Gen 8 Move Database

Pokémon Sword & Shield Moves

The biggest move shakeup in the series. Hidden Power, Return, and Pursuit are cut. Max Moves replace Z-Moves in Dynamax battles. TRs act as single-use TMs alongside reusable ones.

SWORD & SHIELD MOVE LIST

Move Spotlight

Behemoth Blade

100

#1 PickPhysical

Behemoth Blade

SteelPhysical

Power100

Accuracy100%

PP5

Zacian-Crowned's Behemoth Blade dealt double damage to Dynamaxed targets, making it the ultimate counter to Gen 8's central mechanic. 100 base power, doubled to 200 against Dynamax, boosted by Intrepid Sword raising Attack on entry. The most centralizing move in VGC 2022 and Sword & Shield competitive.

Behemoth Blade (Steel / Physical)

Zacian-Crowned's Behemoth Blade dealt double damage to Dynamaxed targets, making it the ultimate counter to Gen 8's central mechanic. 100 base power, doubled to 200 against Dynamax, boosted by Intrepid Sword raising Attack on entry. The most centralizing move in VGC 2022 and Sword & Shield competitive.

Teleport

—

#2 PickStatus

Teleport

PsychicStatus

Power—

Accuracy—

PP20

Used by

Game Freak reworked Teleport to -6 priority in Gen 8, turning a useless escape move into a competitive cornerstone. Slowbro and Clefable used it to take a hit, then switch out last. The incoming teammate entered without taking damage. Defensive momentum, redefined in a single change.

Teleport (Psychic / Status)

Game Freak reworked Teleport to -6 priority in Gen 8, turning a useless escape move into a competitive cornerstone. Slowbro and Clefable used it to take a hit, then switch out last. The incoming teammate entered without taking damage. Defensive momentum, redefined in a single change.

Flip Turn

#3 PickPhysical

Flip Turn

WaterPhysical

Power60

Accuracy100%

PP20

Used by

Flip Turn gave Water-types their own version of U-turn in Sword & Shield. Slowbro dealt Water-type damage and swapped out in the same turn. Combined with Teleport, this completed the toolkit that made slow, bulky Pokemon the best momentum generators in Gen 8 competitive play.

Flip Turn (Water / Physical)

Flip Turn gave Water-types their own version of U-turn in Sword & Shield. Slowbro dealt Water-type damage and swapped out in the same turn. Combined with Teleport, this completed the toolkit that made slow, bulky Pokemon the best momentum generators in Gen 8 competitive play.

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Game Rules

How Moves Work in Sword & Shield

The library finally shrank

Galar removed dozens of long-standing moves outright, from Hidden Power to Return. It is the first cut of its kind in series history. If a set you loved in older games feels impossible to rebuild here, it may not be you.

Relearning is free now

Any Pokémon Center can reteach forgotten level-up moves at no cost in Sword and Shield. The old Heart Scale economy is gone, so swap moves for a single gym and swap back afterward. Experimenting has never been cheaper.

Debuts

New in Sword & Shield

62 moves introduced in Generation 8

New moves reached Galar alongside the biggest subtraction the series ever made, and the two facts are related: a trimmed library made room for sharper designs. The class skews practical, full of moves that solved specific competitive problems on arrival.

Questions

Pokémon Moves: Frequently Asked

What are Max Moves and G-Max Moves in Pokémon Sword and Shield?

When a Pokémon Dynamaxes, its moves become Max Moves with boosted power and secondary effects like setting weather or terrain. Specific Gigantamax forms get exclusive G-Max Moves that replace the Max Move of their type with a unique effect.

Are TMs and TRs different in Sword and Shield?

Yes. Sword and Shield uses both reusable TMs and single-use TRs (Technical Records). TMs are reusable as usual, while TRs break after one use but teach many powerful competitive moves like Close Combat, Earthquake, and Calm Mind.

What new moves were introduced in Generation 8?

Gen 8 added many new moves including Behemoth Blade and Behemoth Bash (Zacian/Zamazenta signatures), Grassy Glide (priority in Grassy Terrain), Poltergeist (powerful Ghost physical move), and Flip Turn (physical Water pivot move).

Are HMs in Pokémon Sword and Shield?

No. HMs do not exist in Sword and Shield. Field navigation is handled through the Rotom Bike for land and water traversal rather than requiring Pokémon to learn specific moves.

How does Max Move power scale in Sword and Shield?

Max Move power scales based on the base power of the original move being transformed. Stronger moves produce stronger Max Moves. Status moves always become Max Guard, which functions like Protect and blocks most Max Moves but with diminishing success on consecutive uses.