Pokemon GO: What are STAB moves and how to use them

In Pokemon GO, STAB moves work in a similar manner to how they work in the mainline games. STAB is an acronym for Same Type Attack Bonus. This, as the full form indicates, is a boost applied to a move if its typing matches the typing of the Pokemon using it. This is one of the main reasons Pokemon usually carry at least one damaging move of their typing.

In this article, we will go over what STAB moves are, the boost they get, and how players can use them in battle.

What are STAB moves in Pokemon GO and how do we use them?

As Lanturn is part Water type and Surf is a Water-type move, Surf from Lanturn gets a STAB boost (Image via TPC)

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In Pokemon GO, if a creature uses a move that matches its type (or one of its types in the case of dual types), it gets a 20% boost. Previously, this boost used to be 25%, but it was nerfed after June 21, 2017. This extra damage boost is a major incentive to carry a move that matches the type of the mon.

As an example, let's look at Charizard, which is a Fire/Flying type in its base form. So any Fire- or Flying-type move it uses while in base form will get a 20% boost. This applies to both Fast Attacks as well as Charged Attacks. However, if it used a Dragon-type move like Dragon Breath or Dragon Claw while in base form, it wouldn't be a STAB move.

However, Charizard can Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X, where it loses its Flying typing for a Dragon typing. So, any Dragon-type moves used by Mega Charizard X become STAB, while any Flying-type moves aren't. For further clarification, if Mega Charizard Y were to use Flying-type moves, they would be STAB, as it remains a Fire/Flying type after Mega Evolution.

Also read: Pokemon GO player suggests trick to get Super Incubators and Remote Raid Passes for free

In other news, the details of the Pokemon GO Fest 2025 have been announced. The most exciting piece of news is that the Generation VI Legendary Pokemon Volcanion will make its Pokemon GO Debut during this year's GO Fest.

Check out our other Pokemon GO related guides here:

About the author

Akash Sil is an Esports and Gaming writer at Sportskeeda with a focus on covering Pokemon — a world he says he wouldn't mind living in, "alongside the wonderful creatures ranging from cute to dangerous."

Despite earning a Masters of Applied Chemistry, a passion for writing and a desire to be part of the gaming industry steered him towards this role. Among industry notables, he is inspired by Jason Schreier's investigative journalism.

In his spare time, Akash enjoys reading comic books.

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Edited by Angad Sharma