Ever found yourself in a Pokémon battle, ready to unleash a powerful attack, only for your Pokémon to just… sit there? If you've experienced this frustration, chances are you've encountered the Truant ability. It's one of those quirks in the Pokémon world that can be both baffling and, for opponents, incredibly useful.
Introduced back in Generation III, Truant is a signature ability for the Slakoth evolutionary line, which includes Slakoth and its powerful evolution, Slaking. It also makes an appearance on Durant, a Bug/Steel type. So, what exactly does this ability do? In simple terms, it makes your Pokémon only attack every other turn. On the turns it's supposed to be active, you'll see the message: "[Pokémon's Name] is loafing around." It's like they've decided to take a personal day right in the middle of a fight.
This "loafing around" mechanic has some interesting implications. For moves that require a charging turn, like Hyper Beam, the recharge happens on the same turn the Pokémon is loafing. This means you can still get the attack off, but it's delayed. However, moves that have a two-turn sequence, such as Solarbeam or Fly, are completely unusable while Truant is active. You can't prepare on one turn and attack on the next if you're busy doing nothing.
Interestingly, there are some moves designed to manipulate abilities that don't work on Pokémon with Truant. Worry Seed, Entrainment, and Simple Beam, which are typically used to change or affect an opponent's ability, are ineffective against a Truant Pokémon. While it's technically possible to Skill Swap Truant away, the Pokémon that possess it (Slakoth, Slaking, and Durant) don't learn the move themselves, making it a rather permanent fixture for them.
For trainers who have to deal with Truant, it can be a real challenge. Planning your strategy around a Pokémon that only acts half the time requires a lot of foresight and careful team building. However, for those facing a Truant Pokémon, it's a golden opportunity to exploit those "loafing" turns. It's a fascinating example of how an ability can completely alter the flow of battle, turning what could be a devastating threat into a predictable, albeit powerful, opponent.