[Meta thread] Iron's PokeRole Adventure: The Skull Ruins

[Iron]

K, @Iron, now with the Magnemites hatched from their Eggs and gemstone-discussion wrapped up, it seems like a fitting time to ask for your ruling and thoughts on something that I've been wondering for some time now but held back so far. Let's see...

1. Concerns Ally Switch on my Kabrabra, a move I've been somewhat looking forward to have. You already hinted to me once that this move can be used outside of battle to have Helios switch places with something like a Pokemon up on a hill, sounds very useful when there's something Shiva wants to obtain that is out of her range. But what about using this move in battle, does it really allow me to switch Helios with a different Pokemon in the middle of the Round, since that's what I understand from the description in Corebook?

The way this is worded, it works like a non-damaging Volt Switch. You could switch in the middle of the Round, but your new Pokemon wouldn't be able to receive any orders until a new Round begins. I should probably rule that the opponent can't make any new orders either, so this would be a good way to bring in a Pokemon with Flash Fire or something to receive a fire attack.

I'll also let you use it to switch places with an ally Pokemon who's already in battle, for purposes of taking cover or whatever.

2. I still have that Pineco I caught, missed to offer it when trading Beartic away, but I'll just keep it now because I like the moves it has and maybe it worth it having a Pokemon that can blow itself up with Selfdestruct if huge boulders or similar are blocking the path, clearing the trail this way. It doesn't like Shiva, she doesn't either, but it isn't disobediant. However, Pineco has Study Ability, which allows it to not faint the first time it would faint, which it does by using Selfdestruct. But if Sturdy has not yet been 'activated', would it survive with 1hp or faint regardless?

Selfdestruct is going to bypass Sturdy just going by common sense. As an expensive Surprise you could change that though. Pretty niche.