What it does
At the end of every turn, Moody picks a random stat and raises it by two stages, then picks a different random stat and lowers it by one. In Gen 9 (current Reg format), the affected stats are Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed — evasion and accuracy are excluded.
Two stages up is a ×2 multiplier. Three consecutive +2 boosts to the same stat maxes it at +6, which is a ×4 multiplier — Attack at +6 effectively multiplies damage output by four. Getting there on a single stat in three turns is faster than any other setup method in the game. The catch: you have no control over which stat gets boosted.
Who runs it
Glalie (48%) has meaningful competitive usage — close to half of teams in Champions include it. Ice typing gives it coverage on Flying and Dragon, and its Mega Evolution has additional applications in the current format. The 48% tells you this isn't a pure gimmick; there's competitive logic behind it. Moody provides the high-variance ceiling.
Scovillain (31%) is also past the 'novelty' threshold. Fire/Grass coverage has genuine utility, and Moody offers the same explosive stat-building potential.
How to use it
The strategy is about buying turns. More turns on the field = more Moody procs. Protect is the core tool here — each Protect use triggers Moody for free, accumulating stat boosts without taking a hit. In doubles, your partner handles the action while the Moody Pokémon Protects and builds.
You're looking for the turn where one stat has been boosted high enough that the holder becomes a genuine threat or cannot be reasonably handled by the opponent. That's the payoff you're waiting for.
Defense or Special Defense going up is also useful — a well-boosted bulky Pokémon becomes very hard to KO, buying even more Moody turns.
Tips & strategy
The drop side of Moody can hurt you. Speed dropping at the wrong time, or Attack dropping right when you need damage — the ability works against you exactly as often as it helps. Don't build a strategy that requires a specific stat to rise; build one that benefits from any significant boost.
Haze and Clear Smog wipe all stat changes, both the Moody boosts and the drops. An opponent with Haze answers any multi-turn Moody build cleanly.
Gen 9 removed evasion and accuracy from Moody's pool — if you've seen older guides mentioning +6 evasion, that no longer applies in the current Reg season.