Mirror Armor + Clear Amulet vs Parting Shot Interaction?

Question

Ok I know this is very specific so please tell me if there is a better place to ask this, but I can not find an answer anywhere, and don't have a second switch to test:

In a Showdown match today I saw a Corviknight with Mirror Armor, against a Grimmsnarl with Prankster Parting-Shot. Corviknight was holding the Clear Amulet, which not only stops the stat drops from Parting-Shot, but also stops Grimmsnarl from switching with it as well.

HOWEVER - in this game, Grimmsnarl WAS able to switch. My initial thought was it was similar to the Magic Bounce interaction, where the ability activates before the item, but we SAW the Clear Amulet prevent the stat drops first, and then Grimmsnarl still switch out. My two questions are 1. Is this just a bug in showdown? and 2. If not, why exactly is this happening?

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9draft-2378013039 around turn 9

Answer 1

It appears to be a Showdown bug.

Generation VII onward
The user no longer switches out if Parting Shot is unable to affect the target's stats (such as due to Clear Body or Mist).

The user successfully switches out if Parting Shot is unable to affect the target's stats due to Mirror Armor, regardless of whether the user's own stats are reduced as a result.

Source.

I tested the interaction on both Showdown and in Violet. I got similar results to what happened in your replay during my Showdown Test, but in my Violet test, Clear Amulet activated before Mirror Armor could do anything so my Grimmsnarl was prevented from switching out.

If I had to guess, in Showdown, the effect of the Clear Amulet was overridden by the effect of Mirror Armor switching out the Parting Shot user. However, I didn't design Showdown, so I don't know for sure.

Regardless, hope I helped!

Comments

Thank you so much, you 100% helped, I will submit it as a bug anyway and see what happens!