Is Imprison actually useful?

[Hejiru]

I was just considering how they decided to make one of the special "Winner's Path" Pokemon a Duskull with Imprison. Considering the Winner's Path gave strong Pokemon with useful moves (Trick Room for Bronzong and Physical Flying STAB for Gyarados) why did they give Dusknoir Imprison? I'm certainly no expert in competitive baattling, but Imprison seems pretty useless to me. What are the odds you're going to encounter a Pokemon with the same moves as you?

So my question is, does Imprison actually have any use, or is it just a waster of a moveslot?

 

[Sweep Freak]

It's a waste of a slot. It can be helpful, if you run into the same exact pokemon. But it's pretty dumb.

 

[Simse]

I saw a few videos of VGC Battles where Imprision did work. Stopping Trick Room, Taunt etc.

Otherwise, it isn't really any help.

 

[deoxysdude94]

It's useless except for one move: earthquake. You see earthquake all the time.

 

[windsong]

Useless in singles, but good in doubles, where it can stop Protect/Detect/Explosion/Etc.

 

[Creation of Pokerus]

Well, the Winner's Path one is useless, but if you breed Imprison into a Duskull in RSE, then give it Mimic, you've just removed a potential killer move.

 

[JEGo Fett]

It would be useful if 1) you put it on a pokemon who's soul purpose is to play in doubles and 2) you give it the most popular moves that are used in doubles like surf, earthquake, protect, etc

 

[Gamefreak]

It can be fun on lead Uxie... where you can imprision their Stealth Rocks, then U-Turn away/set your own rocks as they switch.

 

[Amonitas]

It's one of those moves that rarely are useful, but they do their job very well if that happens.

 

[RoseSymphony]

Honestly, I'd love to see this move used on a Choiced Poke and see how the opponent reacts.

"Yeah, I could've used Torment. But no, you just got IMPRISONED."

;D

 

[windsong]

I'm going to say it again, in singles, it's basically nothing more than a gimmick (although as mentioned, it's gimmicky but somewhat viable on lead uxie and stuff like that, though in OU trickscarf or dual screens are the main leads i'd run with Uxie) but is, for the most part, an inferior Torment. Which isn't that great a move in general, especially considering that Tormentran is basically a gimmick (I've literally seen one good tormentran team, and that was Phil's).

In doubles, Imprison/Protect/Explosion/Filler is basically a really good moveset, and there are entire teams based around that strategy (eliminate ghosts and steels, then go boom).

 

[artbomber_97]

Running Imprision on competitive pokemon is completely pointless. I mean, what is the chance of meeting a pokemon having the same moves as you? And even if you DO lock their moves, they will still have other moves to beat you.

 

[Zachmac]

Imprison/Mimic sounds like a good combo, but if you do it, you're just wasting two move slots to stop one move.