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Move-of-the-Week Discussion #42: Pluck

winstein

winstein

Mari-yo Puyo
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In Pokémon, there are lots of different moves used by different Pokémon. Every week, we shall focus the discussion on a different move, and there will be some base questions that would help you start this off. This week, Pluck is chosen.


(Click picture to go to the Bulbapedia page)​

In-game Description (BW) said:
Type: Flying (Physical)
Base Power: 60
Accuracy: 100%
PP: 20

The user pecks the target. If the target is holding a Berry, the user eats it and gains its effect.
Click to expand...

Generation 4 introduced two moves that removes Berries from the target for the user's consumption, regardless of its user condition, so say if the user is almost healthy, then snatching a Sitrus Berry will heal them even if they are not at 50% HP. This is the Flying-type equivalent, so the main users are birds, as well as a couple of rodents, which might seem odd, but it's really not if you think about it.

Here are the usual possible questions about this move:
  • How does certain Pokémon (who knows it) use this move?
  • What kind of purpose would this move have for them (in the Pokémon World)?
  • How could this move be used to aid a profession in the Pokémon World?
  • Could this move realistically be used by any Pokémon who doesn't learn it normally? If yes, please explain your choices.
  • How would this move be used in battling, realistically or video game-wise?

Other questions (You could ask other critical questions beyond the listed):
  • This move is one that would appear to be instinctual, because eating is a natural habit for living things (in this case, birds). However, this move is not necessarily learned by birds (Case in point: very few learners learn this move by level-up). How is this move different from picking the berries normally and eating them?
  • The other move that has the same effect is Bug Bite. Interestingly, none of the learners have both moves, with the exception of Smeargle and Mew (since one is a TM and the other is a Move Tutor). Besides having a different type and being learned by most insect Pokémon, how is this move different from Pluck?
  • Not looking into how this move works in the games, is it possible for the user to withhold from eating the berry they stole?
  • As with most other Flying-type attacks, this move is able to hit faraway targets in a Triple Battle. Do note that not every user have flight, such as Piplup, Rattata and Bidoof. How do they reach the farthest target?

Here are the current users of this move (put in Spoiler tag due to the large list):
(Level-up)​
  • Fearow
  • Dodrio
  • Zapdos
  • Swellow
  • Altaria
  • Archen & Archeops
  • Vullaby & Mandibuzz

    (Technical Machine Only)
  • Pidgey, Pidgeotto & Pidgeot
  • Rattata & Raticate
  • Spearow
  • Zubat, Golbat & Crobat
  • Farfetch'd
  • Duduo
  • Articuno & Moltres
  • Mew
  • Hoothoot & Noctowl
  • Natu & Xatu
  • Murkrow & Honchkrow
  • Delibird
  • Skarmory
  • Ho-oh
  • Taillow
  • Wingull & Pelipper
  • Swablu
  • Piplup, Prinplup & Empoleon
  • Starly, Staravia & Staraptor
  • Bidoof & Bibarel
  • Chatot
  • Togekiss
  • Pidove, Tranquill & Unfezant
  • Woobat & Swoobat
  • Sigilyph
  • Ducklett & Swanna
  • Rufflet & Braviary

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The Pokémon World Forum Staff


Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

Next Week's Move Hint: A handy move that prolongs the user's survivability.​
 
How does certain Pokémon (who knows it) use this move?
Bird Pokemon Peck at other Pokemon and sometimes humans that have Berries or other food items on them that they can sense and Pluck them out of their possession.

What kind of purpose would this move have for them (in the Pokémon World)?
In cases of being unable to locate food, birds can use Pluck to take it from other Pokemon and humans instead of continuing to search.

How could this move be used to aid a profession in the Pokémon World?
Outside of Pokemon and Humans, Birds can use Pluck to get food items off of trees, bushes to gather food for trainers instead of directly eating them.

Could this move realistically be used by any Pokémon who doesn't learn it normally? If yes, please explain your choices.
Any Pokemon with sharp teeth or claws could use that to Pluck food off of trees, bushes, etc.

How would this move be used in battling, realistically or video game-wise?
Pokemon would peck at other Pokemon, and when they locate food items they would Pluck it off of them.

Other questions (You could ask other critical questions beyond the listed):
This move is one that would appear to be instinctual, because eating is a natural habit for living things (in this case, birds). However, this move is not necessarily learned by birds (Case in point: very few learners learn this move by level-up). How is this move different from picking the berries normally and eating them?
Pluck would usually involve just one motion to remove food normally in the real world. Pluck in this case is when the Pokemon continually pecks at something to try and Pluck away the food.

The other move that has the same effect is Bug Bite. Interestingly, none of the learners have both moves, with the exception of Smeargle and Mew (since one is a TM and the other is a Move Tutor). Besides having a different type and being learned by most insect Pokémon, how is this move different from Pluck?
Bugs have a different type of mouth to be able to take food items away. They usually attach to themselves (based on shown animation), and then nibble at the Pokemon to get the food item.

Not looking into how this move works in the games, is it possible for the user to withhold from eating the berry they stole?
They could add a sticky substance to prevent it from being stolen, or add something to get it to smell bad to other Pokemon.

As with most other Flying-type attacks, this move is able to hit faraway targets in a Triple Battle. Do note that not every user have flight, such as Piplup, Rattata and Bidoof. How do they reach the farthest target?
It could be possible that they use their speed to be able to hit faraway targets.
 
This move is one that would appear to be instinctual, because eating is a natural habit for living things (in this case, birds). However, this move is not necessarily learned by birds (Case in point: very few learners learn this move by level-up). How is this move different from picking the berries normally and eating them?

It would be different from the normal way of eating, since the attacker is eating while attacking. Perhaps the defender holds it, then the attacker has no choice but to bite/peck off the berry and the hand. That causes the consumption and the damage.

---

This move is useful if you knew that the enemy holds a Berry. I guess Frisk + Pluck is a good combo.

---

I got a question, if a Leppa Berry is Plucked, what move would be healed?
 
Pluck is quite handy in the early game, particularly if your Flying-type doesn't learn any better moves for a while. Being able to snatch that Sitrus Berry from a Gym Leader's ace Pokemon is always helpful.

I imagine it requires dexterity and precision to snatch the berry from the opponent, while also giving them a sharp jab. Another possibility is that jab makes the other Pokemon drop their berry, which the Pokemon then snatches up.
 
G50 said:
Not looking into how this move works in the games, is it possible for the user to withhold from eating the berry they stole?

They could add a sticky substance to prevent it from being stolen, or add something to get it to smell bad to other Pokemon.
Click to expand...

What I meant by this question is whether the snatcher is able to not immediately eat the berry that is eaten. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

As with most other Flying-type attacks, this move is able to hit faraway targets in a Triple Battle. Do note that not every user have flight, such as Piplup, Rattata and Bidoof. How do they reach the farthest target?

It could be possible that they use their speed to be able to hit faraway targets.
Click to expand...

Rattata I can see this happening but thing is, Piplup and Bidoof are not known for being fast, so that is not exactly possible from my point of view.

Voltaire Magneton said:
This move is useful if you knew that the enemy holds a Berry. I guess Frisk + Pluck is a good combo.
Click to expand...

The funny thing is, none of the Pokemon available gets this combination naturally, so it would seem feasible in any game not Singles, since it's much harder to connect this combo in Singles. However, there is a Pokemon that has Frisk + Bug Bite (Yanma & Yanmega).

I got a question, if a Leppa Berry is Plucked, what move would be healed?
Click to expand...

I don't have the answer, but I theorise that Leppa Berry would recover Pluck's PP since it is guaranteed to have less PP after it is used.

Thanks for reading.
 
Please note: The thread is from 13 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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