Game Mechanic Testing Grounds

[King of Ikana]

This isn't anything that needs testing but it hurt me in a game once.

When playing on PBR, If a choice user gets faked out he can pick a different move on the second turn.

However when i played on DS wifi, this was not the case.  Even though i flinched i was forced to pick the same move.

I believe that, assuming you didn't use a move BEFORE being Fake-Outed, you would be okay to use whatever you pleased. For example:

ScarfRaikou used Thunderbolt. Luvdisc fainted.
Ambipom is sent out.
Ambipom used Fake Out. Raikou flinched.

Raikou would be bound to use Thunderbolt as the "move precedent" has been set. You've already committed yourself to Thunderbolt.

HOWEVER, if, say:

Scarf Raikou v Ambipom. Raikou selects Thunderbolt.
Ambipom flinches Raikou with Fake Out.

The second turn would mean that Raikou hadn't used Thunderbolt and would be able to do as he pleased. It's the same case with Paralysis or Sleep; these interrupt your particular "lock" so as long as you haven't set it, you're fine.


*****

I'm shocked about the Thunder not hitting through Protect in Platinum. Are you very sure you haven't confused Thunder in the rain and Thunder in general? As far as anything I have read says, in the rain, Thunder is granted a 30% chance to break through Protect. Everything still claims this is correct. It's the same principle applied to No Guard and a Hail-backed Blizzard. Though, I could be wrong.

[Lasty91]

Hey guys, I have my own questions regarding a certain scenario that may occur in double battling.
I thought of this when considering the defenses against the obvious Scarfed Dark Void Smeargles that will be encountered in the VGC (even though players wise to the predictability of this move will purposefully choose another one of Smeargle's moves to throw off the opponent, but I digress; that has nothing to do with this). Safeguard only lasts for five turns, so I was turned off by the idea of a temporary defense and decided to look elsewhere.
Then it hit me, Magic Coat! It bounces any move that only inflicts status (as well as Leech Seed, Yawn, Flatter, Swagger, Attract, Block, Gastro Acid, Mean Look, Spider Web, and Worry Seed) right back at the user! Unfortunately, that raises the question of what happens in a double battle when this happens:
One side has Smeargle and some other Pokemon.
The other side has a Magic Coat user and some other Pokemon.

Pokemon used Magic Coat!
Smeargle used Dark Void!

Now I understand that Dark Void should be bounced back at the Smeargle that used it, but Dark Void is a move that targets two Pokemon, so which of these things happens?

1. Dark Void is reflected back at both opposing Pokemon, putting both to sleep (unless it misses).

2. Dark Void is reflected back at the Smeargle, but since only one of your Pokemon blocked it with Magic Coat, your other Pokemon is still hit with Dark Void.

3. Dark Void is reflected back at only the Smeargle that used it, and no other Pokemon is affected.

Unfortunately, I'm too busy right now to help test this myself, but it is really important to the VGC Metagame to know what happens in this scenario, since Dark Void is the only move that makes the idea of using Magic Coat feasible (well, there are moves like Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Swagger, but those moves are much harder to predict and almost all VGC Pokemon may or may not have them without having tell-tale signs of having them).
Also, if either result 1 or result 3 is true, we may see a rise in the number of leads that know Magic Coat; of course, if your opponent does not use Dark Void Smeargle, it's just a waste of a moveslot.

Besides, the only Pokemon that are considered useful in the VGC that can also learn Magic Coat are Abomasnow, Azelf, Clefable, Cresselia, Gengar, Giratina (both Formes), Hariyama, Infernape, Latias (but not Latios for some reason), Lucario (that's a stretch;who uses Lucario in the VGC, let alone one with anything other than attack moves and Protect?), Medicham (also a bit of a stretch), Mewtwo, and Toxicroak.

Man, I use parenthesis quite often.....
One last thing: does Magic Coat also reflect the move Taunt back at the user? I don't think it does.....

[BadIntent]

*****

I'm shocked about the Thunder not hitting through Protect in Platinum. Are you very sure you haven't confused Thunder in the rain and Thunder in general? As far as anything I have read says, in the rain, Thunder is granted a 30% chance to break through Protect. Everything still claims this is correct. It's the same principle applied to No Guard and a Hail-backed Blizzard. Though, I could be wrong.

This is why I made this thread in the first place actually. Smogon, Serebii, Bulbapedia, etc. are not always correct. Thunder does not go through Protect in the Rain. Same with Blizzard in the Hail. That was a D/P only glitch.

Hey guys, I have my own questions regarding a certain scenario that may occur in double battling.
I thought of this when considering the defenses against the obvious Scarfed Dark Void Smeargles that will be encountered in the VGC (even though players wise to the predictability of this move will purposefully choose another one of Smeargle's moves to throw off the opponent, but I digress; that has nothing to do with this). Safeguard only lasts for five turns, so I was turned off by the idea of a temporary defense and decided to look elsewhere.
Then it hit me, Magic Coat! It bounces any move that only inflicts status (as well as Leech Seed, Yawn, Flatter, Swagger, Attract, Block, Gastro Acid, Mean Look, Spider Web, and Worry Seed) right back at the user! Unfortunately, that raises the question of what happens in a double battle when this happens:
One side has Smeargle and some other Pokemon.
The other side has a Magic Coat user and some other Pokemon.

Pokemon used Magic Coat!
Smeargle used Dark Void!

Now I understand that Dark Void should be bounced back at the Smeargle that used it, but Dark Void is a move that targets two Pokemon, so which of these things happens?

1. Dark Void is reflected back at both opposing Pokemon, putting both to sleep (unless it misses).

2. Dark Void is reflected back at the Smeargle, but since only one of your Pokemon blocked it with Magic Coat, your other Pokemon is still hit with Dark Void.

3. Dark Void is reflected back at only the Smeargle that used it, and no other Pokemon is affected.

Unfortunately, I'm too busy right now to help test this myself, but it is really important to the VGC Metagame to know what happens in this scenario, since Dark Void is the only move that makes the idea of using Magic Coat feasible (well, there are moves like Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Swagger, but those moves are much harder to predict and almost all VGC Pokemon may or may not have them without having tell-tale signs of having them).
Also, if either result 1 or result 3 is true, we may see a rise in the number of leads that know Magic Coat; of course, if your opponent does not use Dark Void Smeargle, it's just a waste of a moveslot.

Besides, the only Pokemon that are considered useful in the VGC that can also learn Magic Coat are Abomasnow, Azelf, Clefable, Cresselia, Gengar, Giratina (both Formes), Hariyama, Infernape, Latias (but not Latios for some reason), Lucario (that's a stretch;who uses Lucario in the VGC, let alone one with anything other than attack moves and Protect?), Medicham (also a bit of a stretch), Mewtwo, and Toxicroak.

Man, I use parenthesis quite often.....
One last thing: does Magic Coat also reflect the move Taunt back at the user? I don't think it does.....

Shoot!! This happened to me before, but I forgot what happened =/ It was a Giratina against my Smeargle. I will test it later on tonight.

[Team Rose]

Hey guys, I have my own questions regarding a certain scenario that may occur in double battling.
I thought of this when considering the defenses against the obvious Scarfed Dark Void Smeargles that will be encountered in the VGC (even though players wise to the predictability of this move will purposefully choose another one of Smeargle's moves to throw off the opponent, but I digress; that has nothing to do with this). Safeguard only lasts for five turns, so I was turned off by the idea of a temporary defense and decided to look elsewhere.
Then it hit me, Magic Coat! It bounces any move that only inflicts status (as well as Leech Seed, Yawn, Flatter, Swagger, Attract, Block, Gastro Acid, Mean Look, Spider Web, and Worry Seed) right back at the user! Unfortunately, that raises the question of what happens in a double battle when this happens:
One side has Smeargle and some other Pokemon.
The other side has a Magic Coat user and some other Pokemon.

Pokemon used Magic Coat!
Smeargle used Dark Void!

Now I understand that Dark Void should be bounced back at the Smeargle that used it, but Dark Void is a move that targets two Pokemon, so which of these things happens?

1. Dark Void is reflected back at both opposing Pokemon, putting both to sleep (unless it misses).

2. Dark Void is reflected back at the Smeargle, but since only one of your Pokemon blocked it with Magic Coat, your other Pokemon is still hit with Dark Void.

3. Dark Void is reflected back at only the Smeargle that used it, and no other Pokemon is affected.

Unfortunately, I'm too busy right now to help test this myself, but it is really important to the VGC Metagame to know what happens in this scenario, since Dark Void is the only move that makes the idea of using Magic Coat feasible (well, there are moves like Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Swagger, but those moves are much harder to predict and almost all VGC Pokemon may or may not have them without having tell-tale signs of having them).
Also, if either result 1 or result 3 is true, we may see a rise in the number of leads that know Magic Coat; of course, if your opponent does not use Dark Void Smeargle, it's just a waste of a moveslot.

Besides, the only Pokemon that are considered useful in the VGC that can also learn Magic Coat are Abomasnow, Azelf, Clefable, Cresselia, Gengar, Giratina (both Formes), Hariyama, Infernape, Latias (but not Latios for some reason), Lucario (that's a stretch;who uses Lucario in the VGC, let alone one with anything other than attack moves and Protect?), Medicham (also a bit of a stretch), Mewtwo, and Toxicroak.

Man, I use parenthesis quite often.....
One last thing: does Magic Coat also reflect the move Taunt back at the user? I don't think it does.....

I've been in this situation a few months ago on PBR. Magic coat only protects the magic coat user, not your partner. So the dark void user and your partner go to sleep.

[BadIntent]

^ There it is. Thanks Team Rose!

[Pokerob]

Since I need this broken down.

Giratina used Shadow Force
Weavile used Night Slash
Night Slashed Missed!

Turn 2

Weavile used Protect
Giratina used Shadow Force
It hits.

Is this true?

[BadIntent]

Since I need this broken down.

Giratina used Shadow Force
Weavile used Night Slash
Night Slashed Missed!

Turn 2

Weavile used Protect
Giratina used Shadow Force
It hits.

Is this true?

True. Also, Weavile can still get hit for the remainder of the turn since it's Protection is broken.

[ostrigal]

Both Kyogre and Groudon have the same base speed.

Say an opposing Kyogre and Groudon are sent out to battle as starters, and have the same IV’s, nature, and EV investment. 

1.   Who gets up weather?  Is this a matter of speed-tie decided by game?  Disregard held items.

2.   Between the two, who strikes first?  Does the game then allow the one without weather to strike first?  Disregard partner fake-outs.

In this scenario, (double speed tie decided by the game) is it possible that my Kyogre could set up weather and strike first?

[BadIntent]

Both Kyogre and Groudon have the same base speed.

Say an opposing Kyogre and Groudon are sent out to battle as starters, and have the same IV’s, nature, and EV investment. 

1.   Who gets up weather?  Is this a matter of speed-tie decided by game?  Disregard held items.

2.   Between the two, who strikes first?  Does the game then allow the one without weather to strike first?  Disregard partner fake-outs.

In this scenario, (double speed tie decided by the game) is it possible that my Kyogre could set up weather and strike first?

Weather activation and attack speed order require two separate RNG calls. So, yes Kyogre can set up Rain and attack before Groudon.

That's happened to me far too many times where I assumed Kyogre was holding Iron Ball because it got the weather up. In reality it had the same speed stat as my Groudon, and it got an uncontested Water Spout off before my Groudon could attack.

[ostrigal]

Weather activation and attack speed order require two separate RNG calls. So, yes Kyogre can set up Rain and attack before Groudon.

Cool BI.  Thanks for the confirmation...

[Sigurd]

Alright here's an interesting situation:

Send out Abomasnow and Mewtwo
Mewtwo uses Follow Me on the ALLY Abomasnow
Mewtwo uses Blizzard (at 1.5 power)
Abamasnow uses Blizzard

Can this work? Because you cannot target a double hitting move towards your team can this happen? Can you even use Me First on your ally?

[DukeTheDevil]

I believe you mean me first.  On bulbapedia it says that me first affects the user.  So in doubles i think it might be random which move it copies

[BadIntent]

Me First targets one opponent that you select. You can only Me First your own Pokemon on NetBattle Supremacy due to a glitch, giving you a much stronger Blizzard than normal.

[Sigurd]

I believe you mean me first.  On bulbapedia it says that me first affects the user.  So in doubles i think it might be random which move it copies

haha crap, for some reason I always want to put follow me for some reason :/

I don't think it's random, but I don't have anything on hand to test it with

[VashTheStampede]

Well, I know for sure that for ALL Mutli-hit moves, if you can only target 1 Pokemon with that move, then the move is at Full Power, which means:

Heat Wave: When you target your opponent's field, if there is only 1 viable Target, the attack does full damage.
Earthquake: When you target the playing field, if there is only 1 Target, other then the user, the attack does full damage. If your Pokemon's partner and an opponent are both on the field, the attacks power is reduced.

However, I DO think I read something else about Multi-hit Moves before that I can't confirm:

Zapdos used Heat Wave!
Foe's Abomasnow fainted! (75% Damage from Heat Wave)
Foe's Mewtwo was hurt! (100% Damage from Heat Wave)

I heard this before last years VGC, but I'm pretty sure that's how all moves work.

Can somebody confirm or test the bold?