Head Smash
Pokémon Champions
Has 1/2 recoil.
- Power
- 150
- Accuracy
- 80%
- PP
- 8 Scarlet & Violet: 5
- Hits
- One Pokémon next to the user
- On Showdown
- 1.8% of Champions VGC Pokémon run it
Changes over time
How Head Smash changed from game to game, newest first.
- Champions
PP 5 → 8 Buffed
- Gen V
… HP lost by the target, rounded
dropped: down,added: half up, but not less than 1 HP.
Numbers: PokéAPI’s changelog. Descriptions: Pokémon Showdown’s for each generation, PokéAPI’s notes where Showdown’s don’t differ. Champions: Pokémon Showdown.
See it in the games
No clip of Head Smash here yet. Find Head Smash on YouTube →
How it works in Champions
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.
“The user attacks the target with a hazardous full-power headbutt. This also damages the user terribly.”
In-game text, Scarlet & Violet
What interacts
Abilities and items that boost Head Smash, block it, punish its user or change how it works.
Boosts it
3
- Tough Claws×1.3
- Poison Touch30% to poison
- Reckless×1.2
Blocks or weakens it
2
- Fluffytakes ½
- Aura Guardtakes ½
Punishes the user
12
- Rough Skintakes ⅛ back
Rocky Helmettakes ⅙ back- Static30% paralysis
- Flame Body30% burn
- Poison Point30% poison
- Effect Spore30% poison, paralysis or sleep
- Cute Charm30% infatuation
- Gooey−1 Speed
- Mummyreplaces its ability
- Wandering Spiritswaps abilities
- Aftermathtakes ¼ if it knocks the holder out
- Pickpocketsteals its item
Changes how it works
6
- Long Reachno contact
- Unseen Fistgoes through Protect for ¼ damage
- Piercing Drillgoes through Protect for ¼ damage
- Rock Headno recoil
- Magic Guardno recoil
- Infiltratorgoes through Substitute
Only in other games 6
Punishes the user
5
- Iron Barbstakes ⅛ back
- Tangling Hair−1 Speed
- Lingering Aromareplaces its ability
- Perish Bodya 3-turn faint countdown for both
Sticky Barbcan stick to it
Changes how it works
1
Protective Padsno contact effects
Mold Breaker, Teravolt and Turboblaze ignore the abilities that block or weaken it.
Who runs Head Smash on Showdown
Smogon · Showdown Champions VGC · Sep 2026: Smogon’s usage stats from Pokémon Showdown, not the in-game ladder.
On the ladder today
Ranked Doubles Pokémon with Head Smash among their most used moves.
Who learns Head Smash
16 Pokémon can learn it in Pokémon Champions.
Steelix
Aggron
Rampardos
Emboar
Scrafty
Hydreigon
Aegislash
Tyrantrum
Basculegion
Blade Aegislash
Mega Aggron
Mega Steelix
Hisuian Arcanine
Female Basculegion
Mega Emboar
Mega ScraftyAll 33 Pokémon that learn it in any game → Filter the Pokédex to Champions →