Rock · Physical move · Gen 4
Head Smash
Head Smash is a Rock-type physical move introduced in Generation 4. It has 150 base power and 80% accuracy, with 5 PP (8 with PP Max). 42 Pokémon and forms can learn it.
Type
Rock
Category
Physical
Power
150
Accuracy
80%
PP
5 (max 8)
Priority
0
Effect
Has 1/2 recoil. If the target lost HP, the user takes recoil damage equal to 1/2 the HP lost by the target, rounded half up, but not less than 1 HP.
- Targets
- One adjacent Pokémon
- Properties
- Makes contact
- Scarlet & Violet
- Usable (23 Pokémon)
- Pokémon Champions
- Usable (10 Pokémon)
- Legends: Z-A
- Usable (13 Pokémon)
Type matchups as a Rock attack
2× vsFireIceFlyingBug
½× vsFightingGroundSteel
Pokémon that learn Head Smash
42 Pokémon and forms (Mega Evolutions share their base form's moves). ✓ = can learn it in that game by any method; “Gens” lists every main-series generation it could be learned in.
| Pokémon | Type | Champions | S/V | Z-A | Gens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Nidoran-M | Poison | 4–8 | |||
 Nidorino | Poison | 4–8 | |||
 Nidoking | Poison/Ground | 4–8 | |||
 Hisuian Growlithe | Fire/Rock | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Hisuian Arcanine | Fire/Rock | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Onix | Rock/Ground | ✓ | 8 | ||
 Sudowoodo | Rock | ✓ | 7–9 | ||
 Steelix | Steel/Ground | ✓ | ✓ | 8 | |
 Corsola | Water/Rock | 5–8 | |||
 Galarian Corsola | Ghost | 8 | |||
 Phanpy | Ground | ✓ | 4–7, 9 | ||
 Donphan | Ground | ✓ | 4–7, 9 | ||
 Nosepass | Rock | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Aron | Steel/Rock | ✓ | 4–8 | ||
 Lairon | Steel/Rock | ✓ | 4–8 | ||
 Aggron | Steel/Rock | ✓ | ✓ | 4–8 | |
 Relicanth | Water/Rock | 4–8 | |||
 Cranidos | Rock | ✓ | 4–7, 9 | ||
 Rampardos | Rock | ✓ | ✓ | 4–7, 9 | |
 Probopass | Rock/Steel | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Tepig | Fire | ✓ | ✓ | 5–7, 9 | |
 Pignite | Fire/Fighting | ✓ | ✓ | 5–7, 9 | |
 Emboar | Fire/Fighting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 5–7, 9 |
 Basculin | Water | ✓ | 7–9 | ||
 Basculin-White-Striped | Water | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Scraggy | Dark/Fighting | ✓ | ✓ | 5–9 | |
 Scrafty | Dark/Fighting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 5–9 |
 Archen | Rock/Flying | 5–8 | |||
 Archeops | Rock/Flying | 5–8 | |||
 Deino | Dark/Dragon | ✓ | 5–9 | ||
 Zweilous | Dark/Dragon | ✓ | 5–9 | ||
 Hydreigon | Dark/Dragon | ✓ | ✓ | 5–9 | |
 Terrakion | Rock/Fighting | ✓ | |||
 Aegislash | Steel/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 6–8 | |
 Tyrantrum | Rock/Dragon | ✓ | ✓ | 6–8 | |
 Turtonator | Fire/Dragon | 7–8 | |||
 Nihilego | Rock/Poison | 7–8 | |||
 Drednaw | Water/Rock | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Cursola | Ghost | 8 | |||
 Eiscue | Ice | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Basculegion | Water/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Great Tusk | Ground/Fighting | ✓ | 9 |
Head Smash FAQ
What does Head Smash do?
Head Smash is a Rock-type physical move with 150 power. If the target lost HP, the user takes recoil damage equal to 1/2 the HP lost by the target, rounded half up, but not less than 1 HP.
Which Pokémon can learn Head Smash?
42 Pokémon and forms can learn Head Smash in at least one game: 23 in Scarlet & Violet, 10 in Pokémon Champions and 13 in Legends: Z-A. Examples: Nidoran-M, Nidorino, Nidoking, Hisuian Growlithe, Hisuian Arcanine and Onix.
Is Head Smash in Pokémon Champions?
Yes — 10 Pokémon can use Head Smash in Pokémon Champions, with the same numbers as in Scarlet & Violet.
What is Head Smash super effective against?
As a Rock-type attack, Head Smash is super effective against Fire, Ice, Flying and Bug, not very effective against Fighting, Ground and Steel (unless its effect says otherwise).
Move data and effect text from Pokémon Showdown (MIT), generation from PokéAPI; learnsets for Gen 1–9, Pokémon Champions and Legends: Z-A from Showdown. Unofficial fan site.