Does Taunt stop Encore stat moves?

Question

Say I use Swords Dance. My foe uses Encore. Say on the next turn my foe uses Taunt. What will happen? Will my foe's Taunt cancel out my foe's Encore? Or would I still keep on using Swords Dance?

Answer 1

Taunt keeps you only using attacking moves, and trying to use a stat move on the turn you're taunted will prompt the message, "[Pokemon's name] cannot move due to the taunt!"

Encoring that stat move will do just that, and will keep you disabled for those turns. I have to admit, I've never thought of it for a strategy, and could really be a winner!

Comments

That was the main reason I was asking about it on my last question. It can be a deadly strategy.

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All that could be true or when he tries to use taunt it says "but it failed" instead of attacking?

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Whimsicott can use this combo. I have it. It owns opponents!

Answer 2

Some additional information:

If a Pokemon is inflicted with Encore and Taunt simultaneously (and it's in the above situation, where it is locked into Swords Dance or any other status move) then the Pokemon will start to Struggle. Note that in a single battle, due to the timing of the moves, there will only be one struggle turn; after that, the Encore will end, and since Struggle cannot be Encored, the Pokemon has one turn to do whatever it wants.

Here is a test showing it with SD Garchomp and Whimsicott. After both Encore and Taunt were inflicted (and one turn where Garchomp can't use Swords Dance due to Taunt) Garchomp struggled for one turn, then the Encore ended. Whimsicott attempted to Encore Garchomp again, but it cannot stop Garchomp from KOing it with Earthquake.

TLDR: If both Encore and Taunt are inflicted at the start of a Pokemon's turn, and that Pokemon is locked into a status move, it will struggle.