Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version - Targeting
The game now finds the attack’s target. This largely depends on the attack.
The possible ranges are:
- All exc. user: All Pokémon adjacent to the user.
- All opposing Pokémon: All opposing Pokémon adjacent to the user.
- All Pokémon in battle
- Ally: A single ally adjacent to the user. If user doesn’t have an ally as commands are chosen, user doesn’t choose a target.)
- Both sides
- No particular target
- Opposing Pokémon’s side
- Random opposing Pokémon: A single opposing Pokémon adjacent to the user, selected at random.
- Single exc. user: A single Pokémon adjacent to the user, selected at random.
- Single opposing Pokémon: A single opposing Pokémon adjacent to the user
- User
- User and allies: User and its allies (even those not adjacent)
- User or ally: Either the user or one of its adjacent allies.
- User’s side
As targets are chosen, a move can target a position even if a Pokémon isn’t occupying it, unlike in games before Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version. This behavior applies to Double Battles in the same way as Triple Battles.
If the attack has a single target and targets a position on the user’s side, the attack will fail if there is no Pokémon at that position as that attack is used. If the attack has a single target and targets a position on the opposing Pokémon’s side, and there is no Pokémon at the targeted position as the attack is used, the following steps are taken:
- If there is one or more opposing Pokémon adjacent to the targeted position that the attack could target, the attack will target one of them at random.
- Otherwise, if there is one or more opposing Pokémon that the attack could target, the attack will target one of them at random.
- Otherwise, the attack will do nothing for having no target.
An attack that can’t be used because it has no target is considered to fail and is not considered to be "prevented from being used".
These effects can change the target of moves and are applied in this order.
- Follow Me takes effect. If the attack is redirected to another target, the Lightningrod/Storm Drain effect below is ignored. (See attack description for Follow Me for details.)
- If a Pokémon other than the target has Lightningrod or Storm Drain, the attack is redirected to that target. (See those Abilities' descriptions for details.)
- If Magic Coat is in effect for the target, or the target has Magic Bounce, when certain moves are used, that target uses that attack instead. (See description for Magic Coat or Magic Bounce for details. If this effect happens, effects that trigger whenever that target is targeted by an attack don’t happen.)
The Pressure ability takes into account the target determined after Follow Me, Lightningrod, and Storm Drain are applied.
In Triple Battles, many kinds of moves can’t target Pokémon in battle that are not adjacent to the user. The moves affected are those with a range of "single Pokémon except user", "user or adjacent ally", "single adjacent ally", "single opposing Pokémon", "all Pokémon except user", "all opposing Pokémon", "all Pokémon in battle", and "single opposing Pokémon selected at random". Moves that are an exception to this rule have flag "n" in the list of moves.