We get the same question all the time, by new and old players alike: “How to dodge in Pokemon GO?”. The confusion behind dodging is quite understandable, as the game doesn’t telegram when you’re able to dodge very well.
Due to the fact that dodging reduces incoming damage, being good at dodging is an important part of Gym battles, and can often mean victory or loss. We advise you read through the entire guide and study moves in details, especially the ones that come more often in Gyms.
Let’s cover the basics: you can only dodge in the time window between seeing the dodge indicator and taking damage.
The dodge indicator is a yellow glow that is displayed on the edges of the screen. You take damage only at the very end of attack animations. Moves that have ultra short animation can be dodged from the moment you see the text.
The dodge window lasts for 0.7 seconds, from the moment you see the yellow glow and until you take damage.
Here are the facts behind dodging:
- Dodging reduces attack damage by 75%
- Every attack can be dodged during a discrete period of 0.7s
- That period is only available just before the move animation ends
- Result: Not all moves can be dodged in the same fashion
- You should always try to dodge charge moves
- You dodge by moving left and right
Watch this gif and observe how long it takes for the dodge window to appear.
How and when to dodge in Pokemon GO
Move name | Power | Anim. duration | When to dodge | Exact dodge timing |
Acid | 10 | 1.05 | Very Fast | 0.35 – 1.05 |
Aerial Ace | 30 | 2.9 | Slow | 2.2 – 2.9 |
Air Cutter | 30 | 3.3 | Slow | 2.6 – 3.3 |
Ancient Power | 35 | 3.6 | Very slow | 2.9 – 3.6 |
Aqua Jet | 25 | 2.35 | Fast | 1.65 – 2.35 |
Aqua Tail | 45 | 2.35 | Fast | 1.65 – 2.35 |
Bite | 6 | 0.5 | Instant | 0 – 0.5 |
Blizzard | 100 | 3.9 | Very slow | 3.2 – 3.9 |
Body Slam | 40 | 1.56 | Fast | 0.86 – 1.56 |
Bone Club | 25 | 1.6 | Fast | 0.9 – 1.6 |
Brick Break | 30 | 1.6 | Fast | 0.9 – 1.6 |
Brine | 25 | 2.4 | Fast | 1.7 – 2.4 |
Bubble | 25 | 2.3 | Fast | 1.6 – 2.3 |
Bubble Beam | 30 | 2.9 | Slow | 2.2 – 2.9 |
Bug Bite | 5 | 0.45 | Instant | 0 – 0.45 |
Bug Buzz | 75 | 4.25 | Very slow | 3.55 – 4.25 |
Bulldoze | 35 | 3.4 | Slow | 2.7 – 3.4 |
Bullet Punch | 10 | 1.2 | Very Fast | 0.5 – 1.2 |
Confusion | 15 | 1.51 | Fast | 0.81 – 1.51 |
Cross Chop | 60 | 2 | Fast | 1.3 – 2 |
Cross Poison | 25 | 1.5 | Fast | 0.8 – 1.5 |
Cut | 12 | 1.13 | Very Fast | 0.43 – 1.13 |
Dark Pulse | 45 | 3.5 | Very slow | 2.8 – 3.5 |
Dazzling Gleam | 55 | 4.2 | Very slow | 3.5 – 4.2 |
Dig | 70 | 5.8 | Very slow | 5.1 – 5.8 |
Disarming Voice | 25 | 3.9 | Very slow | 3.2 – 3.9 |
Discharge | 35 | 2.5 | Slow | 1.8 – 2.5 |
Dragon Breath | 6 | 0.5 | Instant | 0 – 0.5 |
Dragon Claw | 35 | 1.6 | Fast | 0.9 – 1.6 |
Dragon Pulse | 65 | 3.6 | Very slow | 2.9 – 3.6 |
Draining Kiss | 25 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Drill Peck | 40 | 2.7 | Slow | 2 – 2.7 |
Drill Run | 50 | 3.4 | Slow | 2.7 – 3.4 |
Earthquake | 100 | 4.2 | Very slow | 3.5 – 4.2 |
Ember | 10 | 1.05 | Very Fast | 0.35 – 1.05 |
Feint Attack | 12 | 1.04 | Very Fast | 0.34 – 1.04 |
Fire Blast | 100 | 4.1 | Very slow | 3.4 – 4.1 |
Fire Fang | 10 | 0.84 | Very Fast | 0.14 – 0.84 |
Fire Punch | 40 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Flame Burst | 30 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Flame Charge | 25 | 3.1 | Slow | 2.4 – 3.1 |
Flame Wheel | 40 | 4.6 | Very slow | 3.9 – 4.6 |
Flamethrower | 55 | 2.9 | Slow | 2.2 – 2.9 |
Flash Cannon | 60 | 3.9 | Very slow | 3.2 – 3.9 |
Frost Breath | 9 | 0.81 | Very Fast | 0.11 – 0.81 |
Fury Cutter | 3 | 0.4 | Instant | 0 – 0.4 |
Gunk Shot | 65 | 3 | Slow | 2.3 – 3 |
Heat Wave | 80 | 3.8 | Very slow | 3.1 – 3.8 |
Horn Attack | 25 | 2.2 | Fast | 1.5 – 2.2 |
Hurricane | 80 | 3.2 | Slow | 2.5 – 3.2 |
Hydro Pump | 90 | 3.8 | Very slow | 3.1 – 3.8 |
Hyper Beam | 120 | 5 | Very slow | 4.3 – 5 |
Hyper Fang | 35 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Ice Beam | 65 | 3.65 | Very slow | 2.95 – 3.65 |
Ice Punch | 45 | 3.5 | Very slow | 2.8 – 3.5 |
Ice Shard | 15 | 1.4 | Very Fast | 0.7 – 1.4 |
Icy Wind | 25 | 3.8 | Very slow | 3.1 – 3.8 |
Iron Head | 30 | 2 | Fast | 1.3 – 2 |
Karate Chop | 6 | 0.8 | Very Fast | 0.1 – 0.8 |
Leaf Blade | 55 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Lick | 5 | 0.5 | Instant | 0 – 0.5 |
Low Kick | 5 | 0.6 | Instant | 0 – 0.6 |
Low Sweep | 30 | 2.25 | Fast | 1.55 – 2.25 |
Magnet Bomb | 30 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Megahorn | 80 | 3.2 | Slow | 2.5 – 3.2 |
Metal Claw | 8 | 0.63 | Instant | 0 – 0.63 |
Moonblast | 85 | 4.1 | Very slow | 3.4 – 4.1 |
Mud Bomb | 30 | 2.6 | Slow | 1.9 – 2.6 |
Mud Shot | 6 | 0.55 | Instant | 0 – 0.55 |
Mud Slap | 15 | 1.35 | Very Fast | 0.65 – 1.35 |
Night Slash | 30 | 2.7 | Slow | 2 – 2.7 |
Ominous Wind | 30 | 3.1 | Slow | 2.4 – 3.1 |
Peck | 10 | 1.15 | Very Fast | 0.45 – 1.15 |
Petal Blizzard | 65 | 3.2 | Slow | 2.5 – 3.2 |
Play Rough | 55 | 2.9 | Slow | 2.2 – 2.9 |
Poison Fang | 25 | 2.4 | Fast | 1.7 – 2.4 |
Poison Jab | 12 | 1.05 | Very Fast | 0.35 – 1.05 |
Poison Sting | 6 | 0.58 | Instant | 0 – 0.58 |
Pound | 7 | 0.54 | Instant | 0 – 0.54 |
Power Gem | 40 | 2.9 | Slow | 2.2 – 2.9 |
Power Whip | 70 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Psybeam | 40 | 3.8 | Very slow | 3.1 – 3.8 |
Psychic | 55 | 2.8 | Slow | 2.1 – 2.8 |
Psycho Cut | 7 | 0.57 | Instant | 0 – 0.57 |
Psyshock | 40 | 2.7 | Slow | 2 – 2.7 |
Quick Attack | 10 | 1.33 | Very Fast | 0.63 – 1.33 |
Razor Leaf | 15 | 1.45 | Very Fast | 0.75 – 1.45 |
Rock Slide | 50 | 3.2 | Slow | 2.5 – 3.2 |
Rock Smash | 15 | 1.41 | Very Fast | 0.71 – 1.41 |
Rock Throw | 12 | 1.36 | Very Fast | 0.66 – 1.36 |
Rock Tomb | 30 | 3.4 | Slow | 2.7 – 3.4 |
Scald | 55 | 4 | Very slow | 3.3 – 4 |
Scratch | 6 | 0.5 | Instant | 0 – 0.5 |
Seed Bomb | 40 | 2.4 | Fast | 1.7 – 2.4 |
Shadow Ball | 45 | 3.08 | Slow | 2.38 – 3.08 |
Shadow Claw | 11 | 0.95 | Very Fast | 0.25 – 0.95 |
Signal Beam | 45 | 3.1 | Slow | 2.4 – 3.1 |
Sludge | 30 | 2.6 | Slow | 1.9 – 2.6 |
Sludge Bomb | 55 | 2.6 | Slow | 1.9 – 2.6 |
Sludge Wave | 70 | 3.4 | Slow | 2.7 – 3.4 |
Solar Beam | 120 | 4.9 | Very slow | 4.2 – 4.9 |
Spark | 7 | 0.7 | Very Fast | 0 – 0.7 |
Splash | 0 | 1.23 | Very Fast | 0.53 – 1.23 |
Steel Wing | 15 | 1.33 | Very Fast | 0.63 – 1.33 |
Stomp | 30 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Stone Edge | 80 | 3.1 | Slow | 2.4 – 3.1 |
Struggle | 15 | 1.7 | Fast | 1 – 1.7 |
Submission | 30 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Sucker Punch | 7 | 0.7 | Very Fast | 0 – 0.7 |
Swift | 30 | 3 | Slow | 2.3 – 3 |
Tackle | 12 | 1.1 | Very Fast | 0.4 – 1.1 |
Thunder | 100 | 4.3 | Very slow | 3.6 – 4.3 |
Thunder Punch | 40 | 2.4 | Fast | 1.7 – 2.4 |
Thunder Shock | 5 | 0.6 | Instant | 0 – 0.6 |
Thunderbolt | 55 | 2.7 | Slow | 2 – 2.7 |
Twister | 25 | 2.7 | Slow | 2 – 2.7 |
Vice Grip | 25 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Vine Whip | 7 | 0.65 | Instant | 0 – 0.65 |
Water Gun | 6 | 0.5 | Instant | 0 – 0.5 |
Water Pulse | 35 | 3.3 | Slow | 2.6 – 3.3 |
Wing Attack | 9 | 0.75 | Very Fast | 0.05 – 0.75 |
Wrap | 25 | 4 | Very slow | 3.3 – 4 |
X-Scissor | 35 | 2.1 | Fast | 1.4 – 2.1 |
Zen Headbutt | 12 | 1.05 | Very Fast | 0.35 – 1.05 |