Can You Use Toxic Spikes With Assault Vest? A Deep Dive
No, you cannot use Toxic Spikes while a Pokémon is holding an Assault Vest. The Assault Vest specifically restricts a Pokémon to using only attacking moves that deal direct damage. Toxic Spikes is a status move that sets up entry hazards; it does not directly damage the opponent, therefore it is prohibited while using the Assault Vest. Let’s delve into why this restriction exists and explore the implications for competitive battling.
Understanding the Assault Vest’s Limitations
The Assault Vest is a held item in the Pokémon games that significantly boosts a Pokémon’s Special Defense but comes with a crucial drawback: the holder can only use attacking moves. This limitation eliminates the use of any non-damaging moves, including status moves, support moves, and even some healing moves. This forces players to consider carefully whether the boost to Special Defense is worth the trade-off in utility and control.
The design intent behind the Assault Vest seems to be to create a niche for offensive Pokémon that can withstand special attacks without sacrificing their damage output. By preventing the use of status moves like Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, and entry hazards like Stealth Rock and Spikes, the Assault Vest ensures that the holder remains primarily an attacker.
Why Toxic Spikes is Prohibited
Toxic Spikes is a Ground-type status move that sets up poisonous spikes on the opponent’s side of the field. When an opponent switches in a Pokémon that isn’t a Flying-type, has Levitate, or is a Poison-type, they will be afflicted with the Poison or Badly Poisoned status. Since Toxic Spikes does not inflict direct damage when used, it falls under the category of moves restricted by the Assault Vest.
Think of it this way: The Assault Vest essentially applies a permanent Taunt effect on the holder, forcing them to only use attacking moves. If a Pokémon holding an Assault Vest attempts to use Toxic Spikes, the move will fail.
Implications for Team Building
The restriction imposed by the Assault Vest significantly influences team-building strategies. Players must carefully consider whether the defensive boost provided by the vest outweighs the loss of crucial support moves. Pokémon that typically rely on setting up entry hazards or providing status support are generally not good candidates for the Assault Vest.
However, there are situations where the Assault Vest can be a viable option. Offensive Pokémon with naturally high Special Attack or Attack stats can benefit from the added bulk, allowing them to survive strong special attacks and continue dishing out damage. Examples of such Pokémon include those with abilities like Regenerator, which allows them to heal upon switching out, mitigating the loss of reliable recovery moves.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding the Assault Vest and its interactions with various moves and mechanics:
1. Can I use Stealth Rock with Assault Vest?
No, you cannot use Stealth Rock with an Assault Vest. Like Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock is a status move that sets up an entry hazard, and it doesn’t deal immediate damage.
2. Does Protect work with Assault Vest?
No, Protect does not work with Assault Vest. Protect is a non-damaging move used for stalling and scouting, making it incompatible with the Assault Vest’s restriction.
3. Can I use Recover with Assault Vest?
No, you cannot use Recover or any other healing move like Soft-Boiled or Moonlight while holding an Assault Vest. These moves don’t inflict damage, and therefore are blocked by the Assault Vest’s effect.
4. Does Assault Vest prevent Sleep Talk?
Yes, the Assault Vest prevents the use of Sleep Talk. Sleep Talk is a status move that allows a sleeping Pokémon to use a random move from its movepool, but it cannot be used with the Assault Vest because it does not directly deal damage.
5. Can you use Substitute with Assault Vest?
No, Substitute cannot be used with an Assault Vest. Creating a Substitute doesn’t deal immediate damage to the opponent, making it an invalid move while holding the item.
6. Does Fake Out work with Assault Vest?
Yes, Fake Out can be used with an Assault Vest because it is an attacking move that deals damage to the opponent. The Assault Vest only restricts non-damaging moves.
7. Can I use Belly Drum with an Assault Vest?
No, you cannot use Belly Drum with an Assault Vest. Belly Drum is a status move that sharply increases the user’s Attack stat while sacrificing HP. It does not deal direct damage.
8. Does Toxic count as combat damage?
In Pokémon, Toxic itself doesn’t deal combat damage immediately. It inflicts the Badly Poisoned status, which causes increasing damage each turn. Because the move Toxic doesn’t cause damage at the time of execution, it can’t be used with Assault Vest.
9. Can Greninja learn Toxic Spikes?
Yes, Greninja can learn Toxic Spikes. However, if it holds an Assault Vest, it cannot use Toxic Spikes.
10. Does Future Sight work with Assault Vest?
Yes, Future Sight works with Assault Vest. While the damage is delayed, Future Sight is still an attacking move that deals direct damage, and it can be used without any restrictions.
11. What happens if a Pokémon holding Assault Vest tries to use a non-attacking move?
If a Pokémon holding an Assault Vest attempts to use a non-attacking move, the move will simply fail. A message will appear in the game indicating that the Pokémon cannot use that move due to the Assault Vest.
12. Can I use Trick or Switcheroo with Assault Vest?
No, you cannot use Trick or Switcheroo with Assault Vest. These moves don’t inflict immediate damage.
13. What are some good Pokémon to use with Assault Vest?
Good candidates for the Assault Vest include offensive Pokémon with high Special Attack or Attack stats and decent natural bulk. Examples include Garganacl, Iron Hands, and Arceus formes that are primarily offensive.
14. Does using Terastallize override the effects of Assault Vest?
No, Terastallizing does not override the effect of Assault Vest. The item’s restrictions remain in place even after Terastallizing.
15. Can you stack Toxic Spikes?
Yes, Toxic Spikes can be stacked. The move can be used twice, with the first layer causing the Poison status and the second layer causing the Badly Poisoned status. This is irrelevant when talking about the Assault Vest because you can’t use the move at all while wearing the item.
Conclusion
The Assault Vest is a strategic item that forces players to make a trade-off between defensive bulk and movepool versatility. While it enhances the survivability of offensive Pokémon, it also restricts their ability to use support moves like Toxic Spikes. Understanding these limitations is crucial for effective team building and competitive battling. By carefully considering the strengths and weaknesses of the Assault Vest, players can maximize its potential and create powerful and resilient teams.
The world of games and learning is constantly evolving, just like the strategies in Pokémon battles. For more information on how games are being used in education and research, be sure to check out the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. It’s a great resource to learn how gaming can improve learning in all aspects of life.