Move Categories
Every move in Cobblemon falls into one of three categories. Knowing which is which determines which stats matter for damage calculation.
Physical
Damage is calculated using the attacker's Attack and the defender's Defence stat. Close-contact moves.
e.g. Earthquake, Close Combat, Crunch, Iron Head
Special
Damage is calculated using the attacker's Sp. Atk and the defender's Sp. Def stat. Ranged projectile moves.
e.g. Flamethrower, Surf, Psychic, Shadow Ball
Status
Deal no direct damage. Apply effects like paralysis, sleep, stat boosts/drops, or weather changes.
e.g. Thunder Wave, Stealth Rock, Swords Dance, Toxic
STAB = Same Type Attack Bonus
When a Pokémon uses a move that matches one of its own types, it gets a 1.5× damage bonus called STAB. A Fire-type using Flamethrower deals 1.5× normal damage. This is why matching moves to your Pokémon's type is always the first priority when building a moveset.
How to Change Moves (Base Game)
In the base Cobblemon mod — no addons required — you have full control over your Pokémon's moveset through the Summary screen. This is one of Cobblemon's biggest quality-of-life improvements over traditional Pokémon games.
- 1Press M (default keybind) to open your Pokémon party, or open the Summary from within a battle.
- 2Select the Pokémon you want to edit and navigate to the Moves tab.
- 3You'll see your active moves (up to 4) and a benched moves list below — every move your Pokémon has ever learned.
- 4Click any benched move to swap it into your active set. Click an active move to bench it. No cost, no limits.
Free move swapping — any time
Unlike the main series games, Cobblemon lets you freely swap between any moves your Pokémon has learned at any time outside of battle. This means you never permanently lose a move — benched moves stay accessible forever.
How Pokémon Learn New Moves
There are four main ways a Pokémon can learn new moves in Cobblemon. The base game covers most of them — TMs require an addon.
Level-Up Moves
The most common method. Pokémon automatically learn new moves as they level up. The move is added to their benched moves list — you choose when to slot it into the active 4.
Base Game
Egg Moves
Moves passed down through breeding. If one parent knows a move the offspring can learn via egg move, the baby hatches knowing it. Requires breeding setup with Destiny Knot.
Base Game
Move Relearner (Legends Style)
Cobblemon uses a Legends: Arceus-style move relearning system. You can teach your Pokémon any move it could have learned at any prior level directly from the Summary screen at no cost.
Base Game
TMs & TRs
Technical Machines teach specific moves outside the level-up pool. Not in base Cobblemon — requires the SimpleTMs addon. TMs have 32 uses; TRs break after one use.
Addon Required
Tutor Moves
Special moves that can't be learned via level-up or TM. In base Cobblemon these require the Expanded Moveset datapack or SimpleTMs, which unlocks them at level 100.
Addon Required
Evolution Moves
Some Pokémon learn a move automatically when they evolve, regardless of level. These are added to the benched move pool on evolution and can be slotted in via the Summary screen.
Base Game
TMs & TRs — SimpleTMs Addon
The base Cobblemon mod doesn't include TMs. For TM functionality you need the SimpleTMs addon — the most popular Cobblemon addon with over 4.7 million downloads. Ask your server admin if it's installed, or add it yourself for singleplayer.
Technical Machine (TM)
Reusable item that teaches a specific move to any compatible Pokémon. The gold standard for competitive move teaching.
Uses32 uses (repairable with Diamond Blocks)
Drop rate1% when a Pokémon faints
Chest lootRare — various structures
Craftable?Yes — Blank TM + Pokémon's move
Technical Record (TR)
Single-use disc that teaches a move. Breaks after one use. More common than TMs so easier to farm, but you'll need multiple copies.
Uses1 use only — breaks on use
Drop rate10% when a Pokémon faints
Chest lootType-matched to structure biome
Craftable?Yes — Blank TR + Pokémon's move
How to Get TMs and TRs
- 1Battle wild Pokémon — the main method. TRs drop at 10% per Pokémon fainted, TMs at 1%. Fight in battles (don't just kill outside battle) for the chance to choose the move.
- 2Loot chests — TRs generate in village chests, ruined portals, and other structures. The type of TR matches the location (Fire TRs in Nether chests, Normal TRs in village chests etc.).
- 3Craft Blank TMs/TRs — craft a Blank TM using Echo Shards (or Netherite Blocks in v2.1.0+), then use it on a Pokémon that knows the move you want to imprint. This creates a usable TM or TR of that move.
In-battle vs out-of-battle drops
When battling in SimpleTMs, you're shown 4 random moves from the Pokémon's learnset to choose from as your drop. Outside of battle, a random move is assigned automatically. Always battle properly for the best chance at getting the specific TRs you want.
How to Use a TM or TR
- 1Hold the TM or TR in your hand and right-click it.
- 2A screen appears showing Pokémon in your party that can learn the move. Incompatible Pokémon won't appear.
- 3Select the Pokémon. The move is added to their benched move pool instantly.
- 4Open Summary → Moves to slot the new move into the active 4.
Essential Moves — Searchable Reference
Search or filter to find the moves that matter most in Cobblemon battles. These are the most competitively relevant moves across all types.
🔍
All
⚔️ Physical
✨ Special
💤 Status
| Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP | Effect |
|---|
Best Moves by Role
Entry Hazards — Set and Forget
- Stealth Rock — Rock-type, deals % HP to anything switching in based on type. The most important move in competitive play. Every team needs a setter.
- Spikes — Poison-type, 3 layers deal up to 25% HP to grounded Pokémon on switch-in. Stack with Stealth Rock for maximum chip damage.
- Toxic Spikes — Poisons grounded Pokémon switching in. Two layers cause bad poison. Countered by Poison types absorbing them.
Priority Moves — Speed Bypass
- Extreme Speed — Normal, +2 priority, 80 base power. The best priority move in the game.
- Bullet Punch — Steel, +1 priority, 40 base power. Scizor's signature and one of the most reliable priority moves.
- Mach Punch — Fighting, +1 priority, 40 base power. Conkeldurr and Breloom's bread and butter against frail sweepers.
- Aqua Jet — Water, +1 priority, 40 base power. Azumarill and Barraskewda use this as a revenge kill tool.
- Sucker Punch — Dark, +1 priority, 70 base power. Conditional — only works if the opponent uses an attacking move.
Setup Moves — Get Scary Fast
- Swords Dance — Doubles Attack in one turn. One of the most broken setup moves — one Swords Dance can end the game.
- Nasty Plot — Doubles Sp. Atk. Special equivalent of Swords Dance.
- Dragon Dance — Raises Attack AND Speed by 1 each. The best setup move for physical sweepers.
- Calm Mind — Raises Sp. Atk and Sp. Def by 1 each. Clefable and Reuniclus love this.
- Quiver Dance — Raises Sp. Atk, Sp. Def and Speed by 1 each. Volcarona's signature and utterly terrifying.
Utility / Support Moves
- Thunder Wave — Paralyses the target, halving their Speed. The best speed control move in the game.
- Will-O-Wisp — Burns the target, halving their Attack and dealing chip. Shuts down physical attackers completely.
- Toxic — Badly poisons the target for escalating damage. The foundation of stall strategies.
- Defog — Clears all entry hazards. Essential on hazard-weak teams.
- Rapid Spin — Clears own hazards and boosts Speed by 1. Excadrill runs this.
- U-turn / Volt Switch — Deal damage then switch out, maintaining momentum. The glue of offensive teams.
952 moves in Cobblemon v1.7
For the full searchable move database including every move's full learnset, check out cobblemon.tools/pokedex/moves — it lets you filter by type, category and which Pokémon can learn each move.