Which Terrain Stops Priority? A Comprehensive Guide

The world of Pokémon battles is complex, with various strategies and mechanics that can determine the outcome of a match. One crucial aspect involves priority moves, which allow Pokémon to act before others regardless of their speed stat. However, terrain effects can significantly alter the rules of engagement, particularly when it comes to priority. So, which terrain stops priority?

The answer is Psychic Terrain. This terrain has a unique ability to neutralize the advantage typically given by priority moves.

Psychic Terrain: The Anti-Priority Force

Psychic Terrain is a field condition that provides several benefits, but its primary function regarding priority is to block priority moves from affecting grounded Pokémon. When Psychic Terrain is active, any priority move with a priority greater than 0 targeting a Pokémon on the ground will fail. This means moves such as Fake Out, Quick Attack, Bullet Punch, Aqua Jet, and Extreme Speed will not affect a grounded Pokémon.

However, it’s crucial to understand the limitations of this protection:

• Grounded Pokémon: The anti-priority effect of Psychic Terrain only applies to grounded Pokémon. Pokémon that are Flying-type, have the Levitate ability, or are holding an Air Balloon are still susceptible to priority moves. This means a Flying-type Pokémon can use a move like Brave Bird on a grounded Pokémon, even if the grounded Pokémon is under the effect of Psychic Terrain.

• Target, Not User: The protection provided by Psychic Terrain is based on the target of the move, not the user. For instance, if a grounded Hariyama uses Fake Out on a Flying-type Staraptor, the Fake Out will connect because Staraptor is not grounded. Conversely, if Staraptor uses Quick Attack on Hariyama under Psychic Terrain, Quick Attack will fail.

• Prankster and Other Abilities: Psychic Terrain also nullifies the priority boost gained by abilities like Prankster, Gale Wings, and Triage as far as the target is a grounded pokemon. Moves with an increased priority due to these abilities are treated just like any other priority move while under psychic terrain.

• Psychic-Type Boost: Beyond its anti-priority function, Psychic Terrain also increases the power of Psychic-type moves by 50% for grounded Pokémon, adding to its strategic importance.

Understanding Psychic Terrain is crucial for building an effective competitive team and for adapting your strategies during battles. It creates opportunities and limitations that can completely shift the flow of combat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Terrain and Priority

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the mechanics of terrain and its interaction with priority moves:

Does Psychic Terrain Stop Follow Me?

Follow Me is a priority move that directs enemy attacks to the user, not directly inflicting damage. Despite being a self-inflicted priority move, Psychic Terrain does not affect Follow Me. The terrain only affects the target of an attack.

Does Psychic Terrain Stop Prankster?

Yes, Psychic Terrain does prevent the effects of Prankster on grounded Pokémon. If a Prankster boosted move targets a grounded pokemon it will not work, as Psychic Terrain stops any move with increased priority from hitting a grounded pokemon.

Do Flying Types Ignore Terrain?

Yes, Flying-type Pokémon are not affected by most terrain effects because they are not considered “grounded.” This extends to Pokemon with Levitate ability or holding an air balloon. However, a Pokémon holding a Ground Clearance item will be affected by terrain while retaining its Ground Immunity.

Can Flying Types Use Priority in Psychic Terrain?

Yes, because Psychic Terrain’s protection only applies to grounded Pokémon, Flying-type Pokémon can still use priority moves and their priority attacks will work normally under psychic terrain.

Does Psychic Terrain Stop Spore?

No, Psychic Terrain does not prevent Spore. Instead, it is Misty Terrain which prevents the use of status inducing moves like Spore against grounded pokemon. Psychic Terrain focuses on priority moves and boosts psychic type moves.

Does Misty Terrain Prevent Confusion?

Yes, Misty Terrain prevents confusion and status conditions from being inflicted on grounded pokemon. This makes it a valuable tool for countering moves that cause confusion or status ailments.

Does Prankster Beat Priority Moves?

No. Prankster increases the priority of status moves, giving them an advantage in the turn order, but it does not block moves that already have increased priority. However, Psychic Terrain blocks moves that get priority because of Prankster, as long as the target is a grounded pokemon.

Does Grassy Terrain Power Up Grass Moves?

Yes, Grassy Terrain increases the power of Grass-type moves used by grounded Pokémon by 50%.

What Does Misty Terrain Do?

Misty Terrain prevents grounded Pokémon from being afflicted with status conditions or confusion, unlike psychic terrain which blocks priority and enhances psychic type moves.

Does Psychic Terrain Stop Fake Out?

Yes and No. Psychic Terrain blocks Fake Out only if the target of the Fake Out is a grounded pokemon. If the target is Flying-type, has Levitate, or holds an Air Balloon, Fake Out will still hit.

Does Psychic Terrain Block Triage?

Yes, Psychic Terrain blocks Triage because it prevents any move with increased priority from hitting a grounded pokemon.

Does Psychic Terrain Prevent Taunt?

No, Psychic Terrain only prevents the usage of status inducing moves such as Toxic or Spore. It does not prevent the effects of Taunt or Encore.

What Is the Benefit of Psychic Terrain?

Psychic Terrain boosts the power of Psychic-type moves by 50% and provides immunity to priority moves, including those boosted by Prankster, Gale Wings, and Triage, for grounded Pokémon.

Why Is Psychic Terrain Good?

Psychic Terrain is strategically important for teams centered around Psychic-type attacks, and for negating enemy teams who rely on priority based strategies. It changes the dynamics of the battle for a duration of 5 turns.

Does Grassy Terrain Heal Opponents?

Yes, Grassy Terrain heals all grounded Pokémon, including opponents. This can be a double-edged sword, benefiting both you and your adversary. The key is to determine if the extra HP given will help or hinder your opponent.

In conclusion, Psychic Terrain is the primary terrain that stops priority moves. Understanding how terrain affects priority, along with all its intricacies, is fundamental for successful competitive Pokemon battling. With this knowledge, you can build stronger teams, predict your opponents, and ultimately win more matches!