Strangely typed moves

[Mab]

Bonemerang (Japanese: ホネブーメラン Bone Boomerang) is a damage-dealing Ground-type multi-strike move introduced in Generation I. It is one of Cubone and Marowak's signature moves.

Okay, it's a signature move, so typically it's the same type as the Pokémon it belongs to. Still, this particular example and a few others have always struck me as pretty nonsensical. You're throwing a bone. There's no reason for birds to being immune to being struck in midair by a flying bone.

Any other moves you can think of that have bizarre typing? What do you think could be the reason for it?

 

[AliceBlaze]

I don't understand what makes Wide Guard a Rock type move. For those who don't know, it's a move that protects Pokemon from moves such as surf that hit multiple Pokemon in double and triple battles.

I'll never understand why Mega Punch and Mega Kick are still Normal types rather than Fighting.

 

[Lysander]

I'm not sure why Splash is a Normal type move, even though it is clearly more related to water than anything else.

 

[Adam Levine]

Signal Beam, Silver Wind, and U-Turn all being Bug-type. WHAT?!

And how are Peck, Pluck, and Drill Peck Flying? Those are just body parts... I get that Game Freak is trying to balance typings, but...

Oh, yeah. Also Sucker Punch being a Dark-type move, Play Rough being Fairy-type (though we need a physical Fairy-type move sooner or later), and Rest and Amnesia being Psychic.

 

[Boynsy]

I'm not sure why Splash is a Normal type move, even though it is clearly more related to water than anything else.

I think if I remember correctly, the Japanese name of Splash is something like Hop - which is why Hoppip can learn it too.

 

[blue]

Mega Punch and Mega Kick being Normal-type has always baffled me. It would suit them so much better if they were both Fighting-type.

 

[Charlie Brown]

Play Rough being Fairy-type (though we need a physical Fairy-type move sooner or later)

I guess because it looks like a friendly move (hearts and whatnot for its animation) but is actually not?? Like you can imagine fairies deceiving others and acting all friendly but then playing rough. The Japanese name is Frolic but that again doesn't give much context lol.

I just looked up U-turn as well and Bulbapedia says:

U-turn may be Bug-type because its Japanese name contains とんぼ (tonbo), which means dragonfly.

Which I thought was quite interesting. I guess the concept of u-turning could apply to bugs - running in one direction to attack and then changing tact and fleeing - but it's a pretty weak connection imo.

 

[Esper]

A lot are either odd translation choices or idioms in Japanese. U-turn (Japanese: とんぼがえり / tonbogaeri / "round-trip") is an idiom that means going back to where you started without stopping and (for whatever reason) uses the word for dragonfly, probably because of something dragonflies seem to do. Like how we say "piece of cake" and it has nothing to do with sweets and baked goods.

But, yeah Mega Kick and some of those are still a little weird. Why is Coil a Posion-type move when not all snakes and snake-like Pokemon are Posion-types?

 

[Nah]

And how are Peck, Pluck, and Drill Peck Flying? Those are just body parts... I get that Game Freak is trying to balance typings, but...

Oh, yeah. Also Sucker Punch being a Dark-type move

It's probably because Flying is also heavily associated with birds. It's mostly bird Pokemon that learn those moves, as birds are the most likely thing to peck you (like when has a fish ever pecked someone?).

Sucker Punch being Dark likely has to do with Dark type being "Evil type" in Japan. A sucker punch is basically an attack without the slightest bit of warning--something that might be seen as a dirty trick or dishonorable by some.

 

[Lunar]

Mega Punch is definitely for a strange one for me, I mean it says Punch in the name so surely it should be a fighting move...

I feel like U-Turn should be normal type though, there isn't really anything that makes that seem like a bug type move.

 

[PageEmp]

Replies in bold:

Signal Beam, Silver Wind, and U-Turn all being Bug-type. WHAT?!
U-turn makes sense as a bug attack to me. I dunno, but I think it's easy to see bugs attacking and then returning back I guess. For the other 2 would you rather have almost zro special bug attacks?

And how are Peck, Pluck, and Drill Peck Flying? Those are just body parts... I get that Game Freak is trying to balance typings, but...
Correction, they are BIRD body parts. Of course, flyers are accosiated with birds, and so pecking attacks are considered flying attacks. Its basic sense :P

Oh, yeah. Also Sucker Punch being a Dark-type move, Play Rough being Fairy-type (though we need a physical Fairy-type move sooner or later), and Rest and Amnesia being Psychic.
Apparently, I heard(though not 100% sure) that Sucker punch's actual name is....ambush. I was confused like you at first too but when I heard that I understood. I guess that also explains why it (somehow) isn't considered an actual punching attack. Play rough makes sense as basically, it's the mon playfully attacking the opponent, so I guess it makes half sense. But for Rest I agree.

 

[Lycanthropy]

Lick. It has always struck me as odd that Lick is a Ghost type move. I get the Gastly line are Ghosts, but even in Gen I Lick wasn't their signature move. Pokémon that learn it now can have literally any type and Gastly en co are still the only Ghosts. With a move as Lick you'd at least expect Lickitung to get STAB on it, right?

Also, I can see why they made Will-O-Wisp a Fire type move, but Ghost would have made more sense to me.

 

[AliceBlaze]

I used to get confused as to why Mirror Move is a Flying type move that can only be learned by bird based Pokemon until I found out its Japanese name is Parrot Mimicry.

I found out recently that Silver Wind is a Bug type move because it's actually dust/powder that the bug is producing rather than actual wind.

Why is Flash Cannon a Steel type? I don't see how it has anything to do with metal of any kind.

 

[PageEmp]

Why is Flash Cannon a Steel type? I don't see how it has anything to do with metal of any kind.

FC makes perfect sense as a steel attack to me. Imagine like, an invisible metal substance being shot at the opponent. Same for Mirror shot. Secondly similar to what I said in my reply to Waterproof: would you rather Steel attacks to be only physical?

 

[AliceBlaze]

FC makes perfect sense as a steel attack to me. Imagine like, an invisible metal substance being shot at the opponent. Same for Mirror shot.

I see now, that makes sense. I knew why Mirror Shot is Steel because it involves the Pokemon reflecting light off their shining body and metal tends to be shiny and reflective.

 

[Sektor]

Tri-Attack. I love the move, but it's a Normal type move. Despite Tri-Attack being Electric/Fire/Ice Ghost type Pokémon are immune to the attack.

Explosion and Self-Destruct are both Normal type moves and Physical attacks. Neither Explosion or Self-Destruct are Special attacks, giving no Special equivalent of fainting moves . They also do not hit Ghost types and are resisted by Rock type Pokémon, despite dynamite being developed for blasting and mining purposes to... I don't know... EXCAVATE ROCK.

 

[Adam Levine]

Why are Bite and Crunch Dark? Is it because biting is bad? Or perhaps the inside of a mouth is dark?

 

[Ewery1]

And how are Peck, Pluck, and Drill Peck Flying? Those are just body parts... I get that Game Freak is trying to balance typings, but...

Oh, yeah. Also Sucker Punch being a Dark-type move, Play Rough being Fairy-type (though we need a physical Fairy-type move sooner or later), and Rest and Amnesia being Psychic.

Peck, Pluck, and Drill Peck all relate to beaks, something that is primarily associated with birds, most of which are flying type. I think this makes total sense.

Sucker Punch is a dark type move because dark types are associated with unfair tactics and to sucker punch is to attack someone while they aren't prepared to fight or for the punch. Play Rough is known as Frolic in Japanese and it's associated with like just having fun and playing, except maybe with a creature unaware of its own strength so it does damage. Amnesia is about the mind->psychic.

 

[5qwerty]

Why is Dual Chop a Dragon-type move? (weeb name is double chop, so don't try pulling some japan origin crap on me)

also acid totally should beat steel types

 

[Ammy175]

I'm surprised nobody's brought up Dragon Ascent yet. Perhaps it's just me, but I always think the move's Dragon type, not Flying.