3rd Gen Physical Attack and Special Attack

[Prylace]

Anyone else notice if some moves in FR/LG are acting odd in regards to what attack type they're acting as?

In G/S Hyper Beam was based off Special Attack, but I'm not sure if it is in FR/LG because when my Alakazam or Mr. Mime use it it does very weak damage considering how high their Special Attack is.

Also Shadow Ball seems to be acting funny.. when my Alakazam uses it I feel like it's being based off Alakazams Attack and not Special Attack. When my Lv 73 Alakazam with Sp. Atk 232 (It's just for fighting the computer not players, I haven't EV trained it or used any vitamins on it) used Shadow Ball on a Lv 38 Geodude in Victory Road it only took about 85% of the Geodudes health off... very strange.

Does anyone know an accurate list of all the FR/LG moves that lists if the move is based off Sp. Atk. or Atk.?

 

[Simon]

Attack Based: Normal, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Steel

Special Attack Based: Fire, Water, Thunder, Leaf, Ice, Psychic, Dragon, Dark

That is how it has been ever since RuSa came out. It applies to FRLG as well.

 

[Rubberbandman]

Well...this seems too obvious...let me say it slowly.Hyper Beam is a Physical attack..Shadow ball is also a Physical Attack...Geodude has a high Defense.It was most likely to withstand enough to not faint...Write it down now!:)

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

Judging that Alakazam's attack power is considerably weak compared to a Rhydon or something's it's no wonder both Hyper Beam and Shadow Ball didn't kill a Geodude. Hyper Beam isn't very effective anyways. XD But... yeah - like demonchaos916 said - Normal and Ghost moves are classed as Physical. If you want your Alakazam to take advantage of it's Special Attack - give it some punches from Move tutors in Emerald or RuSa... although that's a bit off-topic ^_^

 

[Prylace]

So even moves like Blaze Kick, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and Thunder Punch, are Special Attack based? And Crunch is Special Attack based? And all Ghost moves including Shadow Ball are Physical Attack based even though Ghost Pokemon generally have crappy Attack and high Special Attack?

Ok that does it I'm never buying a Prima guide again. Prima's Official guide for Ruby/Sapphire has a LOT of misinformation about what moves are physical and special. And what mental handicap at Game Freak thought it would be a good idea to have Ghost moves based off Attack?

 

[salamenceruler04]

I dont understand that, why is a ghost type move physical attack and not specail attack?

 

[HellishHades]

Anyone else notice if some moves in FR/LG are acting odd in regards to what attack type they're acting as?
...
In G/S Hyper Beam was based off Special Attack
...

Hyper Beam has always been a Normal attack, based upon the Attack stat.

 

[Simon]

So even moves like Blaze Kick, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and Thunder Punch, are Special Attack based? And Crunch is Special Attack based? And all Ghost moves including Shadow Ball are Physical Attack based even though Ghost Pokemon generally have crappy Attack and high Special Attack?

Ok that does it I'm never buying a Prima guide again. Prima's Official guide for Ruby/Sapphire has a LOT of misinformation about what moves are physical and special. And what mental handicap at Game Freak thought it would be a good idea to have Ghost moves based off Attack?

1. I almost never see a Ghost type Pokemon with a Ghost attack. I usually see Normal types using Ghost type attacks.
2. The only Ghost type you'll ewver see in competitive battling is Gengar which has high special attack and speed so it uses Sp. Atks instead. There are some that use Subpunch although I've never come across one.
3. I thought Prima's Guides were UNOFFICIAL.

 

[Prylace]

Good info to know.. thanks demonchaos.

I think Prima may make unofficial guides but they also make official. I have in my hands two Pokemon guides by Prima, one for R/S the other for FR/LG, both say "Prima's Official..." at the top. I got the FR/LG guide when I bought LG because there was a 20% discount off the guide if you bought it with FR or LG.. guess I shouldn't have been cheap and waited to get an unofficial.