Prankster is one of the most impactful abilities in VGC. Every status move (moves that don’t deal damage directly) used by a Prankster Pokémon gets +1 priority — meaning they go before virtually every other move in the game.
What this enables
The most important Prankster moves in Reg M-A:
- TailwindTailwindmoveDoubles the Speed of every Pokémon on your side for 4 turns. Often paired with Prankster for instant priority setup.Click to read more → (WhimsicottWhimsicottpokemonPrankster utility lead. Priority Tailwind, Encore, and Sunny Day let it dictate tempo against teams that thought they had it.Click to read more →, Tornadus, Murkrow) — doubles your team’s Speed before anything else can move
- Thunder WaveThunder WavemoveParalyzes the target — halving their Speed and giving a 25% chance each turn to be unable to move.Click to read more → (Grimmsnarl) — paralyzes the opponent before they act
- EncoreEncoremoveForces the target to repeat their last move for 3 turns — devastating in doubles when it traps a Protect or harmless status move.Click to read more → (Whimsicott) — locks opponents into a bad move before they can switch
The catch
Prankster status moves have no effect on Dark-type Pokémon. Kingambit, Tyranitar, and IncineroarIncineroarpokemonThe most-used Pokémon in Reg M-A. Defines doubles tempo with Fake Out, Intimidate on every switch, and Parting Shot pivots.Click to read more → all ignore Prankster effects entirely — a significant weakness of Prankster-reliant teams.