(Reminder: This week is voting week)​

In Pokémon, there are lots of different moves used by different Pokémon. Every week, we shall focus the discussion on a different move, and there will be some base questions that would help you start this off. This week, Nasty Plot is chosen.
(Click picture to go to the Bulbapedia page)​

In-game Description (BW) said:

Type: Dark (Status)
Base Power: --
Accuracy: --
PP: 20

The user stimulates its brain by thinking bad thoughts. It sharply raises the user’s Sp. Atk.

For a long time, there wasn't a move that boosts Special Attack sharply, while Swords Dance existed since the first Generation. That is, until we are at Generation 4, where the Special side of offence is given attention. Nasty Plot is given to a fair share of Pokémon, though not as widespread as Swords Dance. Additionally, the users are said to have evil thought when they used it, so it kind of insinuates that having an evil conscience is beneficial because it makes the user powerful. While Tail Glow was the first move to sharply raise Special Attack, it was confined to a single user at that time (Volbeat).

Here are the usual possible questions about this move:

• How does certain Pokémon (who knows it) use this move?
• What kind of purpose would this move have for them (in the Pokémon World)?
• How could this move be used to aid a profession in the Pokémon World?
• Could this move realistically be used by any Pokémon who doesn't learn it normally? If yes, please explain your choices.
• How would this move be used in battling, realistically or video game-wise?

Other questions (You could ask other critical questions beyond the listed):

• How does thinking of bad thoughts give the user a stronger offence?
• A few of the users that learn it by level-up only learn this move in their most basic form, but couldn't learn it once they evolve (Pichu, Chimchar and Riolu). In this case, how are they different from their evolutions?
• Additionally, some of the users only learn this move when they are fully-evolved (Ninetales, Slowking, Honchkrow, Weavile & Porygon-Z). What differentiates them from their pre-evolved forms?

Here are the current users of this move (put in Spoiler tag due to the large list):
Spoiler

(Level-up)​

• Ninetales
• Meowth & Persian
• Drowzee & Hypno
• Mew
• Pichu, Pikachu & Raichu
• Aipom & Ambipom
• Slowking
• Houndour & Houndoom
• Shiftry
• Plusle & Minun
• Chimchar, Monferno & Infernape
• Honchkrow
• Spiritomb
• Riolu & Lucario
• Weavile
• Porygon-Z
• Azelf
• Darkrai
• Purrloin & Liepard
• Zorua & Zoroark
• Vullaby & Mandibuzz
• Thundurus

  (Breeding)

• Zubat, Golbat & Crobat
• Mime Jr. & Mr. Mime
• Togepi, Togetic & Togekiss
• Misdreavus & Mismagius
• Smoochum & Jynx
• Seedot, Nuzleaf & Shiftry
• Sableye
• Cacnea & Cacturne
• Kecleon
• Chatot
• Pansage & Simisage
• Pansear & Simisear
• Panpour & Simipour
• Yamask & Cofagrigus
• Elgyem & Beheeyem

  (Event only)

• Celebi (Gen 4)
• Deoxys

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The Pokémon World Forum Staff

Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

For every four weeks, users get to vote for the next Move-of-the-Week. To narrow down the selection of potential moves, a criteria for the next move would be placed. If you want to vote, at least contribute to the topic in hand (because this topic is about the current move, not about voting for the next move). If you posted just to vote, your vote won't be considered.

One more thing: if a move is already covered in a past Move-of-the-Week, then it won't be considered, so make sure to check the list to see if the move you wish to vote had already been covered.

Criterion for next move: A move that a snake Pokémon learns (chosen because it's the Year of the Snake). Said Pokémon must have "snake" in its species name or are related to those "snake" Pokémon. The closer this move is at representing what a snake would use, the likely it is to be chosen. List:

- Ekans (Snake) & Arbok
- Onix (Rock Snake) & Steelix (Iron Snake)
- Dunsparce (Land Snake)
- Seviper (Fang Snake)
- Snivy (Grass Snake), Servine (Grass Snake) & Serperior

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