Mega Kangaskhan uses Parental BondParental BondabilityThe holder hits twice with each damaging move — the second hit deals 1/4 damage. Effectively a 1.25× power multiplier with extra status-trigger chances.Click to read more → to turn every single move into a two-hit attack. The first hit lands at full power; the second hit deals 25% of that. On its own that sounds modest, but the implications run deep: two independent crit chances, two chances to proc move secondary effects, and two opportunities to break through Substitutes or weak defensive items.
The baby in the pouch joins every attack. Even though it’s small, that second hit adds up across a game — especially with moves like Fake OutFake OutmoveA +3 priority Normal-type move that does small damage and forces the target to flinch — only usable on the user's first turn out.Click to read more →, which becomes two flinch checks at once.
The Fake Out interaction
Fake Out forces the target to flinch on the first turn a Pokémon enters the field. With Parental Bond, Kangaskhan’s Fake Out hits twice — but since flinch is based on the move’s effect, only one flinch is applied. The real benefit is the chip damage: Fake Out normally does very little, but a double Fake Out deals meaningful early damage before the main game plan starts.
Playing around Parental Bond
Parental Bond interacts with game mechanics in important ways. If the opponent uses Substitute, Kangaskhan’s first hit may break it and the second hit lands directly on the Pokémon behind it. Focus Sash (a held item that lets a Pokémon survive any one-hit KO with 1 HP) does not save against Parental Bond, since the first hit leaves 1 HP and the second hit knocks it out.
ProtectProtectmoveA move that makes the user immune to all moves for one turn. Fails if used consecutively.Click to read more → and King’s Shield block both hits if used successfully — they do not get bypassed by the second strike.
Role on teams
Mega Kangaskhan is most common on bulky offense teams that want a Mega with reliable damage output and support utility. Return or Double-Edge are its primary damage tools, hitting the Normal type attacks that Parental Bond amplifies. Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Fire Punch are common coverage picks that gain secondary effect chances from the double-hit mechanic.
What counters it
- Ghost-type Pokémon — Normal-type moves cannot hit Ghost types at all, even with Parental Bond. Kangaskhan relies on coverage moves against Ghosts.
- Rocky Helmet — A held item that deals 1/6 damage back to anything making contact. Parental Bond means two contact hits, so Kangaskhan takes 1/3 of its HP in recoil each time it uses a contact move against a Rocky Helmet user.
- Fast attackers with Fighting coverage — Fighting hits Normal for 2×. A faster Pokémon with a Fighting move can KO before Kangaskhan moves.