Editing Skull Bash

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|image={{tabber|title1=Pikachu|content1=[[File:Pikachu Side B SSBU.gif|300px]]|title2=Pichu|content2=[[File:Pichu Side B SSBU.gif|300px]]}}

|caption=Skull Bash in ''[[Ultimate]]''.

'''Skull Bash''' ({{ja|ロケットずつき|Roketto Zutsuki}}, ''Rocket Headbutt'') is [[Pikachu]] and [[Pichu]]'s [[side special move]].

The user launches itself headfirst. The move can be charged to increase the [[damage]] and range of the attack. In ''Ultimate'', performing this move like a [[smash attack]] causes it to start with some charge, thus dealing more damage and fully charging sooner.

 

 

 

 

 

{{CustomSet|Pikachu|Side|name1=Skull Bash|desc1-ntsc=A flying headbutt that can be charged up.|desc1-pal=A sideways dive that can be charged up.|name2=Shocking Skull Bash|desc2-ntsc=A flying headbutt that deals multiple hits. The last hit has added launch power.|desc2-pal=Dives sideways, dealing multiple electrical hits. The last hit has added launch power.|name3=Heavy Skull Bash|desc3-ntsc=Dives sideways. Deals more damage if it hits near the start of the attack.|desc3-pal=Dives sideways. Deals more damage if it hits closer to the start of the attack.}}

# '''Shocking Skull Bash''': Has an electric effect and hits multiple times, with the last hit dealing more knockback. Has more ending lag. {{Main|Pikachu (SSB4)/Side special/Custom 1}}

# '''Heavy Skull Bash''': Charges and travels faster, but the distance granted doesn't increase with charge. Damage output increases the closer Pikachu is to the opponent. As the name implies this move is much more powerful compared to the other side specials especially when hitting someone at the beginning, with a fully charged Heavy Skull Bash dealing 32% damage and massive knockback (KOing Mario at 25% from the center of Final Destination.) Recovery wise it doesn't travel as much distance as the other side specials, but oddly if the move is used immediately out of hitstun the distance granted is drastically increased. {{Main|Pikachu (SSB4)/Side special/Custom 2}}

[[File:PikachuSkullBashRBY.gif|thumb|250px|{{iw|bulbapedia|Skull Bash|move}} being used by Pikachu in ''{{iw|bulbapedia|Pokémon Red}}''.]]

Skull Bash is based on a move with the same name in the {{uv|Pokémon}} games. It is a physical Normal-type attack introduced in Generation I. In the games, Skull Bash is a two-turn attack. On the first turn, the Pokémon using the move tucks its head in to prepare the attack. On the second turn, the Pokémon launches forward to ram the foe with its head. The attack is very powerful; however, its two-turn nature makes it somewhat inefficient; this is referenced by the ability to charge the move. In Generation II onwards, Skull Bash raises the user's Defense stat by one stage, but this effect has never been present in its ''Smash'' appearances, with no damage reduction effects present.

Although Skull Bash was never an Electric-type attack, in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', both Pichu's and Pikachu's Skull Bashes have electrical properties. This was fixed in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', in which Pikachu's Skull Bash has a neutral effect. It also produces a small explosion behind Pikachu when used, similar to the explosive animation used for Skull Bash in the ''Pokémon'' games.

 

Skull Bash is available to Pikachu only by using {{iw|bulbapedia|TM40}} in Generation I. It can, however, still have the move in Generation II games (the generation ''Melee'' was closest to), as they allow trading Pokémon between the two generations through the Time Capsule. Between Generation III and Generation VI, the move was unavailable for Pikachu to learn, as no TM was available and it's impossible to transfer Pokémon between Generations II and III. As of Generation VII, however, Pikachu can have Skull Bash if it is transferred from one of the Generation I games on the Virtual Console. Pichu, on the other hand, has never been able to learn Skull Bash, as it cannot be passed down as an Egg Move and has never been made a TM move for it to learn. As of Generation IX, Skull Bash was removed and not usable.

 

SkullBashGen6.png|Skull Bash in Generation VI ''Pokémon'' games.

SkullBashMelee.jpg|Pikachu's Skull Bash in ''Melee''.

Pichu's Skull Bash Move.jpg|Pichu's Skull Bash in ''Melee''.

Skull Bash.jpg|Pikachu's Skull Bash in ''Brawl''.

**They will also never charge Skull Bash. This also applies for many other attacks that require button holding, such as [[smash attack]]s.

 

{{Multiple Special Moves|Pikachu|Pichu}}