Parental Bond (Ability)

Parental Bond おやこあい
Family Affection
Flavor text
Generation VI
Parent and child attack together.
Generation VII
Currently unknown
Generation VIII
Currently unknown
Generation IX
Currently unknown

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 causes most damaging moves used by the Pokémon to become two-strike moves, with the second attack being half 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 hits all foes when only one foe is currently out, 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 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.

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 until after the second strike (respectively), so both strikes get the increased power. The first strike of Assurance counts as previously taking damage for the second strike. Each strike of Super Fang halves the target's HP (effectively quartering it if HP is not restored between strikes).

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. Counter, Mirror Coat, Metal Burst and Bide deal the full amount of damage for both strikes. The Pledge moves strike twice, even when used as a combination move. Struggle, Natural Gift, and Spit Up strike twice.

Fling, Self-Destruct, Explosion, and Final Gambit only strike once. Moves with a charging turn 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.

Outside of battle

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

Pokémon with Parental Bond

# Pokémon Types First Ability Second Ability Hidden Ability
115M Kangaskhan Kangaskhan
Normal Normal Parental Bond None None
Please note that abilities marked with a superscript are only available in the stated generation or later.
  • For Generation III and IV games, ignore Hidden Abilities.

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.