No Guard is a fascinating and impactful Pokémon ability that ensures every move—used by or against the Pokémon with this ability—hits without fail. Whether you’re targeting an opponent with devastating attacks or your foes are trying to dodge, accuracy modifiers no longer matter when No Guard is in play.
But its mechanics go beyond just landing hits. From making risky moves guaranteed to connect to enabling strategic counters, No Guard has some unique features and limitations that every trainer should know. Let’s take a deep dive into No Guard’s capabilities, interactions, and how to leverage it in battles.
Does No Guard Affect All Pokémon?
Yes, No Guard affects both the user and its opponents equally. This means:
- Moves used by the Pokémon with No Guard, even those with low accuracy, will always land.
- Moves targeting the No Guard Pokémon cannot miss, regardless of accuracy, evasion boosts, or conditions like moves being semi-invulnerable.
For example, a Pokémon using Fly (normally semi-invulnerable during one turn) can be hit by a No Guard Pokémon’s move mid-flight. This applies to other similar moves like Dig, Bounce, and Phantom Force. It’s a double-edged sword—great for landing your attacks but risky when facing high-damage moves.
Does No Guard Affect Immunity?
No, No Guard does not bypass or affect type immunities. For instance:
- A Fighting-type move still won’t hit a Ghost-type Pokémon, even if the Fighting-type user has No Guard.
- Similarly, a Ground-type move will still fail against Flying-type Pokémon unless the target is grounded by a move like Gravity.
No Guard only ensures that moves with an accuracy check will hit if they are otherwise eligible to connect based on typing and immunities.
What Moves Does No Guard Affect in Pokémon?
No Guard works with any move that typically requires an accuracy check. Here’s how it interacts with certain move types:
- Basic Attacks: Moves like Dynamic Punch (50% base accuracy) will hit 100% of the time, making it very effective for No Guard users.
- One-Hit KO Moves: Moves like Fissure or Sheer Cold become extremely dangerous, as No Guard guarantees their accuracy when used by or against the ability-holder.
- Semi-Invulnerable Moves: No Guard ensures moves like Fly, Dig, and Bounce can be hit during their semi-invulnerable turns.
- Protect and Detect Interactions: Moves with less than 100% base accuracy (like Dynamic Punch) can bypass Protect and Detect if used by a Pokémon with No Guard.
However, immunity remains unaltered, so type advantages and resistances still play a role in determining eligibility.
What Is No Guard Good For?
No Guard turns risk into consistency—making it an excellent ability for certain Pokémon and battle strategies. Its unique advantages include:
- Enhanced Accuracy: Moves with low base accuracy become reliable tools, such as Machamp’s Dynamic Punch (which causes confusion) or Stone Edge (a strong Rock-type move with a high critical hit ratio).
- Evasion Counter: Forget dealing with opponents stacking evasion boosts—No Guard guarantees your attacks land, no matter how much they try to dodge.
- One-Hit KO Potential: Moves like Sheer Cold or Guillotine become powerful factors thanks to their guaranteed accuracy.
It’s especially useful in doubles or competitive battles, where opponents often rely on strategies like evasive setups or moves like Protect.
Does No Guard Hit Ghost Types?
No Guard does not allow Fighting- or Normal-type moves to hit Ghost types. Similarly, other type-specific immunities hold firm, such as:
- Ground moves will still fail against Flying types.
- Electric moves won’t touch Ground types.
If you want to hit Ghost types with a Fighting-type Pokémon, ensure you have another attack type or use a technique to remove their immunity, such as Gravity grounding Flying types.
No Guard is focused purely on ensuring accuracy—not reworking the rules of type matchups.
What Is Super Effective Against Shedinja?
Shedinja’s Wonder Guard ability makes this Pokémon tricky to counter, as it only takes damage from super-effective moves. Here’s how to handle it:
- Super-Effective Types: Fire, Rock, Flying, Ghost, and Dark-type moves work effectively against Shedinja.
- Weather Effects: Hail or sandstorm damage will knock out Shedinja instantly, making weather-manipulating Pokémon like Tyranitar or Alolan Ninetales excellent counters.
- Mold Breaker: Pokémon with Mold Breaker can bypass Shedinja’s Wonder Guard entirely, allowing any damaging move to hit.
Remember, Wonder Guard is not available in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet—so opportunities to counter Shedinja have shifted in newer games.
What Does Max Guard Do in Pokémon?
Max Guard is a Dynamax move that offers full protection for your Pokémon during a turn. When used, it:
- Blocks all incoming damage, including powerful Max Moves.
- Allows you to redirect attacks away from allies (in doubles or Max Raid battles) while keeping your Pokémon safe.
Though it doesn’t interact directly with No Guard, using Max Guard strategically could help avoid a threatening guaranteed hit from a No Guard attacker.
What Beats a Ghost-Type Pokémon?
Ghost types have two significant weaknesses:
- Dark Moves: Moves like Crunch, Night Slash, or Dark Pulse deal massive damage to Ghost types while taking advantage of type effectiveness.
- Ghost Moves: Ghost Pokémon are also weak to their own typing—so moves like Shadow Ball or Phantom Force are super effective.
Keep in mind that Ghost Pokémon are immune to Normal and Fighting attacks. To counter them effectively, build a team with diverse move types, including ample Dark moves for strong offensive coverage.
Final Thoughts on No Guard in Pokémon Battles
No Guard is a game-changing ability, especially for trainers who value power over risk. By guaranteeing accuracy, it turns previously unreliable moves into consistent tools for victory. However, it requires strategic consideration—your foes also gain the ability to land their hits, no matter how much evasion or semi-invulnerability you count on.
For competitive players, a well-planned No Guard strategy can deliver unexpected advantages. However, never forget the importance of understanding type matchups and immunities to fully exploit this powerful ability.
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