Truant
Truant is an ability introduced in Generation III of the Pokémon series. It is notable for its significant drawback: a Pokémon with Truant will only act every other turn. In essence, this means that after using a move, the Pokémon will “loaf around” and be unable to take any action, such as attacking, using items, or switching out, on the next turn.
Here are the key aspects and effects of Truant:
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Turn-Based Inactivity: After a Pokémon with Truant uses a move, it must skip its next turn. This alternation between activity and inactivity continues as long as the Pokémon remains in battle with its original Trainer.
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Prevalence: The ability is most famously associated with the Pokémon Slaking. Despite its high base stats which would make it formidable in battle, Truant significantly hampers Slaking’s effectiveness and strategy.
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Strategy Considerations: Trainers might use various strategies to mitigate the downside of Truant
Effects
- Every second turn on which this Pokémon should attempt to use a move, it will instead do nothing ("loaf around"). Loafing around interrupts moves that take multiple turns the same way paralysis, flinching, etc do. Most such moves, for example bide or rollout, are simply cut off upon loafing around. Attacks with a recharge turn, such as hyper beam, do not have to recharge; attacks with a preparation turn, such as fly, do not end up being used. Moves that are forced over multiple turns and keep going through failure, such as outrage, uproar, or any move forced by encore, keep going as usual. If this Pokémon is confused, its confusion is not checked when loafing around; the Pokémon cannot hurt itself, and its confusion does not end or come closer to ending. If this Pokémon attempts to move but fails, e.g. because of paralysis or gravity, it still counts as having moved and will loaf around the next turn. If it does not attempt to move, e.g. because it is asleep or frozen, whatever it would have done will be postponed until its next attempt; that is, it will either loaf around or move as usual, depending on what it last did. This ability cannot be changed with worry seed, but it can be disabled with gastro acid, changed with role play, or traded away with skill swap.
Flavor Texts
- ruby-sapphire: Moves only every two turns.
- emerald: Moves only every two turns.
- firered-leafgreen: Moves only every two turns.
- diamond-pearl: The Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- platinum: The Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- heartgold-soulsilver: Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- black-white: Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- black-2-white-2: Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- x-y: The Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- omega-ruby-alpha-sapphire: The Pokémon can’t attack on consecutive turns.
- sun-moon: The Pokémon can’t use a move the following turn if it uses one.
- ultra-sun-ultra-moon: The Pokémon can’t use a move the following turn if it uses one.
- lets-go-pikachu-lets-go-eevee: The Pokémon can’t use a move if it had used a move on the previous turn.
- sword-shield: The Pokémon can’t use a move if it had used a move on the previous turn.
- scarlet-violet: Each time the Pokémon uses a move, it spends the next turn loafing around.
Pokémon with the Truant ability
Slakoth
287 - Normal
Slaking
289 - Normal
Durant
632 - Bug, Steel