Parental Bond

Parental Bond transforms the bearer into a devastating offensive force by allowing every damaging attack to strike twice in succession. When a Pokemon with this ability uses any damaging move, it will automatically follow up with a second identical attack that deals exactly half the power of the original hit. This creates a unique damage calculation where the total output becomes 1.5 times the base power of the move, making even moderate-strength attacks surprisingly potent.

The ability's mechanics are straightforward but powerful in practice. Both hits are subject to accuracy checks, meaning either strike can miss independently, and each hit can trigger effects like Life Orb recoil or contact-based abilities separately. Critical hits are also calculated individually for each strike, providing additional variance in damage output. Moves that already hit multiple times, such as Bullet Seed or Rock Blast, are not affected by Parental Bond.

Mega Kangaskhan stands as the sole recipient of this ability, and it fundamentally redefined the Pokemon's competitive viability upon its introduction in Generation 6. The ability makes Mega Kangaskhan an incredibly versatile attacker, as it can break through Focus Sash and Sturdy with ease while dealing substantial damage even with utility moves like Fake Out. This combination of power and utility made Mega Kangaskhan a dominant force in VGC formats, showcasing how Parental Bond can elevate a Pokemon's entire strategic role.