Sword & Shield Battle Mechanics Research

Can anyone confirm that having a Pokemon with only "greyed out moves" from older gens that do not exist in gen 8 (Pursuit, Hidden Power, ect) causes Struggle? This is relevant for an OM called Suicide Cup were having struggle from the get go can be viable. See this post here for more information.

Thanks in advance, and if it is true then I'm wondering what is the best implementation for the OM to allow this tech on PS.
 
I am currently waiting on the bulbapedia community for this, so I might as well share this with this forum too. What happens if a pokemon uses parting shot on a dynamaxed pokemon that has magic bounce?

Does it force out the dynamaxed pokemon? (That would be kinda stupid tbh) Does it do the stat drop but not switch out? Does it just straight up fail after being bounced?
 
2nd_Slash said:
I am currently waiting on the bulbapedia community for this, so I might as well share this with this forum too. What happens if a pokemon uses parting shot on a dynamaxed pokemon that has magic bounce?

Does it force out the dynamaxed pokemon? (That would be kinda stupid tbh) Does it do the stat drop but not switch out? Does it just straight up fail after being bounced?
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The Dynamaxed Pokemon's Magic Bounce triggers, then it plays the Parting Shot animation, lowers the Attack and Special Attack of the original user, and if that was successful, the Dynamax Pokemon will switch out.
 
DaWoblefet said:
The Dynamaxed Pokemon's Magic Bounce triggers, then it plays the Parting Shot animation, lowers the Attack and Special Attack of the original user, and if that was successful, the Dynamax Pokemon will switch out.
Click to expand...
Okay. That’s obnoxious tech to force out a dmax pokemon. What happens on PS right now?

EDIT: I just tested it. The same thing happens on PS.
 
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Some more fun facts about Dragon Darts (now that we have a new implementation on sim!)

Refer to the original Dragon Darts research post for the basic mechanics and terminology for how this works. Everything here is in doubles.

Versus Pressure: (did not post videos for these because they're too long to effectively show this -- try it yourself if you want)
  • 1 opponent with Pressure: DD uses 2 PP if you target either opponent, regardless of whether it has Pressure.
  • 2 opponents with Pressure: DD uses 3 PP
  • Pressure Dragapult targeting itself via Ally Switch + Telepathy ally: uses 1 PP
Versus Motor Drive, Volt Absorb, or both: (similar to Lightning Rod + Stalwart)
  • If Electrify DD is used against Motor Drive or Volt Absorb + a regular vulnerable opponent, the absorption ability activates and the regular opponent takes 2 hits. Targeting either opponent does the same thing. [1, 2]
  • If one opponent has Motor Drive and one has Volt Absorb, they both activate in the order hit. [1]
DD user with low accuracy:
  • Behaves similarly to targeting opponents with high evasion. You can have 2 perfectly valid opponents and hit neither, the same mon twice, or each one once. [1, 2]
----

And finally some interactions with abilities to show that order of hits matters:
  • Immunities from abilities don't get applied mid-attack:
    • Electrify DD vs Neutralizing Gas + Lightning Rod: NG mon faints, but LR Pokemon takes second electrified Dart attack still. [1]
    • Electrify DD vs Motor Drive (Gastro Acid suppressed) + Receiver: MD mon faints, Receiver picks up MD, but still takes second electrified Dart attack. [1]
    • DD vs Mimicry (Gastro Acid suppressed on Misty Terrain) + Receiver: Mimicry mon faints, Receiver picks up Mimicry, becomes Fairy type, but still takes second Dart attack. [1]
  • Friend Guard deactivates mid-attack if the first dart KO's it:
    • DD vs Friend Guard + vulnerable opponent: 112 Att Dragapult vs 86 Def Cherrim at level 50. Cherrim takes 28 damage with Friend Guard [1] and 43 damage if Friend Guard Snom is KO'd same turn [2].
      • Calculated damage amounts for this are Friend Guard: (28, 28, 29, 29, 29, 30, 30, 30, 30, 31, 31, 31, 32, 32, 32, 34) vs no Friend Guard: (37, 37, 39, 39, 39, 40, 40, 40, 40, 42, 42, 42, 43, 43, 43, 45)
  • Desolate Land, Flower Gift, Receiver activate aggressively:
    • Matchup is Flower Gift + Dragon Darts vs Desolate Land + Receiver.
      Sequence of events is:
      Dragon Darts hits Desolate Land user.
      DL user faints.
      DL deactivates
      FG deactivates.
      Receiver activates and picks up DL.
      DL reactivates.
      FG activates.
      Dragon Darts second hit hits the Receiver (DL) mon and it faints.
      DL deactivates.
      FG deactivates.
      [1, 2] Sim currently skips the Receiver activation mid-attack.
    • Earthquake doesn't go through the Receiver activation. [1]
  • Receiver doesn't pick up Neutralizing Gas in between Dragon Darts [1]
  • Intimidate activates in between Dragon Darts if Neutralizing Gas is KO'd by the first Dart. [1]
  • Innards Out is picked up by Receiver between Dragon Darts but doesn't activate a second time if the second Dart KOs. [1]
All of these replays have been added to the full spreadsheet if you prefer that view instead.
 
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Does Ice Scales reduce the damage taken from Psychock/Psystrike/Secret Sword? (Considering Fur Coat mechanics, I assume yes, but it doesn't hurt to check)
 
Should Transform/Imposter be able to copy a speed swapped speed stat? PS lets it do that, but I’m not sure if that’s true.

EDIT: I thought this was a gen 8 move. Apparently it’s a gen 7 move, so I’m pretty sure PS has it right. Might be wise to check if it was changed in gen 8, though.
 
2nd_Slash said:
Should Transform/Imposter be able to copy a speed swapped speed stat? PS lets it do that, but I’m not sure if that’s true.

EDIT: I thought this was a gen 8 move. Apparently it’s a gen 7 move, so I’m pretty sure PS has it right. Might be wise to check if it was changed in gen 8, though.
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Mew has access to both Transform and Speed Swap, so that should make it more easily testable. I'd like to know as well, since I like to employ this mechanic in some metagames.
 
Speaking of which, what is the proper sequence of stat changes across the following Psychic-type effects:
Power Split, Guard Split, Wonder Room, Power Trick
How would stat stages, Body Press, and Foul Play each play into those effects? (note: not testing for Power Swap, Guard Swap, Trick Room, or Speed Swap)

Does Heal Block have an effect on Maxing, Power Construct, or Pain Split?
I've had a curiosity about a number of Abilities and mechanics.
STAB
Burn (I would imagine works similarly to Paralysis)
Charge (move)
Flash Fire
Water Bubble
Pure/Huge Power
Thick Fat
Steelworker
Steely Spirit
Power Spot
Defeatist
Slow Start
Fluffy
Aura Break
Dark Aura
Fairy Aura
Heatproof
Filter/Solid Rock/Prism Armor
Innards Out
Multiscale/Shadow Shield
Fur Coat
Marvel Scale
Grass Pelt (I would imagine works similarly to Surge Surfer)
Ice Scales
Punk Rock
These Abilities vary in their descriptions across other sources, and sometimes generations. I would like to know what the exact mechanic is at play in each, if possible.
Increases move power
1. Multiplies/Divides user's (or attacking Pokémon's) specified stat(s) by a given value
2. Multiplies/Divides user's (or attacking Pokémon's) specified move(s) by a given value
3. Multiplies/Divides damage user (or attacking Pokémon) deals by a given value
4. Multiplies/Divides HP user (or attacking Pokémon) loses from attack(s)
5. Deals damage equal to HP lost, or causes HP loss equal to damage dealt
Pretty much anytime something affects the attacking stat, damage dealt/taken, move power, or HP lost, I would like to call into question.

This is a lot, I know, but once verified, I will probably have no more questions about mechanics whatsoever.
I have searched and searched, but I have not come upon a source with answers based on verified tests.
 
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OPStellar said:
Speaking of which, what is the proper sequence of stat changes across the following Psychic-type effects:
Power Split, Guard Split, Wonder Room, Power Trick
How would stat stages, Body Press, and Foul Play each play into those effects?
Click to expand...
Foul Play uses the target's Attack stat and Attack stat stage changes, but other effects, such as Burn and Huge Power, apply on the user of Foul Play. Power Split and Power Trick can directly change this stat, although obviously it resets when the target switches out.
Guard Split and Power Trick directly change the Defense stat in the same way, affecting Body Press. Wonder Room is a bit special. Body Press checks for Wonder Room, and in this case it actually uses the Special Defense stat. Since Wonder Room's effect was to switch the stats, you end up with what was originally the Defense stat. But, you still get the Special Defense boosts!
 
urkerab said:
Foul Play uses the target's Attack stat and Attack stat stage changes, but other effects, such as Burn and Huge Power, apply on the user of Foul Play. Power Split and Power Trick can directly change this stat, although obviously it resets when the target switches out.
Guard Split and Power Trick directly change the Defense stat in the same way, affecting Body Press. Wonder Room is a bit special. Body Press checks for Wonder Room, and in this case it actually uses the Special Defense stat. Since Wonder Room's effect was to switch the stats, you end up with what was originally the Defense stat. But, you still get the Special Defense boosts!
Click to expand...
Sorry, just wanted some clarification. Say Snorlax uses Body Press under Wonder Room. It would use what was originally its Defense stat, meaning it would still be off of its worse Defense stat. But if you use Amnesia, those boosts will amplify Body Press for as long as Wonder Room is active.

Is this correct?
 
CPU said:
Sorry, just wanted some clarification. Say Snorlax uses Body Press under Wonder Room. It would use what was originally its Defense stat, meaning it would still be off of its worse Defense stat. But if you use Amnesia, those boosts will amplify Body Press for as long as Wonder Room is active.

Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Exactly. When using normal moves, Wonder Room swaps the target's Defense and Sp. Def stats. When using Body Press, the target's Defense and Sp. Def stats are still swapped, but the attacker's Defense and Sp. Def stat boosts are swapped.
 
Skeli said:
Exactly. When using normal moves, Wonder Room swaps the target's Defense and Sp. Def stats. When using Body Press, the target's Defense and Sp. Def stats are still swapped, but the attacker's Defense and Sp. Def stat boosts are swapped.
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I was considering this method with Stonjourner to see if I could make use of its high Defense despite its low Special Defense.
So I would need to boost SpD first, then, wouldn't I?
 
OPStellar said:
I was considering this method with Stonjourner to see if I could make use of its high Defense despite its low Special Defense.
So I would need to boost SpD first, then, wouldn't I?
Click to expand...
I guess you could boost your SpD in order to survive a few hits, then whip out a Wonder Room to give you a boosted Body Press, but this would have the effect of making you physically frail during Wonder Room's effect.
 
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