Torment (Yeah, the OTHER Taunt)

[blue jolteon]

encore+torment+taunt is learned by (according to serebii's moveset checker):
abra line + mime jr. line + chimchar line + chatot + smeargle.

encore + taunt is learned by (still, according to the same moveset checker):
all of the above + cleffa line + machop line + bellsprout line + seel line + ledyba line (lol) + pichu line + topgepi line + azurill line + hoppip line + sunkern/flora + wooper line + wynaut line + shuckle + slakoth line + plusle/minun + volbeat/illumise + gulpin/swalot + spinda + spheal line + buneary line.

encore + torment is learned by (still according to serebii's moveset checker):
see encore + torment + taunt.

can anybody see these working? i cant.

 

[Psy37]

Does anyone know what happens if ScarfChomp (or any other Outrager) gets Tormented in the middle of an Outrage?

In response to the thread, I think it's a bit too situational. I usually only have one Choice user on my team because I'm not exactly the best predictor here...

 

[Forsety]

Theres multiple reasons I can think of why Torment just isn't a useful move.

-It can NOT stop a move being used again on the turn its used. The move counter only starts once they've been tormented.
-If your using it on Choice users why not just use Disable? Same effect and both require your opponent has used a move. Even against non-choice users Disable could knock out their only potential coverage move making it superior.
-Of the few strategies Torment is feasible Torment + Encore is the most applicable. The problem however is you need to be bulky AND faster than the enemy.
-Only things that even learn Torment + Encore are Infernape, Alakazam, Chatot and Mr. Mime.

 

[blue jolteon]

Theres multiple reasons I can think of why Torment just isn't a useful move.

-Only things that even learn Torment + Encore are Infernape, Alakazam, Chatot and Mr. Mime.

you know, i spent 15 minutes of my time writing my post of who could learn a combination of encore + torment + taunt. basically, all i want to say is:

smeargle said 'sup. not that smeargle is bulky, nor faster than most, but w/e

 

[TheMaskedNitpicker]

Pros/Cons of Torment vs. Disable:

•Disable prevents the use of one move, whereas Torment prevents consecutive uses of any move.
•Torment has 100% accuracy, whereas Disable has 80%.
•Disable can make an opponent lose its action on the turn it is used. Torment cannot.
•Disable wears off after 4 to 7 turns, whereas Torment only wears off if the opponent switches.

And of course, there are some Pokémon that can learn one move and not the other.

So, I wouldn't say one move is strictly better than the other. I'd definitely tend to use Disable with fast Pokémon and Torment with slower, bulkier ones. I like ThaPhantom's idea of a Torment Umbreon. Something like...

Umbreon @ Leftovers
Mean Look
Toxic
Torment
Protect

It's not foolproof by any means, but it could increase Umbreon's survivability against attackers by a substantial amount. Also, once your opponent is Tormented and you have Protect, there's going to be a serious prediction war as the opponent tries to get its powerful attacks past your Protect usage. Of course, it could be argued that Wish is a better option in this case.

Perhaps Torment, being introduced in the 3rd generation, has effective usages in Double Battles that we haven't thought of. Can anyone come up with a good Doubles combo that needs this move?

EDIT:

Does anyone know what happens if ScarfChomp (or any other Outrager) gets Tormented in the middle of an Outrage?

This was a good question. I just ran a test. Torment does not stop moves like Thrash, Outrage, and Petal Dance from continuing.

From all the tests I've done, it's easier to understand Torment this way: Torment doesn't prevent a Pokémon from using any move. Torment prevents you from selecting the move that the affected Pokémon used on the previous turn. Struggle actually works in a similar fashion. Your Pokémon uses Struggle if and only if, at the beginning of the round, none of the Pokémon's moves could be selected (due to lack of PP, Taunt, Torment, Disable, Encore, or some combination). If you select a support move at the beginning of the round but get Taunted before you can execute it, you lose your action, but you don't Struggle because the criteria above were not met.