Why is sludge bomb a special move?

[Azureth]

All other explosive attacks are considered physical, such as seed bomb, egg bomb, and selfdestruct.

[Ice Car]

I don't know to be honest. It makes less sense to me that Gunk Shot is physical but Sludge Bomb isn't to me though.

[Haza]

I always imagine it being a projectile move so it makes sense to me. Especially seeing it's animation in the anime, I always imagine it that way while my Roserade uses the move too.

[PlatinumDude]

I think Sludge Bomb got changed to a special move for the same reason as Sludge. While both are projectile moves to an extent, Sludge (Bomb) might need some form of energy to execute.

[Suicune™]

I think it suits being a special move rather than a Physical based.

[Ice Car]

By that logic, shouldn't Gunk Shot be special too?

[sunshinesan]

Poison/sludge moves are very hard to decide for when it comes to physical/special. They are almost in between. Physical = rock, Special = water, ? = gooey somewhat liquid, somewhat solid sludge.

[CourageHound]

When gunk shot was used for the first time in the anime, it was shown to hurl exploding balls of trash and poison. With sludge bomb i come to think of it as being launched some way or another with energy rather than physical strength. But tbh, idk i would like for sludge bomb to be physical

[Fuyuki~]

Well, what else is going to replace Sludge Bomb as the Poison-Type Psychic/
Flamethrower/Thunderbolt/etc. if it is changed to Physical?

[Ninjagon]

I think it looks like a special move, imo. So yeah what most people have said. It IS projectile.

[PiemanFiddy]

It makes less sense for something like Self-destruct or Explosion to be a physical move.

I know it's a move you find among Physical walls or Poison types, but that doesn't mean it has to be physical. It's a freakin EXPLOSION.

That's like saying Hyper Beam is a physical move. You can't be too sure, I mean.. Hyper Beam is essentially an explosive too! Freakin' nintendo logic....

[Fuyuki~]

Originally Posted by PiemanFiddy

It makes less sense for something like Self-destruct or Explosion to be a physical move.

I know it's a move you find among Physical walls or Poison types, but that doesn't mean it has to be physical. It's a freakin EXPLOSION.

That's like saying Hyper Beam is a physical move. You can't be too sure, I mean.. Hyper Beam is essentially an explosive too! Freakin' nintendo logic....

On that note, may I pose a question?

How does SmokeScreen and Sand-Attack make Explosion and Self-Destruct less accurate?

[PiemanFiddy]

Originally Posted by Fuyuki~

On that note, may I pose a question?

How does SmokeScreen and Sand-Attack make Explosion and Self-Destruct less accurate?

Are you trying to counter my point or support it? I don't understand.

The fact that an explosion is a physical move is implying that the explosive itself is a sentient being capable of making an actual PHYSICAL contact with the opponent... when in reality, it melts your skin off.

A move like Sand Attack or Smokescreen shouldn't affect an explosion... because it's an Explosion. If I lit a bonfire inside of one of the 9/11 planes, and it was surrounded by smoke, do you think it'd miss the Twin Towers? Probably not. (Not meant to be offensive, just to make a point)

Let me make another point. Goku's Kamehameha wave. I know it's off-topic.. but do you see Goku's Kamehameha punching people in the face? No! It explodes, and incinerates them.


...Nintendo Logic. Sorry If you WERE supporting my point, I just needed to go on a rant about the obvious flaw in logic.

[Fuyuki~]

Originally Posted by PiemanFiddy

Are you trying to counter my point or support it? I don't understand.

The fact that an explosion is a physical move is implying that the explosive itself is a sentient being capable of making an actual PHYSICAL contact with the opponent... when in reality, it melts your skin off.

A move like Sand Attack or Smokescreen shouldn't affect an explosion... because it's an Explosion. If I lit a bonfire inside of one of the 9/11 planes, and it was surrounded by smoke, do you think it'd miss the Twin Towers? Probably not. (Not meant to be offensive, just to make a point)

Let me make another point. Goku's Kamehameha wave. I know it's off-topic.. but do you see Goku's Kamehameha punching people in the face? No! It explodes, and incinerates them.


...Nintendo Logic. Sorry If you WERE supporting my point, I just needed to go on a rant about the obvious flaw in logic.

I just saw your point about Explosion being Physical and not Special and citing it as "Nintendo Logic" so that reminded me of my own question I had not too long ago. It wasn't trying to support or disprove your argument in anyway~

I realize that it should be special because you aren't making direct contact with the opponent.

[PiemanFiddy]

Originally Posted by Fuyuki~

I just saw your point about Explosion being Physical and not Special and citing it as "Nintendo Logic" so that reminded me of my own question I had not too long ago. It wasn't trying to support or disprove your argument in anyway~

I realize that it should be special because you aren't making direct contact with the opponent.

Precisely.

On topic about Sludge Bomb though, it actually is tough to determine if it's special or not.

I'm just imagining a versatile ball-shaped figure covered in sludge smacking the opponent. I suppose it could be a physical move if Sludge were actually made up from a material instead of pure sludge. =/

[rocky505]

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...ludge_Bomb.png

Looks special to me.

One move that confuses me is Petal dance. Why is it a special move if it makes contact.

[PiemanFiddy]

Originally Posted by rocky505

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...ludge_Bomb.png

Looks special to me.

One move that confuses me is Petal dance. Why is it a special move if it makes contact.

A Physical move is supposed to be defined by something that a pokemon uses out of it's own arsenal to make a PHYSICAL contact with the opponent.

Egg Bomb for example. The pokemon may not be making contact, but a PART of the pokemon is.

[rocky505]

Petal dance does make physical contact. It activates static and so does grass knot.

[CJBlazer]

Well....

Special refers to a ranged attack, such as a blast of flames or a forceful burst of water from a Pokemon.

Physical refers to a physical attack, such as a punch or kick.

Other refers to any attack that does not inflict damage

From the way Sludge Bomb looks, the Pokemon fires a huge bomb of toxic wastes at the opponent, so it would appear to be special.

Hope I helped.

[XanderO]

Originally Posted by CJBlazer

Well....

Special refers to a ranged attack, such as a blast of flames or a forceful burst of water from a Pokemon.

Physical refers to a physical attack, such as a punch or kick.

Other refers to any attack that does not inflict damage

From the way Sludge Bomb looks, the Pokemon fires a huge bomb of toxic wastes at the opponent, so it would appear to be special.

Hope I helped.

Special doesn't determin Ranged attacks. Razor Leaf is Physical and is purely ranged.

Physical and Special are for manifestation as I saw someone post. Example Magical Leaf vs Razor Leaf. Magical Leaf, the user summons from nothing energy that takes the form of leaves that are fired at the opponent. Razor Leaf is used when the user fires leaves from its body at an incredible speed so that it can cut its opponent.

Special moves can make physcal contact as the user has to be close enough to touch the opponent to use it and at the same time some Physcial attacks don't have to make physical contact (which means the user isn't touching the opponent.)

From Bulbapedia:

Originally Posted by Physical Attacks

A physical move is one in which the user uses its physical strength or solid projectiles in order to damage its foes.