Hi kids! My name is Typhlosion and today we're going to learn about the new Battling mechanics introduced in Pokémon Black and White - namely Triple Battles.

Triple Battles are, as you'd expect, a battle which takes place with 3 Pokémon in play for each player at once. Previous attacks have been expanded for this use, for example Earthquake now hits all other 5 Pokémon in play if used in a Triple Battle.

What HAS significantly changed for Triple Battles is the importance of positioning. Let's assume I've sent out 3 Pokémon; one of them is on the left, one of them is in the middle and one of them is on the right. While the Pokémon located in the middle of my trio can attack any of my Opponent's three Pokémon, the Pokémon on my left can only attack the Pokémon on the left of the Opponent's line up (as I see it) and the Pokémon in the middle of my Opponent's lineup. It cannot (normally) attack the Pokémon located on the far diagonal to it - the Pokémon on the far right of my Opponent's line up. This of course applies to the Pokémon on the right of my lineup as well - it cannot attack the Pokémon on the far left of my Opponent's line up. In addition, your middle Pokémon, being closer to the other Pokémon, will do more damage with an attack than a Pokémon on either side would do with the same attack. This means that your middle Pokémon is certainly the key position in Triple Battles, and while you CAN switch their positions, it'll cost you a valuable turn. With me so far? Excellent.

There are of course, some exceptions to this. Certain attacks WILL attack another Pokémon regardless of where it is on the battlefield. Allow me to reveal them to you:

Attack	Type	Attack	Type
Acrobatics		Fly
Aerial Ace		Hurricane
Aeroblast		Gust
Air Slash		Heal Pulse
Aura Sphere		Peck
Bounce		Perish Song
Brave Bird		Pluck
Chatter		Sky Attack
Dark Pulse		Sky Drop
Dragon Pulse		Water Pulse
Drill Peck		Wing Attack

Lastly, we shall look at another mechanic added into Triple Battling - Rotation Battles. In some battles, while all Pokémon will still be sent out, two Pokémon (one of yours, one of your Opponents) will "step forward" and have a 1 VS 1 battle. HOWEVER, both parties are able to switch their selected Pokémon at will (out of the 3 that were sent out), and this will not even cost a turn - it is instanteously and occurs before you attack, without even taking Speed into account. Just to confuse you further you understand.

Page written by Typhlosion.

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