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Tatsugiri’s Commander ability is one of the most interesting and fun new battle mechanics added in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The Pokemon has a unique synergy with Dondozo that is unlike anything seen in the series before.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet brings the series to a new level when it comes to narrative flair. This is primarily seen with its memorable NPCs, but it also extends to some of the newly introduced gen-nine Pokemon as well. While many will think of the surprisingly emotive Koraidon and Miraidon on this front, but Tatsugiri and Dondozo were introduced to fans in a memorable way as well.
The False Dragon Titan boss battle swerves players by bringing in the massive Dondozo for the first stage of the battle, only to reveal that the real Dragon Titan is the tiny Tatsugiri. Players who don’t venture into the realm of double battles might not realize that this isn’t just for show. It’s actually a small taste of Tatsugiri’s Commander ability, one of the most interesting new abilities added in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.
How to Use Tatsugiri’s Commander Ability
Tatsugiri’s Commander ability automatically activates when it is on the field with an allied Dondozo. The Commander ability can only be used in double battles, which are scarce in the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet story.
Players can look to the Poke Portal to find both ranked and unranked double battles. Pokemon’s official format for competition is double battling, which makes Tatsugiri and Dondozo a major threat in VGC tournaments.
How Does Tatsugiri’s Commander Ability Work?
Tatsugiri’s Commander ability sees the Pokemon eaten by its ally Dondozo, empowering the Dondozo in two ways. The first is that Dondozo gets a sharp boost to all its stats after eating the Tatsugiri. This makes it tankier and more threatening than normal, and even makes it deceptively fast for a Pokemon with 35 base speed.
The other way that Tatsugiri empowers Dondozo relates to the Order Up move, Dondozo’s signature attack. If Dondozo has a Tatsugiri in its mouth and uses Order Up, it will receive a stat boost. The stat varies based on which type of Tatsugiri it has eaten, with the orange Curly Form giving it an attack boost, the fuschia Droopy Form boosting its defense, and the yellow Stretchy Form boosting speed.
Does Tatsugiri Stay Alive if Dondozo is Knocked Out?
If Dondozo is knocked out while it has a Tatsugiri in its mouth, Tatsugiri stays alive and returns to the field on its own with the same health and status conditions it had before being eaten by Dondozo. From there, the player can send in another Pokemon who will fight alongside the surviving Tatsugiri.
Tatsugiri cannot receive damage while inside Dondozo’s mouth, even from moves that hit multiple foes like Earthquake and Dazzling Gleam. The only things that can damage Tatsugiri while it’s inside Dondozo are the burn and poison status conditions. Players have leveraged this by creating strategies where Tatsugiri dies inside Dondozo, allowing it to gain the stat boosts and then have it fight alongside an active teammate.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet are available now on Nintendo Switch.
