Parental Bond (Ability)

Parental Bond (Japanese: おやこあい Family Affection) is an Ability introduced in Generation VI. It is the signature Ability of Mega Kangaskhan.

Effect

In battle

Parental Bond allows the Pokémon to attack twice each turn on the same target (even if it fainted), with the second attack being half as strong as the first. This only affects moves that do damage. It does not affect multi-strike moves. Moves that hit multiple targets such as Earthquake and Rock Slide will not hit twice in Double, Triple, or Horde Battles.

Any attack which has a secondary effect has the same secondary effect on the second hit. This includes secondary effects with a chance to trigger and critical hits. Since Parental Bond turns moves into two-hit multi-strike moves, items and Abilities that trigger upon hit or contact such as Cursed Body and Rocky Helmet occur for each hit, and Spiky Shield and King's Shield only damage and decrease Attack, respectively, once if a Pokémon with Parental Bond uses a contact move against a Pokémon that has used one of them.

Circle Throw and Dragon Tail will hit twice, but only force the opponent to switch out once after both hits are dealt. U-turn and Volt Switch hit twice, then the user switches out. Bug Bite and Pluck consume the Berry after the second hit, so if the target could eat the Berry due to low HP after the first hit, it will. Moves that require the user to recharge after use like Hyper Beam hit twice, and the user only needs to recharge for one turn. Smelling Salts, Wake-Up Slap and Knock Off do not cure the target of paralysis or sleep or remove the target's held item until after the second hit (respectively), so both hits get the increased power. The first hit of Assurance counts as previously taking damage for the second hit. Each hit of Super Fang halves the target's HP (effectively quartering it if HP is not restored between hits).

If Present heals the target it will only hit once, but if it damages the target it will hit twice (the second hit will always damage the target). Fixed-damage moves such as Seismic Toss and Dragon Rage deal the full amount of damage for both hits. The damage dealt by Psywave is determined separately for each hit, and the second hit's damage is not halved. Counter, Mirror Coat, Metal Burst and Bide deal the full amount of damage for both hits. The Pledge moves hit twice, even when used as a combination move. Struggle, Natural Gift, and Spit Up hit twice.

Fling, Self-Destruct, Explosion, and Final Gambit only hit once. Moves with a charging turn only hit once, even if the Pokémon becomes fully charged in one turn (such as with a Power Herb). Endeavor also only hits once, even if the user or target's HP is changed after it hits (such as by Iron Barbs or the Sitrus Berry). Confusion damage only occurs once.

Even though the Ability makes the Pokémon hit twice, there is only one accuracy check for the hit. This means if the first hit misses there will be no second hit, and if the first hit does not miss, then the second is guaranteed to hit.

Outside of battle

No Pokémon currently has this Ability outside of battle, so it's unknown if it has any effects outside of battle or not.

Pokémon with Parental Bond

In other languages

Language Title French Amour Filial German Familienbande Italian Amorefiliale Korean 부자유친 Bujayuchin Spanish Amor Filial

This article is part of Project Moves and Abilities, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on two related aspects of the Pokémon games.