Protect

Changes over time

How Protect changed from game to game, newest first.

1. Champions

   PP 10 → 5 ▼ Nerfed

2. Gen IX

   … move used is not Baneful Bunker, added: Burning Bulwark, Detect, Endure, King's Shield, Max Guard, Obstruct, Protect, Quick Guard, added: Silk Trap, Spiky Shield, or Wide Guard, or …

3. Gen VIII

   … Baneful Bunker, Detect, Endure, King's Shield, added: Max Guard, Obstruct, Protect, Quick Guard, Spiky Shield, or …

4. Gen VII

   … user's last move used is not added: Baneful Bunker, Detect, Endure, King's Shield, Protect, Quick …

5. Gen VI

   … where X starts at 1 and dropped: doubles added: triples each time this move is successfully used. X resets to 1 if this move dropped: fails or added: fails, if the user's last move used is not Detect, Endure, added: King's Shield, Protect, Quick Guard, added: Spiky Shield, or Wide dropped: Guard. added: Guard, or if it was one of those moves and the user's protection was broken. Fails if the user moves last this turn.

6. Gen V

   … each time this move is successfully dropped: used, up to a maximum of 8. added: used. X resets to 1 if this … move used is not Detect, Endure, added: Protect, Quick Guard, or dropped: Protect. added: Wide Guard. Fails if the user moves last this turn.

7. Gen IV

   … during this turn. This move has dropped: an X/65536 added: a 1/X chance of being successful, where X starts at dropped: 65535 added: 1 and dropped: halves, rounded down, added: doubles each time this move is successfully dropped: used. After the fourth successful use in added: used, up to a dropped: row, X drops to 118 and continues with seemingly random values from 0-65535 on subsequent successful uses. added: maximum of 8. X resets to dropped: 65535 added: 1 if this move fails or if …

8. Gen III

   The user is protected from added: most attacks made by dropped: the opponent added: other Pokémon during this turn. This move has an dropped: X/255 added: X/65536 chance of being successful, where X starts at dropped: 255 added: 65535 and halves, rounded down, each time this move is successfully used. added: After the fourth successful use in a row, X drops to 118 and continues with seemingly random values from 0-65535 on subsequent successful uses. X resets to dropped: 255 added: 65535 if this move fails or if … or Protect. Fails if the user dropped: has a substitute or moves last this turn.

Numbers: PokéAPI’s changelog. Descriptions: Pokémon Showdown’s for each generation, PokéAPI’s notes where Showdown’s don’t differ. Champions: Pokémon Showdown.

See it in the games

No clip of Protect here yet. Find Protect on YouTube →

How it works in Champions

Good to know

• Priority +4: it goes before moves of lower priority, whatever the Speed.Priority moves
• Protect-like: using any of these in a row usually fails (each success makes the next a third as likely).Protect moves
• Can't be used through: Metronome, Assist, Copycat.

Who runs Protect on Showdown

1. Mega Salamence98.0% of its sets
2. Sneasler71.0% of its sets
3. Gholdengo94.6% of its sets
4. Archaludon97.0% of its sets
5. Kingambit57.9% of its sets
6. Mega Raichu Y97.3% of its sets
7. Mega Charizard Y99.4% of its sets
8. Basculegion57.8% of its sets
9. Hisuian Arcanine96.1% of its sets
10. Mega Floette99.3% of its sets
11. Mega Golisopod67.8% of its sets
12. Mega Gardevoir97.4% of its sets

Smogon · Showdown Champions VGC · Sep 2026: Smogon’s usage stats from Pokémon Showdown, not the in-game ladder.

On the ladder today

Ranked Doubles Pokémon with Protect among their most used moves.

#1Sneasler#2Rillaboom#3Garchomp#4Incineroar#5Archaludon#6Charizard#7Raichu#8Pelipper#9Kingambit#10Female Indeedee#11Whimsicott#12Basculegion#13Golisopod#14Farigiraf#15Gholdengo#16Salamence#17Tyranitar#18Staraptor#19Sylveon#20Milotic#21Venusaur#22Volcarona#23Indeedee#25Sinistcha#26Gardevoir#27Excadrill#28Metagross#29Armarouge#30Eternal Floette#31Female Basculegion

Who learns Protect

315 Pokémon can learn it in Pokémon Champions.

Show all 315 in Champions

VenusaurCharizardBlastoiseBeedrillPidgeotArbokPikachuRaichuClefableNinetalesVileplumeArcanineAlakazamMachampVictreebelSlowbroGengarKangaskhanStarmiePinsirTaurosGyaradosVaporeonJolteonFlareonAerodactylSnorlaxDragoniteMeganiumTyphlosionFeraligatrAriadosAmpharosAzumarillPolitoedEspeonUmbreonSlowkingForretressSteelixQwilfishScizorHeracrossSkarmoryHoundoomTyranitarSceptileBlazikenSwampertPelipperGardevoirSableyeMawileAggronMedichamManectricSharpedoCameruptTorkoalAltariaMiloticCastformBanetteChimechoAbsolGlalieMetagrossTorterraInfernapeEmpoleonStaraptorLuxrayRoseradeRampardosBastiodonLopunnySpiritombGarchompLucarioHippowdonToxicroakAbomasnowWeavileRhyperiorLeafeonGlaceonGliscorMamoswineGalladeFroslassRotomSerperiorEmboarSamurottWatchogLiepardSimisageSimisearSimipourMusharnaExcadrillAudinoConkeldurrScolipedeWhimsicottKrookodileScraftyCofagrigusGarbodorZoroarkReuniclusVanilluxeEmolgaEelektrossChandelureBearticStunfiskGolurkHydreigonVolcaronaChesnaughtDelphoxGreninjaDiggersbyTalonflameVivillonPyroarFlorgesPangoroFurfrouMeowsticAegislashAromatisseSlurpuffMalamarBarbaracleDragalgeClawitzerHelioliskTyrantrumAurorusSylveonHawluchaDedenneGoodraKlefkiTrevenantGourgeistAvaluggNoivernDecidueyeIncineroarPrimarinaToucannonCrabominableLycanrocToxapexMudsdaleAraquanidSalazzleTsareenaOranguruPassimianMimikyuDrampaKommo-oCorviknightFlappleAppletunSandacondaPolteageistHattereneGrimmsnarlMr. RimeRunerigusAlcremieFalinksMorpekoDragapultWyrdeerKleavorBasculegionSneaslerOverqwilMeowscaradaSkeledirgeQuaquavalMausholdGarganaclArmarougeCeruledgeBelliboltScovillainEspathraTinkatonPalafinOrthwormGlimmoraHoundstoneAnnihilapeFarigirafKingambitGholdengoSinistchaArchaludonHydrappleHeat RotomWash RotomFrost RotomFan RotomMow RotomSunny CastformRainy CastformSnowy CastformFemale MeowsticBlade AegislashSmall GourgeistLarge GourgeistSuper GourgeistMega VenusaurMega Charizard XMega Charizard YMega BlastoiseMega AlakazamMega GengarMega KangaskhanMega PinsirMega GyaradosMega AerodactylMega AmpharosMega ScizorMega HeracrossMega HoundoomMega TyranitarMega BlazikenMega GardevoirMega MawileMega AggronMega MedichamMega ManectricMega BanetteMega AbsolMega GarchompMega LucarioMega AbomasnowEternal FloetteMega SwampertMega SceptileMega SableyeMega AltariaMega GalladeMega AudinoMega SharpedoMega SlowbroMega SteelixMega PidgeotMega GlalieMega MetagrossMega CameruptMega LopunnyMega BeedrillAlolan RaichuAlolan NinetalesMidnight LycanrocDusk LycanrocGalarian SlowbroGalarian SlowkingGalarian StunfiskHisuian ArcanineHisuian TyphlosionHisuian SamurottHisuian ZoroarkHisuian GoodraHisuian AvaluggHisuian DecidueyeFemale BasculegionPaldean Tauros (Combat Breed)Paldean Tauros (Blaze Breed)Paldean Tauros (Aqua Breed)Mega ClefableMega VictreebelMega StarmieMega DragoniteMega MeganiumMega FeraligatrMega SkarmoryMega FroslassMega EmboarMega ExcadrillMega ScolipedeMega ScraftyMega EelektrossMega ChandelureMega ChesnaughtMega DelphoxMega GreninjaMega PyroarMega FloetteMega MalamarMega BarbaracleMega DragalgeMega HawluchaMega DrampaMega FalinksMega Raichu XMega Raichu YMega ChimechoMega Absol ZMega StaraptorMega Garchomp ZMega Lucario ZMega GolurkMega CrabominableMega ScovillainMega Glimmora

All 1003 Pokémon that learn it in any game → Filter the Pokédex to Champions →