Priority

Priority is a hierarchical bracket of moves that dictates which Pokémon will strike first in battle.

Parametrical overview

While the comparative Speed stats of Pokémon will usually determine who strikes first in battle, the priority bracket of a Pokémon supersedes it. If a move is subsumed under a higher priority bracket, the user will outspeed the opponent no matter how inferior its Speed is compared to theirs; conversely, Pokémon deploying moves of lower priority brackets will be premoved by their opponent no matter how faster their Speed is. If both Pokémon are deploying a move of the same priority bracket, it the first strike will sheerly boil down to which Pokémon has greater Speed stats or another tie-breaker if applicable.

Priority-bracket values range from +5 to -7. Most moves are lumped in the priority bracket of 0; as such, moves that have any priority-bracket value higher or lower than that are referred to as priority moves. Positive priority brackets are referred to as increased-priority moves, whereas negative ones are known as decreased-priority moves.

Increased-priority moves can be nullified by the deployment of the Quick Guard move.

The priority hierarchy can still be affected by priority-inhibiting items; for example, a Lagging Tail will ensure that the holder cedes the first attack to the opponent regardless of their Speed and the priority bracket of the move used.

List of priority moves

Move Type Base Power Accuracy PP Priority
Magic Room Psychic —% 10 -7
Trick Room Psychic —% 5 -7
Wonder Room Psychic —% 10 -7
Circle Throw Fighting 60 90% 10 -6
Dragon Tail Dragon 60 90% 10 -6
Roar Normal —% 20 -6
Whirlwind Normal —% 20 -6
Counter Fighting 100% 20 -5
Mirror Coat Psychic 100% 20 -5
Avalanche Ice 60 100% 10 -4
Revenge Fighting 60 100% 10 -4
Beak Blast Flying 100 100% 15 -3
Focus Punch Fighting 150 100% 20 -3
Shell Trap Fire 150 100% 5 -3
Vital Throw Fighting 70 —% 10 -1
Accelerock Rock 40 100% 20 1
Aqua Jet Water 40 100% 20 1
Baby-Doll Eyes Fairy 100% 30 1
Bide Normal —% 10 1
Bullet Punch Steel 40 100% 30 1
Ice Shard Ice 40 100% 30 1
Ion Deluge Electric —% 25 1
Mach Punch Fighting 40 100% 30 1
Quick Attack Normal 40 100% 30 1
Shadow Sneak Ghost 40 100% 30 1
Sucker Punch Dark 80 100% 5 1
Vacuum Wave Fighting 40 100% 30 1
Water Shuriken Water 15 100% 20 1
Ally Switch Psychic —% 15 2
Extreme Speed Normal 80 100% 5 2
Feint Normal 30 100% 10 2
First Impression Bug 90 100% 10 2
Rage Powder Bug —% 20 2
Crafty Shield Fairy —% 10 3
Fake Out Normal 40 100% 10 3
Follow Me Normal —% 20 3
Quick Guard Fighting —% 15 3
Spotlight Normal —% 15 3
Wide Guard Rock —% 10 3
Baneful Bunker Poison —% 10 4
Detect Fighting —% 5 4
Endure Normal —% 10 4
Magic Coat Psychic —% 15 4
Protect Normal —% 10 4
Snatch Dark —% 10 4
Spiky Shield Grass —% 40 4
  All emboldened moves are broken; read their individualized pages for more information, regardingly.