Sword & Shield Battle Mechanics Research

Friend Guard is ignored by all Mold Breaker effects, including Photon Geyser and Mold Breaker itself. The G-Max starter moves are just another Mold Breaker variant. I know personally that it's been that way since at least Gen 7 now, though Bulbapedia says it's been since Gen 5: https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Mold_Breaker_(Ability)
So since the G-Max starter moves behave similarly to Mold Breaker... do they fail to ignore Shadow Shield and Prism Armor?
 
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obi

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This question is for all generations, not just generation 8: If you Psycho Shift sleep, does it maintain the current sleep counter? Rest, Sleep Talk, Psycho Shift Early Bird Natu / Xatu would probably be the easiest way to check: the target should wake up immediately 100% of the time.
 

DaWoblefet

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Following on the research done by SadisticMystic in Generation VII, I have compiled the order of move success checks done in Generation VIII. New ways to fail moves have been added (chiefly Dynamax), old ways to fail moves are gone, and lots of checks got rearranged! Special thanks to Cracticus for dedicating dozens of hours in helping me test over the past several months.

In addition to documenting the order, I also have documentation on whether or not a failure check doubles Stomping Tantrum, what happens if there are multiple failures for the single move, and the text associated with each failure message. This Google Sheet documents my move success check research in its totality. One of the tabs in the sheet is a list of over 700 tests done to arrive at this list, which should allow for any person in theory to reconstruct the list from my data alone (or if I made a mistake, to point out the associated test that was wrong). Note that this is purely empirical testing with the games; I did not do any datamining. If the longer list is a bit overwhelming for you, at the bottom of the post I have a "simplified order" list that just lists the order of what I would say are the most important checks.

We can use this data to determine, for example, what effects will and won't change a user's typing with Libero, where PP is deducted from the move, where Protect stops an effect before revealing an ability/item, what checks are blocked before/after Substitute, and so on.

Order of Move Success Checks in Generation VIII

  1. Recharge from a move that requires recharging​
  2. Sleep turn
    Freeze​
  3. No PP remaining for move​
  4. Truant​
  5. Focus Punch loses focus​
  6. Flinch​
  7. Disabled
  8. Gravity
    Throat Chop
  9. Using a move you're not Choice locked into while being Choice locked
  10. Taunt
  11. Imprison
  12. Self-hit confusion damage
  13. Full paralysis
  14. Infatuation
  15. Sleep Talk / Snore sleep announcement
  16. Submoves - announce the submove is occurring: "[Pokemon] used [move]!". Repeat check 8; if it passes, continue. Submove announcement guarantees PP deduction.
    • Copycat
    • Metronome
    • Nature Power
    • Sleep Talk as a submove
    • Sleep Talk with no eligible moves to call will fail at this point
  17. Autothaw freeze from certain moves
  18. Stance Change
  19. Move is announced: "[Pokemon] used [move]!". Move announcement guarantees PP deduction.
  20. Check for move type change from type-changing Ability, like Pixilate (non-Max Move)
  21. Set move type for Multi-Attack / Terrain Pulse / Weather Ball (this will override the previous check, if applicable).
  22. Check for move type change from Electrify / Plasma Fists
  23. Check for move type change from type-changing Ability, like Pixilate (Max Move)
  24. Set random target for any of the following:
    • Multi-turn moves (e.g. Outrage)
    • Single-target moves called by a submove (e.g. Sleep Talk -> Scald)
    • Ghost-type Curse
    • Single-target move if the player timed out on move selection
  25. Set target redirection via Lightning Rod / Storm Drain
  26. Set target redirection via Follow Me / Rage Powder (this will override the previous check, if applicable).
  27. Deduct the appropriate amount of PP from the move
  28. If user has a Choice item or Gorilla Tactics, lock into the chosen move
  29. Burn Up when user is not Fire-type
  30. Desolate Land blocking damaging Water-type moves or Primordial Sea blocking damaging Fire-type moves
  31. Micle Berry's accuracy check consumed
  32. Move failure checks, part 1
    • Aura Wheel when user isn't Morpeko
    • Aurora Veil when it is not hailing
    • Clangorous Soul when user lacks HP to execute the move
    • Counter / Mirror Coat / Metal Burst when user hasn't been damaged
    • Destiny Bond when user has "Destiny Bond" Y-info volatile
    • Fake Out / First Impression / Mat Block after user has already performed an action
    • Fling with no item
    • Follow Me / Rage Powder in singles
    • Future Sight / Doom Desire into target that already has future attack
    • Last Resort when user has not used all its other moves once or user does not have Last Resort in its moveslot
    • No Retreat when user has Can't Escape flag set by No Retreat
    • Poltergeist when the target does not have an item
    • Protecting move failures from successive use / being used last in the turn
    • Rest while user is already asleep (via Sleep Talk or Comatose)
    • Sucker Punch when target doesn't have an eligible move pending
    • Sleep Talk / Snore while not asleep
    • Steel Roller when there is no Terrain
    • Stockpile with 3 Stockpiles already
    • Stuff Cheeks when user doesn't have a Berry
    • Swallow / Spit Up with 0 Stockpiles
    • Teleport with nothing to switch to
    • Weight moves into Dynamax
  33. Rest while user is at full HP
  34. Rest while user has Insomnia / Vital Spirit
  35. Ability failures, part 1
    • Damp
    • Dazzling
    • Queenly Majesty
  36. Interruptible moves
    • Future Sight / Doom Desire (move checks end here)
    • Pledge move combos (the user's move check ends here, and the partner picks up at the start of the checks again)
  37. Libero / Protean
  38. Charging move message
  39. Set flag to lose 100% HP from Explosion / Self-Destruct
  40. Failure due to no target for move or target is self when it shouldn't be
  41. Set flag to lose 50% HP from Steel Beam
  42. Semi-invulnerability
  43. Psychic Terrain
  44. Teammate Protection Effects
    • Quick Guard
    • Wide Guard
    • Crafty Shield
  45. Protect and equivalents (except Max Guard)
  46. Mat Block
  47. Max Guard
  48. Magic Coat
  49. Magic Bounce
  50. Ability failures, part 2
    • Dry Skin
    • Flash Fire
    • Lightning Rod
    • Overcoat
    • Sap Sipper
    • Soundproof
    • Storm Drain
    • Telepathy
    • Volt Absorb
    • Water Absorb
    • Wonder Guard
  51. Type chart immunity
  52. Levitate Ground-type immunity
  53. Air Balloon / Magnet Rise Ground-type immunity
  54. Safety Goggles
  55. Ability failures, part 3
    • Bulletproof
    • Sticky Hold against Trick / Switcheroo / Corrosive Gas
  56. Type-based move condition immunities, part 1
    • Dark-type Prankster immunity
    • Ghost-type immunity to trapping moves
    • Grass-type powder immunity
    • Ice-type immunity to Sheer Cold
  57. Move failure checks, part 2
    • Attract into a target with same gender / genderless
    • Torment into Dynamax
    • Venom Drench when target is not poisoned
  58. Move failure checks, part 3
    • Attract into a target already infatuated
    • Clangorous Soul / No Retreat with all stats maxed out
    • Coaching in singles or when there is no ally target available in doubles
    • Dream Eater when target is awake
    • Endeavor when target has equal or less HP than the user
    • Ingrain when user already has Ingrain
    • Leech Seed when target already has Leech Seed
    • OHKO moves against a target with higher level than the user / target is Dynamaxed
    • Perish Song when all targets have Perish Song
    • Status move into target that already has that status
    • Status move into target that already has another major status condition (but not the same one)
    • Stat changing moves that can't go any higher
    • Stat changing moves that can't go any lower
    • Stuff Cheeks with Defense maxed out
    • Torment when target already has Torment
    • Worry Seed when target has Insomnia / Truant
    • Yawn into target with status condition / already has Yawn
  59. Type-based move condition immunities part 2
    • Electric-type paralysis immunity
    • Fire-type burn immunity
    • Grass-type Leech Seed immunity
    • Poison / Steel-type poison / badly poison immunity
  60. Uproar stopping a sleep move
  61. Safeguard
  62. Electric Terrain / Misty Terrain blocking a status condition
  63. Substitute blocking stat drop / Decorate
  64. Mist
  65. Ability failures, part 4
    • Stat-based failures
      • Big Pecks
      • Clear Body
      • Flower Veil
      • Full Metal Body
      • Hyper Cutter
      • Keen Eye
      • White Smoke
    • Status condition-based failures
      • Comatose
      • Flower Veil
      • Immunity
      • Insomnia
      • Leaf Guard
      • Limber
      • Oblivious
      • Own Tempo
      • Pastel Veil
      • Shields Down
      • Sweet Veil
      • Vital Spirit
      • Water Bubble
      • Water Veil
    • Other
      • Aroma Veil (Attract, Torment)
      • Sturdy against OHKO moves
  66. Move accuracy
  67. Substitute blocking effect other than stat drop
  68. Mirror Armor
  69. Roar / Whirlwind into Dynamaxed target
  70. Roar / Whirlwind into Suction Cups target
  71. Roar / Whirlwind into target with Ingrain
  72. Move failure checks, part 4
    • Ability failures
      • Entrainment when target is Dynamaxed, target has same Ability as user, or target / user have an Ability that can't be passed / passed from
      • Gastro Acid into already has Gastro Acid / unchangeable ability
      • Role Play when target has same ability as user or cannot take target's Ability
      • Simple Beam into target that has Simple / unreplaceable Ability
      • Skill Swap when target or user cannot swap Ability / target is Dynamaxed
      • Worry Seed when target has unreplaceable Ability
    • Full HP failures
      • Heal Pulse / Floral Healing into target at full HP
      • Life Dew into target at full HP
      • Jungle Healing when both user and ally are at full HP and lack status conditions
      • Pollen Puff into target at full HP
      • Self-target recovery moves when user has full HP
    • Stat-related failures
      • Belly Drum when user is at less than 50% HP or already at +6 Attack
      • Flower Shield with no Grass-type targets
      • Strength Sap into target at -6 Attack
      • Swagger / Flatter when target is already at +6 and confused
      • Topsy-Turvy when target has no stat changes
    • Type failures
      • Conversion when user is already the same type as its first move
      • Conversion 2 into target that hasn't moved, or into target that most recently used Struggle
      • Reflect Type when user is same type as target
      • Soak into a pure Water-type / Magic Powder into a pure Psychic-type / Soak | Magic Powder into Silvally with RKS System
      • Trick-or-Treat into a Ghost-type / Forest's Curse into a Grass-type
    • Failures that play additional text
      • Aromatherapy / Heal Bell while no party Pokemon have status conditions
      • Teatime when no Pokemon on the field have Berries to eat
    • Redundancy failures
      • Attempting to create a weather / Terrain that already exists / field effect that already exists
      • Aqua Ring while the user already has Aqua Ring
      • Baton Pass / Healing Wish / Lunar Dance with no remaining Pokemon to pass to
      • Curse (user Ghost-type) into target that already has Curse
      • Entry hazard when that entry hazard is already fully set
      • Focus Energy when user already has "Critical Hit Boost" Y-info volatile
      • Helping Hand when target has already moved
      • Lock-On / Mind Reader when user already has "Lock-On" Y-info volatile
      • Magnet Rise when user already has Magnet Rise
      • Substitute when user already has a Substitute
      • Taunt into target already taunted
      • Trapping move while target already has "Can't Escape" Y-info volatile
      • Wish while a Wish is already active
    • Other
      • After You / Electrify / Quash into a target that has already moved
      • Corrosive Gas
      • Copycat with no moves to copy
      • Court Change when neither side has field effects
      • Disable failures
      • Encore failures
      • Helping Hand / Ally Switch / Aromatic Mist / Hold Hands in singles or when there is no ally target available in doubles
      • Instruct failures
      • Mimic into target that hasn't moved / target used unMimicable move
      • Primal weather active and trying to set a regular weather
      • Psycho Shift when user has no status condition / target has same status condition / target has different status condition
      • Purify when target does not have a status condition
      • Roar / Whirlwind into target with no Pokemon remaining to switch into
      • Transform while user / target is already Transformed
      • Trick / Switcheroo with neither having items or has unTrickable item
  73. Move failure checks, part 5
    • Psycho Shift when target is immune to status condition
    • Substitute when user lacks enough HP to execute the move
  74. Aroma Veil (Disable, Encore, Taunt)
After all these checks, you enter damage calculation and perform the move.

  1. Pre-move announcement checks
  2. Submoves
  3. Announce move
  4. Determine typing of move
  5. Determine target of move
  6. Deduct PP
  7. Choice locks
  8. Move failure checks, part 1
  9. Queenly Majesty
  10. Libero
  11. Semi-invulnerability
  12. Protection effects
  13. Magic Coat / Magic Bounce
  14. Wonder Guard
  15. Type chart immunity
  16. Prankster
  17. Move failure checks, parts 2 & 3
  18. Major status condition (especially sleep) immunities
  19. Stat drop immunities
  20. Accuracy
  21. Substitute (non-stat drop)
  22. Move failure checks, parts 4 & 5 (these don't double Stomping Tantrum)
  • Recharge turn
  • Setting Future Sight / Doom Desire
  • Quick Guard
  • Wide Guard
  • Crafty Shield
  • Protect and equivalents
  • Mat Block
  • Max Guard
  • Rest being stopped by Uproar, Electric Terrain, Misty Terrain, Leaf Guard, or Sweet Veil
  • Mirror Armor reflecting a stat drop
  • Roar / Whirlwind into a Dynamaxed target, Suction Cups target, Ingrain target, or if target cannot be phazed into any remaining Pokemon
  • All of move failure checks part 4 & part 5
  • Aroma Veil blocking Disable, Encore, or Taunt

Many of the failures in move failure check 4 are grouped that way because of their interactions with Stomping Tantrum. For a good chunk of move failure check 4, you can verify whether or not the effect should be there based on whether or not Stomping Tantrum will double with it. For example, if I use Topsy-Turvy into a Sub, that will double ST. If I use Topsy-Turvy into a Pokemon at +0 in all its stats, that will not double ST. A Pokemon behind a Sub that is at +0 in all its stats will double ST, so that shows that the Substitute failure happened prior to the Topsy-Turvy specific failure, despite both saying "But it failed!". This is more obvious with an effect like Heal Pulse or Swagger which have different text for their failure messages.

With that said, I cannot for the life of me figure out why Game Freak determined which effects should double Stomping Tantrum in the way that they did. Look at this:
  • Ingrain while user has Ingrain: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Aqua Ring while user has Aqua Ring: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum

  • Torment into a Pokemon already with Torment: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Block, etc. into a Pokemon that already has been Blocked, etc.: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum

  • Coaching in singles: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Ally Switch, Helping Hand, Aromatic Mist, and Hold Hands in singles: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum
I don't see an coherent difference here between these effects, and it's not just these. I think it's stupid and makes no sense, lol.
 
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How does future sight interact with psychic terrain? The last post I could find on this was this with no answer given. Does it get the boost at all? If so does it get it when future sight is used in psychic terrain or when it hits in psychic terrain, and does it still get the boost if the user of the move has been switched out in the meantime?
 

Martin

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I was reading the Bulbapedia article for Corrosive Gas and came across this:
Pokémon is still listed as holding the item on the status screen and cannot obtain another item, nor can it restore the item with Recycle or with the Ability Harvest.
Does “can not obtain another item” also apply to Trick and Switcharoo, or is it just for cases like Symbiosis, Pickup, etc.? And if not, how do they interact? (I.e. is the item itself disabled or does the target become unable to use items? Or both?)

Similarly, does Knock Off still get a power boost+knock off item vs something that has previously been hit by Corrosive Gas?
 

Marty

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Research Leader
Does “can not obtain another item” also apply to Trick and Switcharoo, or is it just for cases like Symbiosis, Pickup, etc.? And if not, how do they interact? (I.e. is the item itself disabled or does the target become unable to use items? Or both?)

Similarly, does Knock Off still get a power boost+knock off item vs something that has previously been hit by Corrosive Gas?
“Can not obtain another item” is not true, but it sounds exactly like Gen 3-4 Knock Off, which makes me think someone just copy pasted that description and tacked on Harvest for good measure.
(Use the Smogdex instead!!!)
 
Following on the research done by SadisticMystic in Generation VII, I have compiled the order of move success checks done in Generation VIII. New ways to fail moves have been added (chiefly Dynamax), old ways to fail moves are gone, and lots of checks got rearranged! Special thanks to Cracticus for dedicating dozens of hours in helping me test over the past several months.

In addition to documenting the order, I also have documentation on whether or not a failure check doubles Stomping Tantrum, what happens if there are multiple failures for the single move, and the text associated with each failure message. This Google Sheet documents my move success check research in its totality. One of the tabs in the sheet is a list of over 700 tests done to arrive at this 69-step list, which should allow for any person in theory to reconstruct the list from my data alone (or if I made a mistake, to point out the associated test that was wrong). Note that this is purely empirical testing with the games; I did not do any datamining. If the longer list is a bit overwhelming for you, at the bottom of the post I have a "simplified order" list that just lists the order of what I would say are the most important checks.

We can use this data to determine, for example, what effects will and won't change a user's typing with Libero, where PP is deducted from the move, where Protect stops an effect before revealing an ability/item, what checks are blocked before/after Substitute, and so on.

Order of Move Success Checks in Generation VIII

  1. Recharge from a move that requires recharging​
  2. Sleep turn
    Freeze​
  3. No PP remaining for move​
  4. Truant​
  5. Focus Punch loses focus​
  6. Flinch​
  7. Disabled
  8. Gravity
    Throat Chop
  9. Taunt
  10. Imprison
  11. Self-hit confusion damage
  12. Full paralysis
  13. Infatuation
  14. Sleep Talk / Snore sleep announcement
  15. Submoves - announce the submove is occurring: "[Pokemon] used [move]!". Repeat check 8; if it passes, continue. Submove announcement guarantees PP deduction.
    • Copycat
    • Metronome
    • Nature Power
    • Sleep Talk as a submove
    • Sleep Talk with no eligible moves to call will fail at this point
  16. Stance Change
  17. Move is announced: "[Pokemon] used [move]!". Move announcement guarantees PP deduction.
  18. Check for move type change from Pixilate / Liquid Voice (non-Max Move)
  19. Set move type for Multi-Attack / Terrain Pulse / Weather Ball (this will override the previous check, if applicable).
  20. Check for move type change from Electrify / Plasma Fists
  21. Check for move type change from Pixilate (Max Move)
  22. Set random target for any of the following:
    • Multi-turn moves (e.g. Outrage)
    • Single-target moves called by a submove (e.g. Sleep Talk -> Scald)
    • Ghost-type Curse
    • Single-target move if the player timed out on move selection
  23. Set target redirection via Lightning Rod / Storm Drain
  24. Set target redirection via Follow Me / Rage Powder (this will override the previous check, if applicable).
  25. Deduct the appropriate amount of PP from the move
  26. If user has a Choice item or Gorilla Tactics, lock into the chosen move
  27. Move failure checks, part 1
    • Aura Wheel when user isn't Morpeko
    • Burn Up when user is not Fire-type
    • Clangorous Soul when user lacks HP to execute the move
    • Counter / Mirror Coat / Metal Burst when user hasn't been damaged
    • Destiny Bond when user has "Destiny Bond" Y-info volatile
    • Fake Out / First Impression / Mat Block after user has already performed an action
    • Fling with no item
    • Future Sight / Doom Desire into target that already has future attack
    • Last Resort when user has not used all its other moves once or user does not have Last Resort in its moveslot
    • No Retreat when user has Can't Escape flag set by No Retreat
    • Poltergeist when the target does not have an item
    • Protect / Endure failures
    • Rest while user is already asleep
    • Sucker Punch when target doesn't have an eligible move pending
    • Sleep Talk / Snore while not asleep
    • Steel Roller when there is no Terrain
    • Stockpile with 3 Stockpiles already
    • Stuff Cheeks when user doesn't have a Berry
    • Swallow / Spit Up with 0 Stockpiles
    • Weight moves into Dynamax
  28. Rest while user is at full HP
  29. Rest while user has Insomnia / Vital Spirit
  30. Autothaw freeze from certain moves
  31. Ability failures, part 1
    • Damp
    • Queenly Majesty
  32. Interruptible moves
    • Future Sight / Doom Desire (move checks end here)
    • Pledge move combos (the user's move check ends here, and the partner picks up at the start of the checks again)
  33. Libero
  34. Charging move message
  35. Set flag to lose 100% HP from Explosion / Self-Destruct
  36. Failure due to no target for move or target is self when it shouldn't be
  37. Semi-invulnerability
  38. Psychic Terrain
  39. Teammate Protection Effects
    • Quick Guard
    • Wide Guard
    • Crafty Shield
  40. Protect and equivalents (except Max Guard)
  41. Mat Block
  42. Max Guard
  43. Magic Coat
  44. Magic Bounce
  45. Ability failures, part 2
    • Dry Skin
    • Flash Fire
    • Lightning Rod
    • Overcoat
    • Sap Sipper
    • Soundproof
    • Storm Drain
    • Telepathy
    • Volt Absorb
    • Water Absorb
    • Wonder Guard
  46. Type chart immunity
  47. Levitate Ground-type immunity
  48. Air Balloon / Magnet Rise Ground-type immunity
  49. Safety Goggles
  50. Ability failures, part 3
    • Bulletproof
    • Sticky Hold against Trick / Switcheroo / Corrosive Gas
  51. Type-based move condition immunities, part 1
    • Dark-type Prankster immunity
    • Ghost-type immunity to trapping moves
    • Grass-type powder immunity
    • Ice-type immunity to Sheer Cold
  52. Move failure checks, part 2
    • Attract into a target with same gender / genderless
    • Torment into Dynamax
    • Venom Drench when target is not poisoned
  53. Move failure checks, part 3
    • Attract into a target already infatuated
    • Clangorous Soul / No Retreat with all stats maxed out
    • Coaching in singles or when there is no ally target available in doubles
    • Dream Eater when target is awake
    • Endeavor when target has equal or less HP than the user
    • Ingrain when user already has Ingrain
    • Leech Seed when target already has Leech Seed
    • OHKO moves against a target with higher level than the user / target is Dynamaxed
    • Perish Song when all targets have Perish Song
    • Status move into target that already has that status
    • Status move into target that already has another major status condition (but not the same one)
    • Stat changing moves that can't go any higher
    • Stat changing moves that can't go any lower
    • Stuff Cheeks with Defense maxed out
    • Torment when target already has Torment
    • Worry Seed when target has Insominia
    • Yawn into target with status condition / already has Yawn
  54. Type-based move condition immunities part 2
    • Electric-type paralysis immunity
    • Fire-type burn immunity
    • Grass-type Leech Seed immunity
    • Poison / Steel-type poison / badly poison immunity
  55. Uproar stopping a sleep move
  56. Safeguard
  57. Electric Terrain / Misty Terrain blocking a status condition
  58. Substitute blocking stat drop / Decorate
  59. Mist
  60. Ability failures, part 4
    • Stat-based failures
      • Big Pecks
      • Clear Body
      • Flower Veil
      • Full Metal Body
      • Hyper Cutter
      • Keen Eye
      • White Smoke
    • Status condition-based failures
      • Flower Veil
      • Immunity
      • Insomnia
      • Leaf Guard
      • Limber
      • Oblivious
      • Own Tempo
      • Pastel Veil
      • Sweet Veil
      • Vital Spirit
      • Water Bubble
      • Water Veil
    • Other
      • Aroma Veil (Attract, Torment)
      • Sturdy against OHKO moves
  61. Move accuracy
  62. Substitute blocking effect other than stat drop
  63. Mirror Armor
  64. Roar / Whirlwind into Dynamaxed target
  65. Roar / Whirlwind into Suction Cups target
  66. Roar / Whirlwind into target with Ingrain
  67. Move failure checks, part 4
    • Ability failures
      • Entrainment when target s Dynamaxed, target has same Ability as user, or target / user have an Ability that can't be passed / passed from
      • Gastro Acid into already has Gastro Acid / unchangeable ability
      • Role Play when target has same ability as user or cannot take target's Ability
      • Simple Beam into target that has Simple / unreplaceable Ability
      • Skill Swap when target or user cannot swap Ability / target is Dynamaxed
      • Worry Seed when target has unreplaceable Ability
    • Full HP failures
      • Heal Pulse / Floral Healing into target at full HP
      • Life Dew into target at full HP
      • Pollen Puff into target at full HP
      • Self-target recovery moves when user has full HP
    • Stat-related failures
      • Belly Drum when user is at less than 50% HP or already at +6 Attack
      • Flower Shield with no Grass-type targets
      • Strength Sap into target at -6 Attack
      • Swagger / Flatter when target is already at +6 and confused
      • Topsy-Turvy when target has no stat changes
    • Type failures
      • Conversion when user is already the same type as its first move
      • Conversion 2 into target that hasn't moved, or into target that most recently used Struggle
      • Reflect Type when user is same type as target
      • Soak into a pure Water-type / Magic Powder into a pure Psychic-type / Soak | Magic Powder into Silvally with RKS System
      • Trick-or-Treat into a Ghost-type / Forest's Curse into a Grass-type
    • Failures that play additional text
      • Aromatherapy / Heal Bell while no party Pokemon have status conditions
      • Teatime when no Pokemon on the field have Berries to eat
    • Redundancy failures
      • Attempting to create a weather / Terrain that already exists / field effect that already exists
      • Aqua Ring while the user already has Aqua Ring
      • Baton Pass with no remaining Pokemon to pass to
      • Curse (user Ghost-type) into target that already has Curse
      • Entry hazard when that entry hazard is already fully set
      • Focus Energy when user already has "Critical Hit Boost" Y-info volatile
      • Healing Wish with nothing to switch to
      • Helping Hand when target has already moved
      • Lock-On / Mind Reader when user already has "Lock-On" Y-info volatile
      • Magnet Rise when user already has Magnet Rise
      • Substitute when user already has a Substitute
      • Taunt into target already taunted
      • Trapping move while target already has "Can't Escape" Y-info volatile
      • Wish while a Wish is already active
    • Other
      • After You / Electrify / Quash into a target that has already moved
      • Corrosive Gas
      • Copycat with no moves to copy
      • Court Change when neither side has field effects
      • Disable failures
      • Encore failures
      • Helping Hand / Ally Switch / Aromatic Mist / Hold Hands in singles or when there is no ally target available in doubles
      • Instruct failures
      • Mimic into target that hasn't moved / target used unMimicable move
      • Psycho Shift when user has no status condition / target has same status condition / target has different status condtion
      • Purify when target does not have a status condition
      • Roar / Whirlwind into target with no Pokemon remaining to switch into
      • Transform while user / target is already Transformed
      • Trick / Switcheroo with neither having items or has unTrickable item
  68. Move failure checks, part 5
    • Psycho Shift when target is immune to status condition
    • Substitute when user lacks enough HP to execute the move
  69. Aroma Veil (Disable, Encore, Taunt)
After all these checks, you enter damage calculation and perform the move.

  1. Pre-move announcement checks
  2. Submoves
  3. Announce move
  4. Determine typing of move
  5. Determine target of move
  6. Deduct PP
  7. Choice locks
  8. Move failure checks, part 1
  9. Queenly Majesty
  10. Libero
  11. Semi-invulnerability
  12. Protection effects
  13. Magic Coat / Magic Bounce
  14. Wonder Guard
  15. Type chart immunity
  16. Prankster
  17. Move failure checks, parts 2 & 3
  18. Major status condition (especially sleep) immunities
  19. Stat drop immunities
  20. Accuracy
  21. Substitute (non-stat drop)
  22. Move failure checks, parts 4 & 5 (these don't double Stomping Tantrum)
  • Recharge turn
  • Setting Future Sight / Doom Desire
  • Quick Guard
  • Wide Guard
  • Crafty Shield
  • Protect and equivalents
  • Mat Block
  • Max Guard
  • Rest being stopped by Uproar, Electric Terrain, Misty Terrain, Leaf Guard, or Sweet Veil
  • Mirror Armor reflecting a stat drop
  • Roar / Whirlwind into a Dynamaxed target, Suction Cups target, Ingrain target, or if target cannot be phazed into any remaining Pokemon
  • All of move failure checks part 4 & part 5
  • Aroma Veil blocking Disable, Encore, or Taunt

Many of the failures in move failure check 4 are grouped that way because of their interactions with Stomping Tantrum. For a good chunk of move failure check 4, you can verify whether or not the effect should be there based on whether or not Stomping Tantrum will double with it. For example, if I use Topsy-Turvy into a Sub, that will double ST. If I use Topsy-Turvy into a Pokemon at +0 in all its stats, that will not double ST. A Pokemon behind a Sub that is at +0 in all its stats will double ST, so that shows that the Substitute failure happened prior to the Topsy-Turvy specific failure, despite both saying "But it failed!". This is more obvious with an effect like Heal Pulse or Swagger which have different text for their failure messages.

With that said, I cannot for the life of me figure out why Game Freak determined which effects should double Stomping Tantrum in the way that they did. Look at this:
  • Ingrain while user has Ingrain: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Aqua Ring while user has Aqua Ring: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum

  • Torment into a Pokemon already with Torment: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Block, etc. into a Pokemon that already has been Blocked, etc.: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum

  • Coaching in singles: doubles Stomping Tantrum
  • Ally Switch, Helping Hand, Aromatic Mist, and Hold Hands in singles: doesn't double Stomping Tantrum
I don't see an coherent difference here between these effects, and it's not just these. I think it's stupid and makes no sense, lol.
Isn‘t there a similar list that shows the order of things that happen in a specific order like Weather-damage, Burn, Toxic etc?
 
Current Order of Move Success Checks on the Sim (NatDex)
  1. Group: BeforeMove
    1. (Remove Grudge/Rage)
    2. Sky Drop preventing move
    3. Must recharge
    4. Asleep/Frozen
    5. Truant
    6. Flinched
    7. Disabled
    8. Affected by Gravity/Heal Block/Throat Chop
    9. Taunted
    10. Imprisoned
    11. Confused
    12. In love
    13. Fully paralysed
    14. (Change Aegislash to the correct Forme if necessary)
    15. Choiced/Gorilla Tactics; (last turn of Bide deals damage here)
    16. Remove Destiny Bond (-1)
  2. Group: BeforeMoveCallback
    • (inhibit Bide if it is already in progress)
    • Focus Punch lost focus
  3. (Check for multi-turn move)
  4. Check for PP remaining (except for multi-turn move)
  5. (Record current move as in progress)
  6. (Remove Illusion when using Z-move)
  7. (Apply relevant type-changing effects)
  8. (Select random target when user could not specify target)
  9. (Announce move)
  10. (Apply Z-power effects)
  11. Check that move has a target
  12. Group: RedirectTarget
    1. Sky Drop's drop
    2. Spotlight
    3. Follow Me/Rage Powder
    4. Lightning Rod/Storm Drain
    5. (calculate Counter/Metal Burst/Mirror Coat target)
  13. (Deduct PP from the move)
  14. Group: TryMove
    • Check for Fire type of user of Burn Up
    • Check for Darkrai using Dark Void
    • (Change Cramorant fome when using Dive)
    • Check for Rest if HP is full or already asleep
    • Check for failed Shell Trap
    • Check for charging turn of two-turn moves
    1. Primordial Sea/Desolate Land
    2. Check if move is Snatched; Damp preventing explosions; Dazzling/Queenly Majesty preventing priority
    3. Check Fire-type move for Powder
    4. (Check for Metronome item boosting move)
  15. (Magnitude 10!)
  16. (Faint from exploding, except Gen 4)
  17. Check for target again (except moves that target side/field)
  18. (Faint from exploding in Gen 4)
  19. Group: Try
    • Check for Morpeko using Aura Wheel
    • Check for Doom Desire/Future Sight into same slot twice
    • (Check for echoing voice/Round)
    • Check for turn for Fake Out/First Impression
    • Check for Hoopa-Unbound using Hyperspace Fury
    • Check for Last Resort
    • Check for Poltergeist target having item
    • Check for user of Spit Up having Stockpile
    • Check for target of Sucker Punch yet to attack
  20. Group: PrepareHit
    • Check for repeat use of Destiny Bond
    • Check for repeat use of Detect/Max Guard/Protect or user moving last
    • Check for Pledge combo
    • Check for Fling user having item
    • Check for Natural Gift user having berry
    • (Determine status for Psycho Shift)
  21. (Apply Libero/Parental Bond/Protean)
  22. Check for semi-invulnerability
  23. Group: TryHit
    1. Check for target protected by Psychic Terrain/Quick Guard/Wide Guard [Note: I don't know which takes priority]
    2. Check for target protected by Baneful Bunker/Crafty Shield/Detect/King's Shield/Mat Block/Max Guard/Obstruct/Protect/Spiky Shield
    3. Check for target protected by Magic Coat
    4. Check for Overcoat, if user does not have type immunity; check for Sap Sipper
    5. Check for other immunity abilities (except Levitate); check for Safety Goggles, if user does not have type immunity; (apply Magic Bounce) [Note: I'm not sure whether the sim could check Safety Goggles before Magic Bounce. As a precaution, it might be worth putting all Abilities in the default bracket and making Safety Goggles lowered priority.]
  24. Check for type immunity and (for Ground-type attacks) Air Balloon/Levitate/Magnet Rise/Telekinesis, except where prevented by Foresight, Gravity, Ingrain, Iron Ball, Miracle Eye, Mold Breaker, Odor Sleuth, Ring Target, Smack Down or Thousand Arrows as appropriate
  25. Check for Grass-type immunity to Powder moves
  26. Group: TryImmunity
    • Check for opposite gender Attract
    • Check for Dream Eater target asleep
    • Check for Endeavor target having more HP
    • Check for Leech Seed target having Grass type
    • Check for Octolock target immune to trapping
    • Check for Switcheroo/Trick target having Sticky Hold
    • Check for Synchronise target sharing a type with the user
  27. Check for Dark-type immunity to Prankster-boosted moves
  28. Check accuracy
  29. (Notify if move removes Protect, e.g. Feint)
  30. (Spectral Thief steals boosts)
  31. Group: TryHit
    • Check for suitable Ally to Switch
    • Check for Aurora Veil during Hail
    • Check for Autotomize with +6 (-6 if Contrary)
    • Check for repeat use of Baneful Bunker/Endure/King's Shield/Obstruct/Spiky Shield or user moving last
    • (Brick Break/Psychic Fangs breaks screens, unless target immune)
    • (Congratulations, player! Everyone is caught up in the happy atmosphere! But nothing happened!)
    • Check for Clangorous Soul/Substitute HP requirement (also double Substitute)
    • Check for Counter/Metal Burst/Mirror Coat user taking appropriate damage
    • Check for Crafty Shield user going last
    • Check for Curse is by ghost type and whether target is already Cursed
    • Check for Disable target having moved
    • Check for Electrify/Helping Hand target yet to move
    • Check for valid ability to be affected by Entrainment/Gastro Acid/Role Play/Simple Beam/Skill Swap/Worry Seed
    • Check for Follow Me/Rage Powder/Spotlight in singles
    • Check for target of Foresight/Odor Sleuth affected by Miracle Eye or vice versa
    • Check for Dynamaxed target of Grass Knot/Heat Crash/Heavy Slam/Low Kick
    • Check for ability to switch in after Healing Wish/Lunar Dance
    • Check for repeat use of Lock-On/Mind Reader
    • Check for turn for Mat Block
    • Check for valid move for Me First/Mirror Move
    • (Call appropriate move from Nature Power)
    • Check for user already having used No Retreat
    • (Make Pollen Puff on ally non-damaging)
    • (Show Poltered item)
    • Check for Quick Guard/Wide Guard user moving last
    • Check for suitable Sky Drop target
    • Check that Sleep Talk/Snore user is asleep
    • Check for terrain for Steel Roller
    • Check for fourth Stockpile
    • Check that Stuff Cheeks user has a berry and can boost
    • Check for Stockpile for Swallow
    • (Uproar wakes everyone)
    • Check whether Yawn target has status or immunity to Sleep
  32. Group: TryPrimaryHit
    • Prepare to consume (Normal) Gem; (Record whether Aura Break is active)
    • Check for target having a Substitute (unless the user has Infiltrator or the move bypasses Substitute)
  33. Run type immunity again (?)
  34. (Damage the target)
  35. Try to apply move boosts
  36. Try to heal the target (fixed ratio healing only)
  37. Try to status the target/side/field (e.g. hazards or weather)
  38. Try to switch the target out
  39. Group: TryHit
    • Check for Acupressure target already maxed out
    • Check for After You target yet to move
    • Check for Ally Switch ally fainted
    • Check for Aromatherapy/Heal Bell curing a team member
    • Check for Assist/Copycat/Instruct/Mimic/Sketch/Sleep Talk having a legal move to use
    • Check for Belly Drum user HP requirement
    • Check for Bestow user having item
    • Check for Block/Mean Look/Spider Web target not already trapped
    • Check for Conversion 2 target having already moved
    • Check for Court Change/Defog/Flower Shield/Gear Up/Magnetic Flux/Perish Song/Rototiller/Teatime success
    • Check for Floral Healing/Heal Pulse/Moonlight/Morning Sun/Shore Up/Swallow/Synthesis healing
    • Check Forest's Curse/Magic Powder/Soak/Trick-or-Treat target type (or if Silvally)
    • Check Purify target has status
    • Check Quash target hasn't moved, and not singles
    • Check Recycle user has item to recycle
    • Check Reflect Type has type to copy and user can copy it
    • Check Refresh user has status but isn't asleep (or frozen, but then how are they using Refresh?)
    • Check Rest user can fall asleep (e.g. prevented by Uproar)
    • Check Spite target still has PP
    • Check for Strength Sap target not at -6, or Contrary target at +6 and user's HP is full
    • Check Switcheroo/Trick items are switchable
    • Check Topsy-Turvy target has boosts
    • Check for suitable Transform target
    • Check Venom Drench target is poisoned and can be unboosted
    • (Perform other move-specific effects)
  40. (Switch the user, if possible)
  41. (Try to apply secondary effects, if any)
 

DaWoblefet

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This question is for all generations, not just generation 8: If you Psycho Shift sleep, does it maintain the current sleep counter? Rest, Sleep Talk, Psycho Shift Early Bird Natu / Xatu would probably be the easiest way to check: the target should wake up immediately 100% of the time.
Great question! In generation 8 at least, using Sleep Talk -> Psycho Shift will pass along the turns associated with the sleep. So if you take two sleep turns and Sleep Talk on the third, calling Psycho Shift and passing sleep to the opponent, on the opponent's next action, they will wake up immediately and do not have to take any additional sleep turns. Your scenario of turn 1 Sleep Talk -> Psycho Shift sleep into Early Bird also produces an instant wake as you predicted.

How does future sight interact with psychic terrain? The last post I could find on this was this with no answer given. Does it get the boost at all? If so does it get it when future sight is used in psychic terrain or when it hits in psychic terrain, and does it still get the boost if the user of the move has been switched out in the meantime?
In Generation 7, the behavior was that Future Sight's damage is boosted by Psychic Terrain if terrain was active at the end when the move hits, and the user is checked for the grounded state at the end when the move hits (see what Marty said on the matter). I can verify this behavior is identical in SwSh. Some examples:
  • Alakazam uses Future Sight while in Psychic Terrain, then Psychic Terrain wears off next turn, and the following turn Future Sight hits the target without Psychic Terrain-boosted damage.
  • Alakazam uses Future Sight. Alakazam switches to Psychic Surge, and Future Sight hits the target with Psychic Terrain-boosted damage.
  • Swoobat uses Future Sight while in Psychic Terrain, then switches to any grounded Pokemon. Psychic Terrain remains up throughout hit, but it does not get boosted because Swoobat itself is Flying-type in the back (and as a result ungrounded).
  • Bronzong with Levitate uses Future Sight while in Psychic Terrain, remains on the field until Future Sight hits the target. Even with Psychic Terrain active, Future Sight does not deal boosted damage because Bronzong is considered to be not grounded.
  • Bronzong with Levitate uses Future Sight while in Psychic Terrain and switches out to any other Pokemon (doesn't matter if grounded/ungrounded). Future Sight deals Psychic Terrain-boosted damage, because abilities/items are not checked for "grounded" while in the party.
From Twitter: VGC player Jamie Boyt asks if Electrify converts G-Max Fireball into a 160 BP Electric-type Max Move. It does not, and the Max Electric uses the regular BP scaling (e.g. an Electrified G-Max Fireball based on Pyro Ball will be 140 BP, not 160 BP). If you use Electrify with a Max Fighting or Max Poison move, those BP are retained as well (e.g. an Electrified Max Hammer Arm will still be 90 BP).
 
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DaWoblefet

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Additional notes on the ability Ripen that haven't already been mentioned in this thread:
  • A video of the behavior of Leftovers + Ripen
  • Black Sludge, both on a Poison-type and not on a Poison-type, does not announce Ripen.
  • Ripen has no impact on allies whatsoever.
  • Using Bug Bite / Pluck into a target with Ripen does not double the Berry's effect (Bug Bite into Ripen Liechi Berry = +1 Attack)
  • Using Ripen Bug Bite / Pluck into a target with a Berry doubles the Berry's effect (Ripen Bug Bite into Liechi Berry = +2 Attack)
  • Using Ripen Fling does not double the Berry's effect (Ripen Fling Liechi Berry = +1 Attack)
  • Using Fling into a target with Ripen doubles the Berry's effect (Fling Liechi Berry into Ripen = +2 Attack)
  • Using Fling into a target with Ripen with a Berry that has no Fling effect will not play Ripen (e.g. Chilan, Pomeg, Cheri when target not paralyzed)
  • Using Fling into a target with Ripen with certain Berries will trigger Ripen (but has no noticeable doubling effect) (e.g. Lansat, Cheri when target paralyzed, Leppa Berry when target has not consumed PP)
  • Ripen Stuff Cheeks will double the Berry's effect, but still only gain the +2 Defense as normal (Ripen Stuff Cheeks Liechi Berry = +2 Attack, +2 Defense)
    • Notably, Ripen does not announce (the Ability does not pop up on the screen), despite the effect working.
  • Lansat Berry: Ripen will announce, but it does not influence the crit rate. Lansat Berry will apply the "Critical Hit Boost" Y-info volatile, which is effectively a +2 critical hit boost. I did not have a 100% crit rate post-Ripen Lansat Berry, so it didn't double to +4 or anything like that.
  • Ripen does not influence the base power of Belch.
  • Ripen does not influence the probability that G-Max Replenish restores Berries.
 

A fun bit of damage overflow magic to make a snom take 0 damage despite getting crammed with debuffs

The short version is you doing so much to snom that the system registers snom as taking 0 damage, even bypassing the failsafes put in.

EDIT: Just realized our very own DaWoblefet is featured here! If they want to explain the damage rolls and calcs I'll leave it to them

Wob edit: nothing really new here, but copypasting from the YouTube comment I made
Damage calculation in Sword/Shield is mostly unchanged from Generation 7; the data used in my article (https://www.trainertower.com/dawoblefets-damage-dissertation ) was used when generating the setup for this video. Credit to battle mechanics researcher SadisticMystic for providing this setup!

Charizard is level 99 and has 222 Sp. Atk (2 IVs, neutral nature, no EVs), and at +3 Sp. Atk reaches 555 Sp. Atk. It has Adaptability, will always land a critical hit, and has +3 Special Attack. Charizard is using Blast Burn and G-Max Wildfire based on Blast Burn (150 BP).

Snom is level 1, has 5 Special Defense to start, but has only 1 Sp. Def at -4 Sp. Def after the two Fake Tears. It is naturally Bug/Ice, with Grass-type added via Forest's Curse and Tar Shot, and has the ability Fluffy.

Now we get into the math (warning: very technical):

Base damage calculation: floor(floor(((floor(2*99/5)+2) * 555 * 150) / 1) / 50) + 2, which equals 68,267.
A critical hit is applied (effectively * 1.5 here): 68267*1.5 = 102400.5, which floors to 102,400.
The game picks a damage roll via the RNG. For our purposes, I'll list all 16:
[87040, 88064, 89088, 90112, 91136, 92160, 93184, 94208, 95232, 96256, 97280, 98304, 99328, 100352, 101376, 102400]

Next, Adaptability STAB is applied (* 8192/4096): [174080, 176128, 178176, 180224, 182272, 184320, 186368, 188416, 190464, 192512, 194560, 196608, 198656, 200704, 202752, 204800]

Next, type effectiveness is applied (Bug / Ice / Grass + Tar Shot is *16):
[2785280, 2818048, 2850816, 2883584, 2916352, 2949120, 2981888, 3014656, 3047424, 3080192, 3112960, 3145728, 3178496, 3211264, 3244032, 3276800]

Next, Fluffy is applied as a final modifier, which is not a simple multiplying by 2, but must be represented as 8192/4096. The initial calculation (8192 times the damage roll) exceeds the 2^32-1 benchmark easily and so undergoes 32-bit overflow (the initial calculation is between 22-26 BILLION). Then, the game divides that result by 4096. This results in the following damage rolls:
[327680, 393216, 458752, 524288, 589824, 655360, 720896, 786432, 851968, 917504, 983040, 0, 65536, 131072, 196608, 262144]

Notice that these are really weird; it's no longer in ascending order, and there's even a 0 in there. That's what overflow will do to damage rolls! Next comes the 1 damage check, which bumps the only 0 to be 1.
[327680, 393216, 458752, 524288, 589824, 655360, 720896, 786432, 851968, 917504, 983040, 1, 65536, 131072, 196608, 262144]

Finally, the 16-bit overflow occurs; all numbers which are multiples of 65536 will end up becoming 0. And what do you know, this setup has all multiples of 65536.

[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0]

This is our final set of damage rolls.
 
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Keldeo is required to be in its Resolute form if it knows Secret Sword + a move it only learns in Sword & Shield

When looking at Keldeo's forms and how they work with Secret Sword I found out that Keldeo-Ordinary is unable to have Secret Sword + Any new move that it learns in Sword and Shield. Keldeo-Ordinary with Secret Sword is available through transfer with Pokémon Home (just like any other Keldeo at this moment, obviously), meaning that there is no way to get one in Pokémon Sword & Shield without hacking.

Keldeo-Ordinary becomes Keldeo-Resolute form when:
  • It learns Secret Sword from the move relearner in a PokéCenter.
  • It is in your party, has the move Secret Sword (possible through transfering with Pokémon Home) after a battle.
    • only in a wild or trainer battle, Wi-Fi battles are an exception
  • It is in your party, has the move Secret Sword and ANY Pokémon in the party gets taught a new move
    • For example: teaching Tyranitar Hyper Beam with a TM, will change Keldeo to its Resolute form, if both are in party.
  • You teach Keldeo with Secret Sword a new move.
Obviously the main problem is with the last point. Any Keldeo that has Secret Sword and a new move (Flip Turn, Air Slash as notable examples) will be forced into Keldeo-Resolute.

As proof I have recorded myself teaching Keldeo-Ordinary with Secret Sword the move Flip Turn from the move tutor.



Edit:
From a competitive standpoint, it would give you extra information knowing that it will/won't have certain moves/move combinations.
 
Question: If a Pokemon gets skill swapped Prankster or Gale Wings when using a move that ability gets increased priority from (or if a Pokemon with Gale Wings has its ability changed when it was about to use a Flying move at full HP), what happens?
 

DaWoblefet

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Question: If a Pokemon gets skill swapped Prankster or Gale Wings when using a move that ability gets increased priority from (or if a Pokemon with Gale Wings has its ability changed when it was about to use a Flying move at full HP), what happens?
It instantly gains/loses the priority. Same thing if a Psychic Surge Pokemon sets Psychic Terrain before Rillaboom can act with Grassy Glide, a Pokemon is suddenly Skill Swapped Triage while using a a draining move, etc.
 
These are questions that aren't specific to gen 8. It's probably common knowledge to some, but I think this is the best place to ask them.

When calculating damage (in gen 8), what has more influence over the results: HP EVs or Defensive EVs? What about when one stat is higher than the other? For example: would 252 HP evs have more relative effect over the damage calc when the base stat is 50 or 100?

Is there any difference in damage between a pokemon when holding a choice band/specs, at +1 attack stage, when the base power is increase by, say, the ability mega launcher, or when a critical hit is scored?

Is there any difference in damage between two pokemon when they are both level 50 vs. when they are level 100?

For the previous questions: Are the answers the same when the pokemon are at differing stat stages, ie will the answers change?

If both pokemon are at -6 for attacking stats and defensive stats respectively, would the damage differ versus being at +0 or at +6?

(In doubles) If one of my pokemon is dark type, will my partner pokemon's prankster moves affect it?
Do priority moves affect teammates in psychic terrain?
Do prankster moves that don't have a target (haze, reflect, light screen) still work in psychic terrain?

Sorry if i have a lot of convoluted questions
 
sry if any of these are wrong
When calculating damage (in gen 8), what has more influence over the results: HP EVs or Defensive EVs? What about when one stat is higher than the other? For example: would 252 HP evs have more relative effect over the damage calc when the base stat is 50 or 100?
investing in HP has a greater effect when your base hp is lower (and defenses, if base defenses are lower). For example pex loves hp invest but chansey's set runs 252 def / 252 spd. 252 hp > 128 def / 128 spd for most mons but 252 def > 252 hp
Is there any difference in damage between a pokemon when holding a choice band/specs, at +1 attack stage, when the base power is increase by, say, the ability mega launcher, or when a critical hit is scored?
might be rounding but idk this one
Is there any difference in damage between two pokemon when they are both level 50 vs. when they are level 100?
the higher the level, the more bulky the meta is (level 50 is less bulky than level 100)
If both pokemon are at -6 for attacking stats and defensive stats respectively, would the damage differ versus being at +0 or at +6?
rounding again but the multipliers cancel each other out for the most part
(In doubles) If one of my pokemon is dark type, will my partner pokemon's prankster moves affect it?
Do priority moves affect teammates in psychic terrain?
Do prankster moves that don't have a target (haze, reflect, light screen) still work in psychic terrain?
no
field moves like taliwind, heal bell, and haze ignore both psyterrain and dark immunity
 
the higher the level, the more bulky the meta is (level 50 is less bulky than level 100)
To elaborate on this, assuming the same move power and base stats, bulk scales with two stats that increase with level (HP and (Sp.) defense), while offense only scales with one stat ((sp.) attack). As a result, attacks at higher level do less relative damage. There is a level term in the formula that partially dampens this (making it so being higher level does at least increase absolute damage), but it's only weighted at 0.4/level, noticably less than the vast majority of mons' HP growth rate.
 
To elaborate on this, assuming the same move power and base stats, bulk scales with two stats that increase with level (HP and (Sp.) defense), while offense only scales with one stat ((sp.) attack). As a result, attacks at higher level do less relative damage. There is a level term in the formula that partially dampens this (making it so being higher level does at least increase absolute damage), but it's only weighted at 0.4/level, noticably less than the vast majority of mons' HP growth rate.
What makes higher level level meta more bulky is not because the level factor only grows at 0.4 / level, that's not the entire story.
Pokémon stats are affine respective to level but the offset is only +5 (+10 for hp) so at high levels (like 50 and above), they are mostly linear because +5 is very small compared to the stats values.
The other factor is basically (0.4 * level +2), which is also affine.
Here the +2 is a lot less negligible compared to the linear part than for stats.
For instance this factor is 22 at lvl 50 and 42 at lvl 100, so factor/level is about 5% higher at lvl 50.
Of course the Pokémon stats play a role in the damage formula but I think the difference in damage calculations mainly come from this factor at high level, because all the attack, defense, hp stats involved in the formula are rougly linear in the level so they cancel each other out.

Basically you have damage (in %) = (att * power * factor / (50 * hp * def)) * multipliers + 2 / hp
We want to know how it varies with regard to the level.
So we can write damage = ((a * level + 5) * (0.4 * level + 2)) / ((h * level + 10) * (d * level +5)) * a lot of things independent of the level (and 2 / hp is decreasing with respect to level anyway)
With so many variables, that's where some assumptions help understanding how this behaves.
If you cancel the attack stat and the defense stat for instance, you are left with (0.4 * level + 2)/(h * level + 10) * something, which is decreasing iff h > 2, which is equivalent to 2 * base hp + 100 + EV+ IV > 200 ie base hp > 35 with max IV (base hp > 3 with max EV too)

That was a lot of computations only leading to an approximate answer because there are too many variables into play so feel free to add onto this if you have more detailed results
 
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We already know that when a Pokemon with Neutralizing Gas switches out, an opposing Intimidate targets the Pokemon with Neutralizing Gas mid-switch. But what happens if you have an ally holding an Eject Pack in that scenario? Does the ally switch out in this scenario? I haven't seen anyone test this yet, so I tried it myself. And the answer is: Yes, most of the time.

In my testing, in general I saw that after the Intimidate drop, the original switch finishes, and then the ally's Eject Pack activates. I also tested the following cases:
  • Stealth Rock damage, my Intimidate, and Psychic Surge all triggered before the ally's Eject Pack.
  • If Golisopod is the Pokemon switched in, and Stealth Rock takes it below half HP, Emergency Exit will activate, and the ally's Eject Pack does not activate.
  • In the case of Psychic Surge, an opponent's Psychic Seed activated before the ally's Eject Pack. The opponent in this test was slower, so it was not simply a matter of speed.
  • If the ally has Regenerator, the ability will activate as normal on switch-out, unless the Pokemon switched in also has Neutralizing Gas.
  • If the ally has Klutz, it will not use its Eject Pack, even if the Pokemon switched in also has Neutralizing Gas.
  • If both your ally and an opponent have an Eject Pack, and the Pokemon switched in has Intimidate, only the Eject Pack belonging to the faster Pokemon will trigger. I'm not able to test what happens with a speed tie.
There might be additional edge cases that I haven't thought of, or ones I can't test with just NPC opponents.

Edit: I did some more tests regarding items and found the following:
  • It seems the Eject Button always has priority over the Eject Pack. In a double battle, I tried having an ally and an opponent hold an Eject Button and Eject Pack, and then used Bulldoze. In every case, regardless of speed, the Eject Button triggered, not the Eject Pack. I also had a Pokemon holding an Eject Pack target a Pokemon holding an Eject Button with Hammer Arm. Regardless of which Pokemon was faster, only the Eject Button triggered.
  • Someone has probably already tested this, but Symbiosis will not activate when an ally's Eject Pack is triggered.
  • If a berry is consumed through Stuff Cheeks or Teatime, Symbiosis will activate if and only if the berry actually does something. For example, Symbiosis works for both moves when a Petaya Berry is eaten, unless the user already had +6 Sp. Atk beforehand. Also, the Defense boost of Stuff Cheeks occurs before checking if the consumed berry had any effect.
 
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Do we know what the interaction is between GMAX Cannonade's after effects vs things like Water Absorb? For example if Blastoise uses GMAX Cannonade and something like Maractus switches in during the 4 turns of residual damage, will it take the damage from Cannonade or will Water Absorb negate it?
I tried this in game against Morimoto. I used G-Max Cannonade and then Skill Swapped Water Absorb onto his Cursola. It still took residual damage as normal. The same happened when I repeated the test with Storm Drain.
 

DaWoblefet

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Armed with a hacked Switch, I am now able to test certain hacked interactions. Here's some additional information for the checks done before move success:
  • All of Protean, Dazzling, Aerilate, Galvanize, Normalize, Refrigerate behave exactly like their related effects and are slotted in the same spot.
  • Primal weather occurs between the autothaw from freeze moves and Queenly Majesty. So a frozen Pokemon using Flare Blitz in Primordial Sea will thaw, then the attack will fizzle out.
    • Bizarrely, Primordial Sea also occurs before weight moves into Dynamax (Heat Crash); this rearranges the weight move check outside of the rest of the move failure checks in that area.
  • Primal weather blocking setting a regular weather, such as Sunny Day or Hail, occurs after Libero and does not double Stomping Tantrum, so I've placed in the 4th block of move failure checks.
  • Comatose behaves like Flower Veil, Sweet Veil, etc. and is placed in the same block. Comatose + Rest is in the same area as Sleep Talk -> calling Rest failures (move failure checks #1).
And unrelated to hacking:
  • Steel Beam occurs in roughly the same area as Explosion / Self-Destruct (between Libero and semi-invulnerability). Unlike Explosion, however, it will not reduce the user's HP should it target an empty partner slot or itself via Ally Switch, etc.
  • Being affected by the Choice item lock glitch (Choice lock -> set Magic Room -> remove item via Knock Off -> undo Magic Room) causes any move that the user was not originally locked into to fail. This failure occurs after Gravity / Throat Chop, but before Taunt, making it quite early in the list.
Both the Google Doc and thread post are updated with this new information.

As an aside, as of 1.2.1 these are the following unreleased abilities and moves (note by "unreleased moves" I mean moves which can't be obtained in the game without hacking, not counting unclickable moves like Pursuit; V-create is the only clickable unreleased move currently):
Aerilate, Air Lock, Aura Break, Bad Dreams, Battle Bond, Beast Boost, Color Change, Comatose, Dancer, Dark Aura, Dazzling, Defeatist, Delta Stream, Desolate Land, Fairy Aura, Forecast, Galvanize, Grass Pelt, Magma Armor, Multiscale, Multitype, Neuroforce, Normalize, Parental Bond, Poison Heal, Power Construct, Power of Alchemy, Primordial Sea, Protean, Pure Power, Refrigerate, Shields Down, Slow Start, Toxic Boost, Victory Star

Aeroblast, Beak Blast, Chatter, Core Enforcer, Crush Grip, Dark Void, Diamond Storm, Dragon Ascent, Geomancy, Hyper Fang, Hyperspace Fury, Hyperspace Hole, Ice Hammer, Judgment, Lands Wrath, Light of Ruin, Lovely Kiss, Lunar Dance, Luster Purge, Magma Storm, Mind Blown, Mist Ball, Nature's Madness, Oblivion Wing, Origin Pulse, Precipice Blades, Psycho Boost, Relic Song, Revelation Dance, Roar of Time, Sacred Fire, Searing Shot, Seed Flare, Shadow Force, Sketch, Spacial Rend, Steam Eruption, Tail Glow, Techno Blast, Thousand Arrows, Thousand Waves, Toxic Thread, V-create
 

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