Big testing day for me and Setsuna. Here were the things we tested, and the results:
Side Change: Can the user\target be caught with Pursuit?
We tested this using a fast Side Change Gallade versus a slow Pursuit Tyranitar. Gallade used Side Change to switch places with Smeargle, and then Tyranitar hit Smeargle with an unboosted Pursuit.
While we were testing Side Change, we discovered a few things. First of all, if it wasn't known before, this move is for Doubles and Triples battles only -- the move will fail in Singles and Rotation battles. Also, within Triples battles, the Side Change user MUST be on either the right or left side of the field. Side Change will fail if the user is in the middle position of your party. Finally, because Side Change can only be used to interchange specific positions only, you never get the option of who you want to switch with -- the game chooses for you, and always chooses the same position (the opposite side from where you currently are).
Dragon Tail: does it fail to switch out the target if the user faints from Life Orb recoil? Confirm it fails if user faints from Rugged Helmet\Iron Barbs recoil.
Setsuna and I re-tested this for confirmation's sake. To test this, we used a Dragon Tail Bagon versus a Doryuuzu holding a Rugged Helmet. When Bagon took enough Rugged Helmet damage to faint from using Dragon Tail, the move failed to phaze Doryuuzu.
Again, another new discovery while testing this! Apparently, if the Pokemon holding Rugged Helmet uses a contact move, it receives recoil damage. This makes the item a good deal less attractive... - Apparently this is not true. I'm assuming Setsuna's Pidgeot was holding Rugged Helmet itself when I attacked it with my Rugged Helmet Doryuuzu.
Sacred Sword: Does it bypass all boosts to Defense, including Reflect?
To test this, we used a Sacred Sword Terakion versus a Reflect Smeargle. Sacred Sword failed to bypass Reflect, and only did half damage. We later also tested Sacred Sword Terakion against an Iron Defense Smeargle, and Sacred Sword successfully bypassed Smeargle's defense buffs, doing normal damage (in other words, doing damage as if Smeargle was at +0 defense).
How many HP are healed if a Shedinja uses Wish?
We had to hack to test this, obviously. Shedinja's Wish only healed the incoming Pokemon 1 HP.
Outrage: In 4th gen, multi-turn moves did not lose PP for every additional turn used, with the exception of 1 PP from Pressure. Confirm that PP is now lost for each additional turn.
Finally, I just wanted to point out that Setsuna and I tested this before it went on the untested list
here. Pressure now only depletes 2 PP at the turn the move is selected, and no PP while the move continues on.
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To summarize, here were our discoveries:
- A user of Side Change cannot be caught by Pursuit.
- Side Change will only work in Doubles battles and Triples battles, provided that the user is not in the middle position in a Triples battle. In a Triples Battle, the user of Side Change will always switch with the Pokemon on the opposite side of its party.
- Dragon Tail will do damage to, but not phaze the opponent if the opponent is holding Rugged Helmet and the Dragon Tail user dies to its recoil damage.
- Sacred Sword does not bypass Reflect, but it does bypass defensive stat boosts provided by moves like Iron Defense.
- If Shedinja uses Wish, the recipient will only be healed 1 HP.
- Pressure will only deplete 2 PP on the turn a multi-turn move is selected, and 0 PP for every turn the move continues on without the act of selecting it.