Pokémon Accuracy and Evasion Mechanics: How to Land or Dodge!

🎯 Accuracy and evasion basics

Every time a move is used, the game performs a hit check comparing the user's accuracy against the target's evasion, then applies various multipliers and special rules.

• Base Accuracy: Each move has a listed accuracy (e.g., 100%, 90%, 70%). A “—” means the move bypasses standard accuracy checks (e.g., Swift, Aerial Ace) unless the target is in a semi‑invulnerable state (Fly, Dig, Dive, Bounce, Shadow Force) or protected by moves like Protect/Detect.
• Accuracy Stages: The attacker's accuracy can be raised or lowered in stages (–6 to +6) by moves, abilities, and field effects.
• Evasion Stages: The target’s evasion can be raised or lowered in stages (–6 to +6); higher evasion makes moves more likely to miss. Evasion is often not allowed to be boosted in many competitive formats.
• Immunities and Exceptions: Type immunities still apply. Effects like No Guard ability make all moves hit (except against invulnerable states), Lock-On/Mind Reader guarantee the next hit on a specific target, and Foresight/Odor Sleuth remove Ghost‑type immunity to Normal/Fighting moves and negate evasion boosts.

Example: If the target has boosted its evasion, even a 100% accurate move can miss unless special effects apply.

🧮 How hit chance is calculated

The game starts with the move’s base accuracy, then applies the user’s accuracy stage and the target’s evasion stage into one multiplier. This is followed by other multipliers (abilities, items, and field effects). The final value is a percentage value between 0% and 100%.

• Stage multipliers: Accuracy and evasion use stage-based multipliers from –6 to +6.
• Global modifiers: Abilities (e.g., Compound Eyes), items (e.g., Wide Lens, Bright Powder), and field effects (e.g., Gravity) further adjust the chance.
• Special rules: No Guard makes all moves hit; Lock-On/Mind Reader guarantee the next hit on a chosen target.

Accuracy & Evasion stage multiplier:

Stage (s) = Accuracy stage (attacker) - Evasion stage (target)

s is bounded between -6 to 6. Any numbers lower or higher than this will be set to -6 and 6 respectively

If stage s ≥ 0: multiplier = (3 + s) / 3
If stage s < 0: multiplier = 3 / (3 − s)

Example 1: Evasion stage = +1, Accuracy stage = +3
s = 3 - 1 = 2 within range (−6, +6)
Multiplier = (3 + 2) / 3 = 5 / 3 = 1.666..

Example 2: Evasion stage = - 6, Accuracy stage = 2
s = 2 - - 6 = 8
8 > 6 so s becomes 6 (because s is bounded between -6, 6)
Multiplier = (3 + 6) / 3 = 9 / 3 = 3.0

Final hit chance:

Final hit % = BaseAccuracy × (Accuracy & Evasion stage multiplier) × (Other Multipliers)

Example: A 90% accurate move into a target at +1 evasion
s = 0 - 1 = -1 → multiplier = 3 / (3 - (-1)) = 3 / 4 = 0.75
Final hit % = 0.9 × 0.75 = 67.5%.

Example: A 70% accurate Thunder into a target at +2 evasion with Compound Eyes (×1.3)
s = 0 - 2 = -2 → multiplier = 3 / (3 - (-2)) = 3 / 5 = 0.6
Final hit % = 0.7 × 0.6 × 1.3 ≈ 54.6% before other modifiers.

Example: A 60% accurate Hypnosis from a user at +1 accuracy into a target at -1 evasion with Compound Eyes (×1.3)
s = 1 - (-1) = 2 → multiplier = (3 + 2) / 3 = 5 / 3 ≈ 1.666...
Final hit % = 60 × 1.666... × 1.3 ≈ 130%, capped at 100% (guaranteed hit).

🧩 Common modifiers and interactions

Many effects subtly change hit rates. Knowing the usual suspects helps you plan consistent lines or force misses.

• Abilities: Compound Eyes (×1.3 accuracy), Hustle (×0.8 accuracy for physical moves), Sand Veil/Snow Cloak (+1 evasion stage in certain weather), No Guard (all moves hit unless blocked by immunity or semi‑invulnerable state).
• Items: Wide Lens (+10% accuracy), Zoom Lens (+20% accuracy if moving after the target), Bright Powder/Lax Incense (reduce opponent’s accuracy by 10%).
• Field effects: Gravity multiplies accuracy by 5/3 for all moves and grounds airborne Pokémon; certain weather affects specific moves (e.g., Thunder is 100% accurate in rain, 50% in harsh sunlight).
• Move-specific rules: Some moves ignore accuracy checks entirely (e.g., Swift, Magical Leaf), while others have conditional accuracy changes (e.g., Thunder, Blizzard in weather).

📌 Practical strategy tips

Build around reliability when you need consistency, or exploit evasion/accuracy swings when aiming for high-risk, high-reward lines.

• Stabilize accuracy: Pair middling-accuracy moves with Wide Lens or Compound Eyes, or apply Lock-On/Mind Reader where viable.
• Disrupt opponents: Use evasion boosts (Double Team, Minimize) or accuracy drops (Sand Attack, Mud-Slap) to push crucial misses at key turns.
• Respect exceptions: Don’t rely on evasion against No Guard or “never-miss” moves.
• Account for weather/field: Set Gravity or weather to swing accuracy in your favor.

Example: A team that sets Gravity can run powerful but inaccurate moves with far fewer misses, improving overall consistency and potential winrate.

The History of Accuracy & Evasion in Pokémon

Accuracy and Evasion have been part of Pokémon battles since Generation I, determining whether a move hits or misses. While the core stage-based system has remained, later generations refined how modifiers and abilities interact.

Generation I (Red, Blue, Yellow) - The Original Stage System

Final hit chance gen I & II:

Hit% = Accuracy move × Accuracy user × Evasion target − Bright Powder

Bright Powder = 20 if this item is held by target
Accuracy and Evasion are calculated with same stage calculation but now independently skipping the subtraction step

• Stage Multipliers: Each stage changed the hit chance using fixed multipliers (e.g., +1 Accuracy = ×4/3, +1 Evasion = ×3/4). In Gen I and II the results of the Accuracy and Evasion stages where not combined together and bound between -6 & 6. Rather they were calculated independently as a multiplier.
• Always-Hit Moves: Certain moves like Swift ignored Accuracy/Evasion entirely.
• One-Hit KO Moves: Had their own accuracy formula, factoring in level differences.

Generation II (Gold, Silver, Crystal) - Minor Adjustments

The core formula stayed the same, but some bugs from Gen I were fixed.

• Lock-On & Mind Reader: Introduced to guarantee the next move hits, bypassing Evasion boosts.
• BrightPowder: One of the first items to lower an opponent's hit chance.

Generation III (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald) - Abilities & Items

Abilities and new held items began to influence Accuracy/Evasion more directly.

• Abilities: Compound Eyes (boosts Accuracy), Sand Veil (raises Evasion in sandstorms), Keen Eye (prevents Accuracy drops).
• Weather Effects: Moves like Thunder gained perfect accuracy in rain.
• Stage Formula: Standardized to the modern form: If s ≥ 0: (3 + s) / 3; If s < 0: 3 / (3 − s).

Generation IV (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum) - More Interactions

Additional abilities and moves expanded the system.

• No Guard: Ensures all moves used by and against the Pokémon hit.
• Fog Weather: Reduced accuracy of all moves unless bypassed by certain effects.

Generation V onwards - Balancing & Competitive Impact

Later generations kept the same math but adjusted competitive balance.

• Evasion Clause: Many official formats banned Evasion-boosting moves like Double Team and Minimize.
• Consistent Formula: Accuracy/Evasion multipliers have remained unchanged since Gen III.