Sword & Shield Battle Mechanics Research

Does Screen Cleaner neutralize other "screen" moves like Barrier, Mirror Coat, and Magic Coat?
Mirror Coat is highly unlikely to work, as it isn’t much of a status as an attack. However, Magic Coat may be interesting to test by having a pokemon switch out with u-turn or volt switch into mr mime or mr rime. Safeguard may be interesting to test as well.
EDIT: removed crazy idea that makes no sense.
 

DaWoblefet

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Sword and Shield version 1.1.1 have dropped, fixing the remaining host mechanics glitches and one visual glitch with two-turn moves generating invisible Pokemon after timing out into a two-turn move in the right slot in doubles.

Various footage:





EDIT: SnorlaxMonster confirms the Baton Pass Own Tempo confusion glitch still occurs in 1.1.1 (Own Tempo will not attempt to cure the Pokemon until after another action is taken by either Pokemon):
 
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I was wondering if any of you knew if Ally Switch + Wish produced the following result in Doubles ... Xatu uses Wish, Mr. Rime uses Ally Switch, Mr. Rime receives the Wish recovery on the next turn.

Is this correct? I tested it on Showdown however Xatu received the recovery and not Mr. Rime so I am curious if this will work in-game. Thanks!
 
Is it true that quick claw, lagging tail, full incense, Custap berry, and stall can activate and "decide" to affect turn order only at the beginning of a turn? So if the items (or stall) are gained, lost, or suppressed, then the gain/loss/suppressing won't start affecting turn order until the beginning of the next turn? Do gale wings and triage start changing priority immediately after they get gained/lost/suppressed? Does trick room start reversing turn order immediately after someone uses it?

Is this the full list of moves, items, and abilities that can change turn order without changing speed?
trick room, after you, quash, quick claw, lagging tail, full incense, Custap berry, stall, prankster, gale wings, triage

If thief or covet steals a life orb, does the life orb power them up? Does the life orb damage the user?
did the damage calculation between moves reacting to the hp and dynamax oponents changed?
Which specific moves are you asking about? Are you referring to something like water spout or crush grip?
 
Is it true that quick claw, lagging tail, full incense, Custap berry, and stall can activate and "decide" to affect turn order only at the beginning of a turn? So if the items (or stall) are gained, lost, or suppressed, then the gain/loss/suppressing won't start affecting turn order until the beginning of the next turn?
Yes. In fact, I saw a YouTube video today in which Quick Claw activated even before Dynamax happens.
 

Anubis

HONK
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Dropping a few things here:

We know that if Cramorant is in Gulping/Gorging form and Dynamaxes, it reverts to its regular form. Here are some interactions with Ditto.
- If a Ditto transforms into a Cramorant, it doesn't get a fish/Pikachu when it uses Surf. [link]
- Ditto will copy Cramorant's form when it transforms if Cramorant is already Gulping/Gorging. [link]
- Dynamaxing a Ditto transformed into Gulping/Gorging Cramorant doesn't revert the form. [link]
- Dynamaxed Ditto in Gulping/Gorging form doesn't activate Gulp Missile when hit (as expected since Gulp Missile doesn't seem to do anything for Ditto).

Some questions about Parting Shot + Clear Body/Full Metal Body vs Mirror Armor.
- If a Pokemon with Clear Body/Full Metal Body uses Parting Shot on a Pokemon with Mirror Armor while no stat drops are present, Mirror Armor and CB/FMB activate twice and then the Parting Shot Pokemon switches out. [link]
- It's been shown before that Parting Shot into Clear Body/Full Metal Body doesn't switch. [link]
- If the Clear Body/Full Metal Body user has a Substitute up, they still get forced to switch, but the failure message is for Substitute rather than CB/FMB. [link] [another link]

DaWoblefet did more followup research so I'll let him share that when he's ready.
 
I have a question about a interaction.
I've learned yesterday after watching some VGC stuff that it is possible to use Copycat to call Trick Room.

Assuming this is done via Prankster (so acts first regardless), does the turn order actually istantly get changed (due to the new speed mechanics of gen 8), or does the turn still play under TR order?
 
Small concern: I'm not really sure if we should be confident in accepting Quick Claw activation as proof of all of the others. The Quick Claw has always shown its activation at the beginning of the turn, even if that means displaying before another Pokémon's move (Quick Claw activation message displays -> someone else uses priority -> Quick Claw holder moves first only once the turn gets to its priority bracket or Quick Claw activation message displays -> someone else switches out -> Quick Claw holder moves). That means that displaying its activation message and actually influencing turn order are fairly separate - it still might be worth testing whether the Pokémon still moves early if it loses the Quick Claw in between the activation and its own move, and it's definitely worth testing the other effects (aside from Custap Berry) when they change owners mid-turn, because it's entirely plausible given the established changes to Speed mechanics in Generation VIII. Those are passive effects, not something that "activates" like the Quick Claw, so I don't think we can be sure that they would work the same way.
(If I were to guess, I would say that the Quick Claw probably retains its effect as long as it "activated" even if it's been lost, but I would also assume that Full Incense, Lagging Tail and Stall are done on the fly and not decided at the start of the turn, knowing that other speed modifiers are updated immediately now.)
Missingno. Master, I'm afraid also don't quite see how that quote relates to Worldie's post. What Worldie asked is actually a really good question, so I would love to see someone address that rather than drawing conclusions from an unrelated post!
 

Matleo

Banned deucer.
What happens if ability Anticipation user that has higher priority then target uses Disable/Spite/Instruct? Encore?
 
What happens if anticipation user that has higher priority then target uses Disable/Spite/Instruct?
Nothing because Anticipation only activates when the pokemon hits the field to reveal if the enemy has supereffective moves.

You really should stop getting ideas based on english names of the features :P They don't work by "logic", plus most abilities and attacks are based on their Japanese names which often aren't properly translated.
 

Matleo

Banned deucer.
Nothing because Anticipation only activates when the pokemon hits the field to reveal if the enemy has supereffective moves.

You really should stop getting ideas based on english names of the features :P They don't work by "logic", plus most abilities and attacks are based on their Japanese names which often aren't properly translated.
But revealing means knowing and interacting
 
Small concern: I'm not really sure if we should be confident in accepting Quick Claw activation as proof of all of the others.
Sorry, I was just trying to point out that Quick Claw activation is calculated very early on at the beginning of the turn. Researchers have determined that all of those per-priority bracket effects are calculated at that point in the turn and don't change subsequently. (Since it's only got a chance of occurring, it would be really strange for it to activate and then change its mind later on in the turn. Similarly for Custap Berry, which can only be eaten once; it doesn't suddenly get eaten partway through the turn just because your HP drops below 25%.)
 
When a Pokemon with Mirror Armor reflects stat drops to a foe, does it trigger foe's Competitive/Defiant abilities? Is it ignored by Clear Body?
I can confirm that Mirror Armor reflecting stat drops will trigger Defiant. During the Galar Newcomers tournament on cart, I snarled into Mirror Armor Corviknights a few times to trigger my own defiant with Obstagoon.
 

Anubis

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A few things tested today:

- Sky Plate still works (i.e. boosts flying-type moves). All the Arceus plates have icons in game; presumably they work.
- It was brought up that Razor Fang is in the Battle Tower and has a ? icon. I tested it 20 times with Beat Up (6 hits per use) and couldn't get it to flinch at all. [Like this but 20 times]
- Belue Berry, Cornn Berry, Durin Berry, Magost Berry, Nanab Berry, Nomel Berry, Pamtre Berry, Rabuta Berry, Razz Berry, Spelon Berry, Watmel Berry, Wepear Berry all have a ? icon. They have no in-battle effect though so I did not test them.
- Jaboca Berry, Custap Berry, Micle Berry, Rowap Berry, Enigma Berry all have icons in game and do work.
- Soul Dew has ? icon in game.
- I previously showed that Mail items have a ? icon and don't stop Trick as they should.

There may be a correlation between "has a proper icon" = "works in game"; if you know of an item that doesn't obey this rule, I invite you to disprove it!
 
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I was wondering if any of you knew if Ally Switch + Wish produced the following result in Doubles ... Xatu uses Wish, Mr. Rime uses Ally Switch, Mr. Rime receives the Wish recovery on the next turn.

Is this correct? I tested it on Showdown however Xatu received the recovery and not Mr. Rime so I am curious if this will work in-game. Thanks!
Do you mean that you Ally Switch and Wish on the same turn? I haven't tried that, so I don't want to speculate. If it doesn't work when you try it, it probably doesn't work.

If you Ally Switch the turn that the "Wish (comes) true", it will come true into the slot that the Wish was used in, just like how switching Pokémon works. I have experience doing this exact thing on Showdown, so I'm quite sure it'll work for you if you use it. :)
 

DaWoblefet

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Some research on Pastel Veil: as a general summary, it exhibits similar behavior to previous Veil-partner-protection-style abilities + Immunity
  • Pastel Veil blocks the poison and badly poisoned status from being inflicted on itself and its allies. When blocked, Pastel Veil announces itself and says that "It doesn't affect <Pokemon>..."
  • Pastel Veil prevents poison from being self-inflicted on itself or an ally via a self-target. So you can't side Toxic yourself with Pastel Veil active.
  • When Pastel Veil switches in, it removes poison from both itself and its ally. If it heals both, it heals left slot -> right slot (not based on Speed; all healing interactions are left -> right in cases of multiple).
  • If you acquire Pastel Veil via Skill Swap, it cures the user and its ally from poison, if applicable.
  • When Pastel Veil switches in on Toxic Spikes or an ally switches in on Toxic Spikes with a Pastel Veil active, they are not poisoned, but Pastel Veil is not displayed / announced.
  • If both Pokemon have Pastel Veil, then the faster Pastel Veil without any Speed modifiers will block the poison effect. If both Speed tie, it exhibits standard "LightningRod" speed tie behavior (whichever Pokemon has the ability longer).
  • If Mold Breaker Toxic bypasses the Pastel Veil user initially, then it will become cured almost immediately afterwards. So it goes Mold Breaker Toxic -> Pastel Veil user poisoned -> Pastel Veil triggers -> Pastel Veil cures poison.
    • Lum / Pecha Berry do activate before Pastel Veil in this situation. So if the Pastel Veil user is holding Lum Berry, it goes Mold Breaker Toxic -> Pastel Veil user poisoned -> Lum Berry activates -> Lum Berry cures poison.
    • This does not apply to the Pastel Veil user's ally. See this video.

Other various pieces of research:
  • Anubis confirms that Prankster Copycat Dragon Darts behavior against Dark-types first displays the Dark-type's immunity, then hits the other target twice. (1) (2) (3) (4)
  • WeedleTwineedle finds that Wandering Spirit's Skill Swap happens prior to Weakness Policy's activation (video).
    • A Wandering Spirit Pokemon holding Sticky Barb being attacked by a Sticky Hold Pokemon results in the Pokemon with Sticky Hold stealing the Sticky Barb.
  • Attacking into the semi-invulernable state (the first turn of Phantom Force, Dive, etc.) does not cause Blunder Policy to activate (this is because the semi-invulnerable state check is independent from accuracy).
  • Night Daze causes crystal-free Z-move behavior in Gen 8; the HP bar doesn't properly deplete (video).
  • If Parting Shot is used into a Mirror Armor Pokemon already at -6 Attack / -6 Special Attack, Mirror Armor will not activate and the Parting Shot user will not switch.
  • Using a -6 Attack / -6 Special Attack Parting Shot into a +0 / +0 Mirror Armor target will also not announce Mirror Armor, but it does say the Parting Shot user's Attack / Sp. Atk failed to drop and the Parting Shot user does switch.
  • If Outrage is disabled mid-Outrage, the attack is canceled and the user can select another move.
 

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