Switch-Out Move

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A move that switches the user or the target (as in the page quote) with his/her/its partner.

Commentary on a FFA United Marvel vs. Capcom 2 tournament match

Sometimes leads to the partner tagging in with a Dynamic Entry.

See also Tag Team, where an entire match revolves around characters fighting one-on-one, with them tagging in/out with their partners as needed.

Examples:

Anime and Manga

• In Yu-Gi-Oh, Yugi Mutou switches consciousnesses with Yami Yugi in this way, at least after little Yugi finds out about Yami. Whoever's soul is not using the body stays in the holding place in the brain. They tag in and out to switch. Their ability to do this comes in handy when fighting an opponent who can read their thoughts.
• In Hunter X Hunter, this is the basis of Goreinu's abilities. He can summon two gorillas, a black one and a white one, both of whom can move about on their own. Goreinu can instantly switch locations with the black gorilla; he can cause someone else to switch locations with the white one.
• Luffy attempts this with Zoro, who is holding off Arlong. Unfortunately for the swordsman, Luffy's idea of a Switch Out Move involves sending Zoro flying backwards about 100 feet in the air.

Board Games

• Castling in Chess swaps the player's king with one of his rooks.

Card Games

• Some cards in Magic the Gathering allow you to do so, such as the "Ninjutsu" mechanic, which allows you to trade one attacking creature for another in the middle of combat.
• The Gladiator Beast monsters in the Yu-Gi-Oh card game have the ability to tag-out by returning to the deck in exchange for a different Gladiator Beast. The second one that comes in ends up with a special ability it wouldn't have otherwise.
• The Pokémon Trading Card Game allows Pokémon to switch back to the Bench [a reserve area] after it attacks. The most infamous card to do so among players is Dunsparce, which, for minimal Energy costs, inflicted Confusion and would retreat back, making it near impossible to defeat. Most subsequent cards based on Dunsparce have had an attack-and-retreat move since.

Comic Books

• The first Marvel Universe Captain Marvel had this ability. His partner, Rick Jones, could send himself to the Negative Zone (and release Captain Marvel to take his place) by striking the Nega Bands on his wrists together over his head.

Video Games

• A staple in Sonic the Hedgehog games' multiplayer races is a Monitor that, when struck will cause the players to switch places. This began in Sonic 2 and has most recently been done in Sonic Colors.
• Some items and events in the Mario Party games allow you to switch spaces with other players. Some do so with one specific character (such as the Warp Pipe), while others will shuffle everybody around (such as a number of Bowser events).
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages had a Hookshot variant (appropriately called the Switch Hook) that acted like this, causing Link and the target to switch places.
• Pokémon: While combat in this series mostly revolves around one-on-one Tag Team matches, there are various moves that cause a Pokemon to be switched out. These provide additional effects over a normal tag-out, and/or may be used in situations where normal tag-outs are not possible:
  • The "Baton Pass" move passes on any of the user's stat changes (e.g. attack/defense boosts) to the next Pokémon switched in. The same applies for all adverse non-cardinal status, like binding, infatuation, confusion, and the like.
  • "U-Turn" and "Volt Switch" attack the opponent and then immediately switch the user out, all during the same turn.
  • Ally Switch switches position with the partner in the battle.
  • Moves like "Roar" or "Whirlwind" force the opponent to switch out, while "Dragon Tail" and "Circle Throw" inflict damage and force the opponent to switch out (during the same turn). These moves have decreased priority, allowing the opponent to strike first before it hits. Use of these moves forces the opponent's stats to reset; this no doubt infuriates a player using Baton Pass to power up his would-be sweeper.
  • The fifth-generation "Escape Button" item causes the user to switch out after being hit by an opponent's attack; this can allow the user to strike first and be switched out on the same turn, but the item is consumed after one use. Also in the same generation, the "Red Card" item causes whoever hits the holder to switch out.
  • A few sacrificial moves (like "Healing Wish") cause the user to faint, but in return grant effects (such as restored HP) on the next Pokemon sent out.
• Shows up in wrestling games all the time, for one, as double-team moves.
• The Capcom vs. Whatever series has these as super maneuvers for the most part, to bring your partner in. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and 3 also have the "Snapback" command that forces your opponent to tag out if possible.
• Tekken Tag Tournament lets everyone have one tag grapple to trade off with his or her partner with a generic stomp, along with coming in after a launcher for a nastier tag juggle (as it killed your ability to recover its lost health). Characters would also get specific partner maneuvers, such as King Irish Whipping an opponent to Armor King for a power slam.