Moves

Moves are attacks or skills that Pokémon can use in combat. Pokémon have access to four move slots that can be filled with moves based on the Pokémon's learnset. A move can be used by holding its corresponding key (, , , or ) and then pressing . Pressing alone will execute the basic attack, which has no type, does not make contact, and cannot land as a critical hit. Moves can also be used and moved to a different slot from the moves menu.

Variables

Like the main series, all moves have factors that can differ between each other. Some of these factors are unique to PMU.

• Type - Every move has a Pokémon type, which can deal increased (super effective) damage, or subsequently less damage, to other certain types. If a Pokémon is immune to a move type-wise, it will still take some damage akin to the first two games in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. Moves deal more damage if they are the same type as the Pokémon using it.
• Category - PMU moves follow the standard categorization, having the same three categories: physical, special, or status. Physical and special moves deal damage, while status moves can deal damage indirectly or apply certain effects to Pokémon.
• Power - Power determines how strong a damage-dealing move is. Power can be a set number, or be vary depending on different factors.
• Accuracy - Accuracy determines how likely the move will hit. Some moves will never miss, and a move with 100% accuracy can still miss with a lowered accuracy stat from an Ability, an enemy with boosted evasion, or due to having a large range.
• PP - Short for Power Points, the maximum amount of times a move can be used without item help. The name of a move will turn red when the PP reaches zero. If the PP of all a Pokémon's moves is at zero, Struggle will be used when attempting to execute a move.
• Range - How far a move can hit in tiles. The formation of the tiles depends on range type.
• Cooldown - "hit time" internally; how long until another move can be used, sometimes called attack speed. The cooldown can vary slightly between moves even of the same range, but generally move cooldowns are categorized into either fast, normal, or slow.
• Glide - "hit freeze" internally; whether a move can be used while moving without stopping your movement.
• Pierce - Whether a move can go through multiple targets rather than stopping on the tile of the first one in sight.

The damage category, base power and accuracy of moves are in line with their data in the main series' games. Power and accuracy scale down depending on how big the range of a move is on certain range types (spray and area of effect). Move effects and mechanics in PMU generally function the same between the main series and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, but some may be altered due to differences in gameplay.

Priority in PMU tends to correlate move range. Moves with an increased priority also ignore hitstun. "Multi-hit" moves don't hit more than once, unless they only hit twice. They instead are rapid-fire moves that have large amounts of PP and a short cooldown.

Range Types

See also: Moves/List of Moves

While range is determined by the amount of tiles it reaches, there are different range types that determine the shape the tiles form, and are how lists of moves' data are categorized.

• Area of Effect - Move hits around you (square formation).
• Line of Sight - Move hits in front of you (line formation).
• Spray - Move hits in a cone in front of you (triangle formation).
• Self - Move affects only you and/or the player you're on the same tile as.
• Special - Has a special effect.

There are also moves which are broken in some way. A move which only has its secondary effect broken that can be used and thus has one of the range types, will be categorized as so.

Learning Moves

Most Pokémon will naturally learn moves through level up, and can learn moves through the use of TMs and HMs and move tutors. Learnsets follow the data from the most recent mainline game introduced (Scarlet/Violet -> Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl -> Sword and Shield -> Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon). Moves that can be taught as a TR in those games can be taught if they have a TM equivalent in PMU. A move can be forgotten without being replaced by another through the moves menu.

Trivia

• Unlike in PMD, Pokémon are able to move while using moves such as Bounce, Dig, Dive, Fly, and Phantom Force.
• Area of Effect and Spray moves used to have a set debuff of 25% in damage and accuracy for Area of Effect moves larger than 2 tiles and 20% in damage and accuracy for Spray moves larger than 2 tiles. However a more scaled debuff scale was added on September 8th 2021.
• Moveset were swap to Generation 8 and 9 on October 12th, 2024.