PvP Mechanics Guide — Energy, CMP & Shield Baiting
Core PvP mechanics in one page — the foundation you should understand before reading matchup data or building a team. For team roles and composition patterns like ABB, see the PvP Team Building Guide.
Energy & Turn System
PvP is a turn-based system where 1 turn = 0.5 seconds. Fast Moves take 1–4 turns and generate energy each time.
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 turn | 0.5 s | A new turn passes every 0.5 seconds in real time. |
| Fast Move duration | 1–4 turns | Counter (2t), Mud Shot (2t), Dragon Tail (3t), etc. |
| Charged Move | 0 turns | Instant. Can be queued mid-Fast-Move once energy is full. |
| Energy cap | 100 | Energy beyond 100 is wasted. |
| Swap cooldown | 120 s | Once you swap, you cannot swap again for 120 seconds (no shield in play). |
CMP — Charged Move Priority
When two Pokémon throw a Charged Move on the same turn, the one with the higher ATK stat fires first. CMP stands for "Charge Move Priority".
- •The Pokémon with higher ATK lands its Charged Move one frame earlier
- •In a mirror, equal or higher ATK lets you trade or steal kills
- •In Great League (CP 1500), a 0/15/15 has lower ATK than 15/15/15 → loses CMP
- •However, 0/15/15 still has the better overall stat product
→ See the PvP IV Guide for detailed ATK comparisons.
Shield Baiting
Each Trainer has 2 shields per match. A shield fully blocks one Charged Move — a huge resource.
- 1Throw a low-energy Charged Move (35–45).
- 2The opponent shields to avoid the bigger hit.
- 3Immediately throw your high-energy Charged Move (50–60).
- 4Main damage lands with one shield already gone.
⚠️ A Charged Move with very low damage (20–30) doesn't pressure the opponent into shielding. You want at least 50 damage to make bait threats real.
Good to Know
Swap advantage — The swap itself takes 1 turn. The incoming Pokémon can input immediately — if the opponent is mid-Fast-Move, your incoming Pokémon can start its first Fast Move earlier. (Not a fixed rule — the edge depends on the opponent's Fast Move cooldown.)
Fast Move lockout — You cannot fire a Charged Move while a Fast Move animation is playing. Tap right at the start of the next Fast Move cycle.
Shield scope — Shields only block Charged Moves. Fast Move damage always lands.
STAB — Same-Type Attack Bonus: moves matching your Pokémon's type deal ×1.2 damage.
References: PvPoke, Niantic