Horn Drill (move)

Horn Drill always inflicts exactly 65535 HP damage if it hits. Its accuracy is 30%. Horn Drill will break a substitute if it hits.

Unlike other moves that skip the damage formula, Horn Drill does not bypass type immunities.

Horn Drill will not affect a target whose current Speed stat is greater than the user's current Speed stat.

Horn Drill inflicts damage equal to the target's current HP. The accuracy of Horn Drill is now calculated using the following formula:

${\displaystyle Accuracy=\left({\frac {(Level_{user}-Level_{target})\times 2+76}{256}}\right)\times 100\%}$

If the user is a lower level than the target, the move always fails (Speed no longer has any impact on the success of Horn Drill). If the user is 90 levels or more higher than the target, Horn Drill's accuracy is 100% (even though the formula would produce values over 100% for a difference of 91 or more).

This formula means that the accuracy starts at approximately 30% (${\displaystyle {\tfrac {76}{256}}}$) when the Pokémon have the same level, and grows by approximately 0.78% (${\displaystyle {\tfrac {2}{256}}}$) for every level higher than the target that the user is. This accuracy is affected by accuracy and evasion stats.

In the Generation II core series games only, Horn Drill can be countered by Counter for maximum damage if it misses. In Pokémon Stadium 2, Horn Drill cannot be countered by Counter.

Despite having an accuracy of 30% listed, Horn Drill's chance of hitting a Pokémon is instead calculated using the following formula:

${\displaystyle HitChance=(Level_{user}-Level_{target}+30)\%}$

This formula means that the accuracy starts at 30% when the Pokémon have the same level, and is 1% more likely to hit for every level the user is higher than the target. If the user is at least 70 levels higher than the target, Horn Drill will always hit. If the user is a lower level than the target, the move always fails.

This chance of hitting is not an accuracy: it is not affected by accuracy and evasion stats, nor is it affected by other accuracy modifiers such as Gravity, Wide Lens, and Compound Eyes. Additionally, Horn Drill cannot hit a semi-invulnerable Pokémon. However, effects that guarantee moves to hit (such as No Guard and Lock-On) still affect Horn Drill.

Horn Drill can be used as part of a Pokémon Contest combination, with the user gaining an extra two appeal points if the move Horn Attack was used in the prior turn. It is also part of a Contest Spectacular combination and will give an extra three appeal points if any of the moves Lock-On, Mind Reader and Miracle Eye was used in the prior turn.

When used in a Max Raid Battle against a Dynamax Pokémon while it is under the effect of a mysterious barrier, Horn Drill will deplete two bars of the barrier's strength. Otherwise, Horn Drill will always fail against Dynamax Pokémon.

In Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, Horn Drill has 12PP and 35% accuracy. The user attacks enemy in front and makes them faint through "calamitous damage" (internally treated as 9999 damage), regardless of the level. Although most damaging moves can damage a Pokémon immune to the move in main series, Horn Drill will always fail if the target has the type immunity.

In Explorers of Time, Darkness and Sky, the move's accuracy has been decreased to 20%.

Rhydon	Seaking	Rhyperior	Excadrill
The foe is stabbed with a horn rotating like a drill.
Pokémon	Method
User	First Used In		Notes
Rhydon	Rhydon's horn spins like a drill and it charges at the opponent. It then stabs the opponent with its horn. Sometimes, the horn glows orange while using the move.
Blaine's Rhydon	Riddle Me This		Debut
An archaeologist's Rhydon	Shell Shock!		None
Pietra's Rhydon	Right On, Rhydon!		None
A Coordinator's Rhydon	Harley Rides Again		None
Head engineer's Rhydon	Bibarel Gnaws Best!		None
Team Rocket's Rhydon	A Crackling Raid Battle!		None
Seaking	Seaking's horn begins to spin like a drill. Then, it rams its spinning horn into the opponent, sometimes repeatedly.
Cerulean Gym's Seaking	The Misty Mermaid		None
Juan's Seaking	The Great Eight Fate!		None
Goldeen	Goldeen's horn spins like a drill and it hits the opponent with it.
Misty's Goldeen	Just Add Water		None
Rhyperior	Rhyperior's horn spins like a drill and it hits the opponent with it.
Forrest's Rhyperior	DPS02		None
Pokémon hunter's Rhyperior	A Fork in the Road! A Parting of the Ways!		None
Excadrill	The silver protrusion on the top of Excadrill's head glows silver and extends. It then begins to spin like a drill. Excadrill then stabs the opponent with it.
Clay's Excadrill	Battling the King of the Mines!		None

• In Round One - Begin!, a Trainer's Seaking was mentioned to use Horn Drill, even though the move was actually Horn Attack.