Move-of-the-Week Discussion #72: Draining Kiss

Winterdaze

Winterdaze

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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. Since nobody voted last week, I have chosen this week's move; Draining Kiss.

Running with the recent theme of low powered attacks, Draining Kiss compensates for its low power by being the first move to restore the user's health by more than 50% of the damage done. The ability to drain health from the opponent can keep the move useful even once more powerful alternatives like Dazzling Gleam and Moonblast are available.

Here's the in-game description for this move:

In-game Description (XY) said:
Type: Fairy (Special)
Base Power: 50
Accuracy: 100%
PP: 10

The user steals the target's energy with a kiss. The user's HP is restored by over half of the damage taken by the target.
Click to expand...

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):
  • Why does Draining Kiss restore more health than other draining moves like Giga Drain?
  • The move appears to make physical contact and uses the contact move animation, yet is a special move. Why is that?

Here are the current users of this move:
(Level-up)​
  • Jynx
  • Vivillon
  • Spritzee & Aromatisse
  • Swirlix & Slurpuff
  • Sylveon
  • Klefki

    (Breeding)
  • Audino

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The General Pokémon Forum Staff


Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

Next move of the week: A moderately powerful Steel-type attack.​
 
Last edited:
Draining Kiss...is a rather interesting move. I wish the Pokemon that actually get this move also have the ability Technician, because that's really all I can see this move being useful with, competitively speaking here. I remember wanting to try out CM Klefki with Draining Kiss just for added recovery, but then, is it really worth it? With its really low base power, it'll take quite a bit of CMs for it to be even remotely threatening, so that's definitely a concern.

It's just a really odd move, though cool in concept, I guess. I just wish there was...more of a way to use it without it being so weak. Maybe bump up the base power to 60. If not within Technician's range of usability, then at least make it useful and have the base power around 75 or so.
 
I can confirm that the recovery ratio on Draining Kiss appears to be 75%, and that if you equip a Big Root, the recovery rate appears to get boosted to a full 100% - yes, you can make this attack recover your HP by the full amount.

HP draining moves are relatively low power because the HP drain effect may as well be a boost in power in and of itself - if you hit an opponent for 50 damage and recover 25, you've just tilted the battle 75 HP in your favor (assuming you needed the healing). If you hit an opponent for 75 damage outright, that's also 75 HP in your favor. The difference is whether your opponent faints sooner, or whether you can stay in the battle longer (like whether 'shooting the moon' in Hearts is -26 points for the user or +26 points for everyone else).

The move's base power is 50. Taking the 75% recovery rate into consideration you could say the attack is comparable to moves with 87.5 base power, or if a big Root is held, the attack is comparable to moves with 100 power (e.g. Earthquake).

Note that because it has a base power 50, it's eligible for Technician, which combined with a Big Root would be comparable to a 150 power move (Hyper Beam).
 
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