Speed Explained: How Does Speed Work?

What is Speed and how does it affect a Pokemon's performance in battle? Read on to find out how Speed works and why it is important to understand in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)!

What Can We Learn From This Article?
How Speed works
Speed is determined by a Pokemon's Base Speed, EVs, IVs, and Nature
Held Items and Moves can also affect Speed and turn order
Pokemon's Speed can change in the middle of battle

How Does Speed Work?

Speed Determines Turn Order

Image from Pokemon Sword and Shield

Each Pokemon is assigned a Base Speed stat, which is used to determine which Pokemon gets to attack first. If a Pokemon's Speed stat is at least 1 point higher than another Pokemon, that Pokemon will get to use a move first.

In the case of the image above, both Garchomp and Hydreigon can OHKO each other. However, Garchomp will always get to attack first unless there are other factors outside of Nature, EVs and IVs that will allow the opposing Hydreigon to be faster.

Attacking first and knocking out the opposing Pokemon quickly is generally advantageous because it ensures that our Pokemon will be taking damage less frequently.

Speed is Determined by Nature, EVs and IVs

Base Speed and Individual Values
Pictured above is a Zapdos whose natural Base Speed is 100 and also has 31 Speed IVs putting its Speed at 120. It does not have a beneficial Speed Nature or EVs.
Effort Values
By properly training our Zapdos, we are able to put 252 Effort Values into its Speed, raising its total to 152. This Zapdos does not have a beneficial Speed Nature.
With a beneficial Speed Nature such as Timid or Jolly, Zapdos' Speed total goes up to 167. Now that it has a beneficial Nature, IVs, and EVs, this is the fastest that Zapdos can naturally be.

Factors That Change Speed During Battle

Held Items

Zapdos holding a Choice Scarf will make it even faster, allowing it to outspeed Pokemon it usually would not outspeed. Note that Choice Scarf multiples by 1.5 rounded down.

Moves

Image from Pokemon Sword and Shield

Moves such as Dragon Dance and Agility can raise a Pokemon's Speed during battle.

Abilities

Image from Pokemon Sword and Shield

Abilities such as Speed Boost or Weak Armor can also boost a Pokemon's Speed during battle.

Weather-related Abilities such as Excadrill's Sand Rush can double its Speed in a Sandstorm, but these Abilities do not trigger in-game text.

Advantages of Low Speed

Players can purposefully make their Pokemon slower by breeding for low Speed IVs and putting no EVs into Speed to ensure that the Pokemon will always go last in order to give them the advantage in certain situations.

Switching Moves

When using moves that switch the user out like U-Turn or Volt Switch, it is advantageous for the user to move last so that the Pokemon switching in does not have to take damage from an incoming attack.

Field Effects

Slow weather and terrain setters are often ideal, making sure that the weather or terrain that they set trigger last. Remember that weather and terrain trigger in order of Speed, so for your Pokemon's field effect to take effect, it has to be slower than your opponent's Pokemon.

Powers Up Certain Moves

Some moves benefit from a user with a low Speed stat.

Payback's damage is increased if the Pokemon using it goes second.
Gyro Ball gets stronger the lower the user's Speed stat is.

Advantage in Trick Room

Under the conditions of Trick Room, Speed is reversed. This allows slow Pokemon to move ahead of faster Pokemon.

Speed Frequently Asked Questions

What Abilities Affect Speed?

These Abilities are not announced during battle, the same way an Ability like Intimidate does. It is important to remember which Pokemon have these Abilities, so that we're not taken by surprise by their Speed.

What is Priority?

Priority is a property of moves that allow its user to use a move first.
Attacks like Quick Attack and Protect will sometimes come out first before other attacks. The reason for this is their Priority.

Additionally, Abilities can also affect the Priority of moves. These include Abilities like Prankster, Gale Wings, and Triage.

List of Priority Moves

Can You Check Speed Through A Pokemon's Abilities?

Yes. In some cases, messages are displayed onscreen that tell us a Pokemon's Ability. Keep an eye out for these, as these messages can inform us of the Pokemon on the field's Speed, and consequently clue us in on turn order.

Abilities such as Intimidate, Weather setting Abilities like Sand Stream, and Terrain setting Abilities like Psychic Surge can help us deduce turn order, based on the order that the Abilities trigger.

How Much Does Speed Increase/Decrease?

Speed increases and decreases like any other stat (excluding Accuracy and Evasion) in stages. Its total Speed stat is multiplied by the values below.

Round Down the Values

Take for example, Zapdos with 167 Speed. to calculate for a -1 drop, we must multiply 167 to 2/3. This results in 111.33. After rounding down the decimal number, Zapdos' Speed at -1 will result in 111.
Let's use the table shown above as a handy table to calculate for status buffs and reductions!

What is Trick Room?

First introduced in Generation IV, Trick Room reverses the move order in the battlefield. Under this effect, slower Pokemon move before normally faster Pokemon.

Although this move is considered a form of speed control, dedicated teams made up of slower Pokemon can take advantage of this unique battle effect to establish an offensive presence while also hindering the opposing team.

Under the effects of Trick Room, the priority of these moves will still be followed. Meaning moves like Extreme Speed will still go first under its effect.

How is Speed Relevant to Perish Song?

Perish Song is a move that makes Pokemon in the field who hear it faint in 3 turns unless they switch out. The order of which the Pokemon faint is fastest to slowest, which means that the fastest Pokemon will faint first, and the slowest Pokemon will faint last. This works as a win condition in some teams with slow users like Politoed and Lapras.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Related Guides

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List of All Game Mechanics