Pokémon.




1.2 Using Berries



• Razz Berry: Increases catch rate by 1.5x for the next throw.


• Golden Razz Berry: 2.5x catch rate, fully restores a Gym defender's motivation.


• Nanab Berry: Calms Pokémon, slowing movement for easier throws.


• Pinap Berry: Doubles Candy received if caught. Silver Pinap adds 1.1x catch rate and extra Candy.


• Synergy: Use Razz + Curveball + Great/Excellent for maximum catch chance on legendaries.




1.3 Dodging (in Gyms/Raids)



• Swipe left or right to dodge Charged Attacks from Gym defenders or Raid Bosses.


• Perfect dodge: Taking zero damage (timing required). Partial dodge reduces damage by 75%.


• Cooldown: No cooldown, but you must wait for dodge animation to finish before attacking again.


• Upgrade: No direct upgrades—practice timing. Use Pokémon with high HP to survive missed dodges.




1.4 Charged Attack Timing



• Press and hold the screen to use a Charged Attack. In PvP, you must tap the icon when enough energy is accumulated.


• Overcharging: In PvP, you can keep tapping to store extra energy past the required amount (up to 100 energy). Useful for baiting shields.


• Combo: Fast Move -> Charged Move (sequence matters for shield baiting in PvP).




1.5 Using Items in Battle



• Max Revive, Full Restore: Used from the battle screen (if allowed). No cooldown, but limited by inventory.


• Max Potion: Heal during Raids (if in-premise).


• TMs (Technical Machines): Fast TM changes Fast Move, Charged TM changes Charged Move. Available from Raids, GBL, events.


---



2. Pokémon Skills (Moves)



Every Pokémon has two move slots: one Fast Move and one Charged Move. A third slot (for an additional Charged Move) can be unlocked using Candy and Stardust. Moves are divided into 18 types. Some moves have special secondary effects.



2.1 Fast Moves



• Function: Tap repeatedly to deal damage and generate energy for Charged Attacks.


• Stats: Power, cooldown (turns), energy per use, damage window (for PvP).


• Examples:

- Dragon Breath (Dragon): 4 damage, 0.5 second cooldown, generates 3 energy per use. Excellent for energy gain.
- Counter (Fighting): 8 damage, 0.9 second cooldown, 3.5 energy. High damage and decent energy.

• Cooldowns: Refer to individual move data (third-party sources like GamePress).


• Upgrades: No direct upgrades; you change Fast Moves using a Fast TM.


• Synergy: Pick a Fast Move that aligns with your Charged Move's type coverage or energy requirements.




2.2 Charged Moves



• Function: Activated when enough energy is accumulated (usually 30-100 energy). Press and hold.


• Stats: Power, energy cost, duration, debuff chance (e.g., lowers opponent's Attack).


• Examples:

- Hydro Cannon (Water): 90 damage, 40 energy. High damage-to-energy ratio.
- Shadow Ball (Ghost): 100 damage, 55 energy. Great neutral coverage.

• Cooldowns: No cooldown per se—you must earn energy again after using.


• Upgrades: Use a Charged TM to change one Charged Move (random result among available moves). Unlock second Charged Move with Candy/Stardust.


• Legacy Moves: Certain moves are no longer obtainable unless by Elite TM (e.g., Frenzy Plant for Venusaur). Use Elite TMs sparingly.




2.3 Special Move Types



• Weather Boost: Moves of the same type as the current weather (e.g., Rainy = Water) deal 1.2x more damage.


• STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus): If the Pokémon's type matches the move's type, damage is multiplied by 1.2x (PvE) or 1.6x (PvP).


• Fast Move Only: Some Pokémon have only one Fast Move option (e.g., Magikarp: Splash).


• Signature Moves: Legendaries (e.g., Ho-Oh with Sacred Fire) or exclusive moves (e.g., Mewtwo with Psystrike).




2.4 Move Effects (Debuffs/Buffs)



• Attack Debuff: E.g., Bubble Beam has 30% chance to lower opponent's Attack by one stage (20% reduction).


• Defense Debuff: E.g., Iron Head has 30% chance to lower opponent's Defense.


• Self-Boost: Karrablast? Rare; most self-buffs are via moves like Swords Dance (sharpens Attack) but few are currently coded into GO.


• Status Conditions: None directly—only stat changes (attack/defense).


---



3. Roles and Recommended Builds



While no classes exist, certain Pokémon serve roles. Here are archetype-based builds:



3.1 Raid Attacker (PvE)



• Goal: Maximize DPS against Raid Bosses.


• Fast Move: High damage, good STAB (e.g., Shadow Claw on Gengar).


• Charged Move: High damage, same type as Fast Move for STAB (e.g., Shadow Ball).


• Second Charged Move: Coverage move (e.g., Sludge Bomb for Fairy-resistant foes).


• Example Build:

- Mamoswine: Powder Snow (Ice, fast) + Avalanche (Ice, STAB) + Bulldoze (Ground, coverage).
- Lucario: Counter (Fighting) + Aura Sphere (Fighting) + Shadow Ball (Ghost).



3.2 Gym Defender



• Goal: Stall attackers, waste time.


• Fast Move: High damage or disruptive (e.g., Confusion on Blissey).


• Charged Move: Slow, high-damage moves that catch overheat (e.g., Hyper Beam).


• Second Charged Move: Random coverage to avoid easy resistances.


• Example Build:

- Blissey: Pound (Normal) + Hyper Beam (Normal) + Psychic (Psychic).
- Snorlax: Lick (Ghost) + Body Slam (Normal) + Earthquake (Ground).



3.3 PvP (GO Battle League)



• Goal: Win shield management, type coverage, and switch advantage.


• Fast Move: Fast, energy-generating (e.g., Mud Shot on Swampert).


• Charged Move: Low energy cost for baits plus high damage for nukes.


• Second Charged Move: Essential for coverage.


• Example Build:

- Swampert (Great League): Mud Shot (Ground) + Hydro Cannon (Water, elite) + Earthquake (Ground, coverage).
- Altaria: Dragon Breath (Dragon) + Sky Attack (Flying) + Moonblast (Fairy, anti-Dragon).

---



4. Move Synergies & Combos




• Fast Move -> Charged Move: Always use Fast Move to charge energy. In PvP, consider move timing: some Fast Moves have longer durations that allow you to sneak in extra damage before opponent's Charged Move.


• Baiting: Use a low-energy Charged Move first to force a shield, then follow with a high-energy nuke (e.g., Swampert: Mud Bomb bait, then Hydro Cannon).


• Type Coverage: Ensure your second Charged Move covers types that resist your primary moves. Example: Giratina Altered (Ghost/Dragon) with Shadow Claw + Dragon Claw (Dragon) – weak to Dark and Fairy – so add Ancient Power (Rock) for coverage.


• Legacy Moves: Some Pokémon rely on legacy moves for optimal performance (e.g., Frenzy Plant Venusaur, Blast Burn Charizard). Elite TMs are the only way to get them now.


---



5. When to Use Each Move




• Fast Moves: Use constantly. Spam during gym/r/PvP battles to build energy. In Raids, use while waiting for Charged Move.


• Charged Moves: Use when you have enough energy and won't waste it (e.g., not when opponent has a shield in PvP, unless baiting). In Raids, use immediately to maximize DPS.


• Legacy/Signature Moves: Use as primary Charged Move on that Pokémon (e.g., Psystrike Mewtwo), as they are often superior.


---



6. Upgrading Moves




• Fast TM: Changes Fast Move (1 use, random from available options). Obtain via Raids (tier 3+), GBL reward, or special research.


• Charged TM: Changes Charged Move (random). For exclusive moves, use Elite Charged TM (choice from entire movepool including legacy).


• Second Charged Move: Unlock with Candy/Stardust (varies per Pokémon, e.g., 50,000 dust + 50 candy for most). Highly recommended for PvP.


• Elite TMs: Available from Community Day boxes, GBL rank rewards, and special events. Use only for legacy moves or exclusive meta picks.

---

7. Comprehensive Move List (Summary)

Since there are hundreds of moves, here are the most important ones by type for competitive play. Full data available on websites like GamePress, PvPoke, or Silph Research.

---

8. Building a Team (Synergy)

• PvE Raid: Use six Pokémon of type super-effective against the Raid Boss, with optimal movesets. Use weather/party bonuses.


• PvP Team: Build around a core of two Pokémon that cover each other's weaknesses, with a safe switch. Example: Bastiodon (Steel/Rock) + Altaria (Dragon/Flying) + Azumarill (Water/Fairy) – classic Great League team.


• Gym Battle: Use high-DPS attackers to quickly defeat defenders. Avoid type disadvantages.

---

9. Conclusion

Mastering Pokémon GO skills means understanding move mechanics, energy management, type matchups, and synergy. There are no skill trees—only your choice of Pokémon, movesets, and battle strategy. Use TMs wisely, practice throws, and learn the timing of dodges and Charged Attacks. The most important skill is knowing when to swap, when to shield, and when to use your Charge Move for maximum impact.