Gen 2 Move Database

Pokémon Gold & Silver Moves

Gen 2 splits the Special stat into Sp. Atk and Sp. Def, changing how every attacking and defensive move works. New Steel and Dark type moves round out coverage gaps.

GOLD & SILVER MOVE LIST

Move Spotlight

Curse

—

#1 PickStatus

Curse

GhostStatus

Power—

Accuracy—

PP10

Used by

Snorlax used Curse to become the undisputed king of Gold & Silver competitive play. Each boost raised Attack and Defense while lowering Speed, but Snorlax was already slow. Behind its massive 160 base HP, a few Curses created something most teams simply couldn't break through.

Curse (Ghost / Status)

Snorlax used Curse to become the undisputed king of Gold & Silver competitive play. Each boost raised Attack and Defense while lowering Speed, but Snorlax was already slow. Behind its massive 160 base HP, a few Curses created something most teams simply couldn't break through.

Spikes

—

#2 PickStatus

Spikes

GroundStatus

Power—

Accuracy—

PP20

Used by

Spikes introduced entry hazards to Pokemon for the first time in Gold & Silver. Cloyster and Forretress became team staples because they could lay Spikes before going down. Every time the opponent switched in, their Pokemon took damage, turning each swap into a real cost.

Spikes (Ground / Status)

Spikes introduced entry hazards to Pokemon for the first time in Gold & Silver. Cloyster and Forretress became team staples because they could lay Spikes before going down. Every time the opponent switched in, their Pokemon took damage, turning each swap into a real cost.

Hidden Power

#3 PickSpecial

Hidden Power

NormalSpecial

Power60

Accuracy100%

PP15

Used by

Hidden Power gave every special attacker a customizable coverage type in Gold & Silver. The competitive scene revolved around guessing which version a Zapdos or Raikou carried. Ice punished Ground-types that walled them. Grass caught Water-types off guard. One wrong prediction cost games.

Hidden Power (Normal / Special)

Hidden Power gave every special attacker a customizable coverage type in Gold & Silver. The competitive scene revolved around guessing which version a Zapdos or Raikou carried. Ice punished Ground-types that walled them. Grass caught Water-types off guard. One wrong prediction cost games.

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Game Rules

How Moves Work in Gold & Silver

The Special split rewrites old ratings

Special Attack and Special Defense are separate stats now, and plenty of Gen 1 Pokémon came out of the split lopsided. Check both numbers before handing out a special TM, because a strong Special in the old games doesn't guarantee strong output here.

Held items now boost your moves

A Charcoal or Mystic Water adds a flat bonus to matching move types, and berries patch status problems mid-fight. Move damage stopped being a fixed number in Gen 2, so factor the item slot into what you teach.

Hidden Power is a wildcard

Hidden Power arrives in Gen 2 with a type and power that vary from one Pokémon to the next. It hands specialists a coverage option nothing else in their learnset offers. What you actually roll, though, is out of your hands.

Debuts

New in Gold & Silver

86 moves introduced in Generation 2

Gen 2's new moves landed inside a bigger rebalance: new stats, a new item slot, two new types. That context matters as you scan them, because several exist purely to give Dark and Steel something to click, while others became permanent fixtures overnight.

Questions

Pokémon Moves: Frequently Asked

What new move types were introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

Gen 2 introduced the Dark and Steel types, adding new moves like Crunch, Faint Attack, and Iron Tail. These new types were specifically designed to balance the overpowered Psychic type from Gen 1, with Dark being immune to Psychic attacks.

Are TMs reusable in Gold and Silver?

No. TMs remain single-use items in Gold and Silver. However, some TMs can be purchased repeatedly at the Goldenrod Department Store or Celadon Department Store, making them effectively unlimited if you have the money.

How do Breeding moves work in Generation 2?

Gen 2 introduced Egg Moves, allowing Pokémon to inherit moves from their father that they cannot learn through leveling up or TMs. This opened up entirely new competitive strategies by giving Pokémon access to coverage moves and priority moves they otherwise could not obtain.

Does Gold and Silver use the physical/special split?

No. Like Gen 1, all moves in Gen 2 are classified as physical or special based on their type, not the individual move. All Dark moves are special and all Steel moves are physical, regardless of the move itself.

What are Move Tutors in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

Gold and Silver do not have formal Move Tutors as a mechanic. However, there are NPCs who teach specific moves like Headbutt through overworld interactions. The Move Tutor system was expanded significantly in Crystal.