Move Idea: Kick Away

[BronzeHeart92]

Basically, it's a Dark-type move dealing moderate damage with a gimmick that's right there in the name: whenever the move connects there's a minuscule chance (about 15% give or take) of causing any opponent that's smaller than the user to be, well, ejected from battle, thus causing the battle to end prematurely for wild battles (with you gaining half the usual amount of EXP though if you so desire, you can retrigger the encounter and gain the rest of the EXP before the ejected foe despawns) and the trainers to switch over to their next Pokémon in line. And since it's a Signature Move, the eject effect naturally won't be activated if you somehow manage to copy or hack this move to an another Pokémon. What're your thoughts?

 

[Devalue]

Feels a little too specific and low odds for the effect. Assumes something like 60 power (same as Dragon Tail and Circle Throw). Will probably not use that primarily for damage. Hits it for the effect, as a last-ditch effort. Why not use Horn Drill or even Hypnosis then?

Potentially exploits it if you give it higher odds too, under the right conditions. Skill Swap Serene Grace onto the Pokemon, for example. Becomes a menace with a high enough Speed stat. Locked all moves like this to -6 priority for a reason.

Finds it hard to suggest a change. Lives and dies by the effect rate. Perhaps make it a guaranteed chance and change the conditions? Like: 60 power. 100% accuracy. Announces it winding up to kick anything that comes close at the start of the turn. Deals damage and switches the opposing Pokemon out if hit by a contact move (and lives?). Becomes kind of like Turtonator's Shell Trap. Potentially switches multiple opponents out, if hit by multiple contact moves.

Some other ideas:

• Two turn move, but higher power and a guaranteed switch.
• Increase the power to 90, -6 priority, and a guaranteed switch only on Pokemon that weigh less than the user. Notably happens before Trick Room.

Allows you to copy most signature moves, as a side note. Tested it in Pokemon Showdown quick. Cannot copy Zacian's Behemoth Blade. Can Mimic Hydrapple's Fickle Beam. Retains the chance to "go all out" as well. Mentions copying Ivy Cudgel (Ogerpon's move) in Bulbapedia's page on it too.

 

[Sweet Serenity]

To be honest, if my Pokémon was about to learn this move, I'd have it not learn it or have it forget it for a better move for a reasons. Firstly, considering that you mentioned that the move does "moderate damage," I know it isn't strong. I prefer to use moves that hit hard to deal considerable amounts of damage. Secondly, you mentioned that the move only has a 15% chance of its effect to force a switch out when it connects. I would much rather just use Dragon Tail, which forces a switch out 100% of the time. You can make this move better by simply its effect work 100% of the time instead of 15%. It wouldn't be broken either.

 

[ThePokeCorral]

Important question: What is this move's priority level?

All existing moves that switch the target out, whether they do damage or not, have -6 priority, which is the slowest priority outside of Trick Room. The reason for this is because if you successfully switch an opponent out before it gets a chance to move, it loses its turn. So, if this move is similarly slow, then that would be a big drawback, since the damage part would also be slow even if the effect doesn't activate; whereas if it had normal priority, that would make it potentially very strong, as it would be able to switch an opponent out before it can move.

In other words, having just a 15% chance of switching the target out means that the whole move needs to have negative priority in order to not be overpowered. This, presumably, is why there has never been a move in the games that has only a chance of switching the target out.

A somewhat clunky compromise would be if the move itself had regular priority, but the switch out, if it activates, doesn't happen until the end of the turn.