What it does
When the holder enters the field, Anticipation checks every opposing Pokémon's moveset. If any of them carry a move that would deal super-effective damage (×2 or higher) against the holder, or a one-hit KO move (Sheer Cold, Fissure, Horn Drill, Guillotine), the game displays a reaction message.
That's it. No damage, no stat change, no status. A notification. It doesn't say which move, which Pokémon, or how powerful the threat is. Normal-effectiveness moves (×1) don't trigger it.
In theory, knowing 'someone has coverage on me' has informational value in a game where movesets are hidden. In practice, high-level competitive play already predicts this through usage data and standard moveset configurations. Anticipation tells you something you could likely have guessed, in a less useful format.
Who runs it
Hatterene (0%) has Fairy/Psychic typing with a Dragon immunity. The competitive ability choice is Magic Bounce, which actually does something impactful — reflecting status moves and hazards back at the opponent. Anticipation doesn't reach that bar.
Toxicroak (1% for Anticipation) almost always runs Dry Skin or Poison Touch. The 1% represents edge-case experimentation, not a mainstream choice.
How to use it
The realistic scenario where Anticipation matters: early-game team preview is limited, you're uncertain about a specific Pokémon's set, and the notification helps you decide whether to switch immediately or stay in and take the hit. It gives a binary signal — threat or no threat — and you make a call.
Against well-known Pokémon, this signal is often redundant. You already know whether a Garchomp or Urshifu is likely to have moves that hit your type.
Tips & strategy
Anticipation fires on super-effective moves (×2 or ×4), not neutral ones. A move that hits for standard damage won't trigger the ability, which limits its usefulness against Pokémon with broad but neutral coverage.
In doubles, Anticipation scans both opposing Pokémon simultaneously. If either has a qualifying move, it triggers — but you still don't know which one.
The 0%/1% usage across both carriers is the honest verdict. Almost every other ability on Hatterene or Toxicroak does more for you in a match.