Priority Tiers for VGC 17!

We’re all familiar with priority attacks right? You know those moves which are guaranteed to go before your standard attacking moves? Well, there are tons of them! And a few abilities too which grant certain moves a priority boost; here, we’ll try and get everything together in one place to ease any worries you have surrounding priority in Pokémon during team building.

Will your Quick Guards block incoming Extreme Speeds? Will your Avalanches move before a Focus Punch? We’re here to help you find out!

Let’s start with the abilities!

Gale Wings: Increases the priority of Flying Type moves by one stage whilst the user has full HP. (Yes, this includes Flying type Z moves!)

Notable user: Bravest Bird

Talonflame is the sole recipient of Gale Wings. Okay, so its ability has been nerfed somewhat since it ran riot during VGC 14, 15 and, to an extent 16, now requiring full HP to take advantage. It’s still useful in VGC 17, being able to set Tailwinds before being attacked and even able to fire off a powerful Z Brave Bird with priority.

Triage: Increases the priority of Healing Moves by one stage (including damage inducing attacks which heal back health, Giga Drain etc.)

Notable User: Comfey

We’ve covered Comfey already in our Trick Room Setter 4 Analysis. With access to Floral Healing, you can set your Trick Room and heal your sweepers – Comfey alongside Eruption Torkoal or Belly Drum Snorlax anyone?

Prankster: Increases the priority of Status moves (so non damaging moves) by one stage. All Dark type Pokémon are immune to moves effected by Prankster.

Notable Users: Murkrow, Sableye, Cottonee, Whimsicott

All four of these have access to some very interesting status moves, most Prankster Pokémon are designed to disrupt opponents through lowering stats, inflicting burns, locking them into unwanted moves etc. Murkrow, Whimsicott and Sableye all have access to forms of speed control too, Whimsicott gets Tailwind, Sableye utilises Quash whilst Murkrow can learn both.

The moves!

All these attacks do a variety of different things, veterans will be familiar with most, if not all, of the moves below but if you’re a newer user you may need to do a little research if there’s a move you don’t recognise.

Damaging moves will be highlighted in Red whilst status moves will be highlighted in Blue!

+5 – Helping Hand

+4 – Protect, Detect, King’s Shield, Spiky Shield, Baneful Bunker, Snatch, Endure, Magic Coat

+3 – Fake Out, Quick Guard, Wide Guard, Crafty Shield, Spotlight

+2 – Feint, Follow Me, Extreme Speed, Rage Powder, Ally Switch, First Impression

+1 – Accelerock, Aqua Jet, Baby Doll Eyes, Bide, Bullet Punch, Ice Shard, Ion Deluge, Mach Punch, Powder, Quick Attack, Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, Vacuum Wave, Water Shuriken

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+0 – Any move not listed and unaffected by Gale Wings, Prankster or Triage
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-1 – Vital Throw

-2 – Erm… None… Actually…
-3 – Focus Punch, Beak Blast, Shell Trap

-4 – Avalanche, Revenge

-5 – Counter, Mirror Coat

-6 – Roar, Whirlwind, Dragon Tail, Circle Throw

-7 – Trick Room

If you’re worried about Positive Priority moves tearing your VGC 17 teams apart, there is now a much more reliable counter than simply throwing Quick Guard onto your teams! I am, of course, referring to Tapu Lele!

When switching in, Tapu Lele sets Psychic Terrain, a Terrain which prevents grounded Pokémon from being hit by moves with Positive Priority. Keep in mind however, that this terrain doesn’t prevent none damaging moves like Helping Hand or Follow Me. Whether you’re using Priority moves, or playing against them, you’ll need to keep Tapu Lele’s Psychic Terrain in mind.

And there you go! All things priority for VGC 17!