4th Gen Special Attack/Defence

[Mases]

Okay guys. I know this is an extremely basic question but I just don't completely understand how this works. I'm no Poke vet at all and just wanted to know from the more experienced players.

Lets say I am using my Golem in battle. He is a Rock and Ground pokemon. His Special attack and defense are quite low but I just wanted to know what exactly they are. Lets say I used a Rock or Ground attack. If he has a higher special attack, does that mean his attack will do more damage? So for a pokemon like Alakazam who has a really high special attack. His psychic attacks do more than a reg psychic by any other pokemon?

Defense I don't get at all. For Golem again. Does that mean if a Rock/Ground pokemon attacks me, if I have high spec defense it will not do much damage at all? Or does special defense refer to the pokemons weaknessess?

Thanks ahead of time!

-Mas

 

[ShadowTails]

Well, since you need help...

In Diamond and Pearl there are three categories that an attack is classified as, Physical, Special, and Other.

Defense is for Physical Defense, this means if someone uses a Physical attack on your Pokemon it will help your Pokemon resist receiving as much damage when you're attacked.

Special Defense is for Special Attacks, this means if a Pokemon attacks you with a Special Attack, it's damage will not effect it as much because it can resist it better...

Other categories for moves are defined by types, there are 17 types in Pokemon... there is an 18th, but it's not truly a type, it's just a move type "???"

All these types alone have certain weaknesses and resistances... I'd go more in depth but there is an application in the Poketch that lets you choose an attack type and choose the opponents type to see how much it would effective if at all..

if you still need help check out these pages... they were all written for the GBA/GBC games and haven't been updated for the 4th generation as far as I know.

https://serebii.net/games/battle.shtml
https://serebii.net/games/type.shtml

 

[Pocket Monster Researcher Archer]

well if golem uses a rock or ground move, its attack will gain a STAB (same type attack bonus) which gives it a 50% extra punch because it has used an attack which matches its type. yeah moves now have catagories, special or physical for eg. (Flamethrower is special & fire punch is physical.

 

[Mases]

Thanks a lot guys, that all makes sense now.

I couldn't figure out why when I used my Bronzor and used iron defence 3x, certain attacks did absolutely nothing and others did normal damage. Physical attacks would be weak but special attacks would still be strong.