Power Fists - Ability ID 273

In-Game Description

"Iron Fist moves target Special Defense and get a 1.3x boost."

Extended In-Game Description

For use in Elite Redux extended ability UI (280-300 chars max)

Punching moves gain 30% damage boost and target Special Defense instead of Defense. Affects all Iron Fist-boosted moves including elemental punches, fighting moves, and Meteor Mash. Allows physical attackers to exploit low Special Defense walls and completely disrupt traditional defensive cores.

Character count: 296

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

POWER FISTS is a unique offensive ability that modifies how punching moves calculate damage, forcing them to target the opponent's Special Defense stat regardless of the move's category.

Core Mechanics:

• Damage Multiplier: 1.3x (30% boost) to all Iron Fist-boosted moves
• Stat Targeting: Forces moves to use defender's Special Defense for damage calculation
• Move Category: Does NOT change the move from physical to special - only changes which defensive stat is targeted
• Attacker Stat: Still uses the attacker's Attack or Special Attack based on the move's original category

Technical Implementation:

constexpr Ability PowerFists = {
    .onOffensiveMultiplier = IronFist.onOffensiveMultiplier,  // 1.3x multiplier
    .onChooseDefensiveStat = +[](ON_CHOOSE_DEFENSIVE_STAT) -> int {
        CHECK(IsIronFistBoosted(move));
        return STAT_SPDEF;
    },
};

Affected Moves:

All moves with the FLAG_IRON_FIST_BOOST flag benefit from this ability:

• Elemental Punches: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Drain Punch
• Fighting Moves: Mach Punch, Dynamic Punch, Focus Punch, Sky Uppercut, Close Combat
• Other Punches: Bullet Punch, Comet Punch, Mega Punch, Dizzy Punch, Shadow Punch
• Special Cases: Hammer Arm, Power-Up Punch, Meteor Mash

Interaction with Other Abilities:

• Brawling Wyvern: If the user also has this ability, Dragon-type moves also receive the Power Fists treatment
• Junshi Sanda: If the user also has this ability, striker moves are affected as well
• Fort Knox: Can be blocked by Fort Knox's offensive ability nullification

Strategic Implications:

1. Mixed Offensive Threat: Physical attackers can now exploit specially defensive walls
2. Meta Disruption: Traditional physical walls with high Defense but low Special Defense become vulnerable
3. Type Coverage: Access to multiple typed punches means diverse special-targeting coverage
4. Damage Calculation: A 100 BP punch becomes effectively 130 BP targeting Special Defense

Example Damage Scenarios:

Against a Skarmory (140 Defense, 70 Special Defense):

• Normal Fire Punch: Targets 140 Defense
• Power Fists Fire Punch: Targets 70 Special Defense with 1.3x boost

This effectively doubles or triples damage output against physically defensive Pokémon.

Common Users:

• Fighting-types seeking to break through physical walls
• Mixed attackers that can leverage the unpredictability
• Pokémon with wide punching move coverage

Competitive Notes:

• Pairs excellently with Choice Band for maximum physical damage through Special Defense
• Countered by specially defensive Pokémon regardless of their physical bulk
• Creates mind games in team preview - opponents must consider different defensive benchmarks
• Particularly effective in metas dominated by physically defensive Steel-types

Version History:

• Elite Redux exclusive ability
• Designed to create unique offensive dynamics not seen in standard Pokémon games