When the 2020 season started, everyone had to adapt to the new mechanic of this generation, Dynamax. All Pokémon were now allowed to become bulkier, hit stronger and be immune to key moves like Fake Out and effects like flinching for three turns. Besides, they can also bypass the locking effects of choice items, like the Choice Scarf, although that resumes once Dynamax is over.
However, Dynamaxed Pokémon are still affected by moves allowing the user and the target to interchange their held items, namely Trick and Switcheroo. Because of this, some players use a strategy based on giving a Dynamaxed Pokémon the Eject Button item, forcing them to switch out thus losing the Dynamax turns right away.
In this article, we will have a thorough look at this strategy.
The concept
It’s hard to say who first came up with the idea, but Wolfe Glick went viral on Twitter an intelligent use of it by teaching Trick to his Grimmsnarl and Quick Attack to his Sylveon. As both moves hit with priority, as long as Wolfe chose the right target, this would be virtually always successful.
The strategy can be used by different Pokémon, though it’s recommended to have one with the Prankster ability to ensure the Eject Button gets passed. For the partner, a fast Pokémon or one with priority moves is ideal, as you should be able to capitalize on the strategy at any turn in the game.
The Eject Button strat is interesting for disrupting strategies based on Dynamaxing your attacker, then hitting it with a super-effective attack with your ally to proc its Weakness Policy, such as Dragapult+Shadow Sneak user (Mimikyu or Dusclops) or Coalossal+Water-type attack (from the likes of Dragapult), although you need to be sure of the speed interactions between all Pokémon.
As with all strategies based on catching your opponent off-guard, this is specially successful in best of one games, but it can also work in a best of three set as long as you don’t overly rely on it. If you have multiple ways to play around opposing Dynamaxed Pokémon, you can save this strat as a trump card up your sleeve.
Common users
For the Pokémon passing on the Eject Button, you could ideally look at three: Grimmsnarl, Whimsicott and Sableye.
Grimmsnarl
Whimsicott
Whimsicott is one of the fastest Pokémon in the metagame, but also one of the most fragile ones. By equiping it with the Eject Button instead of the Focus Sash, you’re risking getting OHKO’d, but thanks to its Prankster ability, you can at least ensure a key Tailwind or passing the Eject Button before that happens.
Sableye
Sableye is quite uncommon in the metagame, but its Ghost-type grants it immunity to relevant priority moves, namely Fake Out, but also Mach Punch or Extreme Speed to name a few. Having access to Fake Out on its own, coupled by Prankster and support moves such as Quash, Taunt, Encore or Ally Switch also makes up for an interesting Pokémon. The Eject Button is a nice addition to it, as you can either keep it to cycle your Sableye for free once it gets hit or pass it onto your opponent’s team.
Other noteworthy mentions include:
Pokémon | Move |
---|---|
Meowstic | Trick |
Liepard | Trick |
Klefki | Switcheroo |
Alolan Persian | Switcheroo (without Prankster) |
Ribombee | Switcheroo (without Prankster) |
Gengar | Trick (without Prankster) |
Stopping the strategy
While curious and somewhat unexpected, this strategy is not broken and can be stopped using common moves or Pokémon:
- Protect: by protecting the potential receiver of the Eject Button, you deny your opponent from passing it. During that turn, you can attack the Pokémon holding the button to trigger it and effectively stopping the strategy. Same applies to Max Guard.
- Priority moves: moves with greater priority landing on the Eject Button holder will also deny the strategy by forcing them to consume the item before passing it.
Fake Out will always work to this effect, which is why Sableye is an interesting Trick user. Besides, Extreme Speed and its +2 priority allows it to happen before Prankster Trick, so this comes in handy. Because both are Normal-type attacks, Ghost-type Trick users such as Sableye are at a bit more advantage.
In the end, any Pokémon with a +1 priority move faster than the Trick user will work to disrupt this strategy if used correctly. - Dark-types: unless your opponent uses a Pokémon without Prankster to pass the Eject Button, Dark-type Pokémon like Tyranitar or Incineroar are immune to priority moves, including Prankster Trick.
- Frisk: if you’re using a Dusclops and frisk the opponent’s Eject Button, you’re aware of the strategy before it can happen and can comfortably counter-play it.
Closing words
As we have seen, there are plenty of ways to both exploit and counter this strategy. While a bit gimmicky, the best players are aware of all these little tricks when teambuilding and achieving top results at tournaments, so you should be, too: better safe than sorry!