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priority moves, why?

Ho-Oh

used Sacred Fire!
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Priority moves aren't really that bad honestly. Sucker Punch can be an issue for lower tiers such as NU but it isn't really seen in OU, otherwise everything else is really too weak to do much without boosts, unless you have Sturdy/Focus Sash on everything. Scizor and Breloom are the major Technician priority abusers in OU and generally they don't cause too much trouble as they can be dealt with, with the right Pokemon. While there is Ice Shard and Extremespeed generally they're not the worst thing ever as you can play around them, given they don't have boosts, which Mamoswine doesn't. Of course, that's assuming you're talking about OU, though.
 

Zeffy

g'day
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Priority moves are godsend on Pokemon with lower than average speed imo. If played properly, priority moves can help KO a Pokemon that would otherwise outspeed and KO you back. Granted, most of these moves are pretty weak but it really helps in getting that "miracle" KO.
 
9,535
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  • Age 29
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The main situations where I use priority moves are for stopping sweepers like Cloyster or Dragonite when they have their attack & speed boosted but still have a crippling weakness from super effective moves. They're not the most useful moves in general but there are a lot of situations where priority moves can make or break a game and get you out of some really tough situations, so I always make sure to include at least one on my team. :3
 

Hyperbeem

Only got $20 in my pocket
9
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There generally are two main function of priority moves: sweeping and revenge killing.

Revenge killing is the more common of the two with various Mach Punch users, Mamoswine's Ice Shard, and Scizor's Bullet Punch shutting down a plethora of sweepers with speed boosts. Without Bullet Punch, do you honestly think Scizor would retain its position near the top of OU usage? In addition, without Scizor and Mamoswine dragon spam would be nearly unchecked and completely change the metagame. I try to include at least one priority user on all my teams except full stall, which isn't that great in BW2 anyways.

I use Extremespeed on my DD Dragonite's in BW2 except for SUB DD because of all of the fast scarfers and other pokemon that would outspeed despite the speed boost. In addition, Sucker Punch is 100% necessary on SD Toxicroak, much like Aqua Jet is on SD Feraligatr.

Though we may find priority moves to be "manageable" or "decent" they truly are a game changer; without them speed boosting sweepers would be unchecked and many slow Pokemon would no longer be top threats.
 

Pharetra

zzzz
451
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  • Age 27
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Priority moves aren't that bad in my opinion. Thanks to priority you still have a chance to knock-out the fast sweeper your opponent has sent out for example.
 

Pinkie-Dawn

Vampire Waifu
9,528
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If you're using Archeops, fragile speedsters, or a Pokemon with the ability, Sturdy, or holding a focus sash, while using a stat-boost move, then yes, priority moves are annoying. They also make certain Pokemon OP in general (i.e. Conkeldurr).
 

Captain Gizmo

Monkey King
4,843
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Priority moves are great for going against Pokemon with very high speed or people who are crazy about the speed stat and EV trained their Pokemon's Speed stat like crazy.

It gives a good balance to the game. I love it when I use, but if it's the opponent using it, I dislike it haha :D
 

dragonnathan025

Pokemon Breeder
45
Posts
11
Years
There's just one point I have to make: Prankster.

That abuses the priority, allowing immediate setting up without worry of dying before using any moves.

We should all be thankful that Cottonee/Whimsicott can't learn Spore, otherwise it would easily be moved into Uber. Priority 100% sleep? Too busted. Priority 75% sleep? Apparently okay.

Anyway, no, some guys need priority moves, otherwise they're worthless. Scizor may make a niche in UU with Bug Bite, may show up in OU a little, but not as good. Conkeldurr would have to rely on Bulk Up to do much of anything, and a good Psychic type like Alakazam or Reuniclus could easily murder it, since Alakazam goes first, and Reuniclus could wall anything Conkeldurr would use, if properly trained.

Mamoswine would be worse than useless, only having one resistance and 5 common weaknesses (2 resistances and 4 weaknesses if it has Thick Fat), if it weren't for Ice Shard, since, as stated above, Dragons could run rampant.

Arceus would still be uber, of course, but the most popular version wouldn't be as good, since it could spam Judgment instead of Extremespeed, if priority weren't there.
 

Pinkie-Dawn

Vampire Waifu
9,528
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Anyway, no, some guys need priority moves, otherwise they're worthless. Scizor may make a niche in UU with Bug Bite, may show up in OU a little, but not as good.

Wasn't Scizor mostly used for scouting and Baton Passing in OU despite having Bullet Punch?

Conkeldurr would have to rely on Bulk Up to do much of anything, and a good Psychic type like Alakazam or Reuniclus could easily murder it, since Alakazam goes first, and Reuniclus could wall anything Conkeldurr would use, if properly trained.

That's not a great example, because Alakazam and Reniculus can still resist Conkeldurr's Mach Punch.

Mamoswine would be worse than useless, only having one resistance and 5 common weaknesses (2 resistances and 4 weaknesses if it has Thick Fat), if it weren't for Ice Shard, since, as stated above, Dragons could run rampant.

It would still be used because of its Stealth Rock resistance, unlike all Ice types, thanks to its Ground typing (and Icicle Crash).
 

dragonnathan025

Pokemon Breeder
45
Posts
11
Years
I've only seen one or two Scizor do that, ever. I know what you're talking about, but I've never really seen that strategy go off the ground.

For my Conkeldurr, that's assuming Conkeldurr has no priority moves, which would make it next to useless except for the Bulk Up sweep.

Mamoswine is infamous for being the best Ice Shard user. You still have a potent threat, sure, but I guarantee it will go to borderline. Along that same logic, several things in UU should be in OU, since they're strong enough with Stealth Rock resistance. Its typing is still god-awful defensively, with many things able to easily kill it before it can get a shot in, hence why Ice Shard is so necessary on it.
 
14,092
Posts
14
Years
Priority moves are god-send for Pokemon with middling speed or who get out-sped in higher tiers. Better to have them than not. Plus I love Mamoswine, so lol.
 
50,218
Posts
13
Years
I do admit priority moves can sometimes save me in tricky situations, especially if I'm up against something with insane speed or if my Pokemon is terribly slow.

Some of my Random Battle wins on the Showdown server were me hanging on and taking out the opponent with a priority move.

As for Mamoswine, I think it's definitely one of the best Ice Shard users (since it has sorta below-average Speed) and it's not weak to Stealth Rock unlike most Ice-types, thanks to its unique Ice/Ground typing. This thing could even destroy an Archeops very quickly if it has like an Ice Gem or something.

Conkeldurr's Mach Punches hit really hard, and its one of the best abusers of the move.
 

Starry Windy

Everything will be Daijoubu.
9,307
Posts
11
Years
If I use priority moves, it might be good if my Pokemon is not quite fast enough. That's why sometimes I prefer move like Quick Attack.
 
77
Posts
11
Years
I agree with the dude with the umbreon avatar. Priority moves are what makes stuff like scizor Absol mamoswine etc good(not saying that they absolutely suck without it) because an Absol with sucker punch is much easier to deal with than an Absol with sucker
 
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