Dragoncat Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 (edited) A Team Plasma watchog just pulled off three successful detects IN A ROW and spammed sand attack. Then it fainted my darumaka with crunch. Then it sand attacked my timburr and my first rock smash attack missed. Then I finally managed to get rid of it after being super annoyed and saying "I hate you" out loud. My cat was beside me on the couch. I hope he didn't think I was talking to him. This is the most strategy I've ever seen a villain team grunt use. I should be impressed but ugh... Protect and detect are the most pointless and annoying moves ever. Why on earth is it ever a good idea to waste a move slot AND a turn doing pretty much absolutely nothing, when you can use accuracy lowering moves to achieve the same thing with a bit of luck? Or actually attack? Or raise your own stats? Or pretty much ANYTHING ELSE? If you're doing a regular battle you can even use items. Even with the Battle Royale, there's still better options, yet it seems like just about everything the NPCs use there will have protect and use it. All these moves are are wastes of time and sanity killers. Just had to rant. Yeah... Edited July 4, 2017 by Dragoncat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuuda Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Don't ever play VGC if you don't like Protect. That said, even in singles, those moves can be used for something like Toxic Stalling. In theory. Also, was it really worth getting that angry over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darros Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Protect and detect are good for two turn offensive moves, I guess. Seems to be one of those moves which is way better on the opponent than you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoncat Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Maybe it's not worth getting ANGRY about. But annoyed? Yes. I'm just annoyed. Not angry. I'm also still a bit of a competitive n00b...I'd like to get into it but there's just so much to learn and not much time to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The DanMan Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Make what happens with Z-moves an across-the-board effect: takes 1/4 damage from an attack. You're going to save your bacon, sure, but you're still going to take chip damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shin Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 If you're smart, you can read protect/detect. If you see it coming, you can either make a switch or set up for free. It also has use in stalling for toxic/burn damage or wish/leftovers recovery. The only times where you're hard shut down are if you use two turn moves or Slaking, but neither have any real use outside of PU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magical Glace Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 (edited) Protect lets you ensure you get the first buff from things like Speed Boost or Moody, stall for multi-turn damage effects like the aforementioned Toxic, and in doubles/triples can prevent your partner from hitting with their "all in range" attacks. So yeah, it actually does have uses. I remember once I was able to use it to completely stall some kids I was watching. My sis said I should have just let them win, but they wouldn't be able to get better if I did that... Now they know how useful it can be! Edited July 4, 2017 by Glaceon Sage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X-Naut Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Protect is obnoxious in the hands of the AI, they'll spam it just to slow you down. That said, it can be effective on things with Toxic or Wish, or if you have a free moveslot and want to scout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Mir Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Protect and Detect are both pretty useful in competitive play for various purposes. But yeah, the AI doesn't have any rhyme or reason to their usage of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interdimensional Observer Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 This reminds me, you know what's also kinda annoying in the hands of the AI? Fake Out. Petty damage that just wastes a turn, and in the hands of a player, is certainly inferior to Protect/Detect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediocreLee Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Protect/Detect are annoying to go against, but so fun to do...sometimes. I don't play competitively, but I do enjoy running my Poison Heal Gliscor with Protect and Toxic Orb because I'manasshole Protect gives Gliscor the opportunity to get poisoned. It has a lot of strategic elements in the competitive scene, but in a normal Pokemon run, it is annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nym Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Yea as a story player, protect and detect are sooooo abused (along with confuse ray) by the ai. Which is why Feint is the best move for the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerson Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 (edited) Go fight Norman in RSE without Protect and tell me it isn't valuable mandatory. Edited July 5, 2017 by Emerson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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