It’s a good general rule of gaming that the stronger an attack is, the greater the cost associated with using it. Whether it’s a powerful weapon with limited ammo, a strong ability with a long cooldown, or a highly damaging move in a fighting game with a lot of recovery if you miss, that’s just the way things work around here. Yay for balancing.

In the Pokémon series, some of the more damaging moves (and those with the most potent effects) are limited in a variety of ways. Lower PP, for one, but they also have detrimental effects on the Pokémon using them. Here are some Pokémon attacks/status moves that you’ll definitely want to think twice before using.

10 Struggle

Now, we’re going to kick things off with an obvious but necessary pick. When it comes to moves that should only be used in an emergency, Struggle is really the ultimate pick. It can literally only be used in a dire situation.

As fans will know, Struggle isn’t a move that a player can select from a Pokémon’s moveset. It’s used automatically, and only in a situation where that critter cannot use any other move (when they’re entirely out of PP, when a choice-locked move runs out or is hit by Disable, and so on). This typeless attack has just 50 base power and deals huge recoil to the user.

9 Explosion

Remember that time you found a shiny Graveler, only for the pesky creature to use Explosion and immediately faint itself before you could even think about throwing a Poké Ball? Still hurts, doesn’t it? That’s what Explosion does: devastates you.

This move, for the uninitiated, boasts 250 base power. That’s more than twice as powerful as an average move, so, naturally, there’s a price: the user immediately faints on performing it. As such, before each use, you’ve got to weigh up whether it’s worth using. Has your lead done all it can, so you want to get it off the field before you lose momentum? Quick, Explosion. A last-ditch effort to remove a pesky opponent? Explosion! Just be careful and hope a Ghost-type doesn’t switch in, because that would ruin your whole day.

8 Last Resort

As the name would suggest, Last Resort isn’t a move to simply spam left and right. In fact, you can’t. Its 140 base power is certainly tempting, but you’ve got to read the small print here.

A Pokémon can only use this attack after each of their others have been used at least once. Strong as it is, this makes Last Resort super unwieldy. By the time Last Resort is an option, you might well be in all kinds of trouble.

7 No Retreat

With the launch of Generation VIII, a curious new crop of Pokémon arrived. They brought along new Abilities, new moves and new designs. Among them all, a humble little Fighting-type stands out as one of the most interesting.

The Formation Pokémon has solid physical stats, but its main asset is its signature move: No Retreat. This status move boosts all of Falinks’ stats by one stage, then leaves it unable to switch out. Needless to say, if there’s a Psychic or Flying Pokémon on the opposing team, this is not going to be a good time for the little yellow fellow(s), so you absolutely don’t want to use No Retreat lightly.

6 Trick Room

Trick Room is most definitely an interesting case. This move is a little infamous for turning everything we think we know about the way battles play out on its head. The move’s effect is simple: turn order is reversed.

It’s a popular strategy to develop teams around, especially in doubles. So-called hard Trick Room teams are dedicated to activating the effect and going to town with heavy hitters that are usually as slow as molasses. Sometimes, though, the move is given to a support Pokémon on a team that really has no use of it, as a crafty tech. Activating the move again while it’s in play cancels its effect, you see, but that’s a strategy you’ll only want to use when you’re in real trouble.

5 Max Guard

Max Guard is a new addition to the franchise, usable only by Dynamax and Gigantamax critters in Pokémon Sword and Shield. This latest mechanic is a real doozy, allowing the player to suddenly have a Caterpie the size of the Chrysler Building for a few short turns.

That’s the issue, though: for balancing’s sake, the transformation only lasts for three turns. Generally, then, you’ll want to be as offensive as possible before your star player reverts back to normal, which is exactly what makes this buffed-up Protect such a situational move. It can be the only way out of trouble in a pinch, though.

4 Mind Blown

The Ultra Beasts, introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon, are some of the most unique looking critters the series has seen yet. There’s something otherworldly about them (being from another world and all, this isn’t too shocking, but still). The strangest-looking Ultra Beast of all? For our money, that’s got to be Blacephalon.

This Fire/Ghost Pokémon has an odd sort of interplanetary jester look to it. Still, we’re not judging it based on its appearance. Instead, we’re judging it on its monstrous Special Attack stat (base 151) and its signature move: Mind Blown. This Fire-type special attack has 150 base power and 100% accuracy, capable of decimating almost anything that doesn’t resist it. The drawback is severe, though: Blacephalon loses half of its maximum HP on using this attack. As a result, something like Fire Blast or Flamethrower is a much more practical pick a lot of the time. Unless you need some MAJOR power.

3 Lunar Dance/Healing Wish

In Pokémon battles, it’s super important that your team works as a unit. Even the most powerful Pokémon can’t (usually) do everything by themselves. In order to get a certain sweeper in position to finish off weakened targets and secure a win, certain team members will have to prepare the way, taking big hits in the process.

A numbers advantage is also a huge deal in battles, so you never want to sacrifice a Pokémon needlessly. Knowing when it’s okay to do so, however, will tend to be how you win. Lunar Dance is a move that’s exclusive to Cresselia, while Healing Wish has an almost identical effect: both will faint the user in exchange for healing a weakened teammate that comes in. Players are often on the back foot when they use these moves, but they allow for some incredible comebacks.

2 Ally Switch

In doubles play, support tends to play a bigger role than it can in singles. After all, supporters have an ally on the field, which they can buff up, protect, heal or otherwise help in all manner of ways. Supportive moves like Helping Hand, Follow Me and the like are very common in competitive doubles, while moves like Ally Switch are comparatively rare. While niche, this Psychic-type move can be devastating for opponents who don’t see it coming.

Ally Switch, as the name suggests, sees the user swap positions with its target. There are all kinds of sneaky applications of this. The Psychic-type using it, for instance, can swap places with a friendly Normal-type, which will be immune to an incoming Ghost-type attack. It’s super satisfying to pull off, but again, it’s a niche move that tends to be a desperate defensive gambit more than anything else.

1 King’s Shield

We’re going to finish things off with a bit of a curveball entry. King’s Shield, of course, is the signature move of Aegislash, one of the best Pokémon to hit the series in generations. This Steel/Ghost type is so effective because it has huge defenses and huge offenses, depending on the forme it’s currently in.

There’s the rub, though: attacking while in Shield Forme reverts Aegislash to Blade Forme, in which it’s super frail. As a result, it has no choice but to use King’s Shield to switch back and protect itself. It’s possible to pull off some mind games with consecutive attacks, but most of the time, Aegislash is very predictable, because it has to be.

NEXT: The 10 Best Pokémon Based On Inanimate Objects