Physical and special split

Physical and special split is the rule, from Generation IV, that each damaging move is physical or special on its own rather than by its type

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Through Generation III, Normal, Fighting, Flying, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Poison and Steel moves were physical, and Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon and Dark moves were special. Diamond and Pearl assigned a category to each move, so Fire Punch became physical and Shadow Ball special. Physical moves use Attack against Defense; special moves use Special Attack against Special Defense.

Main-series games; introduced in Generation IV, Diamond and Pearl.