Line #42 Main/GroundPunch


1	[[quoteright:250:[[VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/earthshake_punch.png]]]]
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3	When one (or several) of a character's attacks involve violently punching or otherwise striking the ground. This will, more often than not, produce the character's desired results (a ShockwaveStomp, or similar to a SuperRugPull, for example), rather than [[InvulnerableKnuckles simply breaking their hand]]. When done with a weapon, this is a SwordPlant; GroundPound and GroundShatteringLanding (when it's done with the body) are also related. Overlaps with DishingOutDirt if the end result is a localized earthquake.
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5	----
6	!!Examples:
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8	[[foldercontrol]]
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10	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
11	* Beetlemon from ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'' occasionally did this when using his Thunder Fist attack, while other times, he would just use it directly against an enemy.
12	* In ''Anime/DragonBallGT'', Naturon Shenron can punch the ground to cause energy beams to shoot out from it. He seems to have control over the general area it'll pop out from but not a specific location.
13	* ''Manga/ElfenLied'' has Lucy using her vectors (basically invisible hands) to strike the ground in order to jump long distances, they even leave hand marks and small craters behind.
14	* This is Leorio's first known ability in ''Manga/HunterXHunter''. More specifically, Leorio punches a surface, which causes its concussive force to travel along connected surfaces and pop out exactly where he wants it to. This ability is shown to be very good for ambushing.
15	* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', whenever Kakuzu punches the ground, he's really sending strings of himself underground (he's made of strings) to pop out as spikes wherever he wishes.
16	* In the first ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars'' movie, [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Milky Rose]] punches the ground and creates a massive crater to knock the BigBad off his feet.
17	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'':
18	** Sanosuke performs a variant in the Kyoto arc; instead of punching the ground, he punches the water (since he's on the ocean), making a massive column which allows him to defend against gunfire from a Gatling gun.
19	** His mentor Anji uses Futae no Kiwami to punch the ground as a means of area denial.
20	* The OpeningNarration at the very beginning of ''Anime/SaintSeiya'' describes Athena's Saints as being able to punch holes in the earth.
21	* ''Anime/SCryEd'': Kazuma's only power for most of the series is an [[PowerFist armored right arm.]] He often uses this to move farther than he can jump by punching the ground, or break a landing by punching the ground.
22	[[/folder]]
23
24	[[folder:Comic Books]]
25	* ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'': This was in Hulk's arsenal of moves for quite a long time, but hasn't been seen in several years.
26	* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'': Superman has done this very, very rarely. In ''ComicBook/KryptonNoMore'', Superman is not in the mood to chase a group of thugs, so [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_309_04.jpg he violently punches the ground, bringing them all down]].
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29	[[folder:Fan Works]]
30	* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Like the male MUTO in Franchise/MonsterVerse canon (see the Multiple Media folder), it;s revealed here that the MUTO Queen/Barb can activate an {{EMP}} blast by slamming her foreleg into the ground, [[spoiler:which she uses to disrupt Ghidorah's lightning powers]].
31	* In ''Fanfic/DoubleTheTrouble'', the main characters are fighting Bleak but nothing seems to work until Kiddyy and Dixie start slamming the ground with his fists and her ponytail repeatedly until they bring Bleak's base down onto its head.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
35	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie2TheSecondPart'', Rex Dangervest's signature move is the Master Breaker Punch, which is performed by jumping up into the air and striking the ground with his fist, destroying it and usually generating a shockwave. Rex teaches Emmet how to do this move as well, [[spoiler:though he has malevolent reasons for doing so]].
36	* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse'': This is [[Characters/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderVerse the Kingpin]]'s signature move. He does a two-fisted hammer blow downwards and he executes Peter Parker with this. In the final fight, he does this to generate a shockwave that knocks down Miles and then faceplants Miles with another hammer blow.
37	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Auntie Ping does this along with a ThreePointLanding when she emerges from the top of the pink smoke caused by her and the other aunties unleashing their pandas.
38	[[/folder]]
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40	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
41	* ''Film/Deadpool2'': Once he is freed from the cell inside the prison truck, the first thing the Juggernaut does is to punch the ground so hard that the road bridge underneath the truck shatters completely, sending everyone crashing through.
42	* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:
43	** ''Film/DoctorStrange'': Kaecilius's signature area-attack move is a magical version of this: he doesn't actually hit the ground, but it has the same effect.
44	** In his fight against Surtur at the beginning of ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', Thor charges up his hammer before bringing it down to destroy Surtur's fire demons, also knocking Surtur back with the shockwave.
45	** Black Panther is seen doing one of these to release his suit's stored energy during the final battle in ''Film/AvengersEndgame''.
46	* ''Film/PacificRimUprising'': The Mega-Kaiju does this after absorbing some kinetic energy from the Jaegars' bombardment, creating a shockwave that sends said Jaegars flying into the air and destroys a large section of buildings.
47	* This seems to be one of [[SuperStrength The Commander's]] signature moves in ''Film/SkyHigh2005''. His son Will duplicates it to trip up a super speedy opponent in gym class [[spoiler: and later to trip up Royal Pain in his fight with her at the school dance]].
48	[[/folder]]
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50	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
51	* ''Series/IronFist2017''. Danny Rand punches the ground with the eponymous Iron Fist when he wants to use it as an area weapon. In "Target: Iron Fist", his opponent sees he's about to do this and quickly crouches down behind a pillar to [[NoSell avoid the blast wave.]]
52	* In ''Series/OnceUponATime'', used in a flashback by Hercules to scare off some thugs threatening a young Snow White and her subjects.
53	* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoFury''. The Rangers punch the ground during the TransformationSequence.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Multiple Media]]
57	* Franchise/MonsterVerse:
58	** Arguably overlapping with ShockwaveStomp, the [[Characters/MonsterVerseMUTO male MUTO]] in ''Film/Godzilla2014'' usually activates his {{EMP}} blasts specifically by slamming his front foreleg into the ground, triggering a mild blast which can knock down nearby humans and unleashing an EMP bubble which shuts down electronics for miles around.
59	*** In the spin-off graphic novel ''Godzilla Aftershock'', the [=MUTO's=] sire MUTO Prime [[PlayedStraight plays this trope straight]] whilst battling Godzilla in France, the blast throwing Godzilla off his feet.
60	* In the ''WesternAnimation/SkullIsland2023'' first {{season finale}}, Kong attempts to cut off his targets' escape via rope bridge by pounding the ground hard enough that a shockwave ripples through the bridge and flings them into the air, then when he catches up to them at the shoreline, his fists (and feet) slamming to the ground in the shallows create enough of a mini-tsunami to stop and stagger them.
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63	[[folder:Toys]]
64	* ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'': Onua does this twice, once in the ''Mata Nui Online Game'' and another in ''[[TheMovie Mask of Light]]''.
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67	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
68	* In ''TabletopGame/SentinelsOfTheMultiverse'', Haka has Ground Pound -- but it's not an attack. Instead, it prevents any non-hero cards from doing any damage for a round.
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71	[[folder:Video Games]]
72	* ''VideoGame/ExtrapowerGiantFist'': Zophy's ground special is to pound his fist into the ground, damaging all enemies on the ground around him.
73	* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'': Malphite does this with his ability "Ground Slam" and in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'' with his signature spell "Ground Slam" and during his level-up animation.
74	* ''VideoGame/CaptainCommando'' has a desperation move called the "Captain Corridor" in which he sends lightning across the floor with a punch. He retains this move in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom'', although it summons a vertical lightning column instead.
75	* ''VideoGame/MegaManX'': Zero has many of his most powerful moves involve punching the ground, though ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'' shows that he may really be hitting it with his charged buster instead.
76	* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'': Akuma has his Kongou Kokuretsu Zan, which isn't so much punching the ground as ''palm-striking'' it.
77	* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'': Asura punches the ground a few times. In an interesting take on this, Asura doesn't use it as an attack, but rather to ''launch himself into the sky.''
78	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
79	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': The Din's Fire spell involves Link punching the ground to create a large dome of flame around himself. Ganondorf also does this at the start of the final battle, and will do it anytime Link gets close without stunning him.
80	** ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'': Ganondorf uses his ground punch from ''Ocarina of Time'' for his standard strong attack. It can be charged with energy from his other Combo Attacks, and at full power, it becomes a mighty explosion of darkness, with an update making Ganondorf himself invincible during its wind-up.
81	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': The main attack used by all Hinox varieties is to hammer their fist into the ground in front of them. Black Hinox have an attack where they repeatedly slam the ground with both hands. Yiga Blademasters can also do an "Earthshaker" technique which sends a [[BlowYouAway gust of wind]] towards Link before shooting a precipice spike upwards. Link himself can learn this in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'' through a sidequest.
82	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTearsOfTheKingdom'' introduces Flux Constructs, whose various methods of attack include a double-fisted slam that sends out a shockwave that will knock Link down if it hits him.
83	* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'': Gabriel Belmont has a move that involves punching the ground to create several explosions of magic around himself.
84	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': Franchise/DonkeyKong's Hand Slap special does ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin to launch nearby foes into the air. Custom moves in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU SSB4]]'' can change the attack so it either paralyses those hit, or produces [[PlayingWithFire pillars of fire]].
85	%%** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': Terry reprises his [[GroundWave Power Wave and Power Geyser]], which involve this.
86	* ''VideoGame/PaperMario'': The Quake Hammer move consists of Mario smashing the ground with his hammer [[DishingOutDirt hard enough to shake the entire stage]].
87	* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Some characters do this in order to create a short-lived barrier or projectile. The most notable example of this is Terry Bogard, who retains this trick from his [[VideoGame/FatalFury series of origin]].
88	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'':
89	** The Atlas Quake magic attack in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII'' has Kratos smashing the earth repeatedly to send out waves of rock in a large area around himself (Atlas himself did this in a cutscene). His Nemean Cestus in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII'' can also be used to smash the ground.
90	** Kratos does this as an intro in ''VideoGame/PlaystationAllStarsBattleRoyale'' with the Nemean Cestus. Zeus from the same game performs such an attack as his aerial Down + Square.
91	* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': In ''VideoGame/HaloReach'', anyone using the Armor Lock ability enters this pose, becoming temporarily invincible and potentially deadly to any vehicles trying to ram them. Also, any Spartan who uses GroundPound in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'' lands in this pose.
92	* ''VideoGame/{{Kirby}}'': Kirby has been known to do this in mini-games, especially Megaton Punch in ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar''.
93	* ''Franchise/DragonAge'': Golems repeatedly punch the ground with their fists as their primary area-of-effect attack.
94	* ''VideoGame/{{Drakensang}} 2: Phileasson's Secret'': The Stone Guardian performs ground-punching whenever he has to open a closed door. Lampshaded by the other guardian, a cheerful djinn who reminds him that "he doesn't need to punch the ground to open doors".
95	* ''VideoGame/PathOfExile'': Some skills that normally has you hit the ground with your weapon like Earthquake, Tectonic Slam, and Ice Crash, can be used while unarmed.
96	* In ''VideoGame/MachinesWiredForWar'', the largest combat machine you can build is the Gorilla, whose main attack is punching the ground, doing massive damage to anything within a short range in front of it. The game literally calls it the "Ground Punch".
97	* In ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance'', Luke Cage and Thing both have this type of attack that affects all enemies. Cage hits the ground multiple times, while Thing goes for just the once. On the enemies' side, Avalanche uses his own ground punch attack with a side of seismic feedback.
98	* This is how Earthquake is animated in the ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'', ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' games-the user punches the ground and ripples travel out to break the ground under everyone else.
99	* Kongol in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDragoon'' does this as a part of his Dragoon transformation: he punches the earth and is consumed by rock and boulder, emerging in his Dragoon state.
100	* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'':
101	** The Inferno ability in the [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 first game]] and all its offshoots in the later games (Volcano, Shock!, Shocking!, Cruiser Dive) have Dante smash the ground with his fist to create either a wave of lava, a blast of HardLight or a heavy shockwave. If you execute it immediately in certain games such as ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', the ground punch creates a small shockwave, but if you [[ChargedAttack charge it up]], you get a fairly large splash zone.
102	** In the first game, Dante punches the ground as a part of his animation [[RealTimeWeaponChange while switching]] from the Alastor sword to the Ifrit gauntlets. In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', boss Vergil does the reverse instead; after punching the ground with the Beowulf gauntlets, he will then switch to his Yamato katana.
103	** Trish in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4: Special Edition'' has Collider, a ground punch with the same charged attack mechanics as Dante's Shock! However, she does it by enhancing her fist with her [[ShockAndAwe lightning powers]].
104	** Vergil in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5: Special Edition'' can use Hell on Earth, a LimitBreak where he punches the ground with the Beowulf to deal massive damage, which can even knock down bosses. Just like his other two weapon-specific super moves, it requires a full Concentration Gauge while either being in Sin Devil Trigger form, or having a full Sin Devil Trigger Gauge.
105	** Some bosses can also perform this move.
106	*** In the third game, Beowulf the Lightbeast is fond of punching the ground to create light-based shockwaves during his combos, which justifies why Dante and Vergil inherit ground punches in their Beowulf Devil Arm moveset. Doppelganger also has two variants of mimicking the "Volcano" ground punch of the Beowulf Devil Arm; one that turns the shockwave into a ranged attack, and another that serves as its desperation move to force a blackout if all lights are turned on.
107	*** In Mission 11 of the fourth game, The Savior is scripted to punch the ground near you halfway through the first fight against Sanctus, though the next punches can be interrupted by Nero.
108	*** In Mission 17 of ''Devil May Cry 5'', Urizen would often punch the ground when he's near the playable character.
109	** In ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry'', two of Dante's moves with the Eryx gauntlets are ground punches that can be {{charged\|Attack}}. On the ground, it's a finisher of the Slam combo. On mid-air, the Stomp skill allows Dante to plummet down with his fist, and it has an added utility of destroying or activating red objects on the floor.
110	* ''VideoGame/{{Astal}}'': One of Astal's attacks is to punch the ground.
111	* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia'', Jude's Shouha Majinken/Shattering Demon Fist arte utilizes one to generate a small shockwave around himself that sends enemies flying.
112	* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar II'', the Force Commander starts using this method once he's equipped with a PowerFist. He does it so much that it looks like he's practicing Ground-Fu instead of punching people.
113	* In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'', this is one of the special attacks that Treasure Hunter-type characters have in multiplayer.
114	* ''VideoGame/KamenRiderBattrideWar'' gives this attack to Series/KamenRiderAgito (who can [[ChargedAttack charge it]] for extra damage) and [[Series/KamenRider555 Kamen Rider Faiz]] (as the aerial variation of his [[MegatonPunch Grand Impact]]).
115	* Cliff Fittir's Aerial Assault in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndofTime'' is normally a ShockwaveStomp, unless he misses. Then it becomes this trope (done in a ThreePointLanding).
116	* Possibly the UrExample of this trope in fighting games could Jax's Ground Pound move (not related to GroundPound trope), introduced in ''VideoGame/MortalKombatII'' and being a part of his moveset in every game onwards. The only way to avoid this attack is to be in air when it connects.
117	* The page image comes from ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt'', where it's a move Wario can perform at any time during gameplay, called the Earthshake Punch. It's extremely powerful, essentially having the same effects as a POW block from the main series, though it only stuns enemies instead of defeating them outright.
118	* Dekar's Exploding Fist special attack in ''VideoGame/LufiaCurseOfTheSinistrals'' is this. Guy's special attack is doing this with his hammer, and his charged special is [[ShockwaveStomp an even bigger version]].
119	* The player can do this as a Super move in ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'' if they're playing as a [[MightyGlacier Titan]] with the Striker subclass. Anything within will be as good as dead, [[{{PvE}} mob]] and [[PlayerVersusPlayer player]] alike, unless an enemy is a highly-levelled Major or Ultra.
120	* Sailor Jupiter in the ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' video game for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis has this as a special move, it sends all enemies around her flying.
121	* In ''VideoGame/HeartOfDarkness'', the bigger Shadow Spectres can punch the ground hard enough to cause a tremor, making Andy falls from a ladder or dislodging stones below a ledge.
122	* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' has this as [[TheRightHandOfDoom Doomfist]]'s "Seismic Slam" ability, with the added bonus of drawing opponents closer so he can finish them off with his ShortRangeShotgun. His ultimate, "Meteor Strike", is a much stronger version of this.
123	* One of the Specials in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', called Splashdown, involves the player leaping up into the air and slamming their ink-coated fist into the ground, creating a large radius of instant death and ink coverage.
124	* In ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'', Arizona can stomp with her hooves to cause the ground to shatter, [[EXSpecialAttack with different levels of power.]]
125	* In his ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' appearances, Hulk had a Hyper Combo called Gamma Quake, where he punched the ground so hard that rocks rained down from the top of the screen.
126	* ''VideoGame/WarDogsRedsReturn'': If you manage to get the power meter at the bottom of the screen filled up to its last third, [[PlayerCharacter Red]] can pull off this move.
127	* ''VideoGame/EskimoBobStarringAlfonzo'': Bob can punch the ground beneath him, which is useful for taking out blocks that he needs to get below.
128	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'': One of Maleficent's dragon form's moves involves repeatedly slamming the ground with her front claws, sending out shockwaves.
129	* ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'':
130	** Sig performs a ground punch as part of his Cerulean spell.
131	** ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo20thAnniversary'': Draco's Dynasonic attack is depicted as her punching the ground.
132	* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'': Masaru's ultimate move, the Worldbreaking's Wrath/Earth-rending Fury has Masaru jump into the air for momentum before smashing his fist into the ground on the way down with so much force it opens up a crater.
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134	[[/folder]]
135	[[folder:Webcomics]]
136	* ''Webcomic/LoveUnlimited2022'': After HulkingOut in the finale of the ''Ms. Marvel & Red Dagger'' arc, supervillain Curio gains enough SuperStrength to knock both heroes off their feet by punching the floor.
137	[[/folder]]
138	[[folder:Western Animation]]
139	* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'''s finale, Ozai's opening move in his battle with Aang is to leap into the air and slam his fist into the ground, letting off a shockwave of comet-enhanced fire.
140	* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': In "[[Recap/Ben10S1E8TheAlliance The Alliance]]", Four Arms does this to Rojo and her gang, knocking them out for a few seconds.
141	* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'': [[Characters/SamuraiJackScotsmanFamily The Scotsman's Wife]] is so immensely strong that one punch from her causes a shockwave that turns an entire room full of demons into a hellscape that looks like the aftermath of a magnitude 9 earthquake.
142	* In the old ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'' cartoons, Superman once knocked a large chunk out of the moon to use as a giant mirror (to reflect sunlight and defeat an invasion of vampires, if you must know). The moon counts as "ground" -- ask Neil Armstrong.
143	* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
144	** Crasher, one of the main Renegades from ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGoBots'', frequently used this attack. She'd stomp the ground and send a bolt of energy at her Guardian opponents. The same goes for her GoodTwin in ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'' and her other alternate universe counterpart Fracture in the ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries''.
145	** [[Characters/TransformersAnimatedDecepticons Lugnut]] from ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' often uses his [[PowerFist Punch of Kill Everything]] in this manner, leaving enormous craters and devastating any Autobots (and unfortunate Decepticons) who happen to be in nearby. Lugnut often uses his [[PowerFist Punch Of Kill Everything]] in this manner, leaving enormous craters and devastating any Autobots (and unfortunate Decepticons) who happen to be in nearby. This can be turned against him, however. The trigger on the POKE is a BigRedButton on top that's highly sensitive. In "Megatron Rising, Part 2", Lugnut tries using the POKE against Bulkhead, but the Autobot is able to use his flail to push the button, sending Lugnut flying. In "Garbage In, Garbage Out", Wreck-Gar misinterprets Lugnut's threatening to Ratchet as the [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie universal greeting]]... which in this continuity, ends in a '''high five'''.
146	[[/folder]]
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148	[[folder:Real Life]]
149	* Gorillas do this when they show threatening or aggressive behavior, coupled with showing their fangs. Of course, it only serves as intimidation rather than dealing any actual damage.
150	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GroundPunch