Do Paralyzed Pokémon Go First in Trick Room?
The short answer is yes, paralyzed Pokémon move faster in Trick Room. This is because paralysis lowers a Pokémon’s speed stat, and under the effects of Trick Room, Pokémon with lower speed stats move before those with higher speed stats. This seemingly counterintuitive mechanic is crucial to understanding how battles function in the Pokémon universe, particularly when Trick Room is involved. Let’s delve deeper into this and other related aspects to clarify any confusion.
Understanding Trick Room Mechanics
How Does Trick Room Work?
Trick Room is a Psychic-type move that reverses the move order based on Pokémon’s speed within their priority bracket. When activated, it remains in effect for five turns (including the turn it is used), effectively lasting for four battle turns for other moves. Under Trick Room, Pokémon with a lower speed stat will move before Pokémon with higher speed stat within the same priority bracket. This reversal fundamentally changes the flow of battle, turning slower Pokémon into powerful threats.
Speed Stat and Priority
It is crucial to understand the concept of priority brackets in Pokémon battles. Moves are categorized based on priority: higher priority moves always go before lower priority moves regardless of the speed stat. For example, Quick Attack always strikes before Tackle. Trick Room does not change the priority system itself, but only reverses the speed order within each priority bracket.
The Impact of Paralysis
Paralysis is a status condition that lowers the speed stat of a Pokémon by 50% (prior to Generation 7, the speed stat was lowered by 75%). Because Trick Room reverses the speed order, this speed reduction caused by paralysis will cause the paralyzed Pokémon to move first under the effects of Trick Room compared to a Pokémon of the same speed that is not paralyzed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Trick Room
Here are 15 FAQs that will provide further insights into Trick Room and its interactions with other mechanics:
1. Does Trick Room have priority?
Trick Room itself has a -7 priority, which is the lowest priority move in the game. This means Trick Room will usually be the last move used, unless other moves that affect priority are in play. Moves with priority, such as Quick Attack, will always activate before Trick Room, even if they occur on the same turn.
2. Does Trick Room affect move priority?
No, Trick Room does not affect move priority. It only changes the order of action within a priority bracket. Priority moves will still execute first regardless of Trick Room conditions. For example, a priority move like Bullet Punch will always strike before a non-priority move, even under Trick Room.
3. Can I use Protect to counter Trick Room?
Yes, the most straightforward way to counter Trick Room is to use Protect. Since Trick Room lasts for only four turns of effective combat, using Protect on alternating turns wastes half of Trick Room’s duration.
4. Does Trick Room affect all Pokémon?
Yes, Trick Room affects all Pokémon on the field, both allies and enemies. Any Pokémon that are on the field when Trick Room is activated will be affected.
5. How does Trick Room interact with Gyro Ball?
Trick Room does not affect Gyro Ball directly. Gyro Ball’s damage is based on how much faster the user is compared to its opponent. Trick Room only reverses move order, not speed itself. If the user of Gyro Ball has a speed stat that rounds down to 0, the move’s power is set to 1.
6. Does Prankster affect Trick Room?
Prankster adds +1 to the priority of non-attacking moves. Since Trick Room has a base priority of -7, Prankster would only increase it to -6, making it faster than a standard Trick Room move, but still the last used move in the priority bracket. However, even if a Prankster user goes first with Trick Room, its effect will still only take effect on the following turn.
7. Does Trick Room work against Tailwind?
Trick Room often counters Tailwind strategies. Tailwind doubles the user’s speed, which causes the user to move slower under the effects of Trick Room. This means that teams that rely on Tailwind generally struggle against Trick Room.
8. What are the slowest Pokémon?
Some of the slowest Pokémon include Shuckle, Munchlax, and Pyukumuku. These Pokémon are often ideal for Trick Room teams.
9. Does Psychic Terrain prevent Spore from working?
Yes, Psychic Terrain prevents all grounded Pokémon from being hit by status-inducing moves, including Spore.
10. Does Lagging Tail cause a Pokémon to move first in Trick Room?
No, the Lagging Tail causes the user to move last in its priority bracket, regardless of Trick Room. This means a Pokémon using Lagging Tail will always move last, even with the low speed that would cause it to go first during Trick Room.
11. Does Light Clay affect the duration of Trick Room?
No, Light Clay does not affect the duration of Trick Room. It only extends the duration of Reflect and Light Screen. There is no way to extend the duration of Trick Room.
12. Does Trick Room affect Roar?
Phazing moves like Roar and Whirlwind move before Trick Room due to their higher priority of +6. Since Trick Room has a -7 priority, Roar will always be used before the effect of Trick Room is implemented.
13. Is Gyro Ball affected by Paralysis?
Yes, Gyro Ball performs better when used by a paralyzed Pokémon. Because paralysis decreases speed and a lower speed stat is beneficial for Gyro Ball’s damage, paralyzed Pokémon can output higher damage with the move. Electro Ball, on the other hand, performs better against paralyzed Pokemon, as paralyzed Pokemon are slower.
14. Does Bullet Punch move first in Trick Room?
Bullet Punch is a priority move (+1) and will normally move first. However, while Trick Room reverses the speed order, priority does not change. If a fast pokemon uses a priority move such as Bullet Punch, they will go first as usual. If a slow pokemon uses a priority move, they will still go first, even against a faster pokemon using a normal move under Trick Room.
15. Is Trick Room better than Tailwind?
The choice between Trick Room and Tailwind depends on team composition and strategy. Trick Room is ideal for teams with slow, hard-hitting Pokémon, while Tailwind works best with faster, offensive Pokémon. Trick Room is generally more effective against Tailwind teams since Tailwind increases a user’s speed, which makes it move slower during Trick Room.
Conclusion
Understanding the nuances of Trick Room, especially its interaction with paralysis, is essential for competitive Pokémon battles. While it might seem counterintuitive that a paralyzed Pokémon can go first, the mechanics are consistent. By understanding priority, speed stats, and status conditions, you can effectively utilize Trick Room strategies or defend against them. Remember to consider team composition, matchups, and move priority when building your team and implementing your strategy in competitive Pokemon.