Curse

Ghost -type Pokémon pay 50% of their max HP to hurt the target every turn. Others decrease their own Speed but raise Attack and Defense by one stage each.

Curse is a unique move that behaves differently for Ghost -type Pokémon.

For Ghost -type Pokémon:

• The user sacrifices 50% (rounded down) of maximum HP to put a curse on the target. This also works while below 50% of maximum HP and can cause the user to faint.
• The curse causes the target to lose 25% of maximum HP each turn.
• This effect lasts until the Pokémon switches out or the battle ends.
• This is not blocked by Protect, Detect or Spiky Shield but it is blocked by Crafty Shield.
• If Curse misses (for example by hitting the target during the semi-invulnerable turn of Fly) the user will not lose any HP
• A Dynamaxed Pokémon can be cursed but only takes 25% of the pre-Dynamax maximum HP as damage each turn (which is between ⅙ and ⅛ of its Dynamax HP and as low as ¹⁄₁₂ in Max Raid Battles.

For non Ghost -type Pokémon:

• The user's lowers its own Speed by one stage but raises its Attack and Defense by one stage each.
• This will fail if there are no enemies in battle.
• Curse fails if the user's Speed is at -6 stages and its Attack and Defense are both at +6 stages.

• In Gen 2 Curse will fail if the user's Attack and Defense are already at +6 stages even if its Speed is not at -6 stages.
  The cursed Pokémon will not take any curse damage if it defeats the user in that turn.
• In Gen 2-4 Curse is a special ???-type move.
• In Gen 2-5 Curse can not hit Pokémon behind a Substitute.
• In Gen 2-7 the user was able to choose the target in double battles.