Lead Coat - Ability ID 296

In-Game Description

"Takes 40% less from Phys. moves. This Pokémon's Speed is 0.9x."

Extended In-Game Description

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

Lead Coat reduces physical damage by 40% but decreases Speed by 10%. The ability also triples the Pokémon's weight, making them vulnerable to weight-based moves like Low Kick and Heat Crash but more effective when using these moves themselves.

Character count: 289

Detailed Mechanical Explanation

For Discord/reference use

Core Mechanics

Lead Coat is a defensive ability with both benefits and drawbacks that significantly alters a Pokémon's battle performance.

Primary Effects:

1. Physical Damage Reduction: Reduces all incoming physical move damage by 40% (multiplies by 0.6)
2. Speed Reduction: Reduces the Pokémon's Speed stat by 10% (multiplies by 0.9)
3. Weight Multiplication: Triples the Pokémon's weight for all weight-based calculations

Technical Implementation

constexpr Ability LeadCoat = {
    .onDefensiveMultiplier =
        +[](ON_DEFENSIVE_MULTIPLIER) {
            if (IS_MOVE_PHYSICAL(move)) MUL(.6);
        },
    .onStat =
        +[](ON_STAT) {
            if (statId == STAT_SPEED) *stat *= .9;
        },
    .breakable = TRUE,
};

Weight Calculation:

if (BATTLER_HAS_ABILITY(battlerId, ABILITY_LEAD_COAT)) weight *= 3;

Activation Conditions

• Physical Damage Reduction: Activates on any physical move targeting the Pokémon
• Speed Reduction: Always active, applied during stat calculation
• Weight Multiplication: Always active, affects all weight-dependent calculations

Affected Moves and Mechanics

Weight-Based Moves Affected:

• Low Kick: Damage increases based on target's weight
• Grass Knot: Damage increases based on target's weight
• Heat Crash: Damage based on user's weight vs target's weight
• Heavy Slam: Damage based on user's weight vs target's weight

Weight Damage Table for Low Kick/Grass Knot:

• Normal weight ranges: 10kg (20 BP) → 200kg+ (120 BP)
• With Lead Coat: 3x weight means reaching maximum damage (120 BP) much easier

Interactions with Other Abilities/Items

Stacking with Weight Modifiers:

• Heavy Metal: Both abilities stack (2x from Heavy Metal, then 3x from Lead Coat = 6x total weight)
• Light Metal: Light Metal halves weight first, then Lead Coat triples (0.5x → 1.5x total weight)
• Float Stone: Item halves weight after ability calculations (3x → 1.5x total weight)

Speed Modification Interactions:

• Stacks multiplicatively with other speed modifiers
• Nature modifiers applied before ability
• Choice Scarf: Speed becomes (base × 0.9 × 1.5) = 1.35x base speed
• Paralysis: Speed becomes (base × 0.9 × 0.25) = 0.225x base speed

Strategic Implications

Advantages:

• Excellent physical bulk, taking only 60% damage from physical attacks
• Makes weight-based attacks more powerful when used by the Pokémon
• Synergizes well with slow, bulky Pokémon that don't rely on speed

Disadvantages:

• 10% speed reduction can be critical in speed ties
• Triple weight makes the Pokémon extremely vulnerable to Low Kick and Grass Knot
• Mold Breaker and similar abilities can bypass the physical damage reduction

Damage Calculations

Physical Attack Example:

• 100 BP physical move vs 100 Def Pokémon
• Without Lead Coat: 100% damage
• With Lead Coat: 60% damage (40% reduction)

Low Kick Against Lead Coat User:

• Pokémon weighing 50kg normally → 150kg with Lead Coat
• Low Kick power: 80 BP (vs 60 BP without Lead Coat)
• Effectively makes the Pokémon much more vulnerable to weight-based attacks

Common Users

Based on trainer battle data, Lead Coat is commonly found on:

• Togedemaru: Sturdy/Lead Coat/Impenetrable options
• Skarmory: Mirror Armor/Sturdy/Lead Coat options
• Bronzong: Battle Armor/Lead Coat/Twisted Dimension options
• Aggron: Juggernaut/Heatproof/Iron Barbs with Lead Coat as innate ability
• Steelix: Various abilities with Lead Coat as innate
• Metang: Fatal Precision/Predator/Lead Coat options

Competitive Usage Notes

Optimal Usage:

• Best on slow, physically defensive Pokémon
• Excellent for Trick Room teams where the speed reduction is beneficial
• Strong on Pokémon that can use weight-based attacks effectively

Team Synergy:

• Pairs well with Trick Room setters
• Benefits from teammates that can handle special attackers
• Works well with entry hazard support to pressure switch-ins

Counters

Direct Counters:

• Special Attackers: Completely bypass the physical damage reduction
• Mold Breaker: Ignores the ability entirely
• Weight-based moves: Low Kick and Grass Knot become much more effective

Indirect Counters:

• Status moves: Burn reduces physical attack but doesn't trigger the ability
• Multi-hit moves: Each hit is reduced individually, but multiple hits can still break through
• Critical hits: Still reduced by 40% but can overcome the bulk

Version History

Lead Coat is an Elite Redux custom ability, not present in official Pokémon games. It represents a defensive ability designed for tank Pokémon that want to sacrifice some speed for significant physical bulk, with the interesting trade-off of increased vulnerability to weight-based attacks.

The ability's design creates interesting strategic decisions - the physical bulk is significant, but the weight tripling can be exploited by opponents running Low Kick or Grass Knot, making team building and prediction crucial elements of using Lead Coat effectively.