Skill Link (Ability)

Skill Link (Japanese: スキルリンク Skill Link) is an Ability introduced in Generation IV. Prior to Generation V, it was the signature Ability of Shellder and Cloyster.

Effect

In battle

Generation IV

Skill Link enables multistrike moves with a variable number of strikes to always strike five times.

Generation V onward

If Skill Link is lost in the middle of the move (such as via Mummy), the user will still hit the maximum number of times on the turn in progress.

Skill Link affects the moves Triple Kick and Triple Axel, which can hit up to three times; and Population Bomb, which can hit up to ten times. When any of these moves are used by Pokémon with this Ability, there will be one accuracy check for all strikes instead of individual checks for each strike.

Affected moves

The table below lists the moves affected by Skill Link, as well as the Pokémon that can have Skill Link and learn those moves.

Move Type Cat. Power and Boost Acc. Max. Learned by Arm Thrust  Fighting  Physical 15 75 100% 5 Bullet Seed  Grass  Physical 25 125 100% 5 Double Slap  Normal  Physical 15 75 85% 5 Fury Attack  Normal  Physical 15 75 85% 5 Fury Swipes  Normal  Physical 18 90 80% 5 Icicle Spear  Ice  Physical 25 125 100% 5 Pin Missile  Bug  Physical 25 125 95% 5 Rock Blast  Rock  Physical 25 125 90% 5 Spike Cannon  Normal  Physical 20 100 100% 5 Tail Slap  Normal  Physical 25 125 85% 5 Triple Axel  Ice  Physical 20 120 90% 3

Although the following moves are affected by the Ability, they currently cannot be learned by any Pokémon with Skill Link. They may, however, be called via Metronome, Mirror Move, Copycat, or Mimic, or be used by a Pokémon that gained Skill Link by an Ability like Trace or Receiver or a move such as Skill Swap or Role Play.

Outside of battle

Skill Link has no effect outside of battle.

Pokémon with Skill Link

#	Pokémon		Types		First Ability	Second Ability	Hidden Ability
0090		Shellder	Water		Water	Shell Armor	Skill LinkGen IV+	Overcoat
0091		Cloyster	Water	Ice	Shell Armor	Skill LinkGen IV+	Overcoat
0190		Aipom	Normal		Normal	Run Away	Pickup	Skill Link
0214		Heracross Mega Heracross	Bug	Fighting	Skill Link	None	None
0424		Ambipom	Normal		Normal	Technician	Pickup	Skill Link
0572		Minccino	Normal		Normal	Cute Charm	Technician	Skill Link
0573		Cinccino	Normal		Normal	Cute Charm	Technician	Skill Link
0731		Pikipek	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Pickup
0732		Trumbeak	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Pickup
0733		Toucannon	Normal	Flying	Keen Eye	Skill Link	Sheer Force
Please note that Abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later. For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

In other games

Description

Games Description MDTDS Enables the Pokémon to always attempt the top number of hits with multistrike moves. BSL れんぞくで こうげきする わざを さいごまで だせるようになる MDGtI Unavailable SMD When the Pokémon uses a multistrike move such as Pin Missile or Fury Attack, the move always strikes the maximum times! MDRTDX When the Pokémon uses a multistrike move, such as Pin Missile or Fury Attack, the move always strikes the maximum number of times.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 連續攻擊 Lìhnjuhk Gūnggīk Mandarin 連續攻擊 / 连续攻击 Liánxù Gōngjí / Liánxù Gōngjī French Multi-Coups German Wertelink Italian Abillegame Korean 스킬링크 Skill Link Russian Навык Связки Navyk Svyazki Spanish Encadenado

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.