AttackDex

Move Name	Combat Type	Base Power	Accuracy	Power Points	Category
Substitute		0	0	10
Battle Effect: 1/4 of users HP goes to a substitute that takes all attacks until it is KO’d. User still takes damage from Sandstorm

Contest Type	Appeal Points	Jam Points
	2	0
Contest Effect: Can avoid being startled by others once

Basics

Substitute is a Normal Type move introduced way back in the first generation. It has a base PP of ten which can reach sixteen if PP Up is used on the Pokémon. It has perfect accuracy and it is classified as an other move, meaning it’s a non-damaging attack. When a Pokémon uses the move Substitute in-battle the user loses twenty-five percent of its maximum HP to create a substitute or sub. The sub will then take any hits for the user until it breaks and it will also block all moves which directly try to status the user. The move Substitute falls under the category smart for contests and super-contests. It has an appeal of one, and if a Pokémon who uses the move gets the lowest score it will earn +3 appeal points. Substitute happens to be TM 90 in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. TM 90 can be found in two places. It is found once at Forest Manor and can be obtained as many times as you like from The Game Corner for 2000 game points. An easy way to get game points is to use the VS. Seeker on the two Socialites on Route 212 with a Pokémon holding an Amulet Coin. This way you can obtain large amounts of money and buy the coins directly. You can also do it the good ol’ way and play the slot machines, but try not to get hooked . What’s really interesting is that TM 90 is learned by all Pokémon who can learn TMs. This means that the only Pokémon who can not learn it are Caterpie, Metapod, Weedle, Kakuna, Magikarp, Ditto, Unown, Wobbufett, Wurmple, Silcoon, Cascon, Wynaut, Kricketot, Combee, Burmy, and Beldum . Substitute is also learned by leveling up by Mr.Mime, Kecleon, Mime Jr., and Rotom. When a Pokémon uses Substitute, a green cat-like plushie appears in front of them, unless they are a teacher, if that happens then another teacher just pops up <_< *bad jokes* The green-cat plushie is very visually appealing which is a plus when you use Substitute in...

Competitive Battling

Substitute is a staple in competitive battling. One of the very basic strategies is to use the move Baton Pass when you have a sub up. This will give the receiver a free switch in and they might even get the chance to set up. Another strategy involving Substitute is SubPunching. This makes use of the move Focus Punch while a sub is up. Since the opponent will be unable to damage you directly, your FALCON PAWNCH!!!!! err….Focus Punch will always hit <_<. One of the most deadly strategies is SubSalac. This strategy is based around subbing down three times to get to twenty-five percent health, which may activate a berry such as Salac Berry. When this strategy is played correctly the user could end up with +2 Att/Sp.A and +1 Spd, leaving them with a high chance of a sweep. A good user of this strategy is Porygon-Z. You could also have spin-offs of this strategy, where the user holds a +Att/Sp.A berry and uses a +2 Spd moves such as Agility and Rock Polish. Good users of this strategy are Empoleon and Rhyperior. Whether you are annoying your opponent with SubSeeding, or just using Substitute to aid with prediction and block status, Substitute is right for the job. The word Substitute is pretty long @.@, almost as long as...

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous things are always fun. Substitute has appeared in the anime. Shaymin used Substitute in the movie, Giratina and the Sky Warrior. In the anime the move Substitute actually makes an exact replica of the user which vanishes when hit. Substitute was TM 50 in Generation I. Also, my Cacturne has the move Substitute in its arsenal, but shh…. don’t tell anybody.

Did you know?

That Shedinja can’t make a substitute even though it learns the attack. Weird huh?