Linked

[Martin]

Empoleon and Skarmory can now Defog without removing your Stealth Rock. That's kinda cool.

Also does anything get Metal Burst+Avalanche/Revenge? That will really bring in the pain when you use Metal Burst to counter... and they have -4 priority!

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

So since FakeTurn used to be one of the most common playstyles in Linked and is still very good and annoying to unprepared teams, I thought I'd give a bunch of ways to counter it :D

Inner Focus
Inner Focus obviously means you can't be flinched. The best Inner Focus Pokemon are Dragonite (if you are willing to forgo Multiscale), Lucario, Mega Gallade (it's finally useful !_!) and Kangaskhan. To get you started, here is a set than completely sweep teams that rely solely on FakeTurn:

Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Sky Drop
- Earthquake/Fire Punch/Roost/Extremespeed
- Earthquake/Fire Punch/Roost/Extremespeed

The given EVs outspeed max speed Jolly Scarf Ampibom at +2. Sky Drop is STAB and is SE on many of the most common FakeTurners (such as Infernape and Mienshao). The other moves are coverage, priority, or healing, you can choose whatever you want. Sky Drop is usually bad as it takes 2 turns, but in this case it allows you to get 2 DDs up while still attacking. TheBlueFiretruck was the first person to use this iirc, and it is a very good strategy to counter FakeTurn.
Anyway, next is priority. Priority goes before FakeTurn so any priority users get 2 hits on the FakeTurners. Some priority users are Infernape, Weavile, Dragonite, the Hitmons, Mega Medicham, Aegislash, Toxicroak, Breloom, Lucario, Raichu, and Mega Pinsir, with a variety of combinations including Fake Out, Extremespeed, Feint, Quick Attack, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, Sucker Punch, and Aqua Jet.

Aegislash. Pretty simple, this just kills all FakeTurn teams. King's Shield + hitting with priority + immune to Fake Out, etc. Can be rekted by non-Choiced Infernapes that choose to run WoW though.

Ghosts in general. Immunity to Fake Out and resistance to U-Turn ruins the strategy. The best ones are probably Aegislash, Gengar, and Chandelure due to their power and all 4x resisting U-Turn. Golurk could potentially be used as well if you hate Raichu, and Banded EdgeQuake/Dynamic Punch with No Guard seems like a decent set now that I think about it o.o

Protect. It stops Fake Out cold and causes the opposing team to lose momentum. It also gives you a free turn to set up or attack.

Residual damage. Iron Barbs (from Ferrothron) deals out 1/4 HP in damage, and it resists Fake Out/Volt Switch and is neutral to U-Turn while having massive bulk allowing it to tank many of these. If you slap a Rocky Helmet on it (or tbh any defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Clefable, or Garchomp [who also has Rough Skin]) then it's basically over for the FakeTurners--they die really quickly.

So this is just a list of ways to beat FakeTurn in Linked easily, and you should always be packing at least one of them so as not to get overwhelmed by this strategy. I hope it helps people :D

 

[ScorrchingTheaph]

Empoleon and Skarmory can now Defog without removing your Stealth Rock. That's kinda cool.

Also does anything get Metal Burst+Avalanche/Revenge? That will really bring in the pain when you use Metal Burst to counter... and they have -4 priority!

I would also suggest phazing too, in case of set up. /ds may come in handy for you.

Metal Burst + Roar: Aggron, Aron, Bastiodon, Cobalion, Lairon, Rhydon, Rhyhorn, Rhyperior, Shieldon, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Dragon Tail: Aggron, Dialga, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Avalanche: Aggron, Bastiodon, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Revenge: Bisharp, Smeargle

And also because i dont want to double post, InfernapeTropius11 you forgot about simply outspeeding the faketurner with your own scarf, or Steadfast boosts until you outspeed (nird)

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

I would also suggest phazing too, in case of set up. /ds may come in handy for you.

Metal Burst + Roar: Aggron, Aron, Bastiodon, Cobalion, Lairon, Rhydon, Rhyhorn, Rhyperior, Shieldon, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Dragon Tail: Aggron, Dialga, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Avalanche: Aggron, Bastiodon, Rhydon, Rhyperior, Smeargle
Metal Burst + Revenge: Bisharp, Smeargle

And also because i dont want to double post, InfernapeTropius11 you forgot about simply outspeeding the faketurner with your own scarf, or Steadfast boosts until you outspeed (nird)

A.) No need to mention LC mons and NFE mons since you will never use them (other than Chansey, P2, Piloswine, and Dusclops pretty much) nerd
B.) Smeargle learns every move so you don't need to mention it
C.) Outspeeding the FakeTurner seemed ridiculously obvious to me, so much so that even nerds like you would get it xd (ok ur too nerdy its getting boring). The only semi-viable mons that outspeed Scarf Ampibom are Noivern, Whimsicott, Tornadus-Therian, Weavile, Alakazam, Aerodactyl, Accelgor, Dugtrio, Swellow, Crobat, Hawlucha, and Jolteon cuz I did overlook that in my post (actually thought I mentioned it lol) so thanks.
D.) Steadfast mons need two boosts so they generally aren't your best bet. Still usable though I guess, just more gimmicky.

 

[Chopin Alkaninoff]

So I still see everyone says Linked is very offensive. Well, as an anti mainstream, I used Stall and I think it performs pretty well. I'll give some sets than I used in case you said offense is boring, so that you can actually use Stall in Linked. Note that there are more possibilities than this.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Def/4 Atk
Impish Nature
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Protect
- Earthquake

Copied from the OP. This is standard Subtoxic Gliscor, except its much more annoying here. You can't break this by using set up + attacking move. You can only break this by using two attacking moves that are strong enough to break sub in one hit (usually Super Effective moves).

Clefable @ Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold/Calm Nature
- Calm Mind/Cosmic Power
- Moonlight
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell/Stored Power

Quagsire @ Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful/Sassy Nature
- Curse
- Waterfall/Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover

These pokes can be a dead stop to boosting sweepers because of Unaware. Clefable is generally better but Quagsire can deal with some things better than Clefable, namely Heatran, Magnezone, Thundurus (unless Grass Knot), Scarf Jirachi, Fusion Bolt + Fusion Flare Victini, DD Mega Tyranitar, and some others. For the EV spread, you can use 252 Def if you want extra Physical bulk.

Amoonguss @ Leftovers/Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Spore/Foul Play

Another way to stop boosting sweepers is by using Clear Smog. This is a good stop to Special Sweepers like Tail Glow Manaphy or Keldeo. If you switch to Tail Glow + Scald, it only does 17-20%. If you hit by +3 Ice Beam,

+3 252 SpA Manaphy Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Assault Vest Amoonguss: 226-268 (52.4 - 62.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

You can still survive and you use Clear Smog + Giga Drain link to reset the boost adn do damage to Manaphy.

Skarmory @ Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Whirlwind
- Roost
- Stealth Rock
- Brave Bird

Gliscor counter and another annoying thing to face. You basically set up Stealth Rock and phaze while you recover. You basically need to instantly 2HKO this thing with your link or you'll get phazed continously and its health won't go below 50% because it'll recover everytime it phaze you. Hippowdon also works with this set.

Slowbro @ Slowbronite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind/Amnesia
- Slack Off
- Scald
- Psyshock

This thing has very high Physical bulk and very hard to break unless you Toxic it. Calm Mind and Slack Off makes it boost its Special Defense and recovers itself, so you won't be able to 2HKO it with your Thunderbolt. It has faketurn weakness, so pair it with Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn or something.

I've tested these sets and they work well if you use it right. There are more possible sets than this, like Subseed Whimsicott with Cotton Guard, Resttalk Suicune, Poison Heal Breloom, and many others.

 

[Nmone]

First off, CONGRATS on winning OMOTM! Finally, since it's going to be installed in the main server, much more people will be available to play more. Damn, I can't wait!

 

[TheBlueFiretruck]

To any new players looking to find out more about this meta, the viability rankings in the OP is a great place to start. Some other quick tips are as follows.

1) There's very little priority in this meta, meaning that the few priority users you can use are extremely valuable. Talonflame is S rank because it can link two flying STABs to hit extremely hard and literally outspeeds all other priority bar unlinked Fake Out/Extreme Speed. (Notably no Prankster user is as fast as Talon)

2) Set up sweepers are able to boost their stats and keep offensive STAB pressure at the same time. This makes them extremely hard to take out once they get going, especially with so little priority to revenge them with. Notable sweepers are ScarfTail Manaphy, Dragon Dance + Sky Drop Dragonite, and Dragon Dance + Stone Edge Tyranitar.

3) Unaware users (Clefable and Quagsire) are the best way to deal with set up sweepers, so they become staples on almost all teams. Unprepared teams can actually be counter sweeped by the nearly unbreakable Stored Power Clef (with Cosmic Power + Moonlight link or other links).

There's a lot more to the meta but this is the basis of everything as it currently is. Creative sets are what makes this meta so fun, so get those thinking caps on and let's make this the best OMotM ever!

 

[Akumeoy]

I guess I only have two pieces of advice, heh:

1. For sets linking Brave Bird and another Flying-type move, run Acrobatics over Aerial Ace on Talonflame, even if you're holding an item. On a banded set, BB+Acrobatics is 97.5% as powerful as BB+AA, but if your Choice Band gets Knocked Off, BB+Acrobatics is 27.5% stronger than BB+AA. And if you ever want to use, like, Sharp Beak, an itemless Acrobatics set outdamages it anyways. Dunno about sets with Leftovers but I'm pretty sure they don't link double priority anyways.

2. Setup moves beyond stat boosting are better, because you don't have to waste a turn executing them. Not only that, but whatever sweepers or stuff you want to use under the effect of those moves get more time to do their thing.

 

[ScorrchingTheaph]

Since this won omotm and there will be new players, so here are some common sets and their counters:

Manaphy @ Choice Scarf
- Tail Glow
- Scald/Surf/Ice Beam
- Filler
- Filler

This set allows you to get off a quick +3 boosted move, which great ton of damage.
Counters: AssVest Amoonguss with clear Smog + Giga Drain completely walls it, and also deals good damage if Manaphy doesn't switch out. Unaware Clefable/Quagsire ignores Manaphy's Tail Glow boost, so with recovery, they can stop it too

Ambipom/Infernape/Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Filler
- Filler

This is known as Faketurn, and it's an annoying gimmick that will flinch the target, and then switch. You deal damage, while your opponent can not do anything. With two faketurners, you can easily destroy an opponent's team if they do not have counters, but countering is easy.
InfernapeTropius11 made a post about countering this:

So since FakeTurn used to be one of the most common playstyles in Linked and is still very good and annoying to unprepared teams, I thought I'd give a bunch of ways to counter it :D

Inner Focus
Inner Focus obviously means you can't be flinched. The best Inner Focus Pokemon are Dragonite (if you are willing to forgo Multiscale), Lucario, Mega Gallade (it's finally useful !_!) and Kangaskhan. To get you started, here is a set than completely sweep teams that rely solely on FakeTurn:

Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Sky Drop
- Earthquake/Fire Punch/Roost/Extremespeed
- Earthquake/Fire Punch/Roost/Extremespeed

The given EVs outspeed max speed Jolly Scarf Ampibom at +2. Sky Drop is STAB and is SE on many of the most common FakeTurners (such as Infernape and Mienshao). The other moves are coverage, priority, or healing, you can choose whatever you want. Sky Drop is usually bad as it takes 2 turns, but in this case it allows you to get 2 DDs up while still attacking. TheBlueFiretruck was the first person to use this iirc, and it is a very good strategy to counter FakeTurn.
Anyway, next is priority. Priority goes before FakeTurn so any priority users get 2 hits on the FakeTurners. Some priority users are Infernape, Weavile, Dragonite, the Hitmons, Mega Medicham, Aegislash, Toxicroak, Breloom, Lucario, Raichu, and Mega Pinsir, with a variety of combinations including Fake Out, Extremespeed, Feint, Quick Attack, Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, Sucker Punch, and Aqua Jet.

Aegislash. Pretty simple, this just kills all FakeTurn teams. King's Shield + hitting with priority + immune to Fake Out, etc. Can be rekted by non-Choiced Infernapes that choose to run WoW though.

Ghosts in general. Immunity to Fake Out and resistance to U-Turn ruins the strategy. The best ones are probably Aegislash, Gengar, and Chandelure due to their power and all 4x resisting U-Turn. Golurk could potentially be used as well if you hate Raichu, and Banded EdgeQuake/Dynamic Punch with No Guard seems like a decent set now that I think about it o.o

Protect. It stops Fake Out cold and causes the opposing team to lose momentum. It also gives you a free turn to set up or attack.

Residual damage. Iron Barbs (from Ferrothron) deals out 1/4 HP in damage, and it resists Fake Out/Volt Switch and is neutral to U-Turn while having massive bulk allowing it to tank many of these. If you slap a Rocky Helmet on it (or tbh any defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Clefable, or Garchomp [who also has Rough Skin]) then it's basically over for the FakeTurners--they die really quickly.

So this is just a list of ways to beat FakeTurn in Linked easily, and you should always be packing at least one of them so as not to get overwhelmed by this strategy. I hope it helps people :D

In addition, you can just outspeed with your own scarf, and Steadfast if you are willing to take a few hits.

Talonflame @ Choice Band/Sharp Beak/No Item
Ability: Gale Wings
- Brave Bird/Acrobatics
- Acrobatics/Brave Bird/Roost
- Flare Blitz/Roost
- Roost/Coverage

This Talonflame set will deal a ton of priority damage. Usually Brave Bird is linked first to break subs, or Acrobatics if you opt out on an item.
Counters: If you set up Stealth Rock, they will take 1/2 of Talonflame's HP, which means that Talonflame won't usually be a good switch in. Residual damage from pokemon such as Ferrothorn will hurt Talonflame if it goes for the physical moves. Aegislash can counter easily with King's Shield, but just beware of non-choiced sets predicting and going for Roost.

Staraptor @ Choice Scarf/Focus Sash
- Endeavor
- Final Gambit
- U-turn
- Filler
(i makes dis set)

This suicide bird will kill almost any pokemon with endeavor + final gambit, and can pivot out with U-Turn to keep momentum.
Counters: Ghosts are a complete hard counter, and so are pokemon that can set up Substitute before Staraptor attacks. Residual damage will cause final gambit not to kill, although it will leave you in a fragile position where you can be revenge killed. Prankster paralysis can stop this set, but it is a bit risky (complete paralysis hax if real).

Dusclops @ Eviolite
- Trick Room
- Memento
- Protect
- Toxic

Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Belly Drum
- Aqua Jet
(This set was made by Chopin Alkaninoff)

You use Trick Room + Memento. Sacrificing Dusclops to set-up, while crippling your opponent's attacking stats. You switch in Azumarill, and use Belly Drum (you will most likely survive). Then sweep.
Counters: Not many things can hard counter this. The best way would be to stop Dusclops from setting up, either by taunting, paralysis (risky), or just killing the Dusclops before it can Trick Room. If Trick Room is set up, you can try to kill the Azumarill, although you probably won't succeed. If Azumarill does set-up, your best bet will be to stall out Trick Room with protecting moves, since almost nothing can wall it.
252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Waterfall vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 139-165 (35.2 - 41.8%) -- 83.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 157-186 (39.8 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Unaware fully defensive Clefable can wall, if it runs Cosmic Power + Moonlight, but you can't switch in, and a crit will kill it. Even priority Talonflame can't revenge kill, because Aqua-Jet out slows it. If you really wanted, you could run a slower pokemon to counter. (run water absorb and hope playrough misses if real)

ALSO GRATS HACK GUY FOR WINNING OMOTM!!!

 

[Imperator Romanum]

I don't know if this goes against the whole concept of Linked, but stall can't flourish at all in the metagame. It's not a specific pokemon, it's how no wall can truly function without Unaware with behemoths like Landorus-Therian double dancing and Charizard-X dancing. I don't know how this can be fixed as I'd rather not ruin the concept of Linked, but as it stands now stall has no chance. Chopin posted a stall team, and I've made my own, Lcass brought his Swoobat and straight up swept me. I couldn't 3HKO him with my Chansey and even my Unaware Quagsire just died, even at full health. He swept me turn one. Stored power at +12 OHKOs Clefable and Quagsire so unaware really isn't a counter, a dark type might work but Swoobat still gets the likes of HP fighting and such. Though Swoobat might not be broken in itself, the ability to set up while attacking is way to pressuring for stall, you can't really recover it off.

Not only that but you still have gimmicks that pressure stall immensely, forcing you to run Aegislash for example. Fake-turn is what I'm talking about, and I again I repeat myself. I don't want either of these things quick banned, but I want them discussed. And of course, if you didn't know, you can baton pass protect. If your [Insert pokemon with reasonable speed and Baton pass here] gets up a substitute or a [Insert boosting move] off it can freely pass this to any mon on its team without fearing anything, except roar I guess.

Discuss

 

[Akumeoy]

I don't know if this goes against the whole concept of Linked, but stall can't flourish at all in the metagame. It's not a specific pokemon, it's how no wall can truly function without Unaware with behemoths like Landorus-Therian double dancing and Charizard-X dancing. I don't know how this can be fixed as I'd rather not ruin the concept of Linked, but as it stands now stall has no chance. Chopin posted a stall team, and I've made my own, Lcass brought his Swoobat and straight up swept me. I couldn't 3HKO him with my Chansey and even my Unaware Quagsire just died, even at full health. He swept me turn one. Stored power at +12 OHKOs Clefable and Quagsire so unaware really isn't a counter, a dark type might work but Swoobat still gets the likes of HP fighting and such. Though Swoobat might not be broken in itself, the ability to set up while attacking is way to pressuring for stall, you can't really recover it off.

Not only that but you still have gimmicks that pressure stall immensely, forcing you to run Aegislash for example. Fake-turn is what I'm talking about, and I again I repeat myself. I don't want either of these things quick banned, but I want them discussed. And of course, if you didn't know, you can baton pass protect. If your [Insert pokemon with reasonable speed and Baton pass here] gets up a substitute or a [Insert boosting move] off it can freely pass this to any mon on its team without fearing anything, except roar I guess.

Discuss

Well, taking the situation as you're describing it, making stall viable would probably require banning boost+attack -- otherwise, stall just doesn't get the free turns it needs to stop things that boost. Linked STABs are also powerful, but without the possibility of them spiraling out of control in their own right, I can't think of anything whose only stall answers can't take paired STABs.

I could see an argument for this, as it really does force Unaware on a lot of teams that would really prefer not to use it, but it's worth discussing definitely.

 

[Chopin Alkaninoff]

I kinda want to discuss linking Protect/Detect/King's Shield with something. The fact that you can buy free turns just by being faster or having Priority, makes it kinda uncompetitive I think. Not to mention that you can still have 50% chance to have an extra free turn, which means its kinda luck based.

You can stop Faketurn teams by punishing them with Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn or something, but linking Protect with something makes you can do anything without opponent doing anything to you. One example would be Protect + Extremespeed from Band Dragonite or something. If its by chance it would get three Protects in a row makes you get hit by three Band Extremespeeds without doing anything, does it make it kinda uncompetitive?

 

[Throbulator36]

I kinda want to discuss linking Protect/Detect/King's Shield with something. The fact that you can buy free turns just by being faster or having Priority, makes it kinda uncompetitive I think. Not to mention that you can still have 50% chance to have an extra free turn, which means its kinda luck based.

You can stop Faketurn teams by punishing them with Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn or something, but linking Protect with something makes you can do anything without opponent doing anything to you. One example would be Protect + Extremespeed from Band Dragonite or something. If its by chance it would get three Protects in a row makes you get hit by three Band Extremespeeds without doing anything, does it make it kinda uncompetitive?

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pandora-linked-2161007
here's an interesting fact. Protect move+protect move will always work every turn.

 

[M'joe'ra]

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pandora-linked-2161007
here's an interesting fact. Protect move+protect move will always work every turn.

Paging hack_guy because this might be meta breaking.

 

[Imperator Romanum]

Imo Linked is going to be the first metagame to suspect test protect haha

 

[Hack_Guy]

The double protect definitely does sound annoying at a first glance, off the top of my head, the only things I can see breaking it are pressure stallers and the odd feint from something like mega pinsir. but what exactly gets dual protect that actually would like to be using it over conventional links is the question. Off the top of my head I can think of probably Chesnaught (leech seed stalling) and Zapdos (toxic stalling)

 

[Akumeoy]

The double protect definitely does sound annoying at a first glance, off the top of my head, the only things I can see breaking it are pressure stallers and the odd feint from something like mega pinsir. but what exactly gets dual protect that actually would like to be using it over conventional links is the question. Off the top of my head I can think of probably Chesnaught (leech seed stalling) and Zapdos (toxic stalling)

Detect only has 8 BP, so with some good switching around you can easily drain it and break a link to stop it from getting spammed.

I really only find Chesnaught and Aegislash concerning with a double-protecting-move link, because of Spiky Shield and King's Shield with Toxic, respectively -- and even then, it's only good for Toxic stalling/spreading (Leech Seed can be switched out of, at least). I can't imagine a team with a Steel-type or a Substitute user caring much about this effect.

It wouldn't be the first "opponent can't do anything" strategy that we've examined and found manageable.

 

[thesecondbest]

Does assault vest work if only the first move in the link is attacking? that should be checked if that is the case

 

[Anna says hi]

I've been frustrated by the fact that it's so easy to kill momentum on volt-turn by sending in a ground to eat up Magnezone's Thunderbolt+Volt switch link. I searched for a reasonably fast electric type that can threaten grounds that try to switch in. So I came up with this.

Rotom-Frost @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Volt Switch
- Trick
- Will-O-Wisp

Yes, this may seem laughable at first. But I think Rotom-F has a serious niche on Volt-Turn. It may be worth using over Rotom-W in spite of the Rock weakness and inaccurate ice STAB because BoltBeam is just so good in this meta. Plus OHKOing Gliscor on the switch is cool. Rotom-W may be better than this due to its superb defensive typing, but this usually isn't in long enough to take a hit anyway.

 

[Chopin Alkaninoff]

I've been frustrated by the fact that it's so easy to kill momentum on volt-turn by sending in a ground to eat up Magnezone's Thunderbolt+Volt switch link. I searched for a reasonably fast electric type that can threaten grounds that try to switch in. So I came up with this.

Rotom-Frost @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Volt Switch
- Trick
- Will-O-Wisp

Yes, this may seem laughable at first. But I think Rotom-F has a serious niche on Volt-Turn. It may be worth using over Rotom-W in spite of the Rock weakness and inaccurate ice STAB because BoltBeam is just so good in this meta. Plus OHKOing Gliscor on the switch is cool. Rotom-W may be better than this due to its superb defensive typing, but this usually isn't in long enough to take a hit anyway.

Linking Flash Cannon + Volt Switch is better for Magnezone because even though your opponent absorb the Volt Switch, you can still damage it with Flash Cannon.

 

[Anna says hi]

The point is that whatever comes in still kills your volt switch, even though you may damage them.

 

[DarkeKnight]

Detect only has 8 BP, so with some good switching around you can easily drain it and break a link to stop it from getting spammed.

I really only find Chesnaught and Aegislash concerning with a double-protecting-move link, because of Spiky Shield and King's Shield with Toxic, respectively -- and even then, it's only good for Toxic stalling/spreading (Leech Seed can be switched out of, at least). I can't imagine a team with a Steel-type or a Substitute user caring much about this effect.

It wouldn't be the first "opponent can't do anything" strategy that we've examined and found manageable.

This isn't true. I just tried this in a match with Aegi and both Protect and King's Shield failed.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pandora-linked-2161896

 

[Akumeoy]

This isn't true. I just tried this in a match with Aegi and both Protect and King's Shield failed.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pandora-linked-2161896

... huh. Then we don't have to worry, because honestly what team can't beat Toxic + Protectspam for eight turns?

 

[ScorrchingTheaph]

This isn't true. I just tried this in a match with Aegi and both Protect and King's Shield failed.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pandora-linked-2161896

Bulbapedia: Using Protect, Detect, or Endure consecutively decreases the chance of success by 50% each use, whether it is successful or not. Throbulator36 was just really lucky. Also, this means we won't have to worry about Priority Attack+Protect spam as much, since spamming decreases the chance of Protect working.

 

[Isa Simple]

Its also worth noting that if a pokemon linking Protect with a move is facing off against a pokemon with two attacking moves linked, by the end of the 2nd turn they would both have achieved the exact same thing in attacking twice, there is no real clear advantage.

That said though, this is assuming Protect fails each consecutive use, which won't always be the case. But more often than not it should be so you'd be better off with a different link.

I see no problem with Protect shenanigans.