Move-of-the-Week Discussion #66: Trick-or-Treat

winstein

winstein

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In Pokémon, there are lots of different moves used by different Pokémon. Every week, we shall focus the discussion on a different move, and there will be some base questions that would help you start this off. This week, Trick-or-Treat is chosen.

It's our first Generation 6 move, so I start it with choosing one which is related to Halloween (despite the US practically only celebrating it), and the learners are thematically Halloween-based. I chose it because I like Ghost-types too. Anyway, this interesting move follows in the footsteps of Soak, in which it will give the target a new type. However, unlike Soak, this move adds a type to the target's current type, meaning that even if the target has two types, it will give them a third type. For example, a Bulbasaur will have Grass/Poison/Ghost when affected, while a Charmander will have Fire/Ghost.

Here's the in-game description for this move:

In-game Description (XY) said:
Type: Ghost (Other)
Base Power: --
Accuracy: 100%
PP: 20

The user takes the target trick-or-treating. This adds Ghost type to the target's type.
Click to expand...

Here are the usual possible questions about this move:
  • How does certain Pokémon (who knows it) use this move? What kind of purpose would this move have for them (in the Pokémon World)?
  • How could this move be used to aid a profession in the Pokémon World?
  • Could this move realistically be used by any Pokémon who doesn't learn it normally? If yes, please explain your choices.
  • How would this move be used in battling, realistically or video game-wise?

Other questions (You could ask other critical questions beyond the listed):
  • How does bringing a target trick-or-treating give them a Ghost-type?
  • Would adding a Ghost-type to a partner or opponent be helpful outside of battle?
  • Is the incident in Tower of Terror in the anime (where Ash become spirited) the same effect as this move?

Here are the current (known) users of this move:
(Level-up)​
  • Pumpkaboo & Gourgeist

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The General Pokémon Forum Staff


Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

Next Move-of-the-Week: A move with a variable type that isn't what it is listed as.​
 
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I'm looking forward to everyone's answers. Can we still post in old "move of the week" discussions? I don't have X and Y yet so what I know about this is limited to what I've read online.

I feel like this is mostly a gimmicky move on the surface but if used right could be helpful when taking down pokémon your team is at a disadvantage against. Throw in some moves with a type ghost is weak to and it gets easier to wear out the target, especially if the move is still effective if you switch out Pumpkaboo/Gorgeist for another pokémon in your party.

It seems like the kind of move only Ghost-types could realistically learn. It seems very specific. As to it being fitting, well, I think it really fits with Pumpkaboo/Gorgeist best of all types. :)

In the Pokémon world, thieves and spies could probably would use this move. They could get ghostified by Pumpkaboo and use it to go through walls. If it didn't apply to humans then they could train specific pokémons to sneak in after turning into ghost types. I'm not sure if there would be many benefits to using it outside of battle, really.

I believe the "takes the target trick-or-treating" part is just a cutesy way to refer to it, in the sense of how you have to put on a costume to go trick-or-treating so turning into a ghost type temporarily is a bit like putting on a scary costume. I don't think they literally go trick-or-treating. I picture the pokémon affected as looking a bit ghostly in a cartoonish way, this could work in the anime or in real life if Pokémon were real.
 
SemioticSam said:
I'm looking forward to everyone's answers. Can we still post in old "move of the week" discussions? I don't have X and Y yet so what I know about this is limited to what I've read online.
Click to expand...

Yes, feel free to post in previous threads (links are provided in the main post). They are still open, so you could post in them.

I feel like this is mostly a gimmicky move on the surface but if used right could be helpful when taking down pokémon your team is at a disadvantage against. Throw in some moves with a type ghost is weak to and it gets easier to wear out the target, especially if the move is still effective if you switch out Pumpkaboo/Gorgeist for another pokémon in your party.
Click to expand...

I think like with any volatile effect, it will go off when the target is switched out. If these Pokemon could learn Pursuit, that would be fantastic because the chance of the strategy working is greater.

It seems like the kind of move only Ghost-types could realistically learn. It seems very specific. As to it being fitting, well, I think it really fits with Pumpkaboo/Gorgeist best of all types. :)
Click to expand...

I agree. The flavour of this move makes it more like it fits them.

In the Pokémon world, thieves and spies could probably would use this move. They could get ghostified by Pumpkaboo and use it to go through walls. If it didn't apply to humans then they could train specific pokémons to sneak in after turning into ghost types. I'm not sure if there would be many benefits to using it outside of battle, really.

I believe the "takes the target trick-or-treating" part is just a cutesy way to refer to it, in the sense of how you have to put on a costume to go trick-or-treating so turning into a ghost type temporarily is a bit like putting on a scary costume. I don't think they literally go trick-or-treating. I picture the pokémon affected as looking a bit ghostly in a cartoonish way, this could work in the anime or in real life if Pokémon were real.
Click to expand...

I kind of imagine it as more like the ghost of whoever is inflicted temporarily leaves the body for whatever reason, similar to how Ash leaves the body in Tower of Terror in the anime. If that's the case, I wonder how this move would be executed in the anime.

Thanks for reading.
 
Whenever I am thinking of Halloween, I imagine people dressing up as many characters, ghostly characters specifically. Perhaps, the basis of this move is that the costumes might have became special and caused a Ghost-typing.

But judging the move, it looks like it is like Soak. I could guess it is like the target was like, giving candy (or is it vice versa?). It's illogical if the Ghost-typing is related to the candy-givings.

Game-wise, I think it is gonna be tricky, 3 types? Looks like damage calculation had more changes than the Fairy-type addition.
 
I haven't seen the animation for this move yet, but I think the user would give the target something (maybe a ball of energy or even something that resembles candy) and it affects them in some way, maybe by making them appear like a cartoony ghost as SemioticSam said.

I think that Duskull and maybe Shuppet could be capable of learning this move.
 
The animation for it is a bunch of ghosts going around the target, with a bigger one coming up from behind it. I love it, since it makes it easy for Gourgeist to take out Pokemon that it would normally be weak against, especially if you use Shadow Sneak and go first.
 
As Rainbow said, a STAB shadow sneak super effective would do 120 damage, not bad by any means.
I don't think they actually grab the Pokemon and take them trick or treating. The only explanation I can think of while I'm lying on my bed at seven in the morning wishing I was asleep is that it's more of an ideological thing, like an illusion that hypnotized them into feeling their a ghost type.

Or, most likely, Game Freak just threw it on the table and hoped no one would be so profound as to analyze it.
 
Normally, certain players would prefer Shadow Sneak to be used twice instead of using this move and then Shadow Sneak, although it would only out-damage if it's like this: Trick-or-Treat -> Shadow Sneak x 3.

Perhaps a more interesting way of using it is to partner with a Pursuit attacker. First this move is used, then if the opponent didn't switch out by the time you bring in the Pursuit attacker, they are practically trapped. If that target is a Psychic-type that is weak to Dark, that makes them even more vulnerable. Don't know if this would work well if Gourgeist could learn Pursuit too, but it has the benefit of ensuring that the target can't leave without taking heavy damage.

Thanks for reading.
 
Double posting to add that I added a picture that is found on Serebii.

I should also mention that Forest's Curse and Trick-or-Treat cannot stack. They override the other when used.

Thanks for reading.
 
Please note: The thread is from 12 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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