What it does
Feint is a Normal-type physical move with low Base Power and priority (+2). Before dealing damage, it removes the target's active Protect (or Detect) effect for that turn, then hits.
The mechanism: the Protect is lifted first, then damage lands. The opponent's Protect is cancelled and your strike reaches the actual Pokémon. That's the whole point — your opponent used Protect this turn, and you still hit them.
The damage on its own is irrelevant at the competitive level. The value is entirely in the Protect-breaking mechanic.
A few constraints: Feint cannot be copied by Mirror Move, selected by Assist, or picked by Metronome. These edge cases rarely come up. Priority at +2 means it acts before most standard moves in the turn order, but after Fake Out's +3.
Who runs it
Maushold (24%) is the primary carrier. Population Bomb is its main attack, and Feint in the kit ensures a Protect can't simply negate that commitment — click Feint when you read Protect, follow with Population Bomb from a partner.
Passimian (15%) is Fighting-type and runs Feint as a Protect-counter tool to open up its Fighting attacks.
Weavile (12%) is fast enough that after Feint lifts the Protect, Weavile can immediately follow up and the target has no coverage to hide behind.
Chesnaught (13%), Tinkaton (10%), Gallade (7%), and Gliscor (13%) each need a Protect answer in specific matchups where their main output would otherwise be wasted.
How to use it
The use case is narrow and specific: you read that the opponent will Protect, and you need to force through an attack on that target this turn. Feint strips the Protect; your partner's attack lands on the Pokémon itself, not into the shield.
Standard doubles pattern: one Pokémon uses Feint, the other fires the main attack simultaneously. Both happen on the same turn. Feint lifts the Protect, attack hits.
The prerequisite is a correct read. If your opponent doesn't Protect — if they attack instead — Feint just did low-damage nothing while your partner attacked normally. The move earns its slot when you have a genuine reason to expect Protect: the opponent's HP is critical and they're stalling; their partner is setting up something requiring a free turn; you see a pattern of Protecting on turns when they're threatened.
Tips & strategy
Protect in doubles creates a 'free turn' for the partner — the shielded Pokémon acts on neither side's damage while their partner does something uninterrupted. Feint erases that. The turn the opponent thought was free becomes the turn they took a hit.
Reading Protect timing gets easier with experience. Low-HP targets often Protect to stall for a KO on another target. The turn after your team uses Fake Out, the protected Pokémon may Protect next turn. Opponents setting up Trick Room or Tailwind may Protect their setup piece.
Fake Out + Feint in doubles: one Pokémon uses Fake Out to flinch one target (preventing its action), the other uses Feint to strip the second target's Protect, while the remaining team attack fires into both. This double-open is one of the most aggressive and effective turns you can construct in doubles.