Are there any moves that leave the user with 1 HP only?

Question

I know there are moves like Curse or Belly Drum that reduces the HP in order to activate an effect but I'm wondering if there is one that leaves the user with 1HP only...

Thanks!

Comments

There are lots of moves that make the user faint, and false swipe leaves the target with 1 HP if it would make the target faint, but I don't think any moves lower the user's HP to 1.

Answer 1

Pedantic answer incoming... there are no moves that always take the user to 1 HP, but it's quite easy to invent a scenario where recoil moves would have such an effect. For example:

Lvl 70 252+ Atk Corviknight Brave Bird vs. -4 252 HP / 0 Def Blissey: 1078-1269 (150.9 - 177.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

This Corviknight has 238 HP, and this Blissey has 714 HP. 714/3 = 238, so it should be easy to manipulate this scenario to make Corviknight survive on 1 HP, e.g. give it EVs for an extra HP point.

(Recoil damage is implementation-dependent and Showdown's calculator seems to think the damage will be 236, indicating there's some rounding or other imprecision going on. But all you have to do is play around with EVs and levels to get the desired result.)

Answer 2

No move takes the user all by itself to 1 HP. The only way to effectively get yourself down to 1 HP is by using items like Focus Sash, Focus Band (if you trust your luck enough), or the move Endure. Your opponent can also use False Swipe on you. That's about it though.

Comments

Sturdy sets the user's HP to 1 when it activates. There are technically lots of other ways to have 1 HP, such as starting with 101 HP and getting hit by seismic toss.

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There’s also another False Swipe-like move, Hold Back. Essentially does the same as False Swipe.

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Does Focus Sash Explosion work? I know Focus Sash prevents OHKO moves from killing, leaving you at 1 HP

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Explosion just makes the user faint. It doesn't make the user attack itself, so focus sash doesn't work.

Answer 3

Yes, endure is a move that leaves the user with 1 HP when used. It's a priority move, like Protect though it's not exactly the most useful thing in the world, unless you have say... a FAST Lucario who set up a Swords Dance, then used Endure, and finally used a move like Reversal(A move that gets stronger the lower the user's HP is). This strategy can apply to quite a few Pokemon, Weavile, a Zaician & Zamazenta, Koraidon, and even Cinderace. Only problem with this is that most Pokemon that can achieve this aren't all that bulky, especially Weavile, Cinderace and Lucario, and can easily get outsped and oneshot by faster Pokemon with Super-effective moves, if you're not careful. So it's not used all that much.
(Flail can also be used and is exactly like reversal, but is used for different Pokemon and is a Normal-Type move, instead of a Fighting-Type move, and most of the fast Pokemon that can use Flail and Endure, like Jolteon, Talonflame and... Raichu, for some reason, are more Special Attack Heavy, so you're just better off with something else for them. Besides, Reversal is more useful than Flail offensively anyway so there's hardly any point in using Flail in the first place)

Sturdy is an ability that leaves the user with 1 HP, and acts like a focus sash
A focus sash is an item that leaves the Pokemon equipped with 1 HP
And a focus band has a 10% chance to leave your Pokemon on 1 HP, similar to the "[Pokemon] Toughed it out so you wouldn't feel sad!" If you have high friendship/affection with your Pokemon.

Also there's False Swipe, which leaves the Pokemon you attacked with 1 HP left.