Taunt

Dark

Prevents the target from using status moves for three turns.

Technical data

Type
Dark
Category
status
Power
Accuracy
PP
20
Priority
0
Target
adjacent
Contact
No
Spread
No
Protect blocks
Yes
Wide Guard blocks
No

Competitive value

Shuts down Trick Room, redirection and screens before they happen.

How to learn it

Pokémon that can learn or be taught this move, by method.

Level-up108 Pokémon

  • Hawlucha MegaHawlucha Mega
  • Houndoom MegaHoundoom Mega
  • Sharpedo MegaSharpedo Mega
  • InfernapeInfernape
  • ZoroarkZoroark
  • VanilluxeVanilluxe
  • Absol MegaAbsol Mega
  • Absol Mega ZAbsol Mega Z
  • Lycanroc DuskLycanroc Dusk
  • Lycanroc MidnightLycanroc Midnight
  • WeavileWeavile
  • Mawile MegaMawile Mega
  • OranguruOranguru
  • Zoroark HisuiZoroark Hisui
  • BastiodonBastiodon
  • HoundoomHoundoom
  • Corviknight GmaxCorviknight Gmax
  • SneaslerSneasler
  • SharpedoSharpedo
  • ToxicroakToxicroak
  • HawluchaHawlucha
  • AbsolAbsol
  • PangoroPangoro
  • CorviknightCorviknight
  • LiepardLiepard
  • MawileMawile

TM / HM473 Pokémon

  • IncineroarIncineroar
  • Tyranitar MegaTyranitar Mega
  • Gardevoir MegaGardevoir Mega
  • Hawlucha MegaHawlucha Mega
  • Steelix MegaSteelix Mega
  • Greninja AshGreninja Ash
  • Greninja MegaGreninja Mega
  • Houndoom MegaHoundoom Mega
  • Gyarados MegaGyarados Mega
  • Barbaracle MegaBarbaracle Mega
  • KingambitKingambit
  • Chesnaught MegaChesnaught Mega
  • Gallade MegaGallade Mega
  • Kommo O TotemKommo O Totem
  • Glalie MegaGlalie Mega
  • Aerodactyl MegaAerodactyl Mega
  • Chandelure MegaChandelure Mega
  • Malamar MegaMalamar Mega
  • HydreigonHydreigon
  • Emboar MegaEmboar Mega
  • Kommo OKommo O
  • Gengar MegaGengar Mega
  • Sharpedo MegaSharpedo Mega
  • Alakazam MegaAlakazam Mega
  • Scrafty MegaScrafty Mega
  • Palafin HeroPalafin Hero
  • InfernapeInfernape
  • WhimsicottWhimsicott
  • NoivernNoivern
  • ZoroarkZoroark
  • AerodactylAerodactyl
  • Froslass MegaFroslass Mega
  • QuaquavalQuaquaval
  • Decidueye HisuiDecidueye Hisui
  • Aggron MegaAggron Mega
  • Mr RimeMr Rime
  • Gengar GmaxGengar Gmax
  • GengarGengar
  • Pyroar MalePyroar Male
  • TyranitarTyranitar
  • Greninja Battle BondGreninja Battle Bond
  • VanilluxeVanilluxe
  • Grimmsnarl GmaxGrimmsnarl Gmax
  • CeruledgeCeruledge
  • Skarmory MegaSkarmory Mega
  • ArmarougeArmarouge
  • GyaradosGyarados
  • AlakazamAlakazam
  • GreninjaGreninja
  • Absol MegaAbsol Mega
  • AggronAggron
  • BearticBeartic
  • MeowscaradaMeowscarada
  • TsareenaTsareena
  • Absol Mega ZAbsol Mega Z
  • Lycanroc DuskLycanroc Dusk
  • SimipourSimipour
  • ChandelureChandelure
  • Lycanroc MidnightLycanroc Midnight
  • WeavileWeavile
  • Lycanroc MiddayLycanroc Midday
  • BarbaracleBarbaracle
  • GardevoirGardevoir
  • SimisearSimisear
  • Banette MegaBanette Mega
  • Mawile MegaMawile Mega
  • Samurott HisuiSamurott Hisui
  • SteelixSteelix
  • TalonflameTalonflame
  • GrimmsnarlGrimmsnarl
  • Slowking GalarSlowking Galar
  • Chimecho MegaChimecho Mega
  • PassimianPassimian
  • SimisageSimisage
  • SpiritombSpiritomb
  • ConkeldurrConkeldurr
  • OranguruOranguru
  • Zoroark HisuiZoroark Hisui
  • SamurottSamurott
  • BastiodonBastiodon
  • RunerigusRunerigus
  • ChesnaughtChesnaught
  • KrookodileKrookodile
  • EmboarEmboar
  • ScraftyScrafty
  • GlalieGlalie
  • MalamarMalamar
  • OverqwilOverqwil
  • HoundoomHoundoom
  • Mimikyu Totem BustedMimikyu Totem Busted
  • DecidueyeDecidueye
  • Corviknight GmaxCorviknight Gmax
  • GalladeGallade
  • Mimikyu Totem DisguisedMimikyu Totem Disguised
  • SneaslerSneasler
  • Mimikyu BustedMimikyu Busted
  • Sableye MegaSableye Mega
  • AnnihilapeAnnihilape
  • UmbreonUmbreon
  • SharpedoSharpedo
  • SerperiorSerperior
  • ToxicroakToxicroak
  • SalazzleSalazzle
  • HawluchaHawlucha
  • Medicham MegaMedicham Mega
  • GliscorGliscor
  • AbsolAbsol
  • PangoroPangoro
  • FroslassFroslass
  • Palafin ZeroPalafin Zero
  • Mimikyu DisguisedMimikyu Disguised
  • CorviknightCorviknight
  • ChimechoChimecho
  • SkarmorySkarmory
  • Maushold Family Of ThreeMaushold Family Of Three
  • Salazzle TotemSalazzle Totem
  • LiepardLiepard
  • BanetteBanette
  • Maushold Family Of FourMaushold Family Of Four
  • QwilfishQwilfish
  • Morpeko HangryMorpeko Hangry
  • Qwilfish HisuiQwilfish Hisui
  • EmolgaEmolga
  • Morpeko Full BellyMorpeko Full Belly
  • MedichamMedicham
  • MawileMawile
  • SableyeSableye

Egg move (breeding)1 Pokémon

  • InfernapeInfernape

Pokémon that use this move

473 Pokémon, sorted by usage

  • IncineroarIncineroar
  • Tyranitar MegaTyranitar Mega
  • Gardevoir MegaGardevoir Mega
  • Hawlucha MegaHawlucha Mega
  • Steelix MegaSteelix Mega
  • Greninja AshGreninja Ash
  • Greninja MegaGreninja Mega
  • Houndoom MegaHoundoom Mega
  • Gyarados MegaGyarados Mega
  • Barbaracle MegaBarbaracle Mega
  • KingambitKingambit
  • Chesnaught MegaChesnaught Mega
  • Gallade MegaGallade Mega
  • Kommo O TotemKommo O Totem
  • Glalie MegaGlalie Mega
  • Aerodactyl MegaAerodactyl Mega
  • Chandelure MegaChandelure Mega
  • Malamar MegaMalamar Mega
  • HydreigonHydreigon
  • Emboar MegaEmboar Mega
  • Kommo OKommo O
  • Gengar MegaGengar Mega
  • Sharpedo MegaSharpedo Mega
  • Alakazam MegaAlakazam Mega
  • Scrafty MegaScrafty Mega
  • Palafin HeroPalafin Hero
  • InfernapeInfernape
  • WhimsicottWhimsicott
  • NoivernNoivern
  • ZoroarkZoroark
  • AerodactylAerodactyl
  • Froslass MegaFroslass Mega
  • QuaquavalQuaquaval
  • Decidueye HisuiDecidueye Hisui
  • Aggron MegaAggron Mega
  • Mr RimeMr Rime
  • Gengar GmaxGengar Gmax
  • GengarGengar
  • Pyroar MalePyroar Male
  • TyranitarTyranitar
  • Greninja Battle BondGreninja Battle Bond
  • VanilluxeVanilluxe
  • Grimmsnarl GmaxGrimmsnarl Gmax
  • CeruledgeCeruledge
  • Skarmory MegaSkarmory Mega
  • ArmarougeArmarouge
  • GyaradosGyarados
  • AlakazamAlakazam
  • GreninjaGreninja
  • Absol MegaAbsol Mega
  • AggronAggron
  • BearticBeartic
  • MeowscaradaMeowscarada
  • TsareenaTsareena
  • Absol Mega ZAbsol Mega Z
  • Lycanroc DuskLycanroc Dusk
  • SimipourSimipour
  • ChandelureChandelure
  • Lycanroc MidnightLycanroc Midnight
  • WeavileWeavile
  • Lycanroc MiddayLycanroc Midday
  • BarbaracleBarbaracle
  • GardevoirGardevoir
  • SimisearSimisear
  • Banette MegaBanette Mega
  • Mawile MegaMawile Mega
  • Samurott HisuiSamurott Hisui
  • SteelixSteelix
  • TalonflameTalonflame
  • GrimmsnarlGrimmsnarl
  • Slowking GalarSlowking Galar
  • Chimecho MegaChimecho Mega
  • PassimianPassimian
  • SimisageSimisage
  • SpiritombSpiritomb
  • ConkeldurrConkeldurr
  • OranguruOranguru
  • Zoroark HisuiZoroark Hisui
  • SamurottSamurott
  • BastiodonBastiodon
  • RunerigusRunerigus
  • ChesnaughtChesnaught
  • KrookodileKrookodile
  • EmboarEmboar
  • ScraftyScrafty
  • GlalieGlalie
  • MalamarMalamar
  • OverqwilOverqwil
  • HoundoomHoundoom
  • Mimikyu Totem BustedMimikyu Totem Busted
  • DecidueyeDecidueye
  • Corviknight GmaxCorviknight Gmax
  • GalladeGallade
  • Mimikyu Totem DisguisedMimikyu Totem Disguised
  • SneaslerSneasler
  • Mimikyu BustedMimikyu Busted
  • Sableye MegaSableye Mega
  • AnnihilapeAnnihilape
  • UmbreonUmbreon
  • SharpedoSharpedo
  • SerperiorSerperior
  • ToxicroakToxicroak
  • SalazzleSalazzle
  • HawluchaHawlucha
  • Medicham MegaMedicham Mega
  • GliscorGliscor
  • AbsolAbsol
  • PangoroPangoro
  • FroslassFroslass
  • Palafin ZeroPalafin Zero
  • Mimikyu DisguisedMimikyu Disguised
  • CorviknightCorviknight
  • ChimechoChimecho
  • SkarmorySkarmory
  • Maushold Family Of ThreeMaushold Family Of Three
  • Salazzle TotemSalazzle Totem
  • LiepardLiepard
  • BanetteBanette
  • Maushold Family Of FourMaushold Family Of Four
  • QwilfishQwilfish
  • Morpeko HangryMorpeko Hangry
  • Qwilfish HisuiQwilfish Hisui
  • EmolgaEmolga
  • Morpeko Full BellyMorpeko Full Belly
  • MedichamMedicham
  • MawileMawile
  • SableyeSableye

What this move does

Taunt is a Dark-type status move. It targets a single adjacent target and has 20 PP. Prevents the target from using status moves for three turns.

Shuts down Trick Room, redirection and screens before they happen.

When to consider it

Consider Taunt when your team needs the utility it provides rather than direct damage. Status moves define speed control, redirection, protection and disruption in VGC. Its value depends on whether your team can exploit the turns it creates. Check your team composition for Pokémon that benefit from the positioning or tempo it generates.

How to evaluate it in team building

In team building, Taunt competes with other support and disruption options for a limited number of moveslots. Ask whether your team has enough offense to justify a utility move, and whether you have the speed or bulk to use it safely. Many successful teams run one or two status moves that enable the rest of the roster, so treat it as part of your overall gameplan rather than an afterthought.

Common mistakes

Common mistakes with Taunt include: Using it without a clear plan for the turns it creates. Forgetting that Protect and Detect can block it, wasting a key turn. Not considering how redirectors like Follow Me and Rage Powder change targeting.

VGC interactions

Protect and Detect block this move. These interactions are situational, so test them in the team builder and matchup analyzer before committing to the moveslot.

Related tools and guides

Use the tools below to test Taunt in a full team context and compare it with alternative options.

VGC interactions

  • Protect / Detect: blocks this move.
  • Wide Guard: does not block this move.
  • Follow Me / Rage Powder: spread moves are not redirected.
  • Quick Guard: no effect (non-priority).

Frequently asked questions

Is Taunt good in VGC?

Shuts down Trick Room, redirection and screens before they happen.

Is Taunt affected by Protect?

Yes, Taunt is blocked by Protect and Detect.

Last updated: July 2026
All figures are estimated trends based on available data and do not guarantee competitive results. Matchups are situational. See our methodology for how these figures are calculated.