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Fort Knox (Ability ID: 341)
In-Game Description
"Blocks most damage boosting and multihit abilities."
Extended In-Game Description (280-300 chars)
Neutralizes offensive abilities that boost damage or enable multi-hits. Blocks 158+ damage multipliers like Huge Power, Iron Fist, and type-boosting abilities. Prevents multi-hit abilities from activating extra hits. Only Parental Bond and Multi Headed bypass.
Character count: 299
Code Implementation
Primary Definition
File: src/abilities.cc
(lines 3611-3613)
cpp
constexpr Ability FortKnox = {
.fortKnox = TRUE,
};
Detection Function
File: src/battle_script_commands.c
(line 981-984)
cpp
AbilityEnum HasFortKnox(int battler) {
RETURN_ABILITY_IF_FLAG(battler, FALSE, fortKnox)
return FALSE;
}
Damage Multiplier Blocking
File: src/battle_util.c
(lines 6828-6840)
cpp
u16 CalculateAbilityMultipliers(...) {
u16 multiplier = UQ_4_12(1.0);
int hasFortKnox = HasFortKnox(battlerDef);
if (!hasFortKnox) {
// Apply offensive multipliers only if defender lacks Fort Knox
for (int sourceBattler = 0; sourceBattler < gBattlersCount; sourceBattler++) {
ON_ABILITY(sourceBattler, FALSE,
gAbilities[ability].onOffensiveMultiplier,
// Apply multiplier...
)
}
}
// Defensive multipliers still apply regardless of Fort Knox
}
Multi-hit Blocking
File: src/battle_script_commands.c
(lines 970-976)
cpp
MultihitType GetParentalBondType(int battler, MoveEnum move, int moveType) {
int hasFortKnox = HasFortKnox(target);
ON_ABILITY(battler, FALSE,
gAbilities[ability].onParentalBond &&
(!hasFortKnox || gAbilities[ability].resistsFortKnox),
int result = gAbilities[ability].onParentalBond(battler, move, moveType);
if (result) return result
)
return MULTIHIT_SINGLE;
}
Detailed Mechanical Explanation
Fort Knox is one of the most powerful defensive abilities in Elite Redux, providing comprehensive protection against offensive ability modifiers.
Core Mechanics
Fort Knox operates by intercepting ability calculations during damage resolution:
- When a Pokémon with Fort Knox is defending, it prevents the attacker's offensive abilities from applying
- The ability specifically targets two hooks:
onOffensiveMultiplier
andonParentalBond
- Implementation is remarkably simple: just
.fortKnox = TRUE
in the ability struct
What Fort Knox Blocks
1. Damage-Boosting Abilities (~158+ abilities)
Blocks ALL abilities that use onOffensiveMultiplier
, including:
Type-Based Boosts:
- Overgrow, Blaze, Torrent (1.5x when HP < 1/3)
- Swarm variants for all types (Bug, Electric, etc.)
- -ate abilities (Pixilate, Refrigerate, Aerilate)
Physical/Special Boosts:
- Huge Power/Pure Power (2x Attack)
- Hustle (1.4x physical damage, line 886)
- Sheer Force (1.3x + removes secondary effects)
- Iron Fist (1.2x punching moves)
- Strong Jaw (1.5x biting moves)
- Mega Launcher (1.5x pulse/aura moves)
Conditional Boosts:
- Guts (1.5x physical when statused)
- Solar Power (1.5x special in sun)
- Analytic (1.3x when moving last, line 1692)
- Tinted Lens (2x on not very effective moves)
- Technician (1.5x on moves ≤60 power)
Weather/Terrain Boosts:
- Sand Force (1.3x Rock/Ground/Steel in sand)
- Various weather-specific damage boosts
2. Multi-Hit Abilities
Blocks abilities using onParentalBond
hook:
- Ice Cold Hunter (2 hits in hail)
- Raging Boxer, Raging Moth, Raging Goddess
- Dual Wield, Dual Hammer
- Multi Headed variants
- Steel Beetle, Balloon Blitz
- Minion Control, Devourer
- And many more multi-hit variants
Critical Exceptions - Abilities That Bypass Fort Knox
Only two abilities have the resistsFortKnox = TRUE
flag:
1. Parental Bond (Line 1982-1985)
cpp
constexpr Ability ParentalBond = {
.onParentalBond = +[](ON_PARENTAL_BOND) -> MultihitType {
return PARENTAL_BOND_HYPER_AGGRESSIVE;
},
.resistsFortKnox = TRUE,
};
2. Multi Headed (Line 3669-3676)
cpp
constexpr Ability MultiHeaded = {
.onParentalBond = +[](ON_PARENTAL_BOND) -> MultihitType {
if (gBaseStats[gBattleMons[battler].species].flags & F_TWO_HEADED)
return PARENTAL_BOND_HYPER_AGGRESSIVE;
if (gBaseStats[gBattleMons[battler].species].flags & F_THREE_HEADED)
return PARENTAL_BOND_THREE_HEADED;
return MULTIHIT_SINGLE;
},
.resistsFortKnox = TRUE,
};
Other Abilities with Fort Knox Flag
Several abilities also have the fortKnox = TRUE
flag, making them Fort Knox variants:
- Wonder Skin (Line 1688-1690)
- Prim And Proper (Line 5236-5239) - Fort Knox + Cute Charm effect
- Wonder Scale (Line 8456-8459) - Fort Knox + Shed Skin effect
- Stainless Steel (Line 8465-8468) - Fort Knox + Wonder Skin + Steel-type conversion
What Fort Knox Does NOT Block
- Defensive abilities (onDefensiveMultiplier) - these still work normally
- Status moves and their effects
- Base stat modifications (like Intimidate)
- Speed modifications
- Accuracy/Evasion changes
- Weather/terrain setup
- Entry hazards
- Priority modifications
- Critical hit ratio changes
Pokémon With Fort Knox
Based on proto/SpeciesList.textproto
, Fort Knox appears on:
- Geodude line (Geodude, Graveler, Golem) - as regular ability
- Various other species including some as innate abilities
- 20 total instances found across the species list
Example from Geodude (lines 14925-14954):
species {
id: SPECIES_GEODUDE
...
ability: ABILITY_ROCK_HEAD
ability: ABILITY_SAND_FORCE
ability: ABILITY_FORT_KNOX
innate: ABILITY_LETS_ROLL
innate: ABILITY_STURDY
innate: ABILITY_SOLID_ROCK
}
Strategic Implications
Fort Knox essentially neutralizes most offensive ability strategies:
- Shuts down Huge Power sweepers completely
- Prevents multi-hit spam strategies (except Parental Bond/Multi Headed)
- Counters weather-based attackers that rely on damage boosts
- Makes the defender rely purely on base stats and moves
- Forces attackers to use raw power or status moves
This makes Fort Knox Pokémon excellent defensive pivots and walls, particularly against ability-reliant offensive threats. The very limited exceptions (only Parental Bond and Multi Headed) provide the primary reliable methods to break through with ability-enhanced attacks.
Competitive Analysis
Fort Knox represents one of the strongest defensive tools in Elite Redux:
- Tier S+ defensive ability - Nearly unbreakable wall against offensive abilities
- Counters the meta - Many powerful sweepers rely on damage-boosting abilities
- Forces strategic adaptation - Opponents must rely on base power or status effects
- Balanced by exceptions - Parental Bond and Multi Headed provide counterplay
- Synergizes with defensive stats - Best on naturally bulky Pokémon
The ability essentially creates a "pure stats" battle environment where abilities don't determine damage output, making it incredibly valuable for defensive team compositions.