Can status moves like double team fail?

Question

I was in the foggy route in Pokemon platinum, and I was facing against a trainer with a Luxio that spammed double team. It never failed. I was wondering if it could.

Answer 1

It can fail, or be unusable in general if:

1. The stat is already maxed out. If that Luxio used Double Team seven times, on the seventh it would fail.

2. The move was Disabled through the move Disable or the Ability Cursed Body. If this occurs, the move can't be selected until the Disable effects wear off.

3. The Pokemon was subjected to Torment, then used Double Team. On the next turn, it would be unable to use Double Team again.

4. If a Pokemon is Taunted, it is unable to use any status moves.

5. If an opposing Pokemon has Imprison and Double Team, Luxio would also not be able to use Double Team.

Source: Experience

Hope I helped!

Comments

or taunt

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Edited, thanks

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A way that Luxio can't use Double Team is if you have a Pokemon with the moves Imprison and  Double Team. If you use Imprison on Luxio and one of your moves is Double Team, Luxio won't be able to use Double Team.

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Edited again, thanks

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Failing is different from being unable to use the move. When a move fails, it takes a turn and consumes PP. When you select a move you can't use, you get to select a different move on the same turn.