Prankster

[Korski]

Mischievous Heart is, in my opinion, one of the best abilities to come out of Gen. V and may come to be considered one of the best in the metagame, but who knows?

Mischievous Heart: Non-attacking moves have a higher speed priority.

The ability could cause enormous ripples throughout the metagame and make otherwise UU-or-below Pokemon OU in their own right.

EDIT: It seems likely confirmed that the mechanics of Mischievous Heart increase the priority of all non-damaging moves (0 BP moves) by +1.

Here is a list of competitively relevant non-attacking moves that will be affected by this ability by their increased priority level (with help from Obi's Move Priority Guide):

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+6: Helping Hand
+5: Magic Coat, Snatch
+4: Detect, Endure, Follow Me, Protect
+3: None
+2: None
+1: Stat up/down moves (Nasty Plot, Agility, Cotton Guard, Calm Mind, Fake Tears, etc.)
Support/Status moves (Aromatherapy, Baton Pass, Encore, Leech Seed, Taunt, Screens, Thunder Wave, etc.)
Recovery moves (Recover, Rest, etc.)
Weather moves
Field Effects: Gravity, Tailwind, etc.
Substitute
Sleep Talk (?)
Trick/Switcheroo
0: None
-1: None
-2: None
-3: None
-4: Counter, Mirror Coat (?)
-5: Roar/Whirlwind
-6: Trick Room, Wonder Room, Magic Room

Keep in mind, all priority attacks except for Extremespeed rest in the +1 priority bracket, meaning you can still Encore SD Scizor's SD instead of eating a powerful Bullet Punch. The same can be said for other Pokemon, like NP Infernape's Vacuum Wave or LeadApe's Fake Out, so Speed may still be crucial for nullifying threats who also carry priority.

And here are the Pokemon who can have this ability:

Erufuun

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Type: Grass
Other Abilit(ies): Slip Through
Stats: 60 / 67 / 85 / 77 / 75 / 116

Notable Moves:
Encore
Taunt
Leech Seed
Light Screen
Rest
Substitute
Grasswhistle
Switcheroo
Stun Spore
Charm
Endeavor

Erufuun is the fastest and arguably best abuser of this ability (and yes, Speed does matter, depending on what kind of priority these moves get and the obvious presence of other MH Pokemon in the metagame). Encore + Taunt, a combination shared only with the less-bulky Leperadusu, is a tremendous way to shut down ANY priority-less stat-uppers as well as Stallmons in just two moves. Leech Seed + Substitute + Taunt (+ Protect) is a deadly SubSeeding combo with priority. Grasswhistle is a fairly unreliable Sleep move; however it can be used in last-ditch efforts or in the lead position. Switcheroo can also be useful for Tricking Choice items, Flame Orbs, or what have you. Stun Spore, as well, has the advantage over Thunder Wave of having no immunities (except for the new Herbivore Pokemon, who don't seem very appealing at this point) while spreading paralysis.

Torunerosu

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Type: Flying
Other Abilit(ies): Competitive Spirit
Stats: 79 / 115 / 70 / 125 / 80 / 111

Notable Moves:
Agility
Rain Dance
Taunt
Torment
Rest
Substitute

Not a strong contender for best MH Pokemon; however its powerful offensive stats could keep opponents on the defensive, where Taunt can come in handy. Other than that, it can't really do anything with the ability that other Pokemon can't do better.

Borutorosu

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Type: Electric/Flying
Other Abilit(ies): None
Stats: 79 / 115 / 70 / 125 / 80 / 111

Notable Moves:
Heal Block
Agility
Nasty Plot
Taunt
Rain Dance
Torment
Rest
Thunder Wave
Substitute

Borutorosu is a dangerous threat with Mischievous Heart. Access to Agility, Nasty Plot, and Substitute, coupled with its great offensive stats and MH may make it a necessity to plan for for all team-builders.

Sableye

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Type: Dark/Ghost
Other Abilit(ies): Keen Eye/Stall
Stats: 50 / 75 / 75 / 65 / 65 / 50

Notable Moves:
Calm Mind
Sunny Day
Taunt
Rain Dance
Torment
Rest
Will-O-Wisp
Psych Up
Substitute
Recover
Nasty Plot
Trick

Sableye is a fascinating MH Pokemon. It's the only one with Will-O-Wisp, which is mostly why it's featured here. Being able to cripple physical threats, especially Dragon Dancers, may prove to be very useful. Sableye can also set up Rain and Sun with priority and Psych Up (which won't really help it that much with those stats).

Volbeat

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Type: Bug
Other Abilit(ies): Illuminate, Swarm
Stats: 65 / 73 / 55 / 47 / 75 / 85

Notable Moves:
Moonlight
Tail Glow
Sunny Day
Light Screen
Rain Dance
Rest
Thunder Wave
Psych Up
Substitute
Baton Pass
Trick
Encore

Volbeat has a dangerous set of moves with which to abuse Mischievous Heart. Encore, Tail Glow, and Baton Pass are all legal together, which is all Volbeat really needs to set itself apart as a dangerous team player. Tail Glow's +3 boost in BW is not something you want Volbeat to get away with priority-Passing.

Illumise

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Type: Bug
Other Abilit(ies): Oblivious/Tinted Lens
Stats: 65 / 47 / 55 / 73 / 75 / 85

Notable Moves:
Charm
Wish
Encore
Sunny Day
Light Screen
Rain Dance
Rest
Thunder Wave
Psych Up
Substitute
Baton Pass
Growth

Illumise is just like Volbeat except with Growth instead of Tail Glow. Growth got a boost this generation, boosting Attack and Special Attack both, and Illumise can priority-Pass those boosts to a more threatening sweeper.

Leperadusu

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Type: Dark
Other Abilit(ies): Limber/Unburden
Stats: 64 / 88 / 50 / 88 / 50 / 106

Notable Moves:
Torment
Taunt
Nasty Plot
Claw Sharpen
Sunny Day
Rain Dance
Rest
Thunder Wave
Psych Up
Substitute
Charm
Encore
Yawn

Leparadusu stands apart with access to Nasty Plot, Thunder Wave, and Yawn, none of which make it particularly more useful than Erufuun, who is faster and bulkier. Being immune to Psychic moves may help, but its offensive stats and terrible defenses will probably keep it in Erufuun's shadow.

Overall, none of the Mischievous Heart Pokemon seem to be defensively talented; however, if they are able to switch in, they can be true menaces with their priority non-damaging moves.

Questions:
Could Mischievous Heart, if it does indeed give all non-damaging moves some sort of priority, change the strategy surrounding boosting stats and sweeping?

How will priority Substitutes, Thunder Waves, Encores, Taunts, etc. change the metagame, specifically how the different playstyles (offense/balanced/stall) strategize?

I think it'll be a huge metagame-shifter, personally. Anyway, discuss!

 

[Morm]

it means that pokemon with this ability don't NEED a devoted attack, they can just subseed or something and be off the the races. I think this ability MAY prove broken to some extent, but that is just off the top of my head. You could ultimately decimate many pokemon with something like encore/subseed/healing move, though I haven't looked through the pokemon that have this and their movepools.

Certainly, some sweepers are going to hate this and I think this honestly bolsters my opinion that this game will be about defense first/stall, considering the bulky HPs and fun abilities like this thrown around.

 

[iruchii]

I did some testing with Mischievous Heart earlier, and here's what I got:

- Contrary to some early rumors, it works everytime.

- Seems to give moves a priority of +1. At first I thought it just made them go before same-priority moves (after a Basurao Aqua Jetted my Erufuun) but it seems that Basurao was faster anyway, so I tested it lated against a Pokémon I knew was slower (Shimama, 30 levels behind) and Stun Spore went before Quick Attack.

- I'd say it works for moves with zero base power, and that's its only restriction.

 

[Thorhammer]

I did some testing with Mischievous Heart earlier, and here's what I got:

- Contrary to some early rumors, it works everytime.

- Seems to give moves a priority of +1. At first I thought it just made them go before same-priority moves (after a Basurao Aqua Jetted my Erufuun) but it seems that Basurao was faster anyway, so I tested it lated against a Pokémon I knew was slower (Shimama, 30 levels behind) and Stun Spore went before Quick Attack.

- I'd say it works for moves with zero base power, and that's its only restriction.

What moves have you tested?

 

[iruchii]

What moves have you tested?

Cotton Spore, Stun Spore, Leech Seed, Flash, Double Team, Poisonpowder, Charm, Safeguard.

If someone would kindly tell me where can I find the Substitute and Taunt TMs in BW, I'd gladly test them.

 

[foxy_eisenhower]

Nobody gets Sleep Powder+Mischievous Heart, DAMMIT
Espeon and Xatu with their new ability are going to screw Subseeders up :/
Magic Coat wasn't a problem before, but since it bounces SR more teams will carry it
+4 priority will still beat +1!

 

[Garganator]

Erufuun is my candidate number one. It's probably the best user of this ability. This little fella may be a life-saver for many stall based teams. It may just Taunt/Encore every single Dragon Dancer and Swords Dancer without ExtremeSpeed (If I'm not mistaken, other priority attacks have the same priority, so you may just Encore before someone for example use Bullet Punch). I don't think that you even need to invest in speed, when you outspeed everything anyway with his supporting options. I would prefer to invest in bulk, as he really needs it. When I'll want to use stall team, this guy is my first member there. He's just that good. And access to Leech Seed is almost perfect addition. More additional damage to T-Spikes, Spikes and SR ? Yes please ;). IMO this is a Jumpluff on crack.

Certainly, some sweepers are going to hate this and I think this honestly bolsters my opinion that this game will be about defense first/stall, considering the bulky HPs and fun abilities like this thrown around.

It will IMO affect only Hyper offense teams, which RELY on set-up moves to start wrecking havoc. Only really good user of this ability is Erufuun, which has glass defenses and few nasty weaknesses. Even stall teams may easily take it down if they have at least one user of Ice attack. It will force players to first attack just to check it instead of mindless set up. Heck, I can imagine Hyper Offense teams to run at least 1 Pokemon, which don't use set-up move just to force it out and being fast enough without need to boost speed, while keeping offensive power/cleaning potential (Attacking Deoxys-S, Darkrai, MewTwo, Terakion, Meloia-S, etc.). And as I said - nothing stops sweeper to first attack just to check switchins instead of mindless set-up.

 

[Noble Cactus]

Well, priority Whirlwinds wouldn't be game-breaking, but they'll definitely be a bitch to deal with (if it's legal, anyway).

 

[DDRMaster]

Cotton Spore, Stun Spore, Leech Seed, Flash, Double Team, Poisonpowder, Charm, Safeguard.

If someone would kindly tell me where can I find the Substitute and Taunt TMs in BW, I'd gladly test them.

Adding to this, Trick Room was tested and didn't seem to be affected.

 

[foxy_eisenhower]

Adding to this, Trick Room was tested and didn't seem to be affected.

Do you think the ability moves moves up one priority tier? or would that be impossible to test, since, you know, no -3 priority moves

 

[DDRMaster]

Do you think the ability moves moves up one priority tier? or would that be impossible to test, since, you know, no -3 priority moves

You could have a Deoxys-S use Trick Room on the same turn an Erufun does and if Erufun goes first, you know its Trick Room had a higher priority because of Miscievous Heart.

 

[lumpor]

It'd be great with defensive stat-ups, so you get the defense before being hit.

Also, safeguarding vs a predicted status. To use the ability you don't only need lots of non-attacking moves, you need non-attacking moves that work best when they go first.

 

[foxy_eisenhower]

PRIORITY SUBSTITUTES
this just hit me, oh my god. I'm going to go think up a sub set
Can you imagine how broken this would be on Breloom? New Wondertomb

 

[mattj]

I know it's probably because the OP and the crowd are more concerned with this ability's impact on singles, but I noticed you missed that both Erufuun (547) and Torunerosu (641) get Tailwind. I realize this means almost nothing in singles, but in doubles it boost your partner too. This is important because it's an instant, immediate, THAT TURN implementation of Tailwind, therefore getting the most possible bang for your buck. You'll beat any scarfer, no matter how fast, and as long as your partner has enough speed (most likely) he'll beat them too. Although some success had been achieved with the likes of Crobat previously, this wasn't quite possible in this way, to this extent before and I think it may just make Tailwind viable at least for Doubles.

Here's for hoping anyway.

 

[kukki-sama]

It's confirmed that it works with roar too? This is going to be an interesting metagame with abilities like this.

 

[Energy Storm]

I most likely won't work with Roar, because that would just wreck the game, if you can just keep Roaring or Whirlwinding until your opponent's team dies of entry hazards.

 

[foxy_eisenhower]

It's confirmed that it works with roar too? This is going to be an interesting metagame with abilities like this.

That is such a misleading way to phrase a speculation

 

[Scepticallistic]

I know it's probably because the OP and the crowd are more concerned with this ability's impact on singles, but I noticed you missed that both Erufuun (547) and Torunerosu (641) get Tailwind. I realize this means almost nothing in singles, but in doubles it boost your partner too. This is important because it's an instant, immediate, THAT TURN implementation of Tailwind, therefore getting the most possible bang for your buck. You'll beat any scarfer, no matter how fast, and as long as your partner has enough speed (most likely) he'll beat them too. Although some success had been achieved with the likes of Crobat previously, this wasn't quite possible in this way, to this extent before and I think it may just make Tailwind viable at least for Doubles.

Here's for hoping anyway.

I thought turn order was calculated before the turn actually started, so having a Tailwind that goes first still means that the speed-boosting effects only take place on the next turn.

 

[Mario With Lasers]

Sableye can also set up Rain and Sun with priority and Psych Up (which won't really help it that much except to negate opponents' boosts as it faints).

Psych Up only copies the stat-ups (and downs), it doesn't steal them. It's Heart Swap that does so.

 

[Green Mage]

There are new descriptions that state that the qualifier is not 'non-attack' moves but, more specifically, moves with 0 base power. Therefore 'attack' moves like Sableye's nightshade will still go first. This is unconfirmed but worth looking into.

But I also feel like this is a gamebreaking ability. It lets a single pokemon be an anti-lead, anti-stall and anti-sweep at the same time. The fact that two of my favorite pokemon (erefuun and sableye) get it make it that much sweeter. At first I thought one of the genie legends would be the prime users of this ability, but i'm starting to think that erefuun is the one that can abuse this the most with taunt/encore/leech seed in its movepool. Erefuun also partners extremely well with shanderaa.

Yeah, i think it's safe to say that mischievous heart will help shape the new environment.

 

[Paradox]

Mischievous Heart is definitely deadly with Erufuun, as long as it actually gets a turn to use Leech Seed. Encore helps with this, but it will still only really be able to take resisted attacks and non-attacking moves (taking advantage of Taunt or Substitute.)

Borutorosu also gets a priority Rain Dance, complimented by STAB Thunder. I see this being a great addition to Rain teams in the case of their Drizzler fainting.

If Mischievous Heart only gives +1 to whatever priority a move already has, which is probably the case since Trick Room apparently didn't have priority (it has -7 priority), then Whirlwind would go up to -5 priority, still hitting last.

 

[dtjoe]

I really hope this works well with the sableye I was trying to make that thing work back in 3rd gen.

 

[rocklee clone]

i believe mischievous heart raises the speed priority by one. meaning that trick room will always be the slowest move, unless both pokemons use trick room. roar and whirlwind will be as fast as counter and mirror coat.

thats why it works with the other moves with 0 speed priority, because they have with this ability the same priority bullet punch, quick attack etc etc have

 

[foxy_eisenhower]

i believe mischievous heart raises the speed priority by one. meaning that trick room will always be the slowest move, unless both pokemons use trick room. roar and whirlwind will be as fast as counter and mirror coat.

thats why it works with the other moves with 0 speed priority, because they have with this ability the same priority bullet punch, quick attack etc etc have

Pokemon Number 79.

 

[TickingSeedotBomb]

hmm Boroturuso looks quite interesting... Nasty plot is good and he has good special attack and speed to boot. He seems like quite the interesting pokemon. Though Erruffun probably enjoys this the most.