Taunt forces the target to only use damaging moves for 3 turns. Any status move — moves that don’t deal direct damage — fails while Taunt is active. The target can still use attacking moves normally.
What Taunt shuts down
In doubles, the list of status moves is long, and Taunt blocks all of them. The headline targets are the format’s tempo engines — Trick RoomTrick RoomstrategyFor 5 turns, slower Pokémon move first. Reverses the entire speed game — a strategy that builds teams around very slow attackers.Click to read more → and TailwindTailwindmoveDoubles the Speed of every Pokémon on your side for 4 turns. Often paired with Prankster for instant priority setup.Click to read more → — but Taunt also disables redirection (Follow MeFollow Memove+2 priority redirection. The user becomes the target of every single-target attack opposing Pokémon use this turn, protecting allies.Click to read more → and Rage Powder), sleep moves (SporeSporemoveA Grass-type move that inflicts sleep with 100% accuracy — the most reliable sleep move in the game.Click to read more →, Hypnosis, Sleep Powder), partner support (Helping HandHelping HandmoveA +5 priority move that boosts the partner's next move by 1.5× — doubles-only support that amplifies damage without attacking.Click to read more →), tempo manipulation (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 →), and most recovery moves (Recover, Roost, Synthesis). Even ProtectProtectmoveA move that makes the user immune to all moves for one turn. Fails if used consecutively.Click to read more → goes down — a Taunted Pokémon can’t burn a turn defending itself.
Catch the right target at the right turn and an entire game plan goes silent.
The critical use case: stopping Trick Room
The most important Taunt application in Reg M-A is preventing Trick Room. Trick Room setters — HattereneHatterenepokemonMagic Bounce setter and Trick Room anchor. Reflects status, sets terrain, and powers slow attackers under reversed Speed.Click to read more →, Reuniclus, Cofagrigus, TorkoalTorkoalpokemonReg M-A's reliable Drought setter. Sun on switch-in, full-HP Eruption from a 70/140 tank, and a Trick Room option on the same slot.Click to read more → — typically move slowly and rely on using Trick Room on turn 1. Taunting them before they can move forces them to attack instead of setting up. Since they usually have low offensive stats, this is often a wasted turn for them.
A Taunted Trick Room setter is nearly useless unless their partner can reverse the situation quickly.
Timing matters
Taunt has 0 priority (normal bracket), so Speed determines whether you Taunt before the opponent moves. Against slow Trick Room setters, this is fine — you’ll almost always go first. Against faster support Pokémon, you may need to use a faster user or pair Taunt with 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 →.
PranksterPranksterabilityAn ability that gives all Status moves +1 priority — they go before almost everything, even if the Pokémon is slow.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 →, Sableye, Klefki) gives Taunt +1 priority, making it nearly impossible to outspeed.
In Regulation M-A
Whimsicott is the format’s go-to dedicated Taunter, pairing priority 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 → with priority Taunt to lock down setup options before the opponent can act. Sableye runs a similar Prankster shell — Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, and Quash for total turn-1 disruption — though it lacks the offensive presence to threaten back. Both make their Taunt land before almost any setup move in the game.