Double Battle
A double battle, also known a a 2-on-2 battle or tag battle, is a Pokémon battle featuring up to four Pokémon actively participating at once.
Each Pokémon is part of a duo, meaning that the battle takes place between two teams of two. The number of Pokémon trainers participating in the battle can be two - in which each trainer uses two Pokémon, three - in which a pair of trainers each using a single Pokémon face off against a trainer using two, or four trainers - with each trainer using a single Pokémon.
Double battles were introduced into the Pokémon games in Generation III. However, the idea had been presented in the Pokémon anime and the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga long before that.
Pokémon pairs often used in double battles
- Two of the exact same Pokémon
- A Pokémon and its evolved or pre-evolved form
- Two Pokémon of the same type
- A Pokémon with high Attack and a Pokémon with high Defense.
- A Pokémon vulnerable to Template:Type2 attacks and a Pokémon with the Lightningrod ability.
- A Pokémon vulnerable to Template:Type2 attacks and a Pokémon with the Storm Drain ability.
- Any two Starter Pokémon
- Pikachu with a Pikachu-like Pokémon (Plusle, Minun, Marill, and Pachirisu)
- Butterfree and Beedrill
- Pidgeot, Noctowl, Swellow, and/or Staraptor
- Nidoqueen and Nidoking
- Clefairy/Clefable and Jigglypuff/Wigglytuff
- Vileplume and Victreebel
- Arcanine and Ninetales
- Alakazam and Machamp
- Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and/or Hitmontop
- Arbok and Weezing
- Ditto with another Pokémon
- Magmar/Magmortar and Electabuzz/Electivire
- Pinsir and Heracross
- Gyarados and Milotic
- Rarely; Magikarp and Feebas
- Tauros and Miltank
- Any combination of Eevee's Evolutions, usually Vaporeon, Jolteon, and/or Flareon, Umbreon and Espeon, or Leafeon and Glaceon
- Omastar and Kabutops
- Dragonite, Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Aggron, Flygon, and/or Garchomp
- Bellossom with Vileplume and/or Sunflora
- Quagsire and Whiscash
- Beautifly with Dustox or Butterfree
- Ludicolo and Shiftry
- Plusle and Minun
- Volbeat and Illumise
- Zangoose and Seviper
- Lunatone and Solrock
- Cradily and Armaldo
- Banette and Dusclops/Dusknoir
- Glalie and Froslass
- Huntail and Gorebyss
- Rampardos and Bastiodon
- Bonsly/Sudowoodo and Mime Jr./Mr. Mime
- Gallade and Gardevoir
Legendary Pairs often used in Double Battles
- Two of Kanto's legendary birds
- Two of Johto's legendary beasts
- Two of Hoenn's legendary golems and/or Regigigas
- Two of Sinnoh's lake trio
- Two of Hoenn's trio of weather (Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza)
- Groudon with Cherrim, Template:Type2 Pokémon, and other Pokémon that benefit from sunlight.
- Kyogre with Ludicolo, Template:Type2 Pokémon, and other Pokémon that benefit from rain
- Deoxys with another Deoxys of a different form.
- Two of the cute Legendary Pokémon
- Mew and Mewtwo
- Latios and Latias
- Dialga and Palkia, sometimes grouped with Giratina, Heatran, and Arceus
- Darkrai with Cresselia or a Pokémon whose attacks are geared towards sleeping Pokémon.
Effects on moves
Many different moves are made especially for double battles, such as Helping Hand. Some others, such as Surf, can have noticeably different effects. Below is a list of moves which act differently in double battles. Unlisted moves act the same as in normal single battles.
May be used on user or partner
- Acid Armor
- Agility
- Amnesia
- Aromatherapy
- Barrier
- Baton Pass
- Belly Drum
- Bide
- Bulk Up
- Calm Mind
- Camouflage
- Charge
- Conversion
- Conversion2
- Cosmic Power
- Defense Curl
- Destiny Bond
- Detect
- Double Team
- Dragon Dance
- Endure
- Focus Energy
- Follow Me
- Growth
- Grudge
- Hail
- Harden
- Haze
- Heal Bell
- Helping Hand
- Howl
- Imprison
- Ingrain
- Iron Defense
- Light Screen
- Meditate
- Milk Drink
- Minimize
- Mist
- Moonlight
- Morning Sun
- Mud Sport
- Perish Song
- Protect
- Rain Dance
- Recover
- Recycle
- Reflect
- Refresh
- Rest
- Safeguard
- Sandstorm
- Sharpen
- Slack Off
- Softboiled
- Splash
- Stockpile
- Substitute
- Sunny Day
- Swallow
- Swords Dance
- Synthesis
- Tail Glow
- Teleport
- Water Sport
- Wish
- Withdraw
Target depends on status of battle
May hit either opponent
Hits both opponents
- Acid
- Air Cutter
- Blizzard
- Bubble
- Eruption
- Growl
- Heat Wave
- Hyper Voice
- Icy Wind
- Leer
- Muddy Water
- Powder Snow
- Razor Leaf
- Razor Wind
- Rock Slide
- Surf
- String Shot
- Sweet Scent
- Swift
- Tail Whip
- Twister
- Water Spout
Hits both opponents and partner
Affects all Pokémon in battle
Effects on abilities
Many abilities, such as Plus, are also adapted especially for double battles. Below is a list of abilities geared towards double battles:
In the anime
The first official double battle occured in Pokémon Double Trouble. In order to win the Jade Star Badge, Ash had to defeat Luana's Marowak and Alakazam in a double battle. While Ash's Pikachu and Charizard were initially unwilling to cooperate, they eventually overcame it to win the battle.
After the release of Ruby and Sapphire, double battles were seen in the anime more often. The first took place in All in a Day's Wurmple. Forrester Franklin introduced the concept to Ash and they had a battle that Ash won. As in the games, Ash's Gym Battle against Tate and Liza was a double battle. The Double Battle style has been used in contests; more specifically, all four battle rounds of the Grand Festival. Additionally, in order to qualify for the finals of the Ever Grande Conference, competitors must win three double battles in the preliminaries. Double battles also appeared in the seventh movie, Destiny Deoxys.
The Bicker the Better, Grating Spaces and The Champ Twins! all featured tag battles; double battles with two trainers on each side.
While not counting as official battles, battles with Team Rocket are usually two-on-two, as has been the case since Ash Catches a Pokémon. In that episode, Ash complained that it was against the rules. Perhaps to account for this, Forrester stated that double battles are accepted under Hoenn's official Pokémon league rules.
