When a pkmn goes first?

[cisco]

Yeah, well everytime I battle most of the time it goes first if it has a high speed. When in a battle the pkmn that goes first has a higher speed stat right? Well when I was battling I went against a dragonite, my Gallade attacked it, my Gallade went first. But when I sent out my Dragonite, which is much faster then my Gallade making it faster then the other dragonite, my Dragonite didn;t go first, why?

[Shiny Lucario]

The opposing Dragonite may have carried a Quick Claw or something. Thats really the only thing I can think of, since I'm sure you would have noticed if it got a Salac Boost, Dragon Danced, etc.

[BugCatcher6]

Could be the moves speed priority as well.

[cisco]

Nope, it didn't have any speed boosting moves nor items.

[puffdaddy]

Did your galade get flinched? Because it's ability raises it's speed when flinched.

[Ryu]

or if it used outrage, ive notice that it happens when a pokemon uses it but when its done it lowers

[Fautor Animus]

It happens sometimes.
I think what happens is that it takes the speeds of both pokemon, and if they're equal, then they pick randomly. There's also a small calculation that's essentially random, and rarely does anything, but it affects who goes first. At least that's what I've heard.

[BugCatcher6]

Could be the moves speed priority as well.


Nope, it didn't have any speed boosting moves nor items.

The moves Speed Priority has nothing to do with speed boosting moves or items.

Quick Attack has a speed priority of 1.
Aqua Tail has a speed priority of 0.
Avalanche has a speed priority of 252.

[belnumcree]

The moves Speed Priority has nothing to do with speed boosting moves or items.

Quick Attack has a speed priority of 1.
Aqua Tail has a speed priority of 0.
Avalanche has a speed priority of 252.

That's one thing that confuses me...

Quick attack is a first strike move Speed priority 1

Aqua Tail is a normal move Speed Priority 0

Avalanche is a slow move Speed priority 252
???

So wouldn't that mean that

1 Aqua Tail at 0
2 Quick Attack at 1
3 Avalanche at 252

I know that's not the way it works, but I'm trying to understand the way speed priority works. I can only assume it has something to do with a calculation.

(Sorry if I'm confusing anyone. :-D)

[BugCatcher6]

That's one thing that confuses me...

Quick attack is a first strike move Speed priority 1

Aqua Tail is a normal move Speed Priority 0

Avalanche is a slow move Speed priority 252
???

So wouldn't that mean that

1 Aqua Tail at 0
2 Quick Attack at 1
3 Avalanche at 252

I know that's not the way it works, but I'm trying to understand the way speed priority works. I can only assume it has something to do with a calculation.

(Sorry if I'm confusing anyone. :-D)

I believe 0 Speed Priority works more off of the Pokemons speed level. Not 100% sure on that, but I will try to find out.

[BugCatcher6]

Just found this information out. Thanks to timw06 on Smogon for directing me to Obi's Priority guide.

+7 Focus Punch (charge message)
+6 Switching
+5 Helping Hand
+4 Magic Coat, Snatch
+3 Detect, Endure, Follow Me, Protect
+2 Feint
+1 Aqua Jet, Bide, Bullet Punch, Extremespeed, Fake Out, Ice Shard, Mach Punch, Quick Attack, Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, Vacuum Wave
±0 Assist, Me First, Metronome, Mirror Move, Sleep Talk, Everything else
-1 Vital Throw
-2 Focus Punch
-3 Avalanche, Revenge
-4 Counter, Mirror Coat
-5 Roar, Whirlwind
-6 Trick Room

A faster Pokemon always goes first within the speed bracket of the move. In every single case, higher priority moves go before lower priority moves (if the move is selected by Assist, Me First, Metronome, Mirror Move, or Sleep Talk, that counts as a use of Assist / Me First / Metronome / Mirror Move / Sleep Talk, and thus it has a priority of 0)

Quick Claw gives your Pokemon an 18.75% chance of ignoring Speed and going first within your speed bracket, barring the enemy also activating a Quick Claw, in which case normal Speed rules would apply. Speed and Quick Claw never let a move with a lower priority beat a higher priority (so a Quick Claw activated Deoxys-E using Vital Throw always goes after Macho Brace Paralyzed Shuckle using Tackle). Custap Berry makes your next move automatically go to the top of its priority bracket after activating.

The exceptions are Assist, Me First, Metronome, Mirror Move, and Sleep Talk. These have a priority of 0, and thus if you Sleep Talk Whirlwind, for example, you can go before a slower Pokemon using, say, Tackle.


The full write up can be found here (http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24791).

[belnumcree]

Thanks, that's real helpful. :-D