Move Priority - have you ever wondered why Vital Throw goes before Counter ? Or anything similar? Then come here!

Move Priority:

Have you ever wondered why Vital Throw goes before Counter, when stated that Vital Throw always goes last? Or why your Rayquaza's extremespeed goes after a Plusle's helping hand? The answer is move priority.


Move Priority levels:

+8: Message of "Pokémon is tightening it's focus!". That is, before the opponent gets Focus Punched to the groin.
+7: Pursuit (upon a switching pokemon)
+6: Switching (well, not really a move...)
+5: Helping Hand (don't ask me why...)
+4: Magic Coat, Snatch
+3: Detect, Follow Me, Endure, Protect
+2: Feint
+1: Aqua Jet, Bide, Bullet Punch, Extremespeed, Fake Out, Mach Punch, Ice Shard, Quick Attack, Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, Vacuum Wave (this level is for moves which supposedly go first!)
+0 / -0: Everything else (even some moves which you'd expect to go first or last, namely Assist, Me First, Metronome, Mirror Move and Sleep Talk - the ones which could generate plus/minus priority moves but can still go differently)
-1: Vital Throw
-2: Focus Punch (where opponent gets Focus Punched to the groin)
-3: Avalanche, Revenge
-4: Counter, Mirror Coat
-5: Roar, Whirlwind
-6: Trick Room

If two moves of the same priority are both used, the faster one will go first. Quick Claw, if activated makes the user go first, but is ignored by priority. Full Incense, Lagging Tail and the ability Stall (which only Sableye has) make the user go last but is also ignored by priority moves.