Thunder Wave (move)
Thunder Wave (Japanese: でんじは Electromagnetic Wave) is a non-damaging Electric-type move introduced in Generation I. It was TM45 in Generation I before losing its TM status in Generation II. It regained its TM status as TM73 from Generation IV to Generation VII. It was TM16 in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. It is TM14 in Generation VIII.
Thunder Wave でんじは Electromagnetic Wave | ||||||||||||
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Effect
Generations I-VI
Thunder Wave has 100% accuracy and paralyzes the target.
Thunder Wave takes types into consideration, so it cannot usually affect Ground-type Pokémon. This will take type changes into account, such as if Thunder Wave is affected by Normalize (which would make Ghost-type Pokémon immune to it).
In the Generation I handheld games only, Thunder Wave can affect a target behind a substitute.
Thunder Wave can be used as part of a Pokémon Contest combination, with the user gaining extra two appeal points if Charge was used in the prior turn. It can also be used as part of a Contest Spectacular combination, causing Hex and Smelling Salts to give extra three appeal points if used in the next turn.
Generation VII
Thunder Wave's accuracy was lowered to 90%.
If powered up by an Electrium Z into Z-Thunder Wave, the user's Special Defense stat is raised by one stage.
Description
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Learnset
By leveling up
By TM
By breeding
# | Pokémon | Types | Parent Egg Groups |
Egg Move | ||||||||
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II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||||||
223 | ![]() |
Remoraid |
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Water 1 | Water 2 | ✔ | ✔ | |||||
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move. Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move. |
By Move Tutor
In other games
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series
In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Thunder Wave is a move with 17 PP and 50% accuracy. The user targets enemy in the front, inflict paralysis on them if possible. This move is affected by Magic Coat and Taunt.
In Explorers of Time, Darkness and Explorers of Sky, the move's accuracy has been increased to 65%.
Pokémon Masters EX
Category | Move Gauge | MP | Base Power | Max Power | Accuracy | Target | Effect Tag | Description |
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Status | 2 | — | — | — | 90% | An opponent | — | Leaves the target paralyzed. |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
Pikachu uses Thunder Wave as its custom neutral special 2, replacing Thunder Jolt. Thunder Wave does less damage than Thunder Jolt, but it leaves the opponent stunned for a short period of time.
Description
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In the anime
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Murkrow | Electabuzz | Magnemite | Nosepass |
The user releases a charge of electricity at the opponent which causes paralysis if it hits. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
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User | First Used In | Notes | |
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Yellow or blue sparks surround Jolteon's body. | ||
Ethan's Jolteon | Get Along, Little Pokémon | Debut | |
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Mareep releases thin streams of electricity from its body. | ||
Dr. Anna's Mareep | Hassle in the Castle | None | |
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Chinchou releases a thin stream of electricity from its antennae orbs at the opponent, or Chinchou's antennae light up and its body becomes surrounded in yellow sparks; or, Chinchou creates a yellow ring of electricity with orange sparkles inside and around it in-between its antennae. It then fires multiple yellow rings of electricity from the single electric ring at the opponent, before the sparkles disappear, paralyzing it. | ||
Dayton's Bright | Takin' it on the Chinchou | None | |
Multiple wild Chinchou | Takin' it on the Chinchou | None | |
A wild Chinchou | Love at First Twirl! | None | |
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Magnemite releases light blue electricity from its body at the opponent, or Magnemite releases blue static electricity from the tips of its magnets at the opponent. The electricity can hold the opponent in the air. | ||
Jasmine's Magnemite | Nerves of Steelix! | None | |
Multiple wild Magnemite | All Torkoal, No Play | None | |
A wild Magnemite | Pikachu's Summer Festival | None | |
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Dragonite releases a stream of blue electricity from each of the ends of its antennae at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Lance's Dragonite | Rage of Innocence | None | |
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Dragonair releases a blue stream of electricity from its horn that wraps around the opponent like a rope. | ||
Clair's Dragonair | Great Bowls of Fire! | None | |
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Magneton releases blue bolts of electricity from the ends of the magnets on its body. The electricity curves around and ties around the opponent, preventing it from moving. | ||
Jackson's Magneton | Tie One On! | None | |
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Blue sparks surround Electrike's body, or Electrike releases multiple blue bolts of lightning at the opponent. | ||
Wattson's Electrike | Watt's with Wattson? | None | |
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The top of Manectric's head sparks with blue electricity, then it releases multiple blue bolts of lightning at the opponent. When Manectric is charged up, yellow electricity rises from the yellow fur on its body and forms together in the air to form a blue ball of electricity that fires as a beam at the opponent. | ||
Wattson's Manectric | Manectric Charge | None | |
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Aggron's claw becomes surrounded in sparks of yellow electricity. | ||
A mirage Aggron | The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon | None | |
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Plusle releases bolts of yellow electricity from its body at the opponent. | ||
Solana's Plusle | The Green Guardian | None | |
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Nosepass's body becomes surrounded by blue electricity and it fires static shock waves at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Hank's Nosepass | Aipom and Circumstance! | None | |
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Heliolisk releases rings of yellow electricity from the tip of its tail at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Clemont's Heliolisk | The Moment of Lumiose Truth! | None | |
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Meowstic releases rings of yellow electricity from its hands at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Olympia's Meowstic | All Eyes on the Future! | None | |
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Bisharp releases rings of yellow electricity from one of its hands at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Alain's Bisharp | Finals Not for the Faint-Hearted! | None | |
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Murkrow releases rings of yellow electricity from its beak at the opponent. | ||
Two wild Murkrow | Mimikyu Unmasked! | None | |
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Eletabuzz creates a ball of yellow electricity in front of its hands and releases rings of yellow electricity from it at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Tony's Electabuzz | Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered! | None | |
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Fan Rotom releases rings of yellow electricity from its fan at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Volkner's Rotom | Ultra Exciting from the Shocking Start! | None |
- In the English dub of Trouble's Brewing, Satsuki commanded her Jolteon to use Thunder Wave. This is a dubbing error, as in the original Japanese version, she instead told Jolteon to use Zap Cannon.
- A similar error occurred in the English dub of The Winner by a Nosepass, only with Roxanne commanding her Nosepass to use Thunder Wave instead of Zap Cannon as in the original Japanese version. This was corrected later on in the episode.
- In Watt's with Wattson?, Wattson mentioned that his Magnemite knows Thunder Wave. However, it has never been seen using the move.
- In Best Friend...Worst Nightmare!, Ren commanded his Magnemite, Francois, to use Thunder Wave, but it was restricted due to a wild Gengar having tied its body up with cables.
In the manga
Mobilize!! Pokémon Ranger
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Minun | Plusle | ||
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The user paralyzes the opponent with a weak shot of electricity. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Minun shoots out a weak electric shot with paralyzes the opponent. | ||
Daichi's Minun | Mobilize!! Pokémon Ranger | Debut | |
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Plusle shoots out a weak electric shot with paralyzes the opponent. | ||
Solana's Plusle | Mobilize!! Pokémon Ranger | None |
Phantom Thief Pokémon 7
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Magnezone | |||
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The user paralyzes the opponent with electricity. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Magnezone shoots a small blast of electricity at the opponent, paralyzing them. | ||
Team Galactic's Magnezone | Showdown With An Assasin | Debut |
Pokémon Adventures
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Voltorb | Pikachu | Dragonair | Dragonite |
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A weak electric charge is launched at the foe. It causes paralysis if it hits. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Pikachu releases a stream of electricity at the opponent from the tip of its tail or its body, paralyzing it. | ||
Red's Pika | ...But Fearow Itself! | Debut Revealed to know in Wanted: Pikachu! by Red's Pokédex | |
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Voltorb fires a stream of electricity from its body at the opponent, paralyzing it. | ||
Lt. Surge's Voltorb | Danger: High Voltorb | None | |
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Dragonite's antennae start to glow, and it fires a beam from the middle of its antennae at the opponent. | ||
A wild Dragonite | What a Dragonite | None | |
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Dragonair fires a blast of electricity from its horn at the opponent. | ||
Clair's Dragonair | The Last Battle II | None |
- In Pinsir Me, I Must Be Dreaming, a Linoone that Emerald was renting from the Battle Factory was revealed to know Thunder Wave by Emerald's Pokédex.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!
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Minun | |||
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The user paralyzes the opponent with a weak shot of electricity. | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Minun shoots out a weak electric shot with paralyzes the opponent. | ||
Hareta's Minun | Hareta's Excellent New Partner...Minun?! | Debut |
Pocket Monsters Platinum: Aim to Be Battle King!!
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Rotom | |||
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Unknown | |||
Pokémon | Method | ||
User | First Chapter Used In | Notes | |
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Rotom. | ||
Yū Shirogane's Rotom | PBK8 | Debut |
In other generations
Core series games
Spin-off series games
Trivia
- Thunder Wave is the only status move that takes the type chart into account.
- Consequently, it is the only status move that cannot hit Ground-type Pokémon (even when other status moves are affected by Electrify).
- In Generations II and III, Glare also took the type chart into account.
In other languages
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Generation I TMs | |
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01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 | |
26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 | |
Generation I HMs | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 |
Generation IV TMs | |
---|---|
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 | |
24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 | |
47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 | |
70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 | |
Generation IV HMs | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 (DPPt • HGSS) • 06 • 07 • 08 |
Generation V TMs | |
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01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | |
25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 | |
49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 | |
73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 | |
Generation V HMs | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 |
Generation VI TMs | |
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01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 | |
27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 | |
53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 • 76 • 77 • 78 | |
79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 (XY • ORAS) • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 | |
Generation VI HMs | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06ORAS • 07ORAS |
Generation VII TMs | |
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SMUSUM | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 | |
26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 | |
51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 | |
76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 | |
PE | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 | |
21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 | |
41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 |
Generation VIII TMs | |
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SwSh | |
00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | |
25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 | |
50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 | |
75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 | |
BDSP | |
01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 | |
26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 • 50 | |
51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 • 75 | |
76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 100 | |
Generation VIII TRs (SwSh) | |
00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08 • 09 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 | |
25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 • 41 • 42 • 43 • 44 • 45 • 46 • 47 • 48 • 49 | |
50 • 51 • 52 • 53 • 54 • 55 • 56 • 57 • 58 • 59 • 60 • 61 • 62 • 63 • 64 • 65 • 66 • 67 • 68 • 69 • 70 • 71 • 72 • 73 • 74 | |
75 • 76 • 77 • 78 • 79 • 80 • 81 • 82 • 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 |
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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. |