Speed Priority

Normally, when you think about what order moves go in when battling, you just think it is dependant on your Pokémon and your opponent Pokémon's speed. This is true, however there are several attacks which alter the progression of the attacks. Each attack has a specific hidden value called the Speed Priority. Almost all of the attacks in the game have got a Speed Priority of 0, however there are over a dozen attacks that manipulate this value in order to utilise it going first or maybe even last.

There are 13 different stages within the speed priority area from +5 all the way down to -7. Logically, as you would expect, the attacks with the highest value go first. If the two Pokémon both use an attack with say a speed priority value of 4, then the speed stat of each Pokémon comes back into play and the order is determined from there. There's also the fact that several attacks will allow use of another attack such as Assist, Metronome and so on, these will remain with a speed priority of 0. So if you were to use Metronome and you get the attack Aqua Jet while your opponent uses Fake Out, both of which have a priority of 1, Fake Out will still go first, regardless of the speed.

Switching pretty much always happens first, before any attacks. However, there is one attack that has a varying speed priority value; Pursuit. Normally it has a value of 0, but if your opponent switches just as you have selected Pursuit, Pursuit will always hit before the Pokémon switches out. Moves which utilise switching out such as Baton Pass or U-Turn however keep their priority value of 0 and so can still be hit before. In Rotation Battles however, the rotation occurs straight away at the start of the turn and bypasses any and all moves.

There are also several items that mess with the speed priority. Quick Claw is the most common one you will see. It has a 3/16 chance of boosting your Pokémon's priority and attacking first. However, this is not utilised in skipping priority stages. So if you have a Quick Claw attached and it activates while you use Flamethrower, but your opponent uses Quick Attack, you will still attack second. There are items such as Full Incense and the Lagging Tail which do the complete inverse of this and make you last within that Speed Priorit, but as with the Quick Claw, if you use Flamethrower but your opponent uses Avalanche, you will move first. These items also completely ignore the effect of Trick Room.

Trick Room is a unique attack in that it inverses the speed of the users so the faster Pokémon go last, while the slower Pokémon will go first. The speed priority stages still remain the same however so Quick Attack will still hit before Flamethrower. The aforementioned items are exempt from this however.

In Pokémon Black & White, a new ability, Prankster, is introduced. This ability increases the Speed Priority of all non-attacking moves by 1 stage for the Pokémon with the ability. This means that all standard moves, normally within the Stage 0 band, will act as if they were in the Stage 1 band and so forth.

Below is a list of the stage as well as the attacks within them:

Stage 5
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Helping Hand			20	--	--	A move that boosts the power of the ally's attack in a Double Battle.
Stage 4
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Detect			5	--	--	It enables the user to evade all attacks. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession.
Endure			10	--	--	The user endures any attack with at least 1 HP. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession.
Magic Coat			15	--	--	A barrier reflects back to the foe moves like Leech Seed and moves that damage status.
Protect			10	--	--	It enables the user to evade all attacks. Its chance of failing rises if it is used in succession.
Snatch			10	--	--	The user steals the effects of any healing or stat- changing move the foe attempts to use.
Stage 3
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Fake Out			10	40	100	An attack that hits first and makes the target flinch. It only works the first turn the user is in battle.
Fast Guard			15	--	--	It protects itself and its team mates from the opponent’s priority moves. May fail if used in succession.
Follow Me			20	--	--	The user draws attention to itself, making all foes take aim only at the user.
Power Rage			20	--	--	It sprinkles itself with a powder that causes frustration to call attention to itself. All the opponent’s attacks aim towards it.
Wide Guard			10	--	--	It protects all its teammates from attacks for one turn. May fail if used in succession.
Stage 2
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Extremespeed			5	80	100	The user charges the foe at blinding speed. This attack always goes before any other move.
Feint			10	30	100	An attack that hits a foe using Protect or Detect. It also lifts the effects of those moves.
Stage 1
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Aqua Jet			20	40	100	The user lunges at the foe at a speed that makes it almost invisible. It is sure to strike first.
Bide			10	--	--	The user endures attacks for two turns, then strikes back to cause double the damage taken.
Bullet Punch			30	40	100	The user strikes with a tough punch as fast as a bullet. This move always goes first.
Ice Shard			30	40	100	The user flash freezes chunks of ice and hurls them. This move always goes first.
Mach Punch			30	40	100	The user throws a punch at blinding speed. It is certain to strike first.
Quick Attack			30	40	100	The user lunges at the foe at a speed that makes it almost invisible. It is sure to strike first.
Shadow Sneak			30	40	100	The user extends its shadow and attacks the foe from behind. This move always goes first.
Side Change			15	--	--	With a strange power it teleports and switches places with one of its teammates.
Sucker Punch			5	80	100	This move enables the user to attack first. It fails if the foe is not readying an attack, however.
Vacuum Wave			30	40	100	The user whirls its fists to send a wave of pure vacuum at the foe. This move always goes first.
Stage 0
All other moves are within Stage 0
Stage -1
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Vital Throw			10	70	--	The user allows the foe to attack first. In return, this throw move is guaranteed not to miss.
Stage -2
There are no moves in Stage -2
Stage -3
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Focus Punch			20	150	100	The user focuses its mind before launching a punch. It will fail if the user is hit before it is used.
Stage -4
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Avalanche			10	60	100	An attack move that inflicts double the damage if the user has been hurt by the foe in the same turn.
Revenge			10	60	100	An attack move that inflicts double the damage if the user has been hurt by the foe in the same turn.
Stage -5
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Counter			20	--	100	A retaliation move that counters any physical attack, inflicting double the damage taken.
Mirror Coat			20	--	100	A retaliation move that counters any special attack, inflicting double the damage taken.
Stage -6
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Circle Throw			10	60	90	It throws the opponent in the air and drags out the next Pokémon. In case of a wild battle, the battle ends.
Dragon Tail			10	60	90	It sends the opponent flying and causes the opponent to switch out. In a wild battle, the battle ends.
Roar			20	--	100	The foe is scared off, to be replaced by another Pokémon in its party. In the wild, the battle ends.
Whirlwind			20	--	100	The foe is blown away, to be replaced by another Pokémon in its party. In the wild, the battle ends.
Stage -7
Name	Type	Cat.	PP	Att.	Acc.	Effect
Magic Room			10	--	--	It creates a strange atmosphere. No Pokémon’s items have an effect for 5 turns.
Trick Room			5	--	--	The user creates a bizarre area in which slower Pokémon get to move first for five turns.
Wonder Room			10	--	--	It creates a mysterious atmosphere. All Pokémon have their defence and special defence switched for 5 Turns.