Skull Bash: Difference between revisions

'''Skull Bash''' ({{ja|ロケットずつき|Roketto Zutsuki}}, ''Rocket Headbutt'') is the [[side special move]] used by [[Pikachu]] since ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', as well as [[Pichu]] in ''Melee'' and ''[[Ultimate]]''.  

The user launches itself headfirst. It is similar in appearance to [[Luigi]]'s [[Green Missile]], only without the chance of a misfire and the inability for the user to hold the charge infinitely, although in ''Melee'', ''SSB4'' and ''Ultimate'', Green Missile cannot be held infinitely either. The move can be charged up to increase the damage and range of the attack. In Pikachu's case, an uncharged Skull Bash deals 8% (6.2% in ''Ultimate'') damage, while a fully-charged one can deal up to 29% (21.4% in ''Ultimate''). Pichu's Skull Bash can be charged for longer, thus traveling further and dealing more [[damage]] and [[knockback]], but [[recoil damage|hurts itself]] upon releasing (1%; 1.8% in ''Ultimate''); when fully charged, the distance and knockback are tremendous, dealing almost 40% (33% in ''Ultimate'') and nearly covering the entire length of {{SSBM|Final Destination}} in ''Melee'' (or fully traveling the entire length of {{SSBU|Big Battlefield}} in ''Ultimate''). In ''Melee'', Pichu's Skull Bash is used in most [[Home-Run Contest]] strategies in lieu of the [[Home-Run Bat]].

In ''[[Brawl]]'', Skull Bash charges much faster than in ''Melee'', and is an excellent move to recover with, as Pikachu does not enter a [[helpless]] state after using it in midair. When fully charged, Pikachu will go about as far as the size of [[Final Destination]]. Even with its great distance, it's not used too often as Pikachu falls at a quick speed and the move itself is predictable, making the high [[landing lag]] all the more punishable.  

Performing this move like a [[smash attack]] causes it to finish charging sooner.

[[File:PikachuSkullBashRBY.gif|thumb|250px|{{pkmn|Skull Bash}} being used by [[Pikachu]] in ''{{pkmn|Pokémon Red}}''.]]

Skull Bash is based on a move with the same name in the {{uv|Pokémon}} games. It is a physical Normal-type attack introduced in Generation I. In the games, Skull Bash is a two-turn attack. On the first turn, the Pokémon using the move tucks its head in to prepare the attack. On the second turn, the Pokémon launches forward to ram the foe with its head. The attack is very powerful; however, its two-turn nature makes it somewhat inefficient; this is referenced by the ability to charge the move. In Generation II onwards, Skull Bash raises the user's Defense stat by one stage, but this effect has never been present in its ''Smash'' appearances, with no damage reduction effects present.  

Skull Bash is available to Pikachu only by using {{s|bulbapedia|TM40}} in Generation I. It can, however, still have the move in Generation II games (the generation ''Melee'' was closest to), as they allow trading Pokémon between the two generations through the Time Capsule. Between Generation III and Generation VI, the move was unavailable for Pikachu to learn, as no TM was available and it's impossible to transfer Pokémon between Generations II and III. As of Generation VII, however, Pikachu can have Skull Bash if it is transferred from one of the Generation I games on the Virtual Console. Pichu, on the other hand, has never been able to learn Skull Bash, as it cannot be passed down as an Egg Move and has never been made a TM move for it to learn. As of Generation IX, Skull Bash was removed and not usable.

File:SkullBashGen6.png|Skull Bash in Generation VI ''Pokémon'' games.

==Trivia==