Parental Bond causes most damaging moves used by the Pokémon to become two-strike moves, with the second attack being 25% as strong as the first. It does not affect multi-strike moves.
If a move could hit multiple targets (including allies), such as
Earthquake and
Rock Slide, it will not strike twice; however, if it can only hit a single Pokémon, such as in a Single Battle or if using a move that can hit multiple targets when only one target is in range, it will strike twice. If a move could hit multiple Pokémon but only hits one due to missing the other Pokémon, it will only strike once.
Any attack which has a secondary effect (except
Secret Power) has the same secondary effect on both strikes (such as
Power-Up Punch.), including effects that do not always trigger. If the Pokémon's Ability is changed to
Mummy. after the first strike, it will continue to make a second strike regardless. Since Parental Bond turns moves into two-hit multi-strike moves, each strike has a separate chance to be a critical hit, items and Abilities that trigger upon strike or contact such as
Cursed Body and
Rocky Helmet occur for each strike, 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.
Unlike other secondary effects,
Secret Power's secondary effect can only occur after the second hit. If a move has recoil damage, the recoil will be based on the damage dealt by both strikes, but will be taken after the second strike;
Struggle will inflict recoil damage equal to half the user's maximum HP (after the second strike).
Circle Throw and
Dragon Tail will strike twice, but only force the opponent to switch out once after both strikes are dealt.
U-turn and
Volt Switch strike twice, then the user switches out.
Bug Bite and
Pluck consume the target's Berry after the second strike, so if the target could eat its Berry due to low HP after the first strike, it will. Moves that require the user to recharge after use like
Hyper Beam strike 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 (respectively), until after the second strike, so both strikes get the increased power.
-type moves,
Scald and
Steam Eruption thaw a frozen target after the second strike (so a frozen target cannot be thawed and then burned by the same move). If Meloetta has Parental Bond and uses
Relic Song, it will change Forme only once, after the second strike.
If Present heals the target it will only strike once, but if it damages the target it will strike twice (the second strike will always damage the target). Fixed-damage moves such as
Seismic Toss and
Dragon Rage deal the full amount of damage for both strikes. The damage dealt by
Psywave is generated separately for each strike, and the second strike's damage is not halved. Each strike of
Super Fang halves the target's HP (effectively quartering it if HP is not restored between strikes).
Counter,
Mirror Coat,
Metal Burst and
Bide deal the full amount of damage for both strikes. The first strike of
Assurance counts as previously taking damage for the second strike, giving it increased power.
Grass Pledge,
Fire Pledge, and
Water Pledge strike twice, even when used as a combination move.
Natural Gift and
Spit Up strike twice.
Fling,
Self-Destruct,
Explosion, and
Final Gambit only strike once. Moves with a charging turn (such as
Fly and
Solar Beam) only strike once, even if the Pokémon becomes fully charged in one turn (such as with a
Power Herb). Endeavor also only strikes once, even if the user or target's HP is changed after it strikes (such as by
Iron Barbs or the
Sitrus Berry). Confusion damage only occurs once.
Even though the Ability makes the Pokémon strike twice, there is only one accuracy check for the strike. This means if the first strike misses there will be no second strike, and if the first strike does not miss, then the second is guaranteed to strike.
