Liquid Voice - Ability ID 204

In-Game Description

"Sound moves get a 1.2x boost and become Water if Normal."

Extended In-Game Description

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

Liquid Voice converts Normal-type sound moves to Water-type and boosts them by 20%. Affects moves like Hyper Voice, Boomburst, Sing, and Growl. Type change occurs before damage calculation for proper STAB and effectiveness. Provides excellent Water coverage while maintaining sound utility.

Character count: 290

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Core Mechanics

Liquid Voice is a unique ability that combines type conversion with power boosting for sound-based moves. It specifically targets Normal-type sound moves, converting them to Water-type while providing a 1.2x damage multiplier to all sound moves regardless of their original type.

Activation Conditions

• Sound move requirement: Move must have the FLAG_SOUND property
• Type conversion: Only Normal-type sound moves become Water-type
• Power boost: All sound moves get 1.2x damage multiplier
• Timing: Type change occurs before damage calculation, power boost applies during damage calculation

Technical Implementation

// Type conversion component
.onMoveType = +[](ON_MOVE_TYPE) -> int {
    CHECK(moveType == TYPE_NORMAL)
    CHECK(gBattleMoves[move].flags & FLAG_SOUND)
    return TYPE_WATER + 1;
},

// Power boost component  
.onOffensiveMultiplier = +[](ON_OFFENSIVE_MULTIPLIER) {
    if (IsSoundMove(battler, move)) MUL(1.2);
},

Affected Moves

Offensive Sound Moves (Normal → Water + 1.2x boost):

• Hyper Voice (95 → 114 BP)
• Boomburst (140 → 168 BP)
• Round (60 → 72 BP)
• Uproar (90 → 108 BP)
• Echoed Voice (40 → 48 BP base)

Status Sound Moves (Normal → Water, no damage boost):

• Growl (becomes Water-type)
• Roar (becomes Water-type)
• Sing (becomes Water-type)
• Supersonic (becomes Water-type)

Non-Normal Sound Moves (power boost only):

• Bug Buzz (remains Bug-type, gets 1.2x boost)
• Disarming Voice (remains Fairy-type, gets 1.2x boost)
• Chatter (remains Flying-type, gets 1.2x boost)

Important Interactions

• STAB calculation: Water-type converted moves can receive STAB from Water-type users
• Type effectiveness: Converted moves use Water-type effectiveness chart
• Ability precedence: Type conversion happens before other type-changing effects
• Sound immunity: Soundproof still blocks all sound moves regardless of type change
• Throat Spray: Still activates on sound moves despite type change
• Pixilate interactions: Cannot stack with other -ate abilities

Strategic Implications

• Coverage expansion: Provides Water-type attacks to non-Water Pokémon
• STAB synergy: Excellent on Water-types for boosted STAB sound moves
• Utility retention: Status sound moves maintain utility while gaining Water typing
• Sound immunity: Vulnerable to Soundproof ability
• Type prediction: Opponents may not expect Water-type moves from non-Water Pokémon

Common Users

Based on codebase analysis, Liquid Voice appears on:

• Pokémon with natural sound-based movesets
• Water-type Pokémon seeking sound move utility
• Pokémon requiring additional Water-type coverage
• Mixed attackers using both offensive and utility sound moves

Competitive Usage Notes

• Priority targeting: Hyper Voice becomes powerful spread Water move
• Sound spam: Boomburst becomes extremely powerful Water nuke
• Utility coverage: Sing becomes Water-type sleep move
• Team support: Can use sound moves for team utility while dealing Water damage
• AI rating: Rated 5/10 by battle AI (moderate utility)

Counters

• Soundproof: Complete immunity to all sound moves
• Ability suppression: Mold Breaker, Neutralizing Gas disable the ability
• Water resistance: Steel, Water, Dragon, and Grass types resist converted moves
• Substitute: Blocks most sound moves despite type change
• Wide Guard: Protects teammates from spread sound moves

Synergies

• Water-type STAB: Maximizes damage on Water-type users
• Sound move coverage: Access to varied sound utility moves
• Rain teams: Boosted Water-type damage in rain
• Throat Spray: Item activation for Special Attack boost
• Specs/Band: Choice items boost converted sound moves
• Life Orb: Recoil damage for significant power increase

Similar Abilities

Liquid Voice is part of the "-ate" ability family that includes:

• Sand Song: Normal sound → Ground + 1.2x boost
• Banshee: Normal sound → Ghost + 1.2x boost
• Snow Song: Normal sound → Ice + 1.2x boost
• Power Metal: Normal sound → Steel + 1.2x boost

These abilities share identical code structure with only type conversion differences.

Version History

• Introduced in Generation VII (Sun/Moon)
• In Elite Redux, maintains standard mechanics with 1.2x multiplier
• Classified as an "ATE_ABILITY" variant in codebase
• Enhanced by Elite Redux's expanded sound move roster

Advanced Mechanics

• Multi-hit interactions: Each hit of multi-hit sound moves gets full conversion and boost
• Z-move compatibility: Z-moves retain type conversion properties
• Priority interactions: Quick Claw and other priority don't affect type conversion
• Weather independence: Unlike some abilities, not affected by weather conditions
• Substitute piercing: Most sound moves bypass Substitute regardless of type