Spikes (move)

Move data

Type Ground
Category Status  Status
Power
Accuracy
PP 20  (max. 32)
Makes contact? No
Introduced Generation 2

Machine/Record

Sword​/​Shield TR23
Scarlet​/​Violet TM090

Effects

LayersDamage
118
216
314

Spikes lays a trap of thorns around the foe, which hurts Pokémon switching in to the opposing field. It can be used up to three times to inflict more damage on incoming Pokémon, equal to a fraction of the Pokémon's HP as shown in the table.

The move will not cause damage to any raised Pokémon. Raised Pokémon are any Flying types or those under the effects of Levitate, Magnet Rise or Telekinesis. Full details in glossary.

Spikes can be cleared from the field by the moves Rapid Spin (around the user) or Defog (around the target).

Z-Move effects

When a Pokémon is holding Groundium Z and uses its Z-Power, Spikes turns into Z-Spikes and raises Defense one stage, in addition to its usual effect as above.

Move target

Foe
Foe
Foe
User
Ally
Ally

Targets all Pokémon on the opposing field.

Other languages

English Spikes
Japanese まきびし (Makibishi)
German Stachler
French Picots
Italian Punte
Spanish Púas
Korean 압정뿌리기
Chinese (Simplified) 撒菱
Chinese (Traditional) 撒菱

Game descriptions

Gold​/​Silver
Crystal
Hurts foes when they switch out.
Ruby​/​Sapphire Sets spikes that hurt a foe switching out.
FireRed​/​LeafGreen A trap of spikes is laid around the foe’s party to hurt foes switching in.
Emerald Sets spikes that hurt a foe switching in.
Diamond​/​Pearl
Platinum
HeartGold​/​SoulSilver
The user lays a trap of spikes at the foe’s feet. The trap hurts foes that switch into battle.
Black​/​White
Black 2​/​White 2
The user lays a trap of spikes at the opposing team’s feet. The trap hurts Pokémon that switch into battle.
X​/​Y
O.Ruby​/​A.Sapphire
The user lays a trap of spikes at the opposing team’s feet. The trap hurts Pokémon that switch into battle.
Sun​/​Moon
Ultra Sun​/​Ultra Moon
The user lays a trap of spikes at the opposing team’s feet. The trap hurts Pokémon that switch into battle.
Sword​/​Shield
B.Diamond​/​S.Pearl
The user lays a trap of spikes at the opposing team’s feet. The trap hurts Pokémon that switch into battle.
Scarlet​/​Violet The user lays a trap of spikes at the feet of the opposing team. The spikes will damage opposing Pokémon that switch into battle.

Learnt by level up

These Pokémon learn Spikes at the level specified. The numbers given are for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet and may vary in other games; check the respective Pokédex pages for details.

Cloyster Cloyster
#0091 / Water · Ice
Level 1
Pineco Pineco
#0204 / Bug
Level 28
Forretress Forretress
#0205 / Bug · Steel
Level 28
Qwilfish Qwilfish
#0211 / Water · Poison
Level 20
Hisuian Qwilfish Qwilfish
Hisuian Qwilfish
#0211 / Dark · Poison
Level 20
Skarmory Skarmory
#0227 / Steel · Flying
Level 44
Cacnea Cacnea
#0331 / Grass
Level 30
Cacturne Cacturne
#0332 / Grass · Dark
Level 30
Deoxys (Defense Forme) Deoxys
Defense Forme
#0386 / Psychic
Level 25
Greninja Greninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
Level 28
Greninja (Ash-Greninja) Greninja
Ash-Greninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
Level 28
Overqwil Overqwil
#0904 / Dark · Poison
Level 20
Ting-Lu Ting-Lu
#1003 / Dark · Ground
Level 5

Learnt by TM

Sandshrew Sandshrew
#0027 / Ground
Sandslash Sandslash
#0028 / Ground
Alolan Sandslash Sandslash
Alolan Sandslash
#0028 / Ice · Steel
Shellder Shellder
#0090 / Water
Cloyster Cloyster
#0091 / Water · Ice
Mew Mew
#0151 / Psychic
Sudowoodo Sudowoodo
#0185 / Rock
Wooper Wooper
#0194 / Water · Ground
Paldean Wooper Wooper
Paldean Wooper
#0194 / Poison · Ground
Quagsire Quagsire
#0195 / Water · Ground
Pineco Pineco
#0204 / Bug
Forretress Forretress
#0205 / Bug · Steel
Gligar Gligar
#0207 / Ground · Flying
Qwilfish Qwilfish
#0211 / Water · Poison
Hisuian Qwilfish Qwilfish
Hisuian Qwilfish
#0211 / Dark · Poison
Heracross Heracross
#0214 / Bug · Fighting
Delibird Delibird
#0225 / Ice · Flying
Skarmory Skarmory
#0227 / Steel · Flying
Cacnea Cacnea
#0331 / Grass
Cacturne Cacturne
#0332 / Grass · Dark
Whiscash Whiscash
#0340 / Water · Ground
Snorunt Snorunt
#0361 / Ice
Glalie Glalie
#0362 / Ice
Groudon Groudon
#0383 / Ground
Deoxys (Defense Forme) Deoxys
Defense Forme
#0386 / Psychic
Vespiquen Vespiquen
#0416 / Bug · Flying
Gastrodon Gastrodon
#0423 / Water · Ground
Bonsly Bonsly
#0438 / Rock
Garchomp Garchomp
#0445 / Dragon · Ground
Gliscor Gliscor
#0472 / Ground · Flying
Froslass Froslass
#0478 / Ice · Ghost
Chespin Chespin
#0650 / Grass
Quilladin Quilladin
#0651 / Grass
Froakie Froakie
#0656 / Water
Frogadier Frogadier
#0657 / Water
Greninja Greninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
Greninja (Ash-Greninja) Greninja
Ash-Greninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
Carbink Carbink
#0703 / Rock · Fairy
Klefki Klefki
#0707 / Steel · Fairy
Diancie Diancie
#0719 / Rock · Fairy
Magearna Magearna
#0801 / Steel · Fairy
Rolycoly Rolycoly
#0837 / Rock
Carkol Carkol
#0838 / Rock · Fire
Coalossal Coalossal
#0839 / Rock · Fire
Overqwil Overqwil
#0904 / Dark · Poison
Meowscarada Meowscarada
#0908 / Grass · Dark
Tarountula Tarountula
#0917 / Bug
Spidops Spidops
#0918 / Bug
Bramblin Bramblin
#0946 / Grass · Ghost
Toedscool Toedscool
#0948 / Ground · Grass
Toedscruel Toedscruel
#0949 / Ground · Grass
Orthworm Orthworm
#0968 / Steel
Glimmet Glimmet
#0969 / Rock · Poison
Glimmora Glimmora
#0970 / Rock · Poison
Clodsire Clodsire
#0980 / Poison · Ground
Ting-Lu Ting-Lu
#1003 / Dark · Ground
Ogerpon (Teal Mask) Ogerpon
Teal Mask
#1017 / Grass

Learnt by breeding

These Pokémon can learn Spikes as an egg move. Their breeding groups are also shown for reference.