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Metronome (move) - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokémon encyclopedia

Chloe Ramirez

Metronome (Japanese: ゆびをふる Wag Finger) is a non-damaging Normal-type move introduced in Generation I. It was TM35 in Generation I, TR14 in Generation VIII, and is TM080 in Generation IX.

Table of Contents

Effect

This move effect may be in need of research.Reason: Interaction with choice items and moves the user already knows aside from Generation VYou can discuss this on the talk page.

The Metronome user executes a randomly selected move. This called move counts as the last move used.

Because Metronome has normal move priority, a move with higher or lower priority may be executed other than when it normally would. For instance, Metronome may cause Quick Attack to be used after a normal priority move or Counter to be used before a normal priority move.

Generation I

If Metronome successfully calls Hyper Beam or a binding move and has 0 PP before the move fully executes, its PP can roll over in the same manner as the move is called, with full PP Ups applied. A Pokémon will be able to use a move that is disabled if called via Metronome.

👉 For more insights, check out this resource.

Generation II

The Struggle bypassing glitch was fixed, so Metronome's PP cannot roll over.

Generations III and IV

Metronome will not prioritize any Pokémon to target; it will randomly target any opponent a move is able to target (even if the move has a positive effect, such as Heal Pulse). If the move can only target the field, a team, or the user, it will do so. If Metronome chooses Acupressure, it can target the user or an ally (in a Single Battle, it will always target the user).

👉 Discover more in this in-depth guide.

Generations V and VI

If Metronome chooses Acupressure in a Rotation Battle, it will always target the user.

Pokémon that know Metronome are banned from participating in Pokéstar Studio films.

If Metronome calls a move the user knows and its user is holding a Choice Band, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf, the move Metronome called will be locked by the Choice item. Otherwise, Metronome is the locked move. If a multi-turn move called by Metronome triggers Cursed Body, the multi-turn move will be disabled by Cursed Body, even if the user of Metronome does not know that move; otherwise, Metronome will be disabled.

Generation VII onwards

If Metronome calls a multi-turn move such as Rollout or Dig and its user is holding a Choice Band, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf, the move will activate on the first turn, but will fail and end the move on the next turn.

If powered up by a Normalium Z into Z-Metronome, the randomly selected move will become its corresponding Z-Move. If the selected move is a status move, it will not receive its Z-Power effect.

Unselectable moves

This move effect may be in need of research.Reason: Whether Shadow moves can be called, known moves in Gen 8 and Gen 9You can discuss this on the talk page.

In all core series games except Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Metronome can select any move except itself, a Max Move, a Z-Move, or any of the moves marked with a ✓ in the following table:

Moves the user knows were intended to be unselectable in Generation III, but due to a coding error, this prohibition does not actually take effect.

In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Metronome can only select moves introduced in Generation I. It can select any move introduced in Generation I, except itself and the following moves:

Description

Games Description
StadStad2 The user waggles its finger, triggering a move. There is no telling what will happen.
GSC Randomly uses any Pokémon move.
RSEColoXD Waggles a finger to use any Pokémon move at random.
FRLG Waggles a finger and stimulates the brain into using any move at random.
DPPtHGSSPBR The user waggles a finger and stimulates the brain into randomly using nearly any move.
BWB2W2XYORASSMUSUMPESwShBDSPLASV The user waggles a finger and stimulates its brain into randomly using nearly any move.

Learnset

By leveling up

By TM/TR/Move Tutor

By breeding

Special move

Generation IV

# Pokémon Types Egg Groups Obtained with
0173 No Eggs Discovered Pokéwalker - Amity Meadow
Bold indicates a Pokémon gains STAB from this move.Italics indicates a Pokémon whose evolution or alternate form receives STAB from this move.A dash (−) indicates a Pokémon cannot learn the move by the designated method.An empty cell indicates a Pokémon that is unavailable in that game/generation.

By event

Generation II

In other games

This move effect may be in need of research.Reason: Move lists for later Mystery Dungeon gamesYou can discuss this on the talk page.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series

Metronome picks a random move from the eligible pool, and the user will perform it in the direction it is currently facing. Despite being classified as a status move, Metronome is not affected by Taunt in the Rescue Team series. This is changed from the Explorers series.

The pool of selectable moves is noticeably smaller than in main series; out of all moves in the games, only the following can be called:

Pokémon Masters EX

In-depth description

Metronome can select one out of 19 moves: one strong attack move of each type and Fissure. Metronome has a 1% chance of selecting Fissure, and all other moves have an equal chance of being used. All potential moves are as follows:

Masterful Metronome can select one out of 11 moves: ten powerful attack moves and Fissure. Normal-type moves called via Masterful Metronome become Fairy-type moves due to Volo & Togepi's passive skill Piqued Curiosity.

All potential moves are as follows:

Super Smash Bros. series

In Super Smash Bros., if Clefairy is released from a Poké Ball, it will use Metronome to copy a move done by another Poké Ball Pokémon. It returns in Super Smash Bros. Melee, but its options are reduced to Explosion, Blizzard, Fire Spin, and Gust.

Togepi is another Pokémon in Melee that will use Metronome when released from a Poké Ball. It can call up Sleep Powder, Leech Seed, Magnitude, Powder Snow, or Night Shade. It reappears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, with SmokeScreen replacing Night Shade and Hypnosis replacing Sleep Powder. Togepi uses this new moveset in every game after Brawl.

Pokémon UNITE

In Pokémon UNITE, Clefable's Unite Move, Wonder Wish, is similar to Metronome.

Description

Games Description
MDRB Randomly looses a move from among all the moves known to Pokémon.
MDTDS Causes the user to unleash a random move drawn from the vast number of moves that Pokémon can know.
BSL たくさんのわざのなかから ランダムで ひとつえらんで わざを くりだす
MDGtI UNUSED
SMDMDRTDX You can use a randomly selected move. Some moves aren't available, so be careful!

In the anime

In the manga

Ash & Pikachu

Magical Pokémon Journey

The Electric Tale of Pikachu

How I Became a Pokémon Card

Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

In other generations

Core series games

Side series games

Spin-off series games

Trivia

  • The move's Japanese name refers to the wagging finger associated with the move, implying the user is randomly deciding a move from a list. The move's English name refers to the regular ticks associated with the move, which sound like the device it is named after.
  • In the Pokémon anime, Splash has been the most common result of Metronome.
  • The move description was incorrect in Generations II and III, as they stated that the Metronome user can use any move (in reality, there are some unusable moves). This was fixed from Generation IV onwards, stating "nearly any move" instead.

In other languages