Snatch

[Emperor]

http://www.serebii.net/attackdex-bw/snatch.shtml

Move: Snatch
Type: Dark
Catagory: Other
Effect: Steals the effects of certain moves used by the opponent
Priorty: 4
PP: 10
Acc: Always


Snatchable Moves

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Acid Armor, Agility, Amnesia, Aqua Ring,
Armomatherapy,Barrier, Belly Drum, Body Purge,
Bulk Up, Butterfly Dance, Calm Mind, Camouflage,
Charge, Cheer Up, Coil, Conversion,
Cosmic Power, Cotton Guard, Defend Order, Defense Curl,
Double Team, Dragon Dance, Fast Guard, Focus Energy,
Gear Change, Growth, Harden, Heal Bell,
Heal Order, Healing Wish, Hone Claws, How,l
Imprison, Ingrain, Iron Defense, Light Screen,
Lucky Chant, Lunar Dance, Magnet Rise, Meditate,
Milk Drink, Minimize, Mist, Moonlight, Morning Sun,
Nasty Plot, Power Trick, Recover, Recycle,
Reflect, Rest, Rock Polish, Roost,
Safeguard, Shell Break, Sharpen, Slack Off,
Stockpile, Substitute, Swallow, Swords Dance,
Synthesis, Tail Glow, Tailwind, Wide Guard,
Wish, Withdraw

Users are split into 5th gen users who can use the move either way

5th Gen Users:

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Banette, Deoxys, Snorlax, Liepard,
Reuniclus, Heatmor, Arbok, Persian,
Mightyena, Kecleon, Purugly, Zoroark,
Druddigon

or 4th Gen TM users who can only use Snatch by TM from last gen

4th Gen Tm Users:

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Absol, Alakazam, Ambipom, Blissey,
Breloom, Chimecho, Clefable, Crobat,
Darkrai, Dusclops, Froslass, Gallade,
Gardevoir, Gengar, Grumpig, Honchkrow,
Houndoom, Huntail, Hypno, Mew,
Mewtwo, Mismagius, Mr.Mime, Rotom,
Sabeleye, Seviper, Skuntank, Spinda,
Spiritomb, Swalot, Toxicroak, Umbreon,
Wigglytuff, Weavile

Overview: Snatch is usually not seen as the "Move of choice". Usually, it's much better to just put in a move that will always work (SD, NP, you know the drill). But for those who like risk, it's good to know that Snatch has a bigger "Snatch pool" with even better moves to steal such as Shell Break and Butterfly Dance while still including common moves such as substitute and wish.

Pros

A potentially larger selection of moves to use
A potentially free turn of set up

Cons

Moves used by snatch are completely controlled by your opponent.
There is a Chance that you may not be able to snatch anything at all.
Failing to snatch gives your opponent a free turn.

Discuss Snatch and its uses!

 

[Cshadow]

Snatch steals moves like Substitute and Calm Mind (maybe Recover too?), so as long as your opponent has a designated set-up (anything) (and you're able to identify whom it is) I can't imagine the move itself being complete dead weight on your team.

The Pokemon making use of Snatch however...

 

[Emperor]

Snatch steals moves like Substitute and Calm Mind (maybe Recover too?), so as long as your opponent has a designated set-up (anything) (and you're able to identify whom it is) I can't imagine the move itself being complete dead weight on your team.

The Pokemon making use of Snatch however...

There's always Zoroark for more potential mind games :P

And full lists are now in OP

 

[Kefka Palazzo™]

Seems like just another gimmicky move, but snatching a Cloyster's Shell Break would be epic.

 

[JohnWesleyX]

How viable would Gengar be at this?

Gengar@Life orb/Leftovers
252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Levitate:
-Snatch
-Disable
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast

Prediction is key, snatch an enemys boosting move or wish from a lucario or blissey, then disable it to prevent them from using it.

Umbreon@leftovers
252 Hp/ (insert Defense Evs here)
Synchronise:
~Snatch
~Baton Pass
~Wish
~Payback/Dark Pulse

Steal enemy boosts and quickly pass them to one of your fellow sweepers and wreck havoc upon the enemy. Once again prediction is key.

 

[Jaroda]

Gengar Snatched Volcarona's Butterfly Dance! *salivates*

 

[Daenym]

Since stat upping is used more than ever now, I'd say this is a great move to mess with people. The problem is that anyone who sees a common Snatcher will just opt out of the stat up and start attacking (assuming they haven't already gotten some boosts).

I'd say the key is to use something reasonably bulky, so you can threaten enough to make them either switch out, or survive in case they predict Snatch and hit you with something. Snorlax and Reuniclus, and maybe Dusknoir/Dusclops.

I like the Umbreon too, since people will (at first) see him and switch in a stat upper since he looks like setup fodder usually.

 

[Bombkirby]

Gengar Snatched Volcarona's Butterfly Dance! *salivates*

EXACTLY what I was thinking. XD

 

[min min]

I'd say Shell Break is better but Cloyster might just Icicle Spear to break the sub and you could always Shadow Ball for the KO anyway.

 

[YJiang]

I'd say Shell Break is better but Cloyster might just Icicle Spear to break the sub and you could always Shadow Ball for the KO anyway.

But if you Snatch a Shell Break, Cloyster will still be dead on the next turn, except you have a massive boost.

That being said, it's still highly situational to be virtually ineffective.

 

[SMZ]

Since stat upping is used more than ever now, I'd say this is a great move to mess with people. The problem is that anyone who sees a common Snatcher will just opt out of the stat up and start attacking (assuming they haven't already gotten some boosts).

That is assuming people even expect Snatch/Snatch getting more common, which I don't see really happening. Yes it can net you a boost / Sub, and save you from the opponent's, but it's very situational. Best case scenario is that Cloyster/whatever doubles switches or comes after KO and you have your snatcher to take their set up team and finish them off.

 

[Salem1]

The problem with snatching stuff like Cloyster's shell break is that you'll most likely need to switch in. If he then switches out or if he can KO you before you KO him, the advantage is with him. If he doesn't do any or much damage and then Shell Breaks then yeah... but how often would that happen? It's for the same reason that Ditto used to be useless.

 

[min min]

Oh, and I've faced an Absol with Snatch before, I tried to set up in its face to avoid Gyarados dying to Sucker Punch, and before I knew it there was a +1 Atk +1 Spe Absol staring my entire team down in my face.

The Absol won.

 

[NDenizen]

Snatch always struck me as a move that should be more commonplace, seeing as how there's potential for it to only be used once and then you have a sweeper on your hands.

With all the stat boosting around in Gen 5, I imagine it could see more use. Especially Zoroark is a fantastic user of Snatch, due it its Illusion - disguise yourself as set-up bait, then snatch.

 

[Salem1]

Snatch always struck me as a move that should be more commonplace, seeing as how there's potential for it to only be used once and then you have a sweeper on your hands.

With all the stat boosting around in Gen 5, I imagine it could see more use. Especially Zoroark is a fantastic user of Snatch, due it its Illusion - disguise yourself as set-up bait, then snatch.

But why? are you going to snatch a SD, a NP, a Calm Mind? a Sub? what? you already have these moves.

 

[TM13IceBeam]

But why? are you going to snatch a SD, a NP, a Calm Mind? a Sub? what? you already have these moves.

Having a +2 Zoroark against a +0 w/e is always better than having a +2 Zoroark against a +2 whatever.

especially if said whatever happens to carry priority(Scizor)

 

[Showsni]

But why? are you going to snatch a SD, a NP, a Calm Mind? a Sub? what? you already have these moves.

The best thing about it is it stops your opponent using the moves - it's like setting up with SD or whatever whilst also Taunting your opponent for a turn. The problem, of cours, is that you can't choose what move you get, and if you predict wrong you're finished.

 

[Benlisted]

Has some interesting doubles potential for stopping Wide and Fast Guard, which will no doubt be invaluable. Aside from that, it mainly stops faster things you can't taunt setting up on you (but then again you have to have balls to stay in), which is mainly pointless unless you would be able to make use of the boosts and don't initially have a boosting move of your own (Zoroark). Umbreon seems the most viable user of this to me, being able to pass on the boosts.

 

[NDenizen]

But why? are you going to snatch a SD, a NP, a Calm Mind? a Sub? what? you already have these moves.

How about a Butterfly Dance or a Shell Smash?

 

[TM13IceBeam]

Except who exactly is Umbreon able to Snatch against?

Scizor: You need to make sure its not CBScizor, and even then he still has the option of Superpower.

Haxorus: Outrage pretty much says GG to Umbreon

Voltolos: Always wins due to Snatch being unable to grab Taunt, allowing him to NP safely.

Terakion: Why bother, CC should OHKO it, if not 2HKO.

Snorlax: Nowadays stuff like Curselax are not seen often. Nothing to get. Moving on.

Roobushin: I HAVE HAMMER ARM SCREW OFF

Reuniclus: Probably the only one that Umbreon can beat, although Payback doesn't deal extra damage and Reuniclus gets Focus Blast

Tyranitar: The only one that gets hit is TyraniBoah, but TTar is usually strong enough to kill Umbreon anyway.

Suicune: Crocune dies here as Snatch can steal Rest, although it will leave Umbreon incapcitated for 2 turns anyway so you can Rest again and Sleep Talk.

Nattorei: The only one that Umbreon pretty much cannot be beaten by, although then again anyone seeing Natt out will usually switch out to something like Breloom or Heatran.

Cloyster: Umbreon can beat this, so don't setup Cloyster, period.

Ulgamoth: Bug Buzz pretty much seals the deal for poor Umbreon. Better luck next time.

This is mostly off the top of my head though. :/

 

[XienZo]

Most people won't try to KO what is commonly known to be prime set-up fodder though. Spiritomb also gets this move, and it'll probably be useful on it as well.

 

[Emperor]

It's probably much more effective to use a snatcher in situations where both you and your opponent's pokemon have died. In that case, pairing with a Destiny Bonder, Reliable Life orber, or exploder is likely your best bet. That way you can do something like this

Ex
You: Send snatcher out
Opponent: Send pokemon with disadvantage out

Opponent: Switches out to gain advantage
You: Use a virtually ineffective move that isn't snatch

You: Snatch
Opponent: Has their set up move stolen

Or

You: send snatcher out
Opponent: sends out pokemon with an advantage

You: Snatch
Opponent: Has their set up move stolen

At least that's how I see it. The problem would normally be if the pokemon that is sent out is a choiced. In that case, it's probably a good idea to pair snatch with protect for obvious choice users. All in all, it's still up to prediction.

 

[Bombkirby]

The best thing about it is it stops your opponent using the moves - it's like setting up with SD or whatever whilst also Taunting your opponent for a turn. The problem, of cours, is that you can't choose what move you get, and if you predict wrong you're finished.

It also takes a turn AWAY from your opponent. Nothing is worse than wasting a turn in Pokemon.

 

[Lady Shinki]

The problem with Snatch isn't that it's a bad move: it's that the Pokémon that get it have limited viability IF they dedicate a moveslot to Snatch. Spiritomb is arguably the best user of the move since he has good enough mixed bulk to both be able to steal Bulk Ups+Butterfly Dances and burn opponents while having passable offense with Shadow Ball+HP Fighting.

 

[NDenizen]

Spiritomb is arguably the best user of the move since he has good enough mixed bulk to both be able to steal Bulk Ups+Butterfly Dances and burn opponents while having passable offense with Shadow Ball+HP Fighting.

I don't entirely agree - if you want to be use Snatch as an opportunity to completely turn the tables on your opponent, then Spiritomb isn't what you want. Obviously that's a riskier strategy, but netting a Shell Smash can be a great move.

Snatch+Baton Pass could be pretty nifty too:

Absol
Ambipom
Huntail
Mew
Mr Mime
Spinda

Though no particularly great users, especially when many of them either suck or don't need Snatch to be deadly.

The thing with Snatch is that it seems better as filler than trying to create an entire strategy around it, though the Spiritomb idea is nice. Simply having Snatch on your moveset as your opponent brings out Cloyster or Iwaperasu is wonderful.