PokéBase - Pokémon Q&A
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To clarify, I don't mean the moves that instantly switch out the target (such as roar and whirlwind) but the moves that make the opponent want to switch out (such as yawn).

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1 Answer

2 votes

Basically any status move or predicted status move.

For example, say I have a Breloom with Spore. I switch into my opponent's Gyarados. He knows that I am probably going to use Spore to put him to sleep, so he switches into a Grass-type to absorb the attack. That is a prediction switch.

The other type of switch is a forced switch. This is when the opponen's Pokémon can do absolutely nothing against yours and they need to switch. Say my Breloom Spores my opponent's Gyarados and puts it to sleep. It can no longer do anything to me because it's immobilized, so it switches out. Another example of a forced switch is if I have a Choice Scarf Garchomp locked into Earthquake, and my opponent switches to a Flying-type. I am not going to be able to do anything to that Pokémon, so I switch out Garchomp.

To my knowledge, these are all of the moves that will either cause a prediction switch, forced switch or both:

Spore
Thunder Wave
Toxic
Will-o-Wisp
Poison Powder
Sleep Powder
Stun Spore
Hypnosis
Grasswhistle
Yawn
Perish Song
Taunt
Encore
Leech Seed
Disable
Torment

You could also consider switching into a Magic Bounce Pokémon to avoid entry hazards being laid on your side a predicted switch.

Tell me if I missed any, and I'll edit the list.

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edited by
How about Taunt, Encore, and Leech Seed?
Thanks, I added those on.
sometimes i switch out to a more resistant pokemon if my opponent is using a two turn move(solarbeam, fly, dig, phantom force etc.)