Slow Start - Ability ID 112

In-Game Description

"Halves Offenses and Speed during the first 5 turns out."

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (IMPORTANT: exactly 280-300 chars counted WITH spaces)

Slow Start halves Attack, Special Attack, and Speed for the first 5 turns after switching in. The turn counter resets each time the Pokémon switches out. After 5 turns, stats return to normal and a message displays. This ability simulates a slow warm-up period, encouraging strategic timing.

Character count: 297

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

Slow Start is a hindering ability that significantly reduces a Pokémon's offensive capabilities and speed during the initial turns of battle:

Core Mechanics

• Affected Stats: Attack, Special Attack, and Speed are all halved (multiplied by 0.5)
• Duration: Exactly 5 turns after the Pokémon enters battle
• Timer: Uses gVolatileStructs[battler].slowStartTimer which starts at 5 and decrements each turn
• Activation: Triggers immediately upon switching in with an announcement message

Implementation Details

1. On Entry: Sets a 5-turn timer and displays the switch-in announcement
2. Stat Modification: The onStat callback checks if the requested stat is ATK, SPATK, or SPEED, and halves it if the timer is active
3. Turn Processing: Each turn during ENDTURN_SLOW_START, the timer decrements by 1
4. End Condition: When the timer reaches 0, a script (BattleScript_SlowStartEnds) executes to notify the player

Strategic Implications

• Requires careful timing when switching in Slow Start Pokémon
• The halved offenses make the Pokémon vulnerable during early turns
• Speed reduction can cause the Pokémon to be outsped by threats it would normally outspeed
• Works best on bulky Pokémon that can survive the initial disadvantaged turns
• Switching out resets the timer, so staying in is often preferable once switched in

Interactions

• The timer persists through status conditions, weather, and other battle effects
• Does not affect defensive stats (Defense, Special Defense, HP)
• The stat reduction is applied at the calculation level, not as a stat stage change
• Cannot be suppressed by Mold Breaker or similar abilities since it affects the user