How Much Damage Does Bide Do

by
How Much Damage Does Bide Do

In the world of Pokémon battles, understanding how moves work can be the difference between victory and defeat. One of the most misunderstood moves isBide, which often confuses players due to its unique mechanics and damage calculation. Unlike most attacks, Bide doesn’t deal damage immediately. Instead, it stores damage taken over a few turns and then retaliates with double the amount. This leads many trainers to ask the question: how much damage does Bide do, and under what conditions is it most effective? The answer involves timing, strategy, and knowing your opponent’s attack patterns.

What Is Bide and How Does It Work?

Bide is a move introduced in Generation I of the Pokémon series. It’s a Normal-type attack that doesn’t inflict damage right away. Instead, when a Pokémon uses Bide, it becomes semi-invulnerable for two turns (sometimes three, depending on the game generation). During this time, the Pokémon absorbs damage from opponents without retaliating. At the end of the bide phase, the user unleashes double the total damage taken back at the last opponent that hit it.

Key Characteristics of Bide

  • Type: Normal
  • Power: Varies based on incoming damage
  • PP: Usually 10 (varies slightly by generation)
  • Priority: +1 in later generations
  • Effect: Endures hits for two turns, then deals back double the damage received

The unique feature of Bide is that its damage output is not fixed. It relies completely on how much damage the user takes during the charging turns. If the user doesn’t take any damage, the final attack does nothing.

Damage Calculation of Bide

The core of the move’s strategy lies in understanding how much damage Bide can deal. It simply returnstwicethe amount of HP lost during its charging turns. This is a fixed mechanic that ignores most other damage calculation factors such as the user’s Attack stat or the opponent’s Defense.

Basic Formula

Here’s a simplified formula: 

Bide Damage = 2 Ã  Total HP lost while biding

So if a Pokémon takes 40 HP damage during the two turns of Bide, it will deal 80 HP damage when it retaliates. This is a raw HP calculation and not dependent on base power or type effectiveness.

Important Considerations

  • Bide does not benefit from STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus).
  • Bide is unaffected by critical hits or type weaknesses.
  • The returned damage targets the last Pokémon that inflicted damage.
  • If multiple Pokémon attacked the user, only the last one takes the retaliation damage.

This makes Bide an unpredictable move in doubles or triples battles, where it’s harder to control who takes the final blow.

Which Attacks Count Toward Bide?

Another frequent point of confusion is which types of damage actually count toward Bide’s charge. It only talliesdirect damagereceived from damaging moves. This means status effects and indirect sources like poison, burn, weather damage, or recoil do not count.

Included in Bide’s Damage Counter

  • Physical attacks (e.g., Tackle, Earthquake)
  • Special attacks (e.g., Thunderbolt, Flamethrower)
  • Multi-hit attacks (each hit contributes to the total damage)

Not Included in Bide’s Damage Counter

  • Status effects like Toxic or Burn
  • Passive damage (weather, entry hazards, etc.)
  • Indirect damage such as recoil, confusion, or Leech Seed
  • Protect and Substitute prevent Bide from registering damage

This makes Bide ineffective against passive or stall-oriented strategies, but potentially devastating against aggressive attackers who deal high burst damage.

Strategic Uses of Bide

Bide can be a surprisingly useful move when used under the right conditions. Its effectiveness depends on the opponent’s behavior, making it more viable in specific situations rather than as a go-to move.

Ideal Scenarios for Bide

  • Facing High-Damage Opponents: Use Bide to absorb strong hits and punish back with doubled retaliation.
  • Against Faster Pokémon: Bide can help tank the hit and deliver a guaranteed counter-attack.
  • When You Predict Incoming Damage: Using Bide when you know you’ll be hit hard maximizes its value.

Bad Times to Use Bide

  • Against Status/Support Pokémon: These enemies rarely deal direct damage, rendering Bide useless.
  • If You’re Low on HP: You may faint before Bide has a chance to activate.
  • During Doubles Battles: It’s harder to predict which Pokémon will be the final attacker.

Using Bide is all about prediction and timing. It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy that pays off when you anticipate enemy behavior correctly.

Generational Differences in Bide

The mechanics of Bide have remained mostly consistent over the years, but there are some notable differences across generations that can affect how it works.

Generation I and II

  • Bide had no priority, making it easier to interrupt or KO the user before it countered.
  • Some damage rules were more lenient, such as partial credit from multi-hit moves.

Generation III Onward

  • Bide was given +1 priority, allowing it to go first in many cases and complete its charge safely.
  • Clarified targeting: only the last Pokémon to deal damage takes the counterattack.
  • AI trainers use Bide more intelligently in battle simulations.

These tweaks have improved Bide’s viability, although it’s still a niche move with specific tactical value.

Pokémon That Learn Bide

Many Pokémon can learn Bide through level-up or TM (in earlier generations). It’s often found on early-route Pokémon or defensive types who benefit from turn-based trading.

Common Pokémon That Learn Bide

  • Rattata
  • Shuckle
  • Wobbuffet (alternative move strategy)
  • Zigzagoon
  • Togepi

These Pokémon typically rely on prediction and survivability to make Bide work. Using it with a sturdy or bulky Pokémon is usually the best approach.

Bide is a move that rewards patience and strategic insight. It doesn’t operate like most offensive techniques in the Pokémon series, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. To answer the main question how much damage does Bide do? the answer is simply double the damage taken during the charge. However, using Bide effectively requires timing, a good read on the opponent, and sometimes a bit of luck. When executed properly, it can deliver massive damage and turn the tide of a battle. Although it’s not a staple in most competitive lineups, Bide has its place for creative players who know how to make the most of every turn.